Charge 6 bands constantly popping off!

[Ace08093]

So I bought a Charge 6 upgrade from the 5 a few weeks ago and within a day I had lost the watch somewhere because the band just popped off.  After a desperate search I decided to just buy another one and instant regret sunk in when within 20 minutes of wearing it the band just popped off when I brushed against my bed frame.  Thankfully I noticed it and put it back on, but I've noticed over the past few weeks the band constantly just pops off with the slightest but of awkward pressure.  I'm a mechanic, so I'm using my hands all day, and I've NEVER had this problem with any other fitbit over almost a decade.  I'm constantly checking my wrist making sure it hasn't just decided to leap off...  and it's becoming irritating.  It makes me just not want to wear a fitbit anymore.

I'm gonna ask here if anyone (or if FITBIT themselves, god forbid) have a solution for this?  Honestly if it pops off one more time I'm just gonna buy a different brand watch I hate having to be paranoid about it all day.  I wasted $180 once because of this obvious design flaw and I feel like I should just consider the other $180 wasted because it's inevitably going to fall off somewhere I'll lose it again.

I've tried several different bands from different brands because the ones they send with it are trash. All of them pop off just as easy.

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject.

[jeannedauray]

I second this. Mine falls off constantly...three times yesterday even. Playing with it I realized it's due to the fact the little clip on each side for attaching the band is not recessed. Every time your wrist hits into that clip/button, it causes it to detach. The entire design is faulty and after the disaster the Luxe was, I think I am done with Fitbit. It's a shame because I loved my Charge 3 and 4. However, these new models have been complete fails.

[XFoosMe]

I am having the same problem. No matter the band, they ALL fall off at the slightest tug against something. I've had heart attacks several times losing it, and I just experienced the closest call to losing it forever. It popped off in my recycle bin last night and this morning...as the truck was approaching...I found it in the bottom of the recycle bin.

Fitbit did offer to exchange it, but it had not fallen off in a while so decided to keep it. I regret that decision now.

[XFoosMe]

I'd love an answer from Fitbit on this. It's an overwhelming problem, and I think they should stand behind their product.

[Edword]

I bought mine last Sunday only had it come off once. I found the inner tube strap that folding the wrong way irrating sweety and smelly ( from casio to apple to Rolex straps tuck over not under)fitbit should have googled watch strap before making they reivented the wheel making it square .   I bought a stretch cloth strap of amazon that seems to work better the irration and sweat under the wrist is gone also the strap can be less tight so less pressure on connector which are probably not as good as the Original but less load on etc  horses for courses  so far the amazon one is working better but probably won't hold up in the long term but don't think the charge 6 will either and you get 3 straps for 11 notes 

[CathyO2]

Earlier this year Myalivvy said this, "I almost returned mine, but decided to call Fitbit first. The guy walked me through it, and there is a little extra pressure needed to get the "click." You'll hear a tiny one once it's finally locked in. Until then, the band will seem inserted correctly; yet, it continuously falls out if you move the wrong way. So, press softly, but firmly straight inward and listen for it. Once you get the "click," it does not come back out unless you unlatch the tiny levers. Look carefully, once it has clicked and latched, there is zero gap between the levers and the face. (Before it clicks, there's still a teeny gap between the levers and the face.)"

Maybe this is not helpful in all cases, but it's worth repeating if it helps a subset...

[GM15]

You might want to consider the following option:

https://www.amazon.ca/Gheper-Watchband-Compatible-Protective-Replacement/dp/B0BGXHLGCT/ref=sr_1_13_s...

[Caz865]

Agree but i am talking about the aftermarket bands, they just dont work at all and Fitbit don’t offer a nice feminine range of bands.


