GPS didn't work properly on Charge 6

[brooks888]

Went on my walk this morning for first time with charge 6 and the gps didn’t work properly. No map and what is usually a 7km walk it said it was only 4km 

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity. 

[MrBosco · Accepted solution]

GPS is switched off for the Walk exercise by default.

To enable it, swipe left or right until you get to the Exercise app, tap on Walk, then swipe up until you see the GPS setting.  Turn that on, then swipe down until you get to the 'Start' button.  You should see GPS status in grey text along the top, and the device will vibrate when it gets a GPS signal.  After your walk you should see a map for the exercise in the Fitbit app.

If this doesn't work then there are other GPS-related settings that might be the problem, though with a new Charge 6 everything should be setup right except the GPS setting for the Walk exercise.

I find I get the best GPS experience by walking with my phone in my pocket and tapping the 'Start' button after I begin moving.  If your phone is nearby and is moving when the Charge 6 starts looking for a GPS signal it will use the GPS in your phone rather than in the Charge 6 itself.  This saves on battery life and I find my phone is better at keeping a GPS signal over long periods of time.

[brooks888]

Thanks I have put the gps on now. Just went to test it and it works but it didn’t pick up the start of my walk which is weird 

[TLeafTO]

Also be sure your phone is not in battery power save mode as this can put your phone's GPS to sleep and stop communicating with your tracker during your activity

[HuskerDad007]

When you state “Start button” are you referring to it on the watch or on the phone ?  I was walking the past two days with no cloud cover and wide open area and both days it lost gps connection.  Since I walk with my phone in my pocket I’m trying to figure out if I start walk on my watch will the phone do the gps or do I have to start walk on phone 

[TLeafTO]

Be sure that battery saver is off on your phone. Battery saver will turn
off the phone's GPS during your activity.

Also in GPS options I find it better to use phone GPS, not dynamic.

Start the activity on your Fitbit and wait for the GPS arrow to turn white, that means it has connected to your phone GPS, then press start activity on your fitbit

[MrBosco]

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@HuskerDad007 wrote:

When you state “Start button” are you referring to it on the watch or on the phone ?  I was walking the past two days with no cloud cover and wide open area and both days it lost gps connection.  Since I walk with my phone in my pocket I’m trying to figure out if I start walk on my watch will the phone do the gps or do I have to start walk on phone 

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The start button on the watch.  In 'dynamic' GPS mode (default) the watch will connect to the phone when you start a GPS-enabled activity and check it's status.  If the phone is in motion it will use the phone GPS to track the activity.  If the phone is not moving it will use the built-in GPS in the watch, which is less reliable and consumes a lot of battery power.  That's the reason I suggest tapping the 'start' button after you begin moving - i.e. begin walking before tapping the start button.  I believe the reason it works this way is to avoid the watch trying to use the GPS on a phone that you are leaving behind you - still in signal range but apparently not coming with you as it appears to be stationary.

[TLeafTO]

In dynamic mode the fitbit switches back and forth between the fitbit GPS and the phone GPS. I've found this "switching" back and forth can cause an interruption in data and a loss of the map. I have mine set to phone GPS always and have not had a problem since.
Critical, again, be sure your phone is not in battery saver mode as that will cause it to shut down the phone GPS mid activity.

Not much more I can say on this matter. 

Good luck!

[brooks888]

Hey I start walk on the watch. I lose connection every now and again but is
working better now