Charge 5 Firmware Update 194.61

[LizzyFitbit]

7/13 Update: We’re continuing to roll out this firmware for the Charge 5 Firmware Update 194.61, and expect more customers are able to update their devices. This is a progressive rollout and all customers can expect to have it within a few weeks. We release updates in phases so that we can monitor performance closely and make adjustments if needed. If you don't see the option to update, don't worry - you'll have it soon!

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We’re excited to announce that a firmware update version 194.61 for Charge 5 will be available soon! Some of you might already have this update available. If you installed it, let us know what you think!

We release updates to customers in phases. If you don’t see it, check the Fitbit app in a few days, and you’ll see a message when you can install the update. We appreciate your patience while we get this update to all of our customers.

*Firmware releases are not distributed based on region or location and can reach anyone no matter where you reside. We do not recommend performing a factory reset to force the update to your device as your data will be lost and you may not get the update. Please be patient and wait until you see the update banner inside of the Fitbit app to begin the firmware download.

WHAT’S NEW AND FIXED

• All exercise modes are now available in the Exercise app, and your most recently used modes appear at the top. For more information, see How do I track my workouts with my Fitbit device?
• Find new clock faces in the Fitbit Gallery in the Fitbit app. For more information, see How do I change the clock face on my Fitbit device?
• View your daily readiness score on your tracker (Premium feature only). For more information, see What’s my daily readiness score in the Fitbit app?
• Support for global characters and right-to-left text notifications:
  Arabic
  Hebrew
  Thai
  Hindi
  Vietnamese
• This release includes bug fixes and improvements.

Full release notes can be found here. For more details, please see this Community Blog post.

HOW DO I UPDATE?
See How do I update my Fitbit device? for step by step instructions for updating your Charge 5. If you run into difficulty updating, review these Why can't I update my Fitbit device?

We’re interested in hearing your feedback on this update! Let us know what you like! If you encounter unexpected behavior during or after your update, please post the details below.

[DamisaSarki]

Signed up, waiting to hear back.

[ian.pennington3]

With all these posts about the defunct charge 5 and we still haven't heard
from the admins, no apology or nothing, discracefull business they are
running, looks like this charge 5 watch is no more, what a waste of 250
bucks

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You won't hear back cause they are ignorant and have just got there heads
in the sand over this defunct charge 5 watch

[Runforestrun1]

Yep!
Sent from my iPhone

[kerrieBBOZ]

@Jbphdelaney  For anyone who is reading this and is using the ecg app, I am only persisting with my doomed Charge 5 for the ecg because the battery life of the Apple Watch is too short and the Garmin doesn’t have ecg in Australia yet. But I have a bit of an arhythmia which the device software apparently doesn’t like, but I’m finding that even when the device ecg app says that it can’t analyse the data because the HR is too low or the result is inconclusive or similar, if I synch with the app (which I have frozen on the old version and am avoiding updating) I can still see the reading in the health assessments/heart rhythm page and a pdf report for that ecg reading can still be generated. (Sometimes it is a bit laggy and takes a couple of re-synchs to appear, though).

[brazuca2004]

Are there any Charge 5 owners out there on version 188.58 who hasn’t upgraded the mobile Fitbit app yet? If so, how are your Charge 5 devices doing? Mine is still on 188.58 and it was bricked after syncing against the new mobile app.

I also noticed you can’t have a Charge 5 and 6 on the new Fitbit app, you have to remove one to add the other.

[lucsch]

Yes. Mine is on that version after the update that killed it. HR stopped
working and now it won't hold a charge. This didn't happen with the app
change. The app, though annoying, worked with the previous version.

[karand]

@brazuca2004 I never received the update on my Charge 5, thank goodness, so I still have 188.58. I woke up one morning a few weeks ago to find that my phone app had been updated--with no notice, let alone opt-in. I posted at the time that I think the new app is awful. But so far (fingers crossed), it's been syncing okay. 

[SunsetRunner]

Based on all the other comments about their Charge 5 becoming completely useless since the firmware update I assume mine has suffered the same fate more recently. It was working great - now it won't hold a charge, doesn't sync, the screen doesn't come on 90% of the time when I want it to, even when I did reset it the other day I wore it for a walk and it said I had zero steps for the day. I complained to Fitbit in the chat and was given a replacement due to the poor battery life since it's been less than a year but after reading these other posts I'm not sure that's going to be enough to fix this complete lack of faith in the brand. I'm hopeful but not overly confident considering the only issue addressed was the battery life. 

What's really concerning is that most of these posts are from July. I'm now in November and evidently they still haven't fixed this. I had much higher hopes for a Google takeover.. 

Update: but wait, there's more! Turns out I don't even have this update yet. Wonderful.

[Kickboker]

I think mine went down after I synced to Google, it was working better than ever with actually vibrating when I got a text but then wouldn't let me see the time until I read the text on the watch. I am so disappointed and am looking for a different smart watch. Thinking I am not getting another Fitbit since it seems so many people are having their go down as well...