Caroline Mediati
Sent from my iPhone

[Edword]

Fit bit dont offer many decent straps only offer fold under straps apart from the leather which is 50. I bought mine last Sunday and bought an amazon one well 3 as the reviews said they fail in time. The strap fitting appears to be a bad design. The way I think about it is with fitbits own strap I would not wear it so lost 140. With the aftermarket ones may lose it but will get some use from the charge 6 and with the poor quality it will probably break anyway . GPS Does not work sleep tracker does not show in the watch I just bought mine as huawei  has been restricted in uk huawei 1/3 of the price and works well in 4 years had to restart may be 10 times fitbit needs it daily . Fitbit charge6 is what happens when governments chose which fitness bands are allowed poor priced poor quality horrible to wear and subscriptions 

[BullyBeefBill]

I've only my Charge 6 for 2 weeks and the small band connector keeps popping out of the band. See photo. I pop it back in place but it just comes off again. Clearly this is a crap design and the band should be withdrawn immediately! Defo not impressed by this as had my Charge 2 for years without a problem.

[Edword]

I got mine a week ago sunday and it did pop out twice. But after fiddling for ages  it has stayed in for days. It may be if you fiddle with the clips and make sure it is in. It can appear in when its not that's what happened to me. 

[wimp35]

This advice does not work for all Charge 6's. I did the exact same thing, and the connection was as tenuous as ever. i just decided to do what the other guy did and superglue the connection. I can't use the original strap because it caused a red flaky rash in the exact shape of the strap. So that wasn't an option. I found a nice 3rd party strap online and I've been using that ever since but as I said that has been an issue ever since. I lost a whole Fitbit Blaze years ago. Over 200 dollars wasted. Stupid thing just popped out of it's housing. Ofcourse Fitbit doesn't care. I decided to stick with them though because they have all my historical data smh.

Anyhoo, hopefully the brunt force superglue method works. You can wait till the cows come home, Fitbit will NOT bother addressing this.

[Asperal]

I have been having the same problem...

What has worked for me, with a 3rd Party Milanese band, and without issue over the past week, was switching the strap connections round - so the top connection instead attached to the bottom of the fitbit block and the bottom to the top. Its now feels like an upside down way of putting the band on but I've not yet had repeats of previous issues where the band disconnected.

[btwguy]

I have a Fitbit Charge 6 and have been experiencing the same issues with the band simply popping off. I have tried 3 bands included the one that came with the device. The back that was included is worse than the 2 I bought 3rd party as it popped off the easiest and on Bothe sides at once. The band issue for me happens anytime I put pressure on my wrists like pushing off a chair to stand or pushing to get out of bed. But those are just the times when I notice it almost always pops off. The other day it fell off 3 times as I was paying the check for dinner at he front of the restaurant for no reason at all. So I contacted support and they happily replaced my new Charge 6 with another. I'm very sad to say it responses EXACTLY the same as my first one. I have tried all 3 bands with the same result. I may be forced to move to upgrade my Apple Watch and leave it at that, although I really would hate to leave as I've had my account for 10 years with Fitbit. 

[Edword]

I also put my third party elastic band type the wrong way around and it never came off in the 3 weeks used it. Yesterday I got a fake leather third party watch strap and have it the correct way round 28 hours and has not come off yet

[Mah112]

My Charge 6 bands have also been consistently popping off since purchased in December 2023.  It was always only one side. I would carefully put it back and listen for the click.  It would be fine for a week or so but then pop off again if I bumped my wrist against something.  Twice I thought it was gone for good but found it later; once in the sleeve of a winter coat and then on the floor in my house.  Today it happened again but in the hotel we had stayed in while traveling.  I didn't notice until we were miles away so it is gone for good.  I checked this forum to make sure it wasn't just one defective fitbit but this seems to be a consistent problem with the Charge 6.  Hoping Fitbit gives me some sort of discount if I reorder but I will check other models to see if there are similiar problems.  My Charge 3 didn't have problems with the wristband staying on but I did have to replace it when the latch holding the band in place completely broke into pieces.  It doesn't help how great the technology of the watch is if the latches holding the bands in place are poorly designed.

