Fitbit Charge 6 with a Google Managed Account

[thege]

My son received a Fitbit Charge 6 for Christmas and is trying to set it up. He has a Fitbit account from a previous device but Fitbit is requiring him to move to a Google account to use the Charge 6.

The problem is, when he uses his Google account, Fitbit says he can't use it because it is a supervised or Workspace account. He has a kids Google account which is managed by us.

I also tried to create a new Gmail address but his phone won't let him add a second Gmail account because it's a managed account. Is there any workaround for this problem?

[Squirrel567]

I have the very same problem.

This is very poor. Google buys out fitbit but doesn't support children accounts. The device is useless without this support. 

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Thank you for confirming.
Charge 6 is not a kid's device. Family account or supervised account are only for kid's devices
Kid's devices are the Ace 3 series
Charge 6 can be added to a normal Google account only.
And it's not allowed for kids under 13

[Zbranx]

My situation is similar, but the owner/ user of the new Charge 6 is over 13, just on a Family Link managed account... that should be able to have all permissions required for FITBIT to operate the device. FITBIT is limiting devices to the ACE series, which is bogus.  If anyone is successful with a teen, as should be allowable by all software/hardware, please post solution. Thanks. 

[Carlosb78]

Same exact issue as you. Really hope they sort this as it's useless otherwise!

[JoseTortola]

This is total madness that makes no sense. In the Family Link parental control settings for a 12 year old's account you can choose, for example, if you want to allow them to use games and apps for +16 years old or even access X videos from their phone. These are all options that Google gives you in Family Link. However, I can't give him permission to use a Fitbit activity wristband except an Ace 3. I can't allow him to use a Charge 6 or an Inspire 3 because "they're not for kids", when all those wristbands do is have an online data dashboard. Well, I would sincerely appreciate it if, in order to comply with the legislation on data protection of a minor on the internet, Google and Fitbit would give me the option that a minor can use the bracelet I want and block access to that data on the internet instead of directly preventing me from using a bracelet that, by the way, is not clearly outlined on its official website a warning that would be totally necessary (and legally actionable) of "product not valid for children under 13 years".

[Carlosb78]

I've managed to get it to work. My son already had a junior fitbit account, and supervised Google account. 

I had to remove parental supervision. Then log into Fitbit and the first thing it did was upgrade his Fitbit account (he's 13) so he can make use of all Fitbit features... It installed and updated his charge 6. (Did attempt this yesterday but for some reason it would only allow us to select ace 1/2/3? Who knows why today it worked??) 

I have then added supervision back into his phone. It's been an hour and he's thrilled with his Christmas gift! 

Hope it's lasts and an update doesn't alter things. I really don't feel he's mature enough to not have account supervision - plus we need the carrot for behaviour and family link really helps with that!

Hope this helps...

[Zbranx]

Resolved (for Google Account 13+, real or imagined) via work around (still needs Google/Fitbit fix). Disable parental controls/Family Link.  The "child" account takes control of account. Sign into Fitbit app via Google.  Expect to see only ACE1/2/3 devices to add. The next day, the Charge 6 will be able to be added. Add the device and do the software update. Then turn back on Google parental controls/Family Link.

[rgeorge3930]

Ran into the same issue but was able to resolve it. Here are the steps... 

Step 1. Unlink child's google account from family link (stop supervision)

Step 2. Add charge-6 device. As a part of the move, you will move the fitbit account on child's device to google account 

Step 3. Once charge-6 device is added complete the firmware update. 

Step 4. Add child;s google account back to the family link (add supervision).

[Squirrel567]

The this still requires a prerequisite Fitbit account from before google bought/merged Fitbit right?

[Zbranx]

It requires a Google version of Fitbit. If an old Fitbit account, it will be migrated to a Google Fitbit account before adding the device. 

[Rich_Laue]

@thege was his past fitbit account a family account, if so only trackers designed fo children would have worked. 

The Charge 6 is not designed to conform with COPPA 

[PerfectBlue]

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@Squirrel567 wrote:

This is very poor. Google buys out fitbit but doesn't support children accounts. The device is useless without this support.