Hopefully it will start working again, but probably not 😔

[GLindsayM]

I think the watches are all challenged. I have read even the apple watch has flaws lately. I think all vendors are trying so hard to do so much that they are crumbling.
Sent from my iPhone

[ian.pennington3]

Your charge 5 still working okay??

[bulloo]

No not all it has died since and there is not a single word from
respondents.

Sadajewat Kaul

[ian.pennington3]

Yes bloody hopeless they are, very amature mob they are and they don't give
a **ahem**

[GLindsayM]

It seems to have bounced back. The app sometimes has more steps than the tracker and it struggled with the time change. I will use this tracker until it dies or we are forced to move to google.
Sent from my iPhone

[kerrieBBOZ]

@brazuca2004  yes, I am on 188.58 and I froze the phone app a few update versions before the new app was released, because I suddenly lost onboard GPS after a phone app auto update at the end of august or thereabouts. Since then I turned off auto update for apps on my phone (iPhone) and have been manually updating all other apps EXCEPT for the Fitbit app, mainly in an effort to avoid an app update that might enable the new firmware to automatically get installed, but since then I have been hugely relieved to have serendipitously avoided the new app fail as well!

Currently my Charge 5 is operating as it always did except for not having onboard gps anymore. But I’m tracking walks by using the tracker setting for phone gps only ( ie dynamic mode doesn’t work either). I still have several days battery life and haven’t come across anything else broken yet.

But my bliss will no doubt come to an end if I have a thumb fumble and accidentally update the Fitbit phone app while I’m manually updating another one (although I do it VERY carefully these days!!) or if an iOS update ceases to support the old app, or if I am still limping along by 2025 when we are all forced onto google logins, which seems somewhat unlikely, base on the general trajectory of Fitbit longevity and support. I’ll be moving to Garmin or Apple after the inevitable happens and my Charge 5 dies like everyone else’s.

But in case you haven’t read my earlier posts, my theory is that preparatory app updates (in the old app and prior to the new app) broke the synching in some way and devices were going into death spirals trying to synch different functions, including probably the firmware update installation itself, which is why so many of them appear to still be on 188.58. It seemed like my problem was that the app and device didn’t synch gps properly when in exercise mode, preventing Dynamic mode and onboard gps from functioning properly, although apparently not affecting activity location tracking when the phone is providing the gps. Also one other user reported their device started working again after they deleted one of the health apps off their device, so I’m speculating that was the process that was no longer able to synch for them.

[JohnTheBrave]

It is impossible to update from version 188.58.  Every time it gets to the stage where the app says an update is available the battery runs down from full to empty in a very short time. This always happens when I am unable to put it on charge. When I do eventually put on charge the Charge 5 restarts as battery was flat. The app then resyncs and shows no update available. I then have to wait a couple of weeks before it says update available again and then I go through the same problem. The only possibility seems to be leaving my Fitbit off my wrist and on the charger until the update is next available -so I am unable to use it!!! What can be done? Now done this 3 times. Is this because the app is downloading to the Fitbit in the background and this runs the battery down? Also one time it did this, the display went blank and needed resetting via the charging cradle button. I am worried that one time it does this the Fitbit is going to be bricked. 

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Starting to come to this conclusion. I also have the Aria 2 scales and since the app update it no longer understands 'Guest' user which the scales assign if your weight is not near previous readings. You used to be able to go in and reassign to you but now the Guest values just  disappear into the ether. This also seems to be an issue they refuse to fix. Perhaps Google are trying to kill the brand for some unknown reason.

[bulloo]

Your efforts will never ever help you as the your watch has become un
responsive due to techanical issues from the source it self so please dont
put more efforts as we a have been going through same experiences.

Sadajewat Kaul

[Backrosr]

I purchased a refurbished Charge 5 from Amazon it updated itself ! with the first charge. It has worked flawlessly since then. Battery life lasts for days ! I recharge it to %100 within an hour only 2x a week. It tracks my sleep without problems.

Get Outlook for iOS<>

[JohnTheBrave]

Q1. You don't say which version it updated to - 194.61 or earlier? Mine is stuck on 188.58

Q2. Was it on it's charge cradle when your update happened?

(I get the feeling mine is trying to update but with it not being on charge at the time it causes the battery to run down to flat in less than a day and after it is repowered you have to wait for it to try again - usually a couple of weeks. (Battery life normally - i.e. in between update attempts - is very good like yours.) I also now recall a blank screen problem at one point and found on these forums that you have to change the screen to a different one and back via the app and that solved that problem in my case. Some people unfortunately try removing the bluetooth connection or deleting the watch and re-adding when this happens but with a blank screen you cannot see the authentication code you have to enter - so that is a nono - you are permanently locked out!!

[Runforestrun1]

That’s exactly what I did.
Sent from my iPhone