Lock screen/buttons during exercise for all Fitbit devices

I've seen similar ideas/feedback noted for the Surge/Blaze and I'd love to see the same sort of thing for the Ionic, I also saw an idea to change the 'stop exercise' button to the (left) hand button on the Ionic which would too be good but would very much prefer a lock screen if possible 🙂

 

When I'm sometimes performing pushups, boxing, burpees or anything that causes my hand to bend, I've sometimes ended up pushing the bottom right hand button to 'pause' the workout and then sometimes ended up pushing multiple buttons during workouts to end it prematurely.

 

I'd love it if it were possible to disable the buttons during certain workouts or have some kind of lock screen, maybe even a long-button push option to only unlock the screen when holding one of the buttons for a few seconds etc. At the moment, it's just far too easy to accidentally click the right hand buttons which are tied to pausing/ending workouts.

 

An idea which would be great would be that my old android watch had, I could turn the screen on with a button although in order to interact any further, I would need to manually swipe away a lock screen (or you could set it up with a PIN each time) and then you'd be able to start/end/pause the workout.

 

Thanks a lot for reading, really hope this could be considered for a future firmware update Smiley Happy

 

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject and updated label

346 Comments
fitgal44
Jogger

Please make it "harder" to pause activity. While jogging I look at display and see it has paused! Please make the "pause" button to be like the "finish" button, in that it must be held down to pause. This issue occurs several times during my jog and it frustrates me to no end!! I end up obsessively checking the display to make sure it hasn't stopped recording.

 

 

Moderator Edit: Added Labels

eyeguy
Recovery Runner

Recently, while using the new Bike mode on the Surge, I inadvertently pressed the "pause" button while my hands were on the bike handle bars. I didn't notice the exercise had been paused, and therefore not tracked, for several miles. I know others have experienced this as well.

 

I would like to suggest an option to make the Surge vibrate much more strongly, or perhaps repeated in a pattern for a few seconds, when it is paused during an activity. This would make it easier to know if you accidentally paused the activity.

 

This would be a welcome feature if auto-pause is included in future updates as well, just so you know when the autopause kicks in.

 

 

bike253
Jogger

Is there an autopause feature?  Because I cannot find it!  I can manually pause and unpause but the tracker doesn't pause automatically when I stop and start automatically when I resume.

zsmith
Jogger

It's frustrating to realize many miles into an activity that your glove or jacket has caused your GPS recording to stop.  Even better than a stronger vibration, I suggest having to push two buttons or maybe one button in a two-push pattern.  If you have several layers of long sleeve jackets and shirts on (skiing, mountain climbing), you cannot feel the vibration at all.  The two other watches I have both use a pattern (Suunto Spartan and TomTom MultiSport

Ianinmuc
First Steps

I wish to add my support to this idea. Inadvertent pausing, I assume from flexing of the wrist, is very annoying, to the point of wondering if I should switch to another watch. It happens to me at least 25% of the time, with activities involving golf, running and hiking.

Ha-root
Keeping Pace
Fit bit blaze.. Not sure about everyone else but when I work out with gloves they always hit the pause button.. The pause button needs to be removed and just leave touch screen or just moved to the button on the other side.
Status changed to: Reviewed By Moderator
HeydyF
Premium User
Moderator Alum
Moderator Alum

Hey @fitgal44 thank you for your participation in the Feature Request board! This could be a great addition to the trackers so your exercise won't be interrupted without you even noticed it. 

 

Keep sharing your ideas! 

SunsetRunner
Not applicable

I always end up pressing the pause button my accident during the workout but dont realise until the end. It is really annoying and makes the fitness tracker almost pointless as it doesnt show me a true reading of that activity

SunsetRunner
Not applicable

Same Problem, using a Surge: bent wrist, happens while Bicycling, Motocross and Boot Camp.

 

Example below is with watch on left wrist.

 

A suggestion to fix would be a firmware option to Press Middle and Lower Right Button to Pause as an option vs just single lower right button.

 

Sawi
Distance Walker

I've had a few occasions now where I've apparently brushed my phone screen and paused my exercise before my workout is finished.

 

I would prefer it if the 'pause' button required a long press, the same as the 'finish' button does.

somerandomboxer
First Steps

The ability to lock the screen during a workout is an absolutely critical feature for the blaze. As is, the blaze fails to work properly for my main form of exercise, boxing. Sometimes it will totally miss my workout, other times I'll have 15 micro workouts recorded.

