Charge 5 has stopped tracking my distance

[CSPR66]

My Charge 5 has suddenly stopped tracking distance since yesterday (19/07/24). All the other metrics are fine (steps, heart rate, calories etc.). I've restarted it through both the device itself and the charge cable, but no luck. Has anyone got any idea how to fix this? Will be going out for a run later this morning, so will see if it tracks my route.

Any suggestions much appreciated! 🙂

UPDATE: It tracked my run, so is now showing my run distance. Will be interested to see if it tracks my distance for the rest of the day...

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[SunsetRunner]

Mine has done the same as everyone has described in this thread. I tried changing the stride length setting but it didn't fix it. 

I've contacted Fitbit support but they have told me that they can't support me unless I transfer my account to a Google hosted account. 

AWFUL customer service. 

[metamonkey]

The fix is to disable the "Set automatically" option in the "Stride Length" menu, and to make sure that the values for "Walking Stride Length" and "Running Stride Length" are real values (i.e. not zero or blank).

From what I can tell, the automatic stride length detector is messed up, and seems to set walking stride to 0 when used to track a run. I have not tested it with tracking a walk.

My solution has been to leave the running stride at the automatically detected value (in my case it's 99.4cm), and to set the walking stride length to 75.0cm (an approximation based on some research). This seems to work for both tracked exercises and tracking distance walked throughout the day.

[Stivils8]

Fitbit has stopped tracking distance. Any update on a fix being rolled out? Don’t want to set a static stride length because it changes with running different speeds. Reliability of a $100 tracker to calculate distance should not be a question.

[tajwasb]

I tried this, but it doesn't work. My watch tells me that a measure route of 5km is 1.5kms! Whether I run or  walk it doesn't track fully. My daily steps is around is about 15000 with 2.3km which is way of.

Fix the issue properly please.

[Burner5757]

Fitbit’s silence about this problem is deafening. Surely they must know by now precisely what went wrong and how it can be corrected.

The very least we are owed is some sort of update advising the steps that are being taken by Fitbit to address the problem and the anticipated date for resolution. Fitbits are not toys. They are not accessories - they are important to so many of us who rely on them for accurate feedback and monitoring.

Would it be possible to regress to an earlier software release? Perhaps those monitoring this thread could provide some form of words to diminish the frustrations that are being expressed in almost every contribution? We need some assurance that Fitbit care as the lack of detail on Fitbit’s behalf suggest that they do not.

[DMANJ]

I’m having this EXACT SAME ISSUE since yesterday- incidentally it started happening after I downloaded the last firmware update to the Fitbit! I have tried to set the stride manually and still Fitbit isn’t tracking the distance. Yesterday 8/28 I jogged/walked a total of 16,990 steps but it said I only went 1.28 miles. Today (8/29) I am clocking over 17,000 steps but it shows only 2.5 miles. The few miles it has recorded correctly since to be when the Fitbit tracked exercise thru the PHONE when I was tracking route on the app… so it seems the automatic function where it turns steps into mileage isn’t working or that the device can’t track distance anymore… As I said, I did toggle the stride distance to manual. All other stats seem to be functioning ok. One extra bug: when I went back through the week to check when the problem started, yesterday’s distance (yesterday was shoeing as 1.28) changed to the exact distance as it’s showing for today (both wrong). The last correct day logged was Tue- before I downloaded this new update. This is very frustrating- hopefully you can fix it soon!

[SunsetRunner]

This is just what I’ve done this morning - thigh in my case set my walking stride to 72cm as woman and short legs - for the first time since 1st August I am walking the dog and actually have some distance tracking 

after allegedly doing 0km for a month 

would like proper fix mind you 

[Burner5757]

Yesterday I experienced exactly the same issue with my Charge 5 that I originally reported on 22 July. Since that date my Charge 5 has been working reasonably well and correctly tracked a 5k run only 2 days ago. No changes were made to any settings but, for some bizarre reason, the Charge 5 decided it would not work properly yesterday and so I lost details of distance, time, interval times etc.

It started to feel like I was on the Titanic and the iceberg was looming into view on the horizon so I sought support from Fitbit Support. Despite 2 lengthy online chats I have no confidence whatsoever that Fitbit are going to resolve this problem - a problem of their own making. I am therefore going to abandon ship and jump into a lifeboat - off to a better place! Such a shame after a long and, mostly happy, relationship with an organisation that used to care very much about its products, customer service and its reputation.

I will consider exploring the matter with organisations such as Trading Standards (UK consumer support organisation) as the ethics surrounding this whole debacle raise some interesting concerns. 

