Step counts

[VictorB]

I am noticing that my step counts are inconsistent. The steps from my desk to the kitchen are different every time I go. If completely different. I starting to think its not calculation my steps right.

[CMichelle]

If your Blaze is new, I would suggest a reboot.  I had the same issue when I first bought mine and reboot solved it.  Just hold down the left button and the lower right at the same time until you see the Fitbit logo then let go.  Hope that helps!

[Corvettekid]

Yeah, I usually miss the 1st step-flight down.....after that, it's usually accurate.

Today however, when I rolled out of bed it was already at 1 flight.....then I did a new walk which required me to go up gently sloping hills of 20-35 degrees or so...my Step Flights are at 37 as of mid-afternoon !!  It should be at 2.

My watch is on Red Battery indicator, could that have something to with it ?

My understanding was the Step Flight counter counted only actual steps, not the equivalent when you walk non-flat ground so I don't know why I have 35 or so extra flights today.

[Jason212]

@Corvettekid The Blaze uses an altimeter to detect floors climbed, so I could potentially see it counting floors on an incline.

[Corvettekid]

Jason, yeah, the only good thing was I got a "Wow, that's alot of green" as I hit 47 flights with 1/2 hour left in the day !  

Spoiler

[AngelaMa]

Hello @VictorB, @CMichelle, @Corvettekid, and @Jason212, it's great to have you here! 🙂 @Corvettekid your tracker detects floors using an altimeter, which is a sensor that calculates altitude based on atmospheric pressure. Though your tracker is designed to look for pressure changes based on elevation gains, pressure changes due to other causes—such as a gust of wind, a weather change, or opening a door—can occasionally cause your tracker to register an extra floor or two. Another factor is floor height. Your tracks registers one floor when you’ve gone up about ten feet, which is the average between residential and commercial floor heights. If you climb long staircases you may find that the tracker’s floor count doesn’t match how many floors you’ve gone up since the staircase was taller than ten feet. It does not register floors when you go down. Also Fitbit trackers do not count elevation gains on a StairMaster, inclined treadmill, or other stationary exercise equipment because your body does not change in elevation by 10 feet.

@VictorB  Fitbit trackers have a finely tuned algorithm for step counting. The algorithm is designed to look for intensity and motion patterns that are most indicative of people walking and running.  When working at a desk, cooking, or doing other arm movements, the tracker can pick up some extra steps if it thinks you are walking. Many of these situations—such as working or cooking—do include a few steps in-between stationary periods so the tracker tries to give you credit for those steps. 

I'll be around if you have any questions! 😉 

[Crossfit78]

My blaze doesn't start counting steps until I've walked at least 10-15 steps. If I take less than that and then stop, it doesn't give me any credit. Anyone else seeing that? I have about 80% of the steps I had with my flex as a result.

[Rich_Laue]

Part of the algorithm in weeding out false steps is to wait until it sees a few steps before counting. It has always been a minimum of 5 and found it three same on my Blaze.

I set the Blaze to display steps, moved the arm up/down 4 times and stopped, no steps counted. I then moved the arm up/down 5 times and stopped. The steps displayed increased by 5, which is what should happen.

[AngelaMa]

Hello @Crossfit78 welcome to the Fitbit Community! 🙂 Have you tried to restart your tracker? To do so you just need to:

1. Press and hold the Back and Select buttons (left and bottom right) until you see the Fitbit logo on the screen. This should take less than 10 seconds.
2. Let go of the buttons.

Let me know if this helps! 

@Rich_Laue thanks for your cooperation. It's great to have you here. 

[Hal-Bar]

I'm beginning to doubt that my Blaze calculates anything right. Steps, flights, whatever!

[Jaco1985]

Hi CMichelle,

Yes I only have it for 8 days now, I have tried it but it still loosing steps. A friend of mine (He using the HR) we walk the same steps, at the same pace and the same lenght in a step, If we walk together for a 100 steps, his is a 100 and mine 80. 

[Hal-Bar]

It could be that the watch is not snug enough on your wrist. When I tightened it, all was well!

Sent from my iPhone

[Mrsblazek]

My Blaze did the 10,000 step goal animation and I checked it right after and I only had 8,000 steps. Has anyone ever had this?

[Crossfit78]

I have the same experience - it counts about 80% of what I do. I used to initiate challenges with friends all the time but now I don't because of this. I've tried tightening it, adjusting stride length... None of it has fixed the issue. Frustrating. My simple flex worked better.

Houston Methodist. Leading Medicine.

Ranked by U.S.News & World Report as one of America's "Best Hospitals" in 11 specialties. Named to FORTUNE® Magazine's "100 Best Companies to Work For®" list 10 years in a row. Designated as a Magnet hospital for excellence in nursing. Visit us at houstonmethodist.org. Follow us at twitter.com/MethodistHosp and www.facebook.com/HoustonMethodist.

***CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE*** This e-mail is the property of Houston Methodist Hospital and/or its relevant affiliates and may contain restricted and privileged material for the sole use of the intended recipient(s). Any review, use, distribution or disclosure by others is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient (or authorized to receive for the recipient), please contact the sender and delete all copies of the message. Thank you.

[AngelaMa]

Hello @Hal-Bar, @Jaco1985, @Mrsblazek and @Crossfit78 thanks for taking the time to visit this thread. I appreciate your reports about the accuracy of the Blaze, our team is currently looking into this, you can find any update or more information here.

Thanks for your patience and understanding. 🙂  

[ercnan]

I drove 450 miles today with the Blaze sitting quietly in the passenger seat. After the drive it recorded 1,494 steps, .52 miles stepped, 1,915 calories burned, and 25 floors climbed. All while I was doing nothing more than holding a steering wheel without wearing it.

I've rebooted it multiple times, and it is set to normal sensitivity, but this is unacceptable.

I'm going back to my Charge HR, it seemed far more accurate. I have the fitbit app synced to MyFitnessPal so that app takes into consideration the fitbit info and adjusts my needed calorie intake to be far more than I actually need. So, I'm either overeating by trying to keep MyFitnessPal happy, or not eating enough.

For now it's back in the box as a nice ornament, or possibly a gift for someone that just thinks it's cool looking. It's on the latest firmware as well.

[Rich_Laue]

This is more of a car problem than a step counter problem. Every step counter from any company may give false steps from bouncing around in a car that has stiff or bad suspension.. Just driving over bumps will do it, there are plenty of posts on this subject about every fitbit model, unfortunately the fix might include a change in the car model. 

Basically the tracker is looking for a specific motion and if the bouncing produces this motion steps will be counted. 

I find the few steps that was recorded rather minor 3.32 steps per mile is hardly worth worrying about. At 60 mph that is one step every 18 seconds, at this slow speed hardly any calories will be added. I'm wondering what your base calorie burn is? 

Just driving and using your mind and arms will burn extra calories. 

[ercnan]

Then I suppose it's essentially useless for my purposes. Can't wear it to track sleep because if I toss and turn it thinks I'm walking. Maybe I'm sleepwalking ?

For the pricepoint it seems like it would be more accurate the the Charge HR and it has as yet to prove itself there. Maybe the fix is a better brand, or at least a more accurate one.

The old Samsung Gear Fit I used when I had a Samsung device was virtually spot on to my manual counts. Never recorded steps during sleep, or when I was not wearing it. I even tried to fool it by swinging and pumping my arm while sitting a chair. Blaze thinks I'm walking Gear did not.

[AngelaMa]

Hello @ercnan our engineers have worked hard to make sure that our trackers do not pick up false steps or activity recordings while driving. You can negate the information recorded during this time to get more accurate information. Regarding your issue with your sleep I would suggest to review your sleep tracking sensitivity to movement.  Your Fitbit tracker's settings can record your sleep in either "sensitive" mode for extremely detailed sleep reporting or "normal" mode for a more basic idea of your sleep patterns. 

• The normal setting counts significant movements as being awake (such as rolling over) and is appropriate for most users.
• The sensitive setting will cause your tracker to record nearly all movements as time spent awake. This setting may be helpful for users with sleep disorders, or those who wear their tracker somewhere other than the wrist while asleep.

To review your settings just go to your tracker's settings and scroll down to find the Sleep Tracking options. @Rich_Laue thanks for your cooperation! 🙂 

Let me know if this helps! 

[ercnan]

Yes, I have checked the settings. It's set to normal and seems to record sleep fairly well. I know I toss and turn and it shows me as restless during those times, but does not add steps. The heart rate monitor seems close to others I've used also. I drive 450 miles everyday, and today it counted 3,171 steps,14 floors, and 1,626 calories burned while I was driving. I understand the altimeter considering elevation changes and seeing that as a possible stair climb, but why yesterday did it sit on a shelf all day while not driving or moving and counted steps even then? I've tried it on both wrists, both dominant and non-dominant,i n the settings, restarted it several times, etc. but nothing changes it.

I've had it three months or so and didn't notice this issue until just recently, and if I have to record the times I am driving and later negate all those steps, it's just more trouble than it's worth and defeats the purpose. I could do that with a $20 pedometer, or just keep my phone in my pocket like I have been doing. LG Health on my phone recorded 463 steps today which is far closer to being an accurate count considering a normal work day for me involves walking approx 80 feet, 7 times a day. While I'm driving, it's in a phone holder and does not count steps from bumps or elevation changes, and it's using gps as well, so it seems the gps movement along with bumps and elevation changes would make it show even more than the Blaze.

As I said, I didn't notice this issue until recently so maybe something is wonky with it. It's not been wet, I even take it off to shower, dropped, or otherwise mishandled so I don't know. I just know I can't rely on it for anything more than heart rate and sleep at this point.