SunsetRunner
Not applicable

So a year on, and nothing? This is really annoying, and doesn't seem like that hard of a fix to implement. Can we get feedback on if this is even being worked on?

websterisback
First Steps

You know when your product needs improvement when users are going out and 3D printing solutions 🙂

MScott67
Jogger

FitBit should be ashamed.  Should have my 3D fix in a day or two.

MScott67
Jogger

Darn thing pauses almost every time I use it when lifting weights.  Worthless when doing boxing.

 

Presume FitBit is unaware of this issue - if they were aware, surely they'd address this problem that makes the FitBit NotFit for working out.

Tarazm
First Steps

+1, I have the Blaze and it constantly stops and starts when I have my boxing gloves on. I've resorted to putting the Blaze the wrong way in the strap so that the buttons aren't triggered which helps; but brings up a slew of other usability issues - especially with gloves on! 

ScottyDM
Jogger

I sometimes accidentally pause my exercise tracking by inadvertently hitting the pause button. I'd prefer it require more than just a tap, just as the stop button does. It's disappointing to think a session has been fully tracked only to find out that it wasn't. If this idea is impractical for whatever reasons, I'd then suggest relocating the pause button away from the bottom of the screen. Thank you.

Rozamari
Jogger

I agree, ScottyDM. I would love to have the ability to manually connect the lines to add back any distance list by inadvertently hitting pause. I must have done that today. About 2 km is missing from my walk. This issue has happened to me a few times since I started tracking my walks with Fitbit in January 2015. 

rockycv13
First Steps

Boxing is impossible with the blaze, the pause button is constantly being pressed.

It would be so simple to fix, here's some options that don't require new hardware too. Just a software update:


1.)Have to hold down a button for a few seconds, like the exact same input needed to read old text notifications. 

2.)A lock button during exercise e.g. Can have it in the same place that finish workout appears after pausing.

3.)Duel button press. The back button already does nothing during a workout just use this and pause button at the same time to confirm? 

 

And I'm sure there's many more ways to fix this issue. The fact that I've seen people complaining about this all the way back to 2014 for the surge too is insane. How has this not come up in QA and resolved is crazy to me. Especially seeing how "tracking fitness" is the main purpose of having a fitness tracker. 

ScottyDM
Jogger

It’s pretty clear Fitbit doesn’t care to fix this obvious problematic issue even though the fix would be a relatively easy one. I solved the problem by abandoning Fitbit. I won’t support a company that is unresponsive to its users like this. Investment wasted, unfortunately. 

MrBadger
First Steps

While tracking my exercise with my charge, I frequently find that the sleeve of my jacket has inadvertently either paused or finished the exercise session. This is more than a little annoying!

 

How about a button sequence that would allow me to lock the screen until I pressed another button?

 

Thanks

 

Moderator Edition Title Update and Labels. 

Status changed to: Not currently planned
AlexandraFitbit
Premium User
Moderator Alum
Moderator Alum

Hi @MrBadger, thanks for sharing this suggestion !

 

We're always striving to enhance Fitbit products and services, and we appreciate all of the input we receive from our customers. We do not currently have plans to release this feature. You can learn more about how Fitbit decides what suggestions get released in our FAQs. For now, we will leave this suggestion open for votes (and closed to comments) so that we can continue to track community demand over time.

 

Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback with us and we will let you know if anything changes.

Smtw
First Steps

I used to have the Blaze and found it very frustrating that if I was out running with a jacket on the watch would often rub against the fabric and either pause the workout or end it! Also when I go to a boxing class it would do the same thin with boxing gloves....so annoying!

My husband bought me the apple watch for Christmas which has a 'lock' setting when your using it for fitness....Problem resolved!

I have just ordered the new Versa and was disappointed to learn this will be the same as the Blaze 😞 

I can see me returning it within a week if this is the case!

It can't be that hard surely?

 

Moderator Edit: Title for Clarity

Status changed to: Reviewed By Moderator
LanuzaFitbit
Premium User
Fitbit Moderator
Fitbit Moderator

Hello @Smtw.

 

Thank you for sharing your idea and how it would be better for you. I definitely see how it can be helpful to Versa users, and Fitbit users in general.

 

Let's keep an eye on what other users think about it.

WavyDavey
10K Racer

I definitely could use that feature. It's disappointing to find after a workout that I've inadvertently stopped the tracking.

 

This was proposed recently, but is marked "not currently planned".

 

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Feature-Suggestions/Lock-screen-during-exercise/idi-p/2585676

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