Charge 5: Here's a workaround for IOS users

[daveo555]

If you, like me, are upset that Fitbit has removed some important and useful features from the app, I have a possible workaround for you.  Someone (I forget who) posted a way to view the old activity log format, which shows graphs for all activities and allows you to change the activity name.  This method works for IOS, but I'm not sure if it will work for Android.  Here are the steps:

• From the home page of the Fitbit app, touch Exercise Days to display the Exercise page
• On the Exercise page, touch the three dots in the upper right corner.
• Select Manage Data from the pull down menu that appears.
• On the Data Deletion page that displays, scroll down and touch EXERCISE (EXERCISE, LOGS, GPS, TRACKING).
• On the Manage Data page, touch the link REVIEW YOUR DATA.
• Voila!  Your exercise log appears in the old app format.  From there you can view all your activities and their graphs just like you used to be able to do.  You can also rename any activity to whatever you want by using the old method of Categorize Activity.

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[RiekoC]

Hello @daveo555 

Thanks for sharing @Tracey901 's workaround.  I'm an Android user and her workaround didn't work for me. 

I'm hoping that this bug will be fixed for both Android and iOS users soon. 

[NSJH]

Thank you. This works! With my IOS.

[3horses]

Thank you!  I wish there was a way to make this view permanent, instead of having to go through all of these steps each time.  But having the option to see the heart rate data and rename autodetected exercises again is really helpful! 

[NSJH]

YES!! now waiting for Fitbit to actually re install this capability on the app.

NS

[Ample88]

Thank you for this! Incredibly annoying to have to go through all that to do it but grateful you shared the knowledge. 

[Enmartin1]

Thanks for sharing this. Now if only I could keep that view instead of having to navigate to it each time 

[pollyjaney]

it looks so much better in the old format - much easier to read - thanks

[daveo555]

I just saw that they updated the IOS app, from 4.06 to 4.08.  Some annoying issues are fixed, which is great.  For example, the app is now keeping itself up to date with the latest data from the watch.  It used to be extremely slow about that.  Sometimes it would be a full day behind the watch.  Another improvement is that the the exercise details for all activities now show a heart rate graph and also a bar graph showing times spent in the various zones.  Previously, they would only show a text summary of major statistics.

They still haven't provided a way to rename activities, but the sneaky workaround I described at the start of this thread still works, thank goodness!

[christekm1]

Awesome tip!! Let’s just hope it stays that way and I can remember all the steps 😉 Thanks!!

[kerrieBBOZ]

Replying to follow.

[christekm1]

Grrrr. Took  feature away thus week. WHY?!?

[TOB9990]

This worked for me on IOS thank you, and it shows that i have trained Mon-Fri for the last few months where as the new app just tells me i have done 2/3 random days a week  over the same peroid.

I wish i could make it permanent instead of having to do it each time, but something is better than nothing 😃

[CarrieAdams1110]

DISREGARD!  I restarted my phone after tonights update and can see it.  Yay!!  Thank you.

Hi!  I’ve been looking into this for month so I appreciate you posting your workout.   It doesn’t work for me though.   I get a blank screen with only the FitBit logo sitting in the middle of the screen.   They either need to bring that functionality back or at the very least really expanded their preset. Cardio, strength training, paddle boarding are all exercises I used and now mostly use “workout” which I hate because I like to make sure I get my mix in. Any ideas why mine isn’t showing?  I have a new iPhone and am up to date on updates. Thanks! 

[dabaker]

This worked great for months and now it longer allows any changes ie changing “ workout” to stretching or anything else ?????

----

This was a great way around this but it is no longer working on my charge 5 Any more suggestions would be greatly appreciated 

[ChrisMSaTx]

Agree. It looks like the latest update took this workaround away. What a mess and what a loss. I’m waiting for my new wearable to arrive and then I am leaving Fitbit and canceling my premium membership. I opened a problem on this over a month ago and NEVER got an update. Clearly the developers and support group for this app don’t think quality, information and functionality are important. 

[RiekoC]

Hello @ChrisMSaTx & @dabaker 

According to an update on this issue, any activity that doesn't include option to use GPS (walk, run) can be edited in the Fitbit app like we used to do. The Fitbit team is still working on fixing the issue for the remaining activities that include option to use GPS.

From what I understand, this fix is for both iOS & Android users. You might want to try and see if this is true for you.

[ChrisMSaTx]

I use the app to track my start of the exercise. I also flip the activity to ‘Run’ and let the app use my iPhone’s GPS. From your reply, it sounds like someone is still working on a fix. Good for those not like me that this problem isn’t an issue anymore. Which continues to beg the question as to why put an app or app update out, if it’s not really ready for proper use???  I’m a former IT guy and this new UI reeks of lack of quality. Sorry. But that’s the truth. 

[cazzalouise68]

I have been using your sneaky workaround for weeks.  Today it didn’t work! 😢

[NSJH]

This Work around no longer works. I had been using it for a while but somehow this week it quit working. I have tried it for several days in a row, and it will not work anymore.