Good luck to you all. I sincerely hope that this problem is resolved to your total satisfaction.

[MHola]

My problem exactly the same.  My charge 4 stopped recording distance last week.  I changed to a charge 5 as the strap was broken and I couldn't attach a new wrist strap.   Anyway, I rebooted the charge 4 and now 5, I downloaded the app and deleted it several times, rebooted the phone as well.   I tried the fix on line and as I didn't calculate my stride properly my 16 km walk cut 3 km off the recording.  I have kind of estimated it now.   But to be honest I am distraught.    The sale of goods and services act states that a product should be fit for purpose and a fitness tracker that doesn't record KM/or Miles is not fit for purpose.   I am so upset.   I am using it now with the temporary fix but this is not good enough.   Its guess work and how can I now trust anything on the device.   I have looked back on the other notes here and Fitbit says that they are looking in to it, but it seems to being going on for some time.   

I would be so grateful if it could be looked in to urgently.   Thank you 

[jriordon]

My Fitbit Charge 5 is STILL working, accurately counting both steps and miles, since I applied this two-step “Fix.” When I noticed my watch was no longer calculating distance, I came here, and I tried the recommended “Fix” of changing my stride length to manual, but it did not work. I then explored my watch further, clicking the cog icon, and found my GPS setting had been shut off. Once I changed GPS in the watch to Dynamic, my watch again began tracking distance, and week three it is still working!

1) On the Fitbit app, I changed my walking stride length to manual and based it on average stride length for a 6 foot tall male.

2) On my Fitbit watch, I clicked on the little Cog icon, and switched my GPS setting to Dynamic. At some point, assuming it was during my last software upgrade, GPS setting on the watch was disengaged.

Maybe I am just lucky, and the two step solution only works for me, but try adjusting your stride length in the APO to manual, and THEN adjust your GPS settings on your watch.

Best of luck!

[Felice1]

I am also having the same problem.  I used the work around but still the same.  Very disappointing since we just got these in January.   My wife's stopped holding a charge and doesn't work at all.  Will be looking for something new in the future.

[S.C2]

Same problem here on Charge 6, it is not showing any distance anymore. I see distance in app, but not on the watch. I also tried data reset, watch restart and changing clock visual designs. still no distance on the watch.

[Burner5757]

Hi S.C2

Sorry to learn that you are also experiencing problems - this time on a Charge 6. 

You will see from the number of contributions made to this thread that there are lots of us who now find their Fitbit is no longer fit for purpose. Indeed, I have not used mine for over a week now but it is still recording my calorie count.

My most recent contribution was removed by the Community Moderator as it was not considered to be in the right spirit but we are all totally exasperated by Fitbit’s inability - or reluctance to resolve the problem. It would be great if we could have some sort of positive assurance that the problem will be fixed and we can all go back to relying on our Fitbits - but we have already been waiting months now - somehow I do not see a happy ending to this ongoing debacle - such a shame to see the demise of what was, once, a terrific product with first class support.

[MHola]

I completely agree, I have my charge 5 a few weeks and I cannot rely on it. I changed because I thought the Charge 4 was the problem, but it wasn’t.

I should really return it and look for a refund.

It lost power last night from 30% to nothing. I cannot trust the distance and I am hoping santa will bring me a much more efficient product at Christmas. I am so disappointed but its not fit for purpose now and its a sad end of what was a great fitness product.

It has to be a glitch in the app. It has to be easily fixable. ☹
Sent from Mail<> for Windows

[siangriffiths]

I am having the same exact issue

[Burner5757]

Hi Reiko

I was just wondering if there is any update regarding a fix for this problem. Although the thread suggests that the problem has been solved it would seem that users continue to experience problems and are unable to depend on their Fitbits to provide accurate and reliable accounts of their activities. Do you have any idea how long we must wait for a solution?

Perhaps, if the Forum Moderator is monitoring this thread, they might be able to provide some detail of the actions that are being taken to correct this problem and suggest a date by which we can all expect a resolution.

[tajwasb]

I'm still having issues. Infact today I had to do a complete factory reset of my watch which took nearly half an hour to do, as it wouldn't work. I also had to delete the app of my phone and redo it. To top it off my GPS keeps disconnecting even when it's fully charged. 

Moderator edit: Words choice

[RiekoC]

Hello @Burner5757 

I personally haven't seen any updates on the distance tracking issue from either user reports or Moderator posts. What I have seen are Moderator posts in threads like this letting users know that they will communicate to the team about version 4.27/4.27.1 not fixing the issues as expected.

I'll keep monitoring the forums for updates and will report back if I learn of anything.