Charge 5 no bluetooth connection, no synchronization

[Pleuntje]

Sinds a few hours my fitbit charge 5 no longer syncs.
Tried everything that is advised on site (s) and forum. Doesn't work after restarting phone (android) , restarting fitbit, bluetooth, app, etc etc.
Also no connection on tablet and computer (windows).
The problem seems to be the bluetooth connection
Can't connect with bluetooth, it doesn't find a fitbit.
What to do?

Moderator edit: clarified subject.

[Julia_G]

Hi @Pleuntje , sync problems are not unusual and often resolve themselves without your doing anything at all, though I know they can be frustrating.

You can eliminate your laptop from the equation.  Fitbit has withdrawn support from syncing to your laptop, so please do not continue trying to sync that way - it won’t!

Hopefully you will get it syncing to your phone/tablet.  If you sometimes sync with a tablet and sometimes sync with a phone, you may need to turn off Bluetooth temporarily on one of them while it syncs to the other, as if your Charge 5 is trying to sync with both of them at the same time, they could interfere with each other and prevent a sync.

I find the easiest way to force a sync is simply to log out of your Fitbit account and then log back in again.  (But be sure you know your Fitbit email and password!).  Logging in should force a sync.

It sounds like you know most of the other troubleshooting steps, but just in case you are missing one, please see this help article for troubleshooting a Fitbit that won’t sync.  I expect one of the tips will work for you, but you may need to try a couple of times.

Fitbit Moderators do recommend removing your Fitbit from your account and then re-adding it.  I would do this only as a last resort as in my experience removing your Fitbit from your account may cause more problems than it solves.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.  Welcome to the forums!

[Pleuntje]

Thanks for your help.
I normally only use phone. The rest was to see if other device synchronized. Not working.
Logged out again. Consequence: recognized password no longer in app. (on site it did recognise)
Uninstalled and reinstalled app and login worked fine.
The app then started making a bluetooth connection, which was a new step, but it didn't work. Next step: via phone settings bluetooth: can't find fitbit charge 5.

[Pleuntje]

I followed all the steps in the help article again and for now every time I open the app it asks for connecting with bluetooth, but cant find the fitbit device.
So I wait and hope it will work again some day. But it is frustrating

[Julia_G]

Hi, @Pleuntje , don’t waste your time trying to do this via the Bluetooth settings on your phone.  It is not designed to work that way, and it definitely won’t!  

Please try turning OFF the Bluetooth on your tablet and any other Bluetooth devices or move them well away (ideally 30 feet).  Next log out of the app again. Give your Fitbit another restart and then log in again. It’s a good sign that the last time it started to make a connection - hopefully another try without other Bluetooth devices around will do the trick.

[Pleuntje]

No results.

---------

😀Yes! It works again. Dont know how ore why. Gave it another try bij turning of bluetooth and deleting the app. Uploaded the app again (3 time today), logged in and bluetooth connection was made and synchronisation started.
One strange fact: There are 9  hours missing in heartbeat , steps and active minutes in the app. There  are a few active minutes  on fitbit screen, but zero in the app .  And my sleep says 4 hours tonight because of the missing sleepregistration in the app. 
thanks for your help.

[Julia_G]

Hi, @Pleuntje , I am glad you are up and running again!  I was pretty sure it would work.  It just sometimes takes a little perseverance - and also removing any possible Bluetooth interference from other devices.  

As for your missing data, sometimes it takes a little while for everything to sync through.  If you have a look later on or tomorrow I think it is very likely that the missing data will show up, especially if it goes back to syncing regularly again.

If you do have sync problems again, just go through the same steps - make sure Fitbit is charged, give it a restart and log out of the app and log back in again.  Follow the instructions on the link I have shared if you are still having issues, but be aware that it will probably resolve itself!

[LeighM2019]

I agree that we can follow the instructions and get it syncing again (sometimes after multiple attempts) but it makes the device impractical or incredibly frustrating at the very least. I find it mind boggling that we are expected to just accept this as acceptable behaviour. 

[Pleuntje]

Agree. I spent = lost a lot of time before my fitbit connection worked again