Charge 6 non-responsive after swimming

[LucindaEC]

After swimming I am unable to stop the timer and the watch does not respond to a double tap.  Even if I remove it and dry the watch and my wrist.  I have to wait until I get home and plug the watch in to get the timer to stop and therefore my exercise stats are incorrect.  

How can I fix this?  

Moderator edit: clarified subject.

[FatimaFitbit]

Hi there @LucindaEC! Welcome to the Fitbit Community! 

Thank you so much for informing us about this situation and for all your efforts.

I suggest you try to restart your Charge 6 with the charging cable:

1. Connect your device to the charging cable.
2. Press the button located on the flat end of the charger 3 times within 8 seconds, holding each press for about 1 second.
3. (Note: If your charger doesn’t have a button, you can instead disconnect your tracker from the charging cable, pause for 1 second, then reconnect it. Repeat 3 times.)
4. Wait 10 seconds or until the Fitbit logo appears.
5. If your device doesn’t restart, wait 15 seconds and try again.

Make sure the "MobileTrack" feature is not turned on in the Fitbit app. MobileTrack is a Fitbit feature that uses your phone's sensors to count steps when you don't have your Fitbit with you. Steps recorded on your phone may overwrite those recorded on your Charge 6.

Here's how to turn this feature off:

• In the Fitbit app, tap the device icon (top left).
• There you'll see the devices paired with your account.
• If you see the "Phone" option, tap it and remove it from the account.

[LucindaEC]

Thanks for coming back to me.  

I've tried restarting the Fitbit but the same thing keeps happening.  I even set the timer and put the watch under a tap and the same thing happens.  When wet, with the timer running, the watch does not respond to a 'firm double tap' nor does the side button.  It only does so, once the watch is plugged in which can sometimes be 30+ mins once I've finished my swim.  .  

With regards to the Mobile Track, it is on.  I don't really want to turn it off as the message says that the Fitbit will not receive data from the phone and I thought that was the purpose of it.  

[FatimaFitbit]

Hi @LucindaEC! Thank you for your answer.

Do you turn the swim mode on before swimming? 

To turn on the water lock, swipe down from the clock screen tap > Water Lock > firmly tap your screen twice. To turn off water lock, firmly double-tap the middle of the screen with your finger. If you don't see "Unlocked" appear on screen, try tapping harder. Turning off this feature uses the accelerometer in your device, which takes more force to activate.

You could try to set up your device as new too.

[sprom29]

Hi Moderator,

I was directed here from the Fitbit support page for the same issue. My Fitbit Charge 6 is unresponsive after doing a swimming exercise with the swimming workout function on. This device is only 6 months old and I tried your troubleshooting tips, to no avail.  I can feel the haptics when I charge the device but the screen is completely dark.  I purchased the  Fitbit Charge 6 thinking it would be better for tracking performance for water sports but it doesn’t seem to work as I’ve had the same issue with an Inspire 3 back in April 2024.  please help. I believe this can still be covered under warranty. 

[FatimaFitbit]

Hi there @sprom29! A warm welcome to the Fitbit Community!

Thank you so much for reporting that you're having the same situation too and for all your efforts.

Since you have tried the steps and your Charge 6 still doesn't work, I need more information from you, which is best shared privately. I am sharing a link to a form for you to fill out here.

This form is for you only, so let me know when you have completed it.

[LucindaEC]

Sorry for the delayed response.  I can now get it to work if I take the watch off my wrist and put it on a hard/more steady surface.  It still does not respond on my wrist.  

[JFlo47]

Were you ever able to get this fixed? Due to circumstances beyond my control, I have only swum once since I got my new Charge 6, and I had the same problem. I wanted to practice using the screen lock when I wasn't swimming to see if I could get better at it. When I did, it took me almost 5 minutes to get it to respond. I find it hard to believe this is normal.  I am also surprised to see so little discussion on this topic which tells me it must work properly for most people. I am trying to get this resolved before it's out of warranty, although it sounds like the warranty resolution process is not user friendly either. Hope you can help. Thanks in advance.

[LucindaEC]

Hi, basically I found that if I took the watch off and placed it on a hard surface (e.g. the locker bench), and tapped it, it unlocked.  Though still can take a couple of goes.  Basically, tapping it whilst it was still on my wrist wasn't sturdy enough.  

