Introducing Charge 5 Firmware Release - Version 1.171.50

[FitbitCommunity]

We’re excited to announce that a firmware update for Charge 5. Some of you might already have this update available. If you installed it, let us know what you think!

We release updates to customers in phases. If you don’t see it, check the Fitbit app in a few days, and you’ll see a message when you can install the update. We appreciate your patience while we get this update to all of our customers. 

WHAT’S NEW AND FIXED

See What's changed in the latest Fitbit device update? for release notes.

HOW DO I UPDATE?

See How do I update my Fitbit device? for step-by-step instructions for updating your Charge 5. If you run into difficulty updating, see Why can't I update my Fitbit device?. 

We’re interested in hearing your feedback on this update! Let us know what you like! If you encounter unexpected behavior during or after your update, please post the details below.

[jabob]

Appreciate your response.

[J_Stainforth]

Agreed!

Not even a year old and none functional. 

[SunsetRunner]

I received the following:
"It's been a pleasure chatting with you about your Charge 5 battery that is
not lasting as it should.

In line with this, we will be doing a factory reset. Just a heads up, It
will delete the recent app you've installed on the Charge 5 and if you have
not synced, any data on the Fitbit device will be lost.

To do so:

1. Swipe down from the clock screen to find the Settings app .
2. On your Fitbit device, open the Settings app [image: then] *Device
Info* [image: then] *Clear User Data*

Once done, try to set it up again as a new device. To do that: open the
Fitbit app > on the Fitbit app for iOS, tap the Account tab on the upper
left corner(profile picture) > Tap Set Up a Device > Choose your device and
follow the onscreen instructions to continue.( If asked, please choose to
replace the device. Do not remove the device in the app.) If the device has
a pending update, please proceed in updating it.

After that, observe it and if the same issue happens, let us know.

*We hope this works.*"

Well, I followed the instructions and - nope - it didn't work. In fact, my
battery life is now < 1.5 hours.
I have repeated the process and will monitor how the battery holds up
today. I'll post when I get my notification that my battery is low.
--
Doug Hansell


"There is no road, the road is made by walking" Antonio Machado

[Ksalava]

Hi

I am not sure what you would like to know - however, since my Charge 5 is no longer working - battery doesn't last more than a couple of hours, I have decided to purchase a different device - not from FitBit.

IMHO - Fix for a "broken release" should not take weeks to roll out to affected users.

Kris

[SLM8572]

Exact same experience here. It's like the old credit card bill trick where you have it forwarded to different addresses all over the world to delay having to pay. Fitbit is doing this via successive firmware updates that don't work and likely never will. But they are going to keep us waiting and hoping that maybe the next fix will actually work. Sad but true. I was given a case number to use for quick response. Unless you actually use it. Truth is always stranger than fiction 

[WCC10522]

It might be helpful if people, with or without update problems, include in their posts the type device/phone (along with the OS version) they sync their Fitbits with.  Me, I'm a holdout on doing the update so I can't help. Good luck to all.

[Kunukuboy]

I have two Charge 5 trackers.
The first was put in service in April 2022. After about 3 months of satisfactory service its battery life crashed.  No changes had been made to the tracker's configuration. After lots of conversations with Fitbit help they convinced me my problem would be resolved with the latest update.
The second was purchased last week.  

I installed the second Charge 5 via my iPhone 13. Smooth.  The update available message flashed on.  I installed the update (I had to use a US based VPN address otherwise the update failed).  All is as it should be 5 days later. Battery life is OK. Find My Phone app works OK.
BUT when I installed the update on my older, first, Charge 5 the short battery life problem surfaced,  Both phones are configured identically. 
I think Fitbit has a nasty problem to correct ASAP.

[SunsetRunner]

It's instructive to read posts for other Fitbit products. Same problems of battery drain, etc. etc. etc. 

[Hlmarsh]

Same. I got my mailing label the same day. I mailed my fit bit off now i have to wait weeks for my fitbit i used everyday because their firmware update messed it up. Im so disappointed since Im leaving for vacation and i wont have my watch to be able to track anything.

---------------

I went into the app and clicked on my profile then scroll down to help and support. Then click on contact customer support. I talked to a rep. 3 calls, 2 days, and a few hours of my time wasted and they finally emailed me a return label. I feel like it depends on the rep you get. The first 2 wanted me to jump through hoops to fix the issue. The 3rd rep, after i gave her my case number, emailed me the label to return. They will not send me a new fitbit out till they receive mine. So i have to wait weeks for my fitbit that i used everyday. Make sure to document your case file number so you dont have to keep repeating the steps they want you to go through to confirm that your fitbit is not fixable. Not really sure what this update was supposed to do, but it fried the battery. After charging to 100% it would last less than 1 hour till it was completely dead. Thats not even enough to do a workout with.

---------------

So very sadly true. Im just happy they will be replacing it. I just dont understand if they can see on their end that my device is losing its charge in less than an hour why i had to prove it to them multiple times. I really think it depends on the rep you talk to if you get a return label.

