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.

[Rachie72344567]

This update also cause my Charge 5 to go to black screen and the battery to drain in 15 minutes after a full charge. It was working fine earlier in the day but then just died after the update. I tried getting help from support but they just gave me 3 troubleshooting steps and then said there is nothing else to do, it’s broken and you are out of warranty so just buy a new one! Needless to say, I will not be buying a new one. 

[SunsetRunner]

@Rachie72344567  Try the steps I suggested in another post. I would cut and paste them, bu
the monitor warned me that I Will be blocked if I do that. So look for
IamNoExpert on page 15  in the same thread and I hope it helps.

[theLaughingFool]

@SunsetRunner I cannot speak for others, but my Fitbit Charge 5 will neither light up nor vibrate even when plugged in. I fear this update has well and truly killed the watch. 

[ohc778]

After the update my Fitbit now has to be charged everyday. What happened?!

[AnnaFZ]

The screen on mine has now gone green and barely responsive. Basically it's
screwed. Nothing working to fix it. It is inbuilt obsolescence and Google
can eff right off.

[Disappointed01]

Hi, my Charge 5 (2yrs old) was working fine until I ran this update. Now I have to recharge it as least twice a day. Fully charged last night wore it for sleeping & flat when I awoke this morning. Have tried resetting on the as per the advice on here has made no difference. Really disappointed as I love my Charge 5. I see a direct correlation between this battery issue and the update even though Fitbit reckon that's not the case.

[focusphil]

Since upgrade my Fitbit 5 drains the battery overnight from 80% down to 15% in the morning then switches to a black screen with the logo showing, reset it by the button press & ok for a few days then it does it again, can’t trust it now, sorry but Fitbit are nothing like they were 5 to 6 yrs ago, they’ve over complicated the device with things that are of little value to the normal person & removed the basics like the challenge, stair count & a few other things, really disappointed now with it & its 18mth old so no warranty unless things improve I won’t be replacing it with another

[SeanD1956]

I have the 194.91 update but the choice of clock faces is still "child-like ". As a more mature user and following a long relationship with a now defunct Charge 3, I have upgraded to the Charge 5 (thanks to a generous discount from Fitbit) but disappointed by the 'young ' choice of faces. I would like to see a 'traditional ' choice, I can't be the only mature user of the product?

[AnnaFZ]

Send it back and get a popglory watch from Amazon for about an 8th of the
cost. It has literally hundreds of faces to choose from. Personally I am
finding it easier to use and more reliable than my now dead Charge 5, which
Fitbit have deliberately bricked. For that price I am happy to replace it
in a year. For almost 200 quid though, it is more than a little frustrating
when the customer service is terrible and the company actively breaks your
device so that you have to buy their updated version at a "generous"
discount. They are not generous, they are greedy and unprincipled and do
not deserve your money.

[Yellowstonegirl]

If it's not the case, then why are so many others reporting the same
problem right after the update?
Sounds like a lack of taking responsibility on Google's part.

[DC2570]

Since I last posted On Jan 20, my Fitbit device continues to drop sleep and data about 3 hours into the day.  We are a household of 3 Charge 5 users.  Mine is the newest (August 2022).  I am the only one who has "updated" to this version and I am the only one experiencing difficulties.  I would like to know why, after 17 pages of comments and complaints about the issues involved with this update, the Fitbit Community members are the only ones attempting to find solutions? When will Fitbit/Google step up with a fix?  This will be my last Fitbit (I've had 5 including this one.) Loved them but Google has destroyed a very good thing.

[AlanBFit]

And this is surprising to you? Hah! i say, Hah!

[w3wilkes]

@AnnaFZ Do a google search on "PC world fitbit". 

[AnnaFZ]

@w3wilkes I've read that. It needs spreading further though.

[MarkinMiles]

Update, Saturday, January 27, 2024

Still no problems. The Dynamic GPS is still wonky around trees, and only OK out in the open, but that's always been the case. Works fine when I configure it to use the phone for GPS. Battery life is good. Notifications for email and texts are working. NFC Tap-to-Pay is working too. Seems to be tracking my sleep well. 

Overall, I'm still good to go!

[AnnaFZ]

Is your device still in warranty @MarkinMiles?

[iubrian]

I will say as an atty, a grass fraction pantsuit will primarily benefit the people wearing the suits. 1000 separate small frame mort boots would be more effective….

[AlanBFit]

Lol. Soooo true.

[Zaheyu]

My replacement charge 5 from google came with 188.58. I hold on to it because it seems ok. The dead charge 5 developed "boot loop" a few day after a december update.

[Kwcc]

Hi may I ask if Fitbit has any plan to design newer software version than current 194.91? Because it seemed this software is having very bad glitch affecting the battery life span too significantly that it starts to drain drastically within 5 min after full charge!! 😭🥵. And it doesn't make sense that now only charge 6 is available and obviously something is right for Charge 5. My charge 5 is so newly under usage that I would like to still use it rather than replacing it with Charge 6 which I feel Fitbit should address Charge battery drained issue properly and not just giving discount for user facing problem and worst, discount is excluding Charge 6!!!😒😡