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.

[AnnaFZ]

Those things all worked fine for me too. Then the battery stopped lasting
more than a day and the sensors have given up. It's basically just a
digital watch now.

[Daveleeander2]

😂 Good luck with that!

[TuTTi57]

Just had an update show up and I am not sure I will do it with all the problems everyone is having. My fitbit is running just fine right now. Think I will just stay put. Thanks for your update though.

[MargSi55]

Mine started the battery drain about 10 days after the update.

[wpymsy]

After upgrading my bracelet to this latest version, the screen remains black and the battery is used up very quickly. Currently, the phone can synchronize data, but the screen of the bracelet remains black for a long time. It was fully usable before the upgrade.

[Yellowstonegirl]

That's so annoying. I look at my Fitbit mostly. Not the app. If I'd known this, I wouldn't have updated. 

[Yellowstonegirl]

I hate that the sleep score is missing from my charge 5. I use it all the time for quick info. Not the app.

Please bring it back. Soon. 

[Sideshowsusie]

Despite my Fitbit being charged, the screen keeps going black and does not respond to tapping. This has only happened since the recent update.

[ksid]

Why does charge 5, after update, not track heart rate any longer? Heart rate and sleep stages were two of my top priorities on my watch and now both are gone!!

[fhsantos]

After using the previous firmware for an extended period, I followed the instructions in my Fitbit app to update my Charge 5's firmware to version 57.200001.194.91. The firmware update went smoothly, taking only several minutes and appearing to work fine. However, it didn't take long for issues to arise. Firstly, I noticed that the battery was discharging extremely fast. Then, just one day after the update, the tracker suddenly entered a frantic vibration mode while I was wearing it, and it didn't stop until the battery was completely drained. I attempted to recharge the tracker, but with no success – it displayed a black screen. I reached out to Fitbit support, and they guided me through a reboot of the tracker. The screen shows the Fitbit log during reboot, but goes black after the reboot. I shared photos of the tracker along with screenshots from the Fitbit app with them. Unfortunately, tech support was unable to assist me in downgrading the firmware and instructed me to wait for someone to contact me via email within the next 24 hours.

*****
I received the e-mail back with the following message:
Hi Felipe,

Thanks for providing additional information. Unfortunately, your product doesn’t meet the replacement requirements of our warranty policy. For details about our warranty policy, see fitbit.com/returns.

You can learn more about the latest options in the Fitbit family of products at fitbit.com/compare and fitbit.com/store.

If you have any other questions, please visit help.fitbit.com.

Sincerely,
Arvie V. and the Fitbit Team

Join the growing Fitbit Community! Get answers. Stay motivated. Find Fitbit friends.

******

After rebooting the tracker, it syncs successfully, even though the screen remains black. I can tell the laser is working while I'm wearing it. As I mentioned earlier, the screen responds when I request the tracker to change the clock face or initiate a reboot. Now, Fitbit is stating that they can't resolve the issue without charging me for a new tracker. This is surreal since the tracker was functioning perfectly before the firmware update. They released a firmware update that caused my tracker to malfunction, and now they expect me to pay for it?

[Hgharbin]

Not likely. My wife's tracker was fried with an update. I do not trust Google to not fry mine with an update.

[susan_runs]

According to my device info, I still have the old firmware version, but I just started experiencing the massive battery problems that others have reported. This is exactly what happened to me with the last update in July, and this is the replacement Fitbit sent me then.

[honglong1976]

I just contacted support because Google Wallet appeared when I paired the Fitbit Charge 5. I had another spare one (now sold) but when setting up, only Fitbit Pay appears (when upgrading there is no option to go back to this, so it's a bit odd). I contacted support and they advised me to try again (I will when home). Hopefully, Google Wallet will reapair.

[Kmcvie]

I see the sleep and score on the Fitbit but they won't sync

[Markfm]

Same here - I do see my Readiness Score on the Charge 5 (as stated in the What's New and Fixed post), but Sleep and Sleep Score are blank (no data) on the Charge 5 itself (though showing in the phone app).

