Charge 5 Firmware Update 194.91

[LizzyFitbit]

We’re excited to announce that a firmware update version 194.91 for Charge 5 is now available! If you installed it, let us know what you think!

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.

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.

[Bantam59]

Did the update. Now in possession of a bricked Charge 5. Sigh....

[Abomaha]

That’s what happens in my Fitbit 5

[ktb033]

I did the update and I don’t get notifications anymore. I’ve tried everything; restarting both iPhone and FitBit, removing and re-adding the device on Bluetooth, making sure notifications are on everywhere, and still nothing.

I also tried installing a new clock face and the device froze up and was unresponsive. When I went back to the default, it worked fine. Kind of regret updating at this point. I told my wife not to update hers.

[Ge0ffh]

Updated yesterday since when it doesn't hold its charge.  Drains from 100% to 0% in about 25 minutes.  Restarting the Fitbit doesn't work either.  The unit is now completely unusable.

[SunsetRunner]

Coincidentally made a bunch of users' Charge 5s into bricks/battery hogs right after 12 month warranty is up.  Very cool and very legal.

[Ykaiser]

What is the solution to the Fitbit Charge5 with black screen?  It’s been days now and still NO HELP NOR A SOLUTION!!!  THIS NEEDS TO BE FIXED ASAP!!!

ykaiser

[TuTTi57]

Well my fitbit has stopped giving me any information. I guess I am supposed to wait up to month at times for them to fix stuff again. I won't be buying a Google devise. 

[Cmorehouse]

I am super dissatisfied. After the "update" completely broke my watch, I was provided with a 50% discount code to buy a new one. BTW, I have gone through 3 FitBit watches so far and not a single one has lasted more than 2 years - what a waste of money. So the discount only applies to older models (not the Charge 6) and does not apply at all to Google watches (which is what I am really interested in). So the discount offer is more a slap in the face than a real offer to help me remain a FitBit customer. Much as I like the trackers, I can't justify spending another penny on something so poorly made that always breaks after the warranty period. Goodbye FitBit.

[SunsetRunner]

I would like to mention to the boys on the dev-side that I had been having battery drain issues as so many others with the .61 version.
Upgrading to the .91 version partially fixed the battery drain (Its holding for 2-days now).

Yesterday 12.27.2023 at noon my charge-5 became completely unresponsive, the typical X with the red circle appeared on the screen. I tried the usual fitbit ways to reset the device with no luck... Finally I left the device ON and went to bed for the day. Its 28th morning now and the device is functional somehow with 40% of battery remaining, so right now I am charging it and will test the functionallity, so far everything seems to be working.

Will see what happens but I make myself no illusions, I really hope that Google is not doing this on purpose, although I find it extremely hard to believe.

Happy new year everyone.

[Ykaiser]

Definitely a DITTO on your comment!
I'm still without my FitBit and NOBODY from FitBit is even trying to help
me!
YvonneK

[mchili]

Where are the new clock faces???

[TuTTi57]

I am really hoping it's not on purpose. I will not buy a Google tracker. I will go elsewhere. Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone

[Ge0ffh]

Contacted Customer Service and have been offered a replacement Charge 5 or 50% off a different product but as others have commented this excludes Charge 6 and Google watches.  However, the 50% is off the list price so in reality it's only worth about 35% as a number are currently discounted.  This will be the third replacement this year.  Fitbit have serious quality control issues it seems.

[gdio53]

Well, my happiness with 194.91 was short lived.  Battery life is less than 24 hours now, and I need to charge every day versus every 5-6 days when I first updated.
Fortunately for me, the Charge 5 is a backup device that's only used when my Pixel Watch 2 is on the charger.

I tried restarting, clearing user data, and letting the battery drain completely before charging, no luck.  GPS is set to phone, Brightness is Normal, Screen Wake is Manual. Screen Time Out is Default, Vibrations is normal, and the tracker sits unused for almost 23 hours per day.

[Milly1997]

Battery drains in less than a day 😳 @LizzyFitbit 

[Milly1997]

Exactly the same for me. 

[CrisVillaFitbit]

Hello, @Bantam59 Welcome to the forums.

Thanks for taking the time to tell me about your situation with your Charge 5 after the update.

Can you respond to the following questions, please?

- Do the green LED light in the back of the Charge 5 are on?
- When you plug the charger, does the Charge 5 vibrate?
- Did you charge it at least for 2 hours?
- Have you followed the steps to restart Charge 5?

This information will help me further investigate your situation.

[CrisVillaFitbit]

Hi there, @Milly1997 I'm happy to see you here, welcome to the Fitbit Community.

Thanks for letting me know about this situation with the battery life of your Charge 5.

I was able to confirm you contacted support and they were able to provide you with a solution, if you have any other questions or concerns, my best recommendation would be to contact them once again.

[Bantam59]

Hi Cris,

Yes to all of those questions. I first started having problems with the unit a few days ago when the watch face started glitching. The face would fade and then only show intermittent screen faces as I scrolled through trying to get something legible, all to no result. I tried numerous times to restart and finally left the Fitbit to charge overnight. Next morning I tried the restart again and the screen improved enough to see that the Fitbit was fully charged. I tried the restart again and the screen worked! All the faces worked perfectly... for about 30 seconds. Then nothing. Tapping didn't bring it back to life. I tried restarting it again with the 3 taps and then the extended hold. The green light and the vibrate worked but the watch face was dead. I left it on charge again in the hope that it may come back to life but it refused to start up again. This is not the first Charge 5 that I have had that has done this. My wife and I have used Fitbits for a few years and am pleased to say that my old Fitbit 4 still works perfectly. The first Charge 5 bricked about 6 months ago and I tried to return it only to be told that it had run out of warranty (I'm in Australia). I then learned that Fitbit had actually extended their warranty in Aus to 2 years. I'd had this for just over a year. I returned the Fitbit and was given a full refund. This one went the same way yesterday - returned and full refund. Don't know why, but we have upgraded to Charge 6 units. The Charge 5 worked fine until the updates. I just believe that it's a lemon and a costly one at that. Fitbit/Google needs to be more accountable to their clients. Many on here have decided to switch brands because Fitbit won't try to help them. Everyone who has bought a Fitbit Charge 5 anywhere should be able to return these units without question and receive an upgrade to keep faith. The company is big enough to absorb the cost. Thankyou.

[Cath1366]

I just tried calling customer service because I noticed the sleep information is blank on the watch but it's in the app and they wouldn't help me cuz I wouldn't give him my email. Do you have any idea how to remove the sleep information from the watch or does it have to stay there with blanks all the time now that's ridiculous

----

How do I remove the sleep information from the Fitbit watch? I have a charge 5. Did the update and now the sleep information is only on the app not the watch. So when I scroll through the watch I have to pass the sleep information cuz it's blank. How do we get it off the watch?