[Edword]

My charge 6 popped off yesterday and nearly lost it, I was rushing for my train but luckily noticed it. It is a bad design of strap. It may only be government support by banning Huawei and google buying fitbit for the tech that has kept this brand afloat sales have been collapsing. Left to the market I think Huawei would own the mobile phone and smart watch market. I would tend to think it unlikely fitbit would refund a missing watch, as they made no effort to improve the strap or the GPS for the 6. I realise I may well lose mine at some point but they are not meant to be very reliable either will it be the poorly designed electronics or the strap that cause its demise or may be will be lucky. In the mean time I will enjoy the good sleep data the style of the watch may be buy a 4rth strap and try fitbit premium. In the Uk the price has gone down to 120 this week not sure if this is short term or a new lower price.

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Came off again today. It may just be the elastic straps that work well as they work like a spring so less force on the catch. As long as not doing anything to active where it could get lost if comes off the charge 6 stays on ok. For active things probably best for the elastic strap or to use an alternative tracker. 

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Don't glue on a strap, glue on an adaptor.  You can buy leather straps for charge 6 like the ones fitbit sells. You can also buy the adaptors that are used to attach these straps 18 mm watch strap adaptors. The 18 mm watch strap adaptors allow you use a standard 18 mm watch strap of which there is an endless number from hand made leather to plastic or rubber. If you glue on a the adaptor you then have a secure connect to attach normal watch straps. You then still have the option to change strap if it breaks or just if you want another look for the watch. I now just have to find an adaptor that is good quality that wont fade.

[tikityboo]

Are you sure you fitted the band correctly when you attached it to your wrist?  IMO it is pretty impossible for there to be any bit sticking out from the band to get caught on something ie when making a bed, if the band is correctly fastened.

It would be good to know what the 'evidence' was.  Did either end of the band become detached to the charge 6, or did the band where it tucks into the 'buckle' work loose, and was the 'stay' pressed right into one of the holes to hold the bank firmly on the wrists?

[btwguy]

Thanks for the information Edword. Do you have any details or a link you can share as to where to buy this or what it’s called?

[Edword]

https://strapsco.com/product/strap-adapters-for-fitbit-charge-6/   You can then buy any standard 18mm strap of which there is an endless supply  from luxury hand made leather https://www.watchandstrap.co.uk/collections/leather-watch-straps to rubber https://www.watchbands.co.uk/Rubber-Silicone-and-Sports/18-mm-Rubber-and-Sports-watchbands/ .  The good thing about gluing these adaptors on is that you could then change the strap if broke or liked a change. A slight issue may be the adaptors are probably poor quality most things are so the metal made fade or coating may come off. The quality may not be great so the clip to the fitbit may not be great but is it ever with a charge 6. the glue would probably overcome that issue. The quality of the connection to the watch the may not be ideal but this is very much tried and tested tech would imagine will be much better than the fitbit connection. I have a fake cheap leather strap not glued on currently. Its the connection to the fitbit that comes undone. One other consideration depending what region you are in may be the glued on strap may invalidate the fitbit warranty.  The reality is if the fitbit falls off and gets lost they wont give another. The fitbit charge 6 resale is bad probably because its a bit a lemon so breaks and they do apparently a lot t may be a used a one of ebay to use with the fancy straps. I have not ordered the adaptor yet still thinking my slight reservations are the quality of the adapor kit 

[XFoosMe]

Thanks. Looks like that would work, but I can't stand how it looks.

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Hi, there.

Thanks for sharing that. A few months ago, they were willing to replace it,
and maybe they still would now. But I have a feeling it's going to be the
same issue, just as it was for you. It's so frustrating. Same thing happens
with me. With the slightest bit of pressure on my wrist it pops off. I
always have to look at the app to figure out when it last registered
anything, and then figure out where I was at the time it stopped.
Fortunately, I've found it every time, but I feel like my luck will run out
at some point.