[AlisonOr]

I've had the same thing happen to me.  Just used the Swim lock for the first time for doing laps, once finished double tapped and nothing happened.  Repeated the process a number of times, nothing.  Got home, followed all your instructions and still nothing my fitbit is completely dead, even the side button doesn't 'click'

When i go into the app on my phone its just stick on looking for the device and shows the same battery percentage as it did yesterday.  Can you please assist with further options on how to get my fitbit back up and running.

[zorahope]

I need help with this also. I just bought this 6 thinking it was best for swimming.

[JFlo47]

I am just curious if you got any good responses to this question. When I
first brought it up, there were several suggestions. Someone suggested
putting it on a firm surface when you tap it, but that's inconvenient when
you get to the end of your laps and you just want the timer to stop. Someone
else suggested: "When you tap, use 3 fingers at a bit of an angle so the
Charge moves sideways a bit. Wet or dry, it seems to work for me as I think
it is the shock of the tap that is the key." I haven't tried that either to
know if it works for me.



I haven't been able to swim in almost a year, so have been reluctant to put
it into screenlock to practice these tips because I am afraid the same thing
will happen to me as happened to you. I think I read that someone else who
couldn't get out of screenlock hooked their watch up to the charger and
maybe connected it to their laptop and got it unstuck that way.

[zorahope]

If I whack the Fitbit really hard twice with two fingers it most of the times comes out of lock position. That’s all I’ve got so far, sorry.

[SergeyKofanov]

My wife used Chage 6 when swimming in the sea, and it stopped working after a dozen of swims. The screen turned black, and the reset with the cable button didn't help. We've bought a new watch but the old one was sitting in the box. One year later we checked the watch, and the screen appeared working, probably the watch wasn't totally water resistant, got flooded, and it took really long time for it to dry. Unfortunately other than double tap no other interraction with the watch was possible. It looked like the touch screen got corroded with the salty water and stopped working forever. So we keep it as a backup watch--in case the new one gets broken--because it can still count steps, heart load and sleep, does show time and can connect to the phone, but it's impossible to start any activity on it.

So my advise is you put aside your dead watch for a long time like weeks, then check back and maybe you find it resurrecting, and maybe you will be luckier than us so your touch screen will recover, too.

[ChristinePey]

I have tried all this and still nothing. Charge6 is dead. 4 months old

What next? 

[SergeyKofanov]

Return it to the seller. It was easy in our case, because we bought ours on Amazon. 3 out of 5 were returned and refunded.

[RiekoC]

Hello @ChristinePey 

Since your Charge 6 is less than a year old, you should contact Support (<-- click). Complete the prompt in Step 1. Select Continue in Step 2 (ignore Resources) to get to Step 3, which has the contact options. 

[DarthKristov]

I've been experiencing similar issues to these others. Last weekend, my wife and I both had our Charge 6 devices on, turned the water lock on both then went to the pool. When we got out, neither of our devices work. I dried them thoroughly and have even tried recharging. My device screen will light up even with a Fitbit logo but then nothing; hers is completely unresponsive when I attempt to charge. Neither device has any sort of damage and have been in the pool several times before this instance.

I've also tried recommendations that I've seen on this topic such as pushing the side button. Its almost as if the devices are still on water lock because you cannot push the button at all. I've put the device on a hard surface and tapped hard to unlock it with no success. Any help you could give would be appreciated. Thanks!

[SergeyKofanov]

I doubt it can be helped. Fitbit changed the specs in the manual, which now states that the watch is water resistant but isn't water proof. When we bought two of our Charge 5 three years ago, the specs were only saying that the watch was tested for a depth up to 50 meters, so my wife and I used to swim in the sea with our watches on. It was OK until my wife's Charge 5 stopped working after one of the swims a few months later. After she bought her next watch, the Charge 6, she never wore it when swimming. Amazingly, her old Charge 5 has recovered half year later, but not fully. Some functions were still not working.

I think the seal in the watch is actually good to withstand 50 meter depth pressure but it is only correct for a new undisturbed watch. If you inadvertently hit it at something, like a wall corner or a furniture, or ever dropped it, then the seal can be compromised. It can also happen if you left the watch exposed to the direct sunlight for long enough. Also the seal can be gradually destroyed by the chemicals if you didn't wash it every time after you were sweating. 

I was aware of all the things that could affect the seal, so I was very careful with my Charge 5. I kept using it in the sea and in the shower, and it kept working perfectly until I changed it to my new Sense 2 recently.