Charge 5 GPS never connects or maps the route

[wayneramp]

Just got a new Charge 5, I have gone on 3 runs and 2 hikes. All exercise sessions were outside and my FitBit on my wrist exposed to the sky.  In no cases has the GPS connected or my route been tracked.  I also tried holding the tracker over my head in a field for several minutes with no success.  Does the built in GPS work at all?  Is there a trick to get it to connect?  I have the slider in setting to enable GPS and autostart activity.   

Anyone had any luck? The built in GPS was the only reason I upgraded.   

Thanks in advance 

[DavideFitbit]

Hi, thank you for sharing this information about the trouble you've been experiencing with your Charge 5, @wayneramp.  

If the GPS is getting disconnected during your activity, the Charge 5 may track different information for the the distance. Before considering other options, make sure to follow the steps suggested in this article. 

All devices with GPS sensors require a direct path to GPS satellites to calculate location. A weak GPS signal might affect the accuracy of your route and other activity data. Your device uses your step count to calculate distance until it finds a signal, so the total distance calculated for a workout may be slightly less accurate when GPS isn't available for the entire time. In particular, please make sure of the following: 

• That you are  in open sky and moderate trees
• Adjust how you wear the tracker when you want to use GPS 
• Make sure the Location in your phone settings is set to Always or All the time for the Fitbit app (if you're using connected GPS)

If you continue to experience the same behavior and your GPS is getting disconnected, make sure to try following the steps listed in this article to complete a restart, as this has been useful for other users experiencing something similar. 

I'll be around. 

[wayneramp]

David, I have not been able to get the GPS to connect period. My Surge connects without issue, as does my phone.  But the Charge 5 does not connect.  An open field with no clouds, nothing.  Even took it off my wrist and held it over my head for a minute or so.  None of those articles were helpful.  I will try a factory reset before my run today. 

[Griffo77]

I've got the same issue. I've tried with and without my phone.. so far zero GPS tracking.

[DavideFitbit]

@wayneramp @Griffo77 Thank you for all your feedback and your reply confirming that you already tried all the troubleshooting steps mentioned earlier. 

In this case, if you already tried all the steps suggested and you're still experiencing the same inconvenience, I recommend that you get in touch with the Customer Support team for further assistance. The best way to get help for this problem is to chat with us online or give us a call. Click here to get connected. 

Have a good day.