Charge 2 not counting steps when I walk in place

[saphiresky42]

From what I have read, people have suggested that the fitbit will count steps while walking in place.   This is not occurring for me and I am honestly having trouble finding a clear answer online as to whether or not this should be part of the functionality or not.   (Please note that I have already tried moving from carpet to a hard surface and am in fact lifting my feet completely from the ground).   I am just trying to determine if this is possible-- what would be the reason it is not seeming to work for me? Any insight is appreciated!  

[ElleyKat1]

I'm having the same problem, and it also doesn't track as many steps as it should when I'm walking barefoot, or when I'm pushing the stroller. It's a real bummer.

[ElleyKat1]

Ugh, posted my comment twice for some reason.

[MarlenS]

It's great to see you in the Community @saphiresky42 and @ElleyKat1! 

I moved this thread from Charge to Charge 2 board so this can help other users with the same product and question. The way our Fitbit trackers measures the steps allows to count walk in place steps, since you mentioned that this is not working properly, I suggest restarting the Fitbit following @AlejandraFitbit's instructions. Remember that the Fitbit is going to count the steps only if you're moving your arms.

Let me know if this works. 

[TheMrsPacma]

Pay attention to how you're moving when you're walking in place. If you're just moving your legs and your arms are occupied, still, or holding onto something, it won't register your steps. If you do the whole swing-with-each-stride thing with your arms that you do while you're actually moving forward, it will register your steps just fine. 😉 Same thing goes for walking while pushing a grocery cart or stroller... keep that hand free that you wear your tracker on, and you'll get credit for all your steps. 

[Rich_Laue]

I have to agree with @TheMrsPacma, i just did 200 steps walking in place. Counted every left foot, doubled, the tracker added exactly 200 steps.

[Norrabasil]

Walking in place works for me, perfectly. I make sure my arms are swinging as the would when I walk normally. When I go grocery shopping, I take it off my wrist and put it in my front pocket. I don't like missing out I. Steps, so I make sure every single one counts. 🙂

[nbutler]

When you move you feet, do you also move your arms up and down as you move your feet up and down? Try this if you are not already doing it.  If you are there might be something wrong with your fitbit.

[Jamielynn10]

you have to keep that arm moving... I notice the same thing when i walk in place or even to the kitchen with a cup or something in my hand.. It sometimes wont count if that arm is not moving

[MarlenS]

Hello @TheMrsPacma, @Rich_Laue, @Norrabasil, @nbutler and @Jamielynn10, it's awesome to see you all here.

This is right my friends, we use the motion patterns to calculate the amount of steps taken. With wrist-based trackers, if you move your body a lot and not your arms (or vice versa), you may see a slight difference in step count than you would see if wearing a clip-based tracker on your torso. 

If you're doing something like pushing a stroller or shopping cart, your wrist-based tracker will count your steps but the total may be slightly lower than usual. For more information about the accuracy of the Fitbit trackers please check this article.

See you around! 

[Carmella2014]

I march in place at work all day long rather then sitting on my butt. I wear the fitbit on my ANKLE so it can track the steps i walk in place. If i wore it on my wrist it would not register any of the steps and my arms are still as i am typing all day. Fitbit tracks the movement. And if your arms arms arent moving while you are marching/stepping than the steps will not count.

I use the Larger band that came with my fitbit and it fits perfectly around my ankle. 

[AlvaroFitbit]

@Carmella2014 Welcome! It's good that the community is growing! Thank you so much for sharing what you do to count steps while at work and really happy to hear that the large band works great for you for this purpose. This information may help other members in the same situation.

I'll be around!

[Ck1234]

Nope. It still doesn’t register with full arm swings for me.