Charge 5 Won't Charge

[CFPhoto]

My Charge 5 will no longer charge (anyone else see the irony here).  I have cleaned the contacts on both the Fitbit and the charging cradle/cable.  I have tried several different USB power adapters and yet the Charge 5 does not take a charge.  It is still running, but the battery is down to just 7%. So it won't be long before it dies.  Any troubleshooting suggestions?  Unfortunately, I do not know anyone with a Charge 5 to be able to try their charger.  

[mario_q]

Mine is having the same problem. While charging it stays with the logo screen, tried different methods and restarting and it just isn’t working. I’ve been using it for 7 months now. 

[ToppTur]

>From what I understand, that is what the reset button on the charging cable
is for. The aftermarket charging cables, I discovered, do not have the
reset button.

I've also read that letting the watch discharge completely is the same as
resetting it.

In my case, neither worked as my watch didn't recognize any changers.

If you bought the watch new as a unit (i.e. with straps and charging cable)
it should be under warranty for a year.

Fitbit tech support was easy to contact.

[BSinME]

Same! It's so frustrating. I've been messing with it on and off all day and nothing is working.

It's also really odd to me that there are several of us having exactly the same problem on the same day. 

[Mailin77]

Exactly the same problem here. Recently charged it, now the screen is black and it says in the app that the battery is dead. Will not charge. Tried the reset button on the charger, did nothing. Same day, same problem. Maybe it has something to do with the firmware update that is being enrolled these days?

I thik i actually fixed it. I deleted the app from my phone an re-installed it. Suddenly it connected to the watch again and syncronized. The battery is now at 17%. Fingers crossed this fixed the problem

[Cmeelee]

Contact customer service on chat, they are sending a replacement for mine
👍If you still have your receipt, they will check warranty and replace. Was
really quick to do yesterday

[Mailin77]

Nope. The battery charged up to 100%, and syncronized fine, but when i took it out of the charger it went straight back to 0%. Very frustrating. But now the update firmware button is pink and functional. When it is completely recharged i will try installing the update, maybe that will help...

[CajunPlayer]

I Sprint over an hour in live chat with Fitbit.  tried all of the ways they suggested to restart and reset the Charge 5.. no dice.  I purchased the Fitbit Thru Amazon.  I tried repeatedly to send them the invoice for the purchase.. no dice.  Left everything alone for 3 days and trying again this morning. So far… nothing.  

what else can i do.??

[Cmeelee]

I just sent a screenshot of the email receipt to them on the chat and they
accepted that

[SoozeBalooze]

Hello! I am having the same issue. I followed the steps about using the button on the charger and mine just stays black—zero signs of life. Is there something else I can do? Thank you! 

[ToppTur]

Does the Fitbit react in any way when you attach the charging cable?

If not, then you have the same problem I had, where Fitbit deemed
un-repairable, and, in my case, out of warranty, so I had to buy a new
watch.

Contact Fitbit and ask about the warranty status of your device. If it was
purchased new, less than a year ago, it should still be under warranty.

Someone mentioned that the latest firmware update may be the cause, and now
that I think about it, I got a firmware update warning on my phone, but
when I tries to install it, the update option was no longer available.
Coincide, maybe.

[DavideFitbit]

Hi everyone, thank you for all the comments and feedback that you've shared about this inconvenience. I'm sorry to see that you continue to have the same problem to charge your device. 

If you continue to have the same problem and you already tried the recommendations mentioned earlier to restart using the charging cable and the other steps mentioned in this article, I do recommend that get in touch with the Customer Support team so they can provide you with the next steps. 

[ToppTur]

I contacted FitBit tech support. The never told me why my FitBit Charge 5
was bricked, and could not fix it. I had had it for less than year, but it
was deemed as out of warranty.
Judging from the responses and from what I've read elsewhere it seems very
likely that my FitBit was bricked by a firmware update.
Offering a 35% discount for a replacement (about what Amzaon was offering
on Prime Day) for a software problem is not very satisfactory.

[Cblelong]

Well sad to say but I now have the same problem - completely dead with no charging at all.  Of course I'm outside the warranty, and since this was given as a gift to me it's very doubtful that Fitbit will do anything about it.

I've tried all the restart options - on the charging cable was my only option now - and still no-go.  It was already having issues like seemingly everyone else where the battery was dying faster & faster everyday.  I wound up having to charge the darn thing at least 3 times a day. I left it overnight charging and it worked fine for about 5 mins after taking it off the charger.  Then it black-screened and has been dead ever since.

Looks like someone wasted a decent amount of money on a junk product that only lasted 18 months.

@Fitbit 

[ToppTur]

>From what I've heard, the problem was caused by a crappy firmware, which
FitBit refuses to acknowledge. In a perfect world, FitBit would take
ownership of the problem they caused and replace the devices their update
bricked.

[Heir]

It is indeed ironic. Customer service got my charge five started again and once I get it fully charged, the charge lasted less than two hours. Their remedy was to give me a 35% discount on a new Fitbit but why would I buy another one when this one lasted just over a year? I think I’ll do my homework and buy a different brand. 

[ToppTur]

My old Charge 4 would only hold a charge for few hours if the GPS was
running. Turning off automatic GPS tracking made a huge difference. Maybe
there's a similar issue with the Charge 5?

[bdeldonna]

Same here! I’ve tried everything and my Charge 5 battery charges to 99% then when I take it off the charger it goes down to 1%. Contacted customer service and all they gave me was a coupon for 35% off a new one. I’ve only had it a little over a year. Looks like this is happening to a lot of people and it’s Fitbit’s fault. Not buying another one! 

[NAAF]

I have cleaned the fitbit and the cable prongs.  I have tried two adapters as well as the USB port on my computer.  I have pressed the cable button 3 times for 1 second each (the fitbit symbol showed up with a slight vibration but it just said that it was critical to charge the battery).  Now my battery is completely dead.  What other options do I have?

[Dtrad]

This solution does not work. This is my 3rd Fitbit in 6 years. They should last longer.

WILL NOT BUY AGAIN (was a happy customer).

[ToppTur]

I'm on my 3rd Fitbit as well. I like the small size and really long battery
life (9+ days on a charge)
My first, a charge 4, still works, but the strap attachment point on the
watch broke, making the watch unusable.
My second, a Charge 5, was bricked either due to a firmware update or
because internal circuitry broke and it no longer was connected to the
external charge contacts.
My third, also a Charge 5, is still running.

My solution has been to buy just the "pebble", i.e. just the watch without
straps, etc. for about $50. Much cheaper than buying the whole package.