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.

[ian.pennington3]

I'm still waiting on this new firmware for charge 5, August 10 and still haven't got it, can someone from Fitbit reply to me thanks, been a month now since it was released 

[Happygirl41]

It hasn’t been fixed. 

[Chris_at]

Glad I didn't receive the update yet 😉

Anyway for many users this update doesn't seem to delivery any benefits. The daily readyness score doesn't tell much about the acutal condition anyway and the only thing on the list that might be of use is not described in detail.

• This release includes bug fixes and improvements.

Please get Google Wallet on this device. THAT would actually be a real improvement.

[Happygirl41]

Products are recalled when they have this many complaints about a situation or at least fixes the problem. Fitbit just makes you buy a new one, even though its a SOFTWARE issue. Customer service tells me its the hardware. Baloney!   This many customers with the same problem is a Fitbit problem. 

After 20 minutes on the phone trying to assess the problem with no luck, Customer service said they would send me an email on what to do. They sent me the link to square trade (insurance for fitbit) to solve the problem. I dont have square trade and my fit bit is out of warranty. Does Google own Square Trade?  Hmmmm. 

[Paolov80]

Same here,the ghost update.

[saltywetman]

Fitbit should preflash all replacement charge 5s with their firmware updates prior to sending out to users affected.

Not doing so essentially gives the impression that Fitbit has no confidence in their firmware update since they'd be the ones stuck with the bricked charge 5s I'd they had to update prior to sending out their users. I wish there were charge 5 users who have successfully updated firmware and have zero issues with battery life that can chime in on here because from this forum alone it seems like everyone who flashed to the latest firmware ended up with a bricked charge 5s.

Yet fitbit's official statement is that they are aware that a "small number of users are experiencing problems with the update". Small number? Gaslighting much? There has not been a single user on these forums who has updated to the latest firmware and reported a perfectly functional charge 5!

We need a recall with free replacements for everyone who bricked their devices flashing to this faulty firmware regardless if they are under warranty or not. Devices worked fine until this firmware launched! Stop blaming it on the end users and own up to your mistakes! 

[Toast.tfit]

Since an app update couple days ago battery life has drastically improved, but since the first sync after that it won't sync again and the green heart rate light is stuck on. Still not tracking HR or sleep.

Charge 5 

Just roll everything back a few weeks...

[GMU7801]

How do you roll back?

[SunsetRunner]

I don't even know if it's a firmware update or not. When I look at my app it is showing that I have the old firmware from before the update. Every once in awhile I will pull it out of the drawer and plug it in. Sometimes it flashes the logo, other times it shows that the update failed, most times it's just a blank screen. I am tired of not getting answers. My charge 5 was within the warranty period when it bricked and now it's out of the warranty period. I guess it doesn't really matter because they told me they won't honor it because I bought it on Amazon. I feel cheated. 

[chilehead]

I don't understand not supporting warranty when it's bought from an unauthorized seller on Amazon. They should be able to verify by the device sync history if it was activated to somebody's account when it was brand new, or if it was sold bogusly as brand new but was actually used or refurbished. 

[newtothis83]

If you bought it new on Amazon ir should be honoured.

Amazon is one of their approved market places.

Sent from Outlook for Android<>

[JfMoCHI]

Any updates on a software fix? I got mine working again, but the perfomance is sluggish and the battery lasts less than 24 hours. Support didn't have any info, just a 35% discount.

Moderator edit: format

[isis_orion]

Starting to think I shouldn’t have bought a charge 5, got it yesterday brand new and still on old firmware? 
Can’t get any notifications and I’ve done all of the suggested fixes.

Battery at 50% already.

Can’t use the pay feature as literally no main uk banks on there?

Doesn’t support even a basic music function like the last one, or weather. And honestly the watch faces are awful so far, can’t have uk date setting even though I’m set to uk, and not even a plain simple face to choose from.

Honestly I’ve still got my old Pebble Time steel, and that had more functionality, I might dig it out my draw!! 
Or just buy an Apple Watch as I know that will work 🤦🏼‍:female_sign:

[mitchtl]

I would avoid purchasing a Fitbit until they make them work (and compensate all of us whose Charge 5s have become totally useless.

[kerrieBBOZ]

@isis_orion as a UK consumer you have consumer protections for faulty products.You should check it out.

[MaryIHart]

Is the paragraph about Fitbit sending replacements to affected users something that @DavideFitbit wrote? If so, is this going to be all affected users, or just those still under warranty?

[MaryIHart]

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UPDATE: I purchased a Fitbit as a gift for my partner about two months ago. He hadn't quite decided whether he wanted to use it or not, so I had in the back if my mind that if he didn't start using his, I would use it.  So I took a look at his Fitbit this morning, and charged it... I haven't worked as extensively on this one as I did on mine to try to get it started... But it appears to be bricked as well. Two months! This one is definitely within the warranty period. I just can't imagine myself ever trusting this company again. (It's now parent company, Google, I already knew better than to trust). 

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It seems that you cannot contact support directly now, as they are experiencing a high volume, etc., so I'm going to post here and hope that a moderator refers this to support.

Fitbit first turned on Jan 22, so out of warranty. Had one blip shortly before it died, where the battery showed 80%, but shortly after it ran out of battery and turned itself off. I was able to restart it that time. On approximately July 22, the Fitbit went dead (after the battery showing about 3/4 charged earlier in the day).  Have followed all recommended procedures (except for factory reset), beginning with 3 pulse restart, multiple times. Have tried with my original cable, another Fitbit original cable, and an aftermarket cable, and with multiple chargers. Have cleaned to connectors on Fitbit and chargers. Have restarted Android phone multiple times. Have force stopped Fitbit app from settings. Have uninstalled and reinstalled the Fitbit app.

I have not done a factory reset, because at this point I can still see my 1.5 years of data in the app, up to the day it died, and would prefer to keep this, and have not heard of anyone's Fitbit functioning again due to doing a factory restart.

What the Actual Fitbit is doing: It's dead at the moment. If I put it in the charger for a few minutes, I can get it to respond to 3 pulse restart. (Putting it in the charger for longer-hours, days- does not get me any more.) It will then cycle between showing Fitbit logo and showing 1 or a couple percent charging, anding up finally with the X as it sits it the charger and then going to black, or just going directly to black. Keeping it in the charger after this gets me nothing. I can 3 pulse restart over again, but get no farther. I have spent hours doing this and the other suggested procedures and can get no farther. The Fitbit is completely unusable. I am, by the way, a tech person, and regularly get computers, devices etc., restarted, so I have been reluctant to give up on trying to get this working again, but I am not able to get my Fitbit in any way functional. 

Thank you,

Mary Hart

[Medicanya]

My device updated to 194.61 last week and then bricked: the battery drains super fast and the screen will not turn on.  This is not a 188.58 issue.

here is a screenshot of my software version: 194.61

[isis_orion]

Ah, thanks for this I will look into it for sure! 

[Mitch325]

I still can’t get my Fitbit to actually turn on. The fit bit symbol popped up and than nothing
It won’t even let me pair again since the screen is blank. Not sure how to fix this

Matt

Sent from my iPhone