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It's not Google's fault. They have to do this in order to comply with California child protection and data retention laws.

For example, the Charge 6 has menstrual tracking features and can be used to share your location.

[Rich_Laue]

@Squirrel567 nope it doesnt require a pre google fitbit account, it requires a google family account with a google child account. 

@PerfectBlue COPPA Child Online Private Protection Act is a Federal Act. Calafornia does have a law that gives its citizens more control over their online data than what the feds give. 

[PerfectBlue]

Fitbit is based in California, so by default it has to obey California law iregardless of Coppa.

[PerfectBlue]

Surely this is something that can be done in software, simply turn off the non compliant data gathering, but better yet put in a parental consent option.

[Rich_Laue]

But still only has to obey the California rules for Californians 

For a few years, only Californians where able to download all of their fitbit data. 

[Cora1234]

So, our 12-yr-old daughter has her own phone and a Google account that is under Family LInk and is supervised.  We bought her an Inspire 3 watch. She's the only one in our family with Fitbit.  When syncing it to her phone via the app, we couldn't even get the Inspire 3 to be an option.  We only saw ACE watches.  We called tech support who said to create a "secondary" Google account for her with an increased age.  After several phone calls and lots of trial-and-error, we still have a problem. 

We made her primary Google account think she's 13.  We made her newly-created "secondary" Google account (used for Fitbit) think she's 23.  But, because her "secondary" account is on her phone with her primary account, as soon as we go into Family Link to supervise her primary account, she loses access to Fitbit.  It's a safety issue with Google that she can only be signed into one account on her phone so she can't use her "secondary," unsupervised account to do things she's not supposed to. And, for whatever reason, she can only sync to Inspire 3 using her "secondary" account and not her primary account, even though both show her over 13 years old and UNSUPERVISED during syncing.  Everytime we try a workaround, we have to go through the process of unsupervising her, logging her back in under the "secondary" gmail account, uninstalling and reinstalling the app (for the changes to take effect), etc.  Her Inspire 3 works as long as we leave her unsupervised in Family Link.  But we REFUSE to leave our daughter unsupervised. 

The Fitbit rep said that Inspire 3 will not work for kids and to get her an ACE watch instead.  I said she doesn't show up as a "kid" anymore (either 13 or 23 yrs old now).  He then said that Inspire 3 doesn't work for a supervised Google account.  I asked, "So, what if I had an 18 year old that I wanted to supervise?  Would she have to settle for an ACE--aka "child's"--watch?"  The rep said that accounts cannot be supervised after the child turns 13, but I reminded him that they most certainly can be as long as the account user gives permission.  

The fact that an Inspire 3 cannot work with Google Family Link supervision is frustrating...and cause for us to go with another brand!  We wanted to bypass the "kid" stage and get our child an "adult" watch that would grow with her, and now we're finding out that her Christmas gift won't work.  I have a tech support into Google Family Link to see if there is a workaround, but so far those reps are not hopeful. 

[rgeorge3930]

Have you tried the following - remove supervision i.e. put your childs phone in unsupervised mode bu unlinking from family link. Then install fitbit app, migrate to child's Google account if needed, and have it work as normal. Once working, add the child's phone back to family link i.e. add supervision. 

This process worked for me with charge 6.

[Cora1234]

Yep.  I have tried EVERYTHING.  Google tech support's "solution" was also something I've tried many times.  I completely removed her as a member of our Family Link group before setting her up on Fitbit again.  If she's not supervised, it works great.  But the minute I am supervising her Google account again, the Fitbit app logs her out and won't let us log in...unless we want to log in with an ACE watch (we have Inspire 3).  We've spent 5 days trying to figure out a solution.  I think we're ready to throw in the towel and return the watch.  Thank you for trying!

[MandyCW]

Hi Cora, we are having the exact same issue with my 12yr olds Fitbit Inspire (Christmas present). We use Family Link & want to continue to "supervise" him through that. 

Did you have any luck installing/setting up in the end? So frustrating!!