[SunsetRunner]

I came to this thread due to the promise of new mythical watch faces.

About the firmware version 1.171.50, I can report that battery use is OK. It took 5 days to bring mine from 100% down to 48%. I have seen the hypothesis of different hardware revisions. Maybe. I think another big source of variability are the phones we use; even more so in the Android realm: a few Android version, a gazillion of models, various versions of Bluetooth, various configurations (whether the Fitbit app is subject to "optimization"/closure by the OS etc).

Mine is a Huawei Mate 9 running Android 9, supposedly with Bluetooth 4.2, A2DP, EDR, LE. For the update, the Charge 5 was connected to the charger, the Fitbit app was defined as not being automatically "optimized" for battery usage; and my phone was configured to never turn the screen off. The insisting requirement that the phone be ON during the whole upgrade (and the very long duration) makes me fear the upgrade process might be very fragile, and not always fully successful (regardless of the quality of the target firmware version). BTW, I bought my device in July 2022.

I can also report that the Fitbit app seems to like using a lot of battery (version 3.64). It was "Nr1" (a.k.a. worst offender) in my battery usage, by far, for the last few days. I just reinstalled it and made sure I didn't give it any special right, to ensure that the OS could keep it in check.

Not to mention the lack of stat-heavy clock faces, the lack of feature (like changing the type of workout session in case of error, the insistence to hide the heartbeat for swim activities, while they are recorded and are very reliable in my case, etc). Definitely not what I expected from a seemingly well-established leading brand, twice the price of a Huawei band. At least it does monitor my sleep marginally better than the Huawei.

[SunsetRunner]

I force quit the Fitbit app every time I close it. I only synch twice a day. This helps the phone battery immensely. Having the app running in the background 24/7 uses up battery charge greatly.

By the way, force quitting Accuweather every time also helps greatly as it is a prime user of battery charge running in the background.

[Acdcfan2000]

The Amazon Halo is amazing I love it way better then fit bit for sure loved the charge 5 for 6 months dealing with this issue for over a month sick of fit bit never again always Amazon!!

[SunsetRunner]

Good thoughts/ideas. However, IMO, you (& all of us) are being forced to
cut out services we paid for. When I first bought my Charge 5, it lasted 7
days on a charge. Now, with no changes in my setup, it lasts less than
two hours.
We should not have to cut back on the features for which we bought the
device to make up for FitBits mistake.
What is most annoying is that this all occurred immediately after I paid
for Premium and I cannot get that money back.
--
Doug Hansell
Sent from Gmail Mobile

[VballKitty]

I wonder if it is this firmware update broke my FitBit. My FitBit worked well until it suddenly wouldn't sync any more. At first, I thought I had let the battery go low, but the last sync, a couple hours before, showed medium battery. Now it won't sync, the green light is not showing, the little button in the charging cable has no effect.

I contacted FitBit by chat, and they said they would send a replacement soon. So far, i have not received shipping notification.   Don't know if 'soon' means tomorrow or a year from tomorrow.  I wish they would communicate!!

[jfe]

Daredevil me got the firmware update installed now. As I have not experienced any serious, not to be fixed problems with it quickly prior. In the Fitbit app, after the firmware update now, I am being offered a free 6 months premium membership. That was something that was used after the initial purchase last year. So I'm offered a new 6-month premium use now. Strange, but should I accept?

[SunsetRunner]

@jfe

Absolutely you should accept. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth as the old saying goes.

Bill

[jabob]

Thank you for sharing 

[radesix]

@VballKitty Did you recently update the firmware?  If so, that is likely what broke the Fitbit.  If you scroll through some of the posts in this thread you'll see tons of people who have a fitbit that won't hold a charge for longer than 30 minutes to a couple of hours after applying the most recent firmware update.

I have had two fitbits replaced in the last 5 months and I can tell you how this process will go.  

First, they will send an email asking for details such as name, address, phone, email, and fitbit model and color. This could take a day or two.  

Once you reply, you will likely wait another day or two for them to send you a prepaid shipping label via email that you will print and take to USPS or FedEx. 

There will be transit time for them to receive the device

Once they receive the device they have up to 5 days before they will process and send a replacement

There will be transit time for you to receive the replacement 

These are all business days by the way, not calendar days.  So when you consider calendar days... you will likely be without a fitbit for a couple of weeks or so.  

[DavideFitbit]

Hi everyone, I appreciate all the details about your experience with the latest firmware version. 

I'm sorry to see that some people are still experiencing issues with battery life, display, not seeing the clock faces and other issues. If you're new to this thread, please make sure to follow all the recommendations listed here earlier. 

If you already tried all of these steps and you're still having the same problems, please make sure to continue the communication with the Customer Support team so they can let you know about the next steps. You can can click here to get connected to chat with them or call them directly for a faster response. 

Thanks again for all the information provided so far. The team continues to work to improve the Fitbit experience and your feedback is big part of that process. 

[mchili]

Still no new clock faces - a week ago I was told the update hasn’t completely reached everyone- I have the latest update 1.17150 but yet to see any new watch faces