[dan3458585]

Decided to update to this firmware.  Plugged Charge 5 into charger after initiating update.  Everything went fine.  Will see how sleep stats work tonight.  

[Boon23]

Charge 5 has been glitching since this update. Won't hold charge and screen won't respond or scroll. 

[fhsantos]

This firmware revision is broken. If you haven't updated yours, don't do it. My tracker stopped working right after the update. Isn't Fitbit releasing a fix to  address the issues that Fitbit caused?

[SunsetRunner]

**NO PROMISES GANG, but This method seemed to return my BRICKED Charge 5 to about 75% of what it was before the Firmware Update! My watch started to Update to Firmware Version 57.20001.194.91 and it hung.

• Symptom: It just keeps looping and crashing OR Flashing a few times and then nothing OR is totally BLANK or Totally BRICKED or totally Blank, but app shows some of the activities like steps...
  • Probable issue:  The update is incomplete and hung.  SOLUTION: you need to get the Charge 5 to go into energy saving mode and stop most processes which should include the update. 
• Action You can try :
• First try to reset it (push the button on the USB cable 3 times), but it  probably won't work.
• Drain the battery with the assumption that once the battery is low, the install would abort and you could try to recover.
• Once the Battery dropped to 20% and try the reset.
  • The Charge should the reset; however, the Charge 5 will not be updated because the battery was too low finish.
  • Unfortunately, your Charge 5 may be in a suspended update, which means that you will have to manually update (sorry, but see the end of this note). HOWEVER, a few might be lucky enough to avoid having to update the firmware.
  • Either way Charge your watch over-night.
• If the watch is working you are done!!!!
• If the watch is working but draining the Battery try the following:
  • Cleared the User Memory (check YouTube)
  • Reset the Charge 5
  • Uninstall the APP on your phone
  • Removed the Charge 5 from the Bluetooth
  • Reinstalled the APP on your phone (You will have to sign in to your Google/Fitbit Acct.)
  • Enable the Bluetooth for the Charge 5
  • Charged it overnight,
  • Reset the Charge 5 

If all that fails you may have to manually install the Firmware Version 57.20001.194.91 update. Then Follow these steps:

• First go the the Fitbit APP and select Update Charge Firmware. If you the Charge takes the Firmware Update, but seems to have any problems like Battery draining then try this:
• Reset the Charge 5 
• If the watch is working you are done!!!!
• If the watch is working but draining the Battery try the following:
  • Cleared the User Memory (check YouTube)
  • Reset the Charge 5
  • Uninstall the APP on your phone
  • Removed the Charge 5 from the Bluetooth
  • Reinstalled the APP on your phone (You will have to sign in to your Google/Fitbit Acct.)
  • Enable the Bluetooth for the Charge 5
  • Charged it overnight,
  • Reset the Charge 5 

If none of this works, then your Charge 5 is Bricked thanks to Google's Software Development Process.

[Jaeneex]

Hi everyone! Don’t give up hope just yet!

I also had the same issues everyone has been faced with since Saturday. I contacted support, did 3x button reset, cleaned the charger (their suggestion.. lol!), and was offered nothing because I’m past warranty. 

I continued to wear my device because it was still tracking everything (but screen is blank) when I sync to the App. I had actually ordered another device (not Fitbit!) thinking this was a dead end. 

By Sunday morning, the battery drained really fast but I still recharged it and wore it awaiting my new device.

I read all the replies here and essentially did the 3x reset an embarrassing number times (it still vibrated) and let it die and charged it all up again. I also did the screen clock change as some suggested. Nothing changed. 

Somehow, today (Tuesday) my Fitbit randomly came back on in the afternoon! It had the new screen clock I downloaded. It’s still working 12+ hours later.

Try the reset, let it drain, recharge, change the screen clock (even tho I didn’t actually see it)!

Hope everyone’s devices start to light up again. Good luck!!!