Charge 5 doesn't hold charge

[dlw2012]

Got charge 5 at Christmas and it doesn’t seem to holding its charge having to charge at least twice a week 

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity. 

[Julia_G]

Hi, @dlw2012 , Fitbit advertises the Charge 5 battery life as “up to” 7 days.  The “up to” is the operative phrase!  If you use your Fitbit only for its basic features of step counting, automatic exercise tracking, and as a watch, then it almost certainly will last the full 7 days.  However most people, reasonably enough, want to use some of the more advanced features, such as notifications from their phone, SpO2, snore detection (!), GPS, etc, and that will inevitably mean more frequent charging, as all these extra features take a toll on the battery.  For that reason Fitbit officially recommends “charging every few days” and that sounds like what you are doing.

You will also find that the overall longevity of your Fitbit will be best if you stick to a routine of charging little and often, so that your battery does not frequently get critically low.  Occasional deep discharges should not do significant harm, but for optimum performance try to keep the battery level between 20-80%.  Many people find a charging routine in which they plug their Fitbit in daily for 15 minutes or so is ideal - for example when you are showering or getting ready in the morning, or watching the television or reading in the evening.

Bear in mind that the latest Google smartwatch, the Pixel, needs charging every day.  This is true for most currently available smartwatches - and that’s when it is brand new before the inevitable slow deterioration sets in!