Floor count disappeared when switching to Charge 5

[Elmmm]

I had a charge 3 before and it worked fine. I switched about 5 days ago and today the stairs are gone from the device and the app. I am not sure if they were gone as soon as I switched but I think it happened today.

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[LiJaHi · Accepted solution]

The Charge 5 doesn't have an altimeter so it doesn't count stairs. That's one of the earlier model features that were removed.

[Snobra]

I was wondering the same thing. I want my stair count back!!!

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Well that was a stupid thing for them to do!!! Bring back my stair count!!!

[Ourpeanuts2]

I just came to ask this on stairs. I was so proud of my stair counts too!!!! It’s a lot of my daily activity as I do stairs a lot at work and home since my only bathroom is upstairs. Bring back my stair counts!!!! 

[GraceRees]

I agree!! just "upgraded" to Charge5 as battery was draining too fast on old Charge 2. I didn't realise I was going to lose something I valued, the floor counter. I looked at comparisons against other fitbit versions but didn't spot this change.  I'm so disappointed, might look for an alternative to fitbit but I've been a user for 5 or 6 years now and would be reluctant to lose history.  In addition I now have a problem with sleep function not recording my sleep after two days of recording fine. Very disappointed.

[Ourpeanuts2]

I upgraded to charge 5 cuz my charge 3 screen quit working but still tracked my steps n stairs n heart n sleep. I didn’t notice they took out stairs either and am disappointed. I enjoyed that feature as I get a lot of stairs in everyday. I thought of just going to Apple Watch but hate the expensive price tag for those. If this charge 5 has issues like my 3 did I may give up on Fitbit .

~Nikki~

[SunsetRunner]

I did miss the floor counting feature but... I discovered a better metric to focus on: Active Zone Minutes (AZM).  This metric is the measurement of any activity that gets your heart pumping above normal. Many times I have achieved a high step or floor count but I found them not delivering the health improvement desired. For example days with a lot of errands, grocery shopping, or around my office, etc. But when I focus on AZM being the goal, it adds a component to get the heart pumping. This doesn't only need to be intense cardio; rather it could be a brisk walk verses a stroll, etc. For me, both of my legs have a significant amount of damage from an accident and I find focusing on increasing my AZMs provide me with a much better health improvement over counting floors or steps alone.

Bonus: AZMs are also harder to get false readings because it requires effort measured by increased HR coinciding with movement. 

I hope my perspective is helpful.

[Jimjan53]

I have the same issue with no stair count on Charge 5.  I like seeing how many floors I do in a day.  FITBIT, BRING BACK FLOOR COUNTS ON OUR CHARGE 5s.  Maybe you need to upgrade the Charge 5 and give us all a  discount to upgrade and get the floor count back.  No where in any of the sales literature on the Charge 5 did it highlight the fact that it doesn’t do stair counts.  Aren’t new models supposed to be an improvement?

[SunsetRunner]

@Jimjan53 It isn't possible to add this feature to the Charge 5; the hardware (altimeter) is not present. Generally a company just advertises what it has not what it does not. But going up floors will contribute towards your Active Zone Minutes (AZM) and the Mayo Clinic & American Heart Association recommends we get a minimum of 150 activity minutes per week.

reference: 

• https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/expert-answers/exercise/faq-20057916 
•  https://www.heart.org/en/healthy-living/fitness/fitness-basics/aha-recs-for-physical-activity-infogr... 

Another benefit over of AZMs is that it is scaleable by a person's fitness. 10 floors for a fit active person may yield a lower AZM while 10 floors for a less fit individual or like myself, one with mobility challenges may have a higher AZM.  AZMs provide a count that represents intensity needed to perform the work done. Floor counting only represents work done but not the intensity applied. 

[karand]

They can't.  The altimeter was removed to make room for something else (I don't remember what), so it's not a matter of updating the software--the hardware just isn't there. I decided to compromise and do without the stair count in order to get other features, but I've been very disappointed. 

[Dennist3]

This sucks!!!   I loved the floor count with my charge 3 and charge 4.    I got the 5 and now no more floors.   So which one do I get when I return this one?  

[karand]

Good question. I have small wrists, so I really dislike the models with huge clock faces as big as a silver dollar. The only other one I considered was the Luxe, but it doesn't have an altimeter, either. Still disappointed in the Charge 5, still looking at ditching Fitbit entirely and going with some other alternative. 

[Carlo1984]

Couldn't agree more ..do a lot of step/climbing stairs and want it back

[Eiragwyn]

My daughter gave me a charge 5 for my birthday.  I originally had a charge 2. Can't see the advantages of upgrading especially since the floors climbed doesn't register.  Please bring it back Fitbit because I can't see any advantages, in fact if I hadn't been given it,  I would be returning it. A waste of money. 

[karand]

SplatMatt's post (above) makes an interesting point about how to look at the data, and maybe that's an adequate substitute. I'm not at all convinced that "active zone minutes" are being accurately tracked, though. And I'm back to having a problem with the Charge 5 not tracking sleep correctly. And I don't even like how it feels on my wrist, even after paying extra for a different band. Not a happy camper.

[Eiragwyn]

I quite agree.  I don't think my charge 5 is tracking my sleep properly.  It registered me asleep when I was reading in bed. I've changed the setting to sensitive  so will see what happens now.  I'm still disappointed with the levels not registering. Sent from my Galaxy

[Hyspeed]

I have the same issues

[jcolby1956]

I agree. Bring back the stair count!

[DRDRossi]

Fitbit 4 starting to have issues - but I wont buy a Fitbit 5 until they add back stairs climbed.    May be time to look at other brands.   I never understand why companies take away features.   Interrupts and/or eliminates any customer loyalty …. Not the right trade-off made.

[LauraGArvizu]

I bought  the Charge 5 because I accidentally broke my charge 2, but Charge 5 not having the floor count is not exactly an improvement.   

I used to trust fitbit but I'm not that convinced anymore.   I gave my mom the luxe tracker and she stopped using it (it's been in a drawer for months) and she still receives her weekly report as if she were using it 🤔.