help menu

Join us on the Community Forums!

  • Community Guidelines

    The Fitbit Community is a gathering place for real people who wish to exchange ideas, solutions, tips, techniques, and insight about the Fitbit products and services they love. By joining our Community, you agree to uphold these guidelines, so please take a moment to look them over.

  • Learn the Basics

    Check out our Frequently Asked Questions page for information on Community features, and tips to make the most of your time here.

  • Join the Community!

    Join an existing conversation, or start a new thread to ask your question. Creating your account is completely free, and takes about a minute.

Not finding your answer on the Community Forums?

Cancel
Turn on suggestions
Auto-suggest helps you quickly narrow down your search results by suggesting possible matches as you type.
Showing results for 
Show  only  | Search instead for 
Did you mean: 

Charge 6 - Walk tracking not using phone GPS

‎11-19-2023 03:02 - last edited on ‎12-03-2024 10:02 by Fitbit Moderator

‎11-19-2023 03:02 - last edited on ‎12-03-2024 10:02 by Fitbit Moderator

Yesterday I tracked a run, GPS used phone, all good.

Today I track a walk, uses watch GPS, which then shuts off when watch reaches about 30% charge. GPS is set to dynamic, why does it do this? Same with the Charge 5, so not an issue spacific to the Charge 6.

Does anyone else have this issue? And why would GPS on watch shut off at 30% battery?

Please don't say the solution is to set GSP to phone, that's a hack, not a solution.

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

Best Answer
0 Votes
5 REPLIES 5

‎11-19-2023 08:36

‎11-19-2023 08:36

@DavidNS so far the "hack" is the only method you got. Nothing but "Phone" mode works for me on Charge 6. There is no solution.

Best Answer
0 Votes

‎11-19-2023 08:45 - edited ‎11-19-2023 08:46

In response to Triletics

‎11-19-2023 08:45 - edited ‎11-19-2023 08:46

Since this impacts both Charge 5 and Charge 6, sounds like it's a software fix that's needed.

Also, probably needs a software fix for shutting off watch GPS at 30% battery, I would prefer to choose.

Best Answer

‎11-19-2023 11:20

In response to DavidNS

‎11-19-2023 11:20

@DavidNS For me, the Charge 6 built-in GPS connects and then disconnects and never reconnects. So battery level has nothing to do with it. To be honest, I see a better solution to the problem (to be implemented in the future Charge trackers) - throw away useless GPS modules and free some space for the altimeter. Most likely, the current issue is that the GPS hardware is just not fit for the job (ie. too small antenna) and most likely, no software will fix it.

Best Answer

‎11-19-2023 14:58 - edited ‎11-19-2023 14:59

In response to Triletics

‎11-19-2023 14:58 - edited ‎11-19-2023 14:59

This isn't just about the GPS not always connecting, I hade full GPS tracking on my walk for about an hour and a half, then there was a message on screen - I didn't have my glasses on so couldn't read it both times it has happened. After this message, no more GPS tracking on the walk. So GPS shuts down when the tracker battery reaches a certain level, but there was no information on this.

Best Answer

‎11-19-2023 23:24

In response to DavidNS

‎11-19-2023 23:24

@DavidNS the message you talking about is probably the one I have seen, too - that Charge 6 gives up trying to connect (I don't remember exact words used but saw it a few times). This happens when GPS disconnects at some point of activity and tracker tries to reconnect but it isn't successful so it eventually (I presume it's 10 minutes like other models) it stops trying to connect and from that moment there is no way to get GPS back. But that happened to me regardless the battery level.

Best Answer