[HR Guide:] Download Your Activity HeartRate Data as a CSV File

[DEJAN]

Step 1

Visit https://www.fitbit.com/activities and click "View Details" on a specific activity using Chrome, desktop version. You don't be able to do this on your phone.

Step 2

In Chrome press CTRL+U (or right click on the page and select "View Source).

Step 3

Press CTRL+F and search for: "dataType", the first result should show something like this:

dataType: 'heart-rate',
  average: 115,
  unit: 'bpm',
  data:
 

What follows after "data:" is a very large string of values on a single line of code which looks like this:

[{"duration":0,"value":114},{"duration":3000,"value":115}.... etc.

Select the whole lot and copy it. CTRL+C.

Step 4

Paste the data into the following tool: https://json-csv.com/ and download the CSV.

Now your can plot your own graphs of your activity HR data.

You're welcome.

Dan

[MariamV]

@DEJAN Welcome to the Community forums, it's great seeing new faces around.  Awesome post! I'm so glad to read helpful users cooperating with the Community to create content that is interesting, helpful and hard to ignore just like this post! I'm sure this will help users who wonder how to download their HR info.  Thanks a million for this explanation! Keep up the great work and hope to see you around more often in the Community! 

[SquashPlayer]

I was also wanting more detailed information about my Fitbit statistics - especially my heart rate. It's not easy, however, to get access to the raw data - or be able to download this for your own use.

I read about the official "Fitbit API for App developers" and after some considerable time programming the solution, I have now made this feature available on my Squash website (the sport, not the vegetable!). I use it to see how quickly my heart rate recovers after a hard game of squash, but it also gives users the ability to download sleep and activity data, either in detail (Intraday data) or summarised data (Time Series data) for a certain date range. The heart rate data is also shown on charts allowing users to zoom in to specific times - which I find especially useful. The data can also be downloaded to a local .csv file for manipulation in Excel, should users wish.

This is available for any Fitbit user, free of charge, so any readers wishing to 'give it a go' can find it here: http://www.squashleagues.org/fitbit/FitbitDataDownload

Example Display: 

[MariamV]

@SquashPlayer wow!  This is simply amazing! Specially because squash is a very strenuous workout! You definitely break a sweat with it! I love seeing all these great tools to export more detailed heart rate info! Way to go. 

[joella]

Dejon, 

Tried your trick. I got a screen that came up with numbered rows on the left side and everything else is blank. I tried one week and a month, both gave same bad results.  I also tried the right click, view details, ditto. 

Using: 

Windows 10 Pro 1511 10586.949

Chrome Version 51.0.2704.106 m

I do have adblock installed, but I don't think that would effect this?

Any ideas why that would happen? 

And thanks for the work you put into this. Doing Fitbit's job for them. 🙂

Thanks

---

@DEJAN wrote:

Step 1

Visit https://www.fitbit.com/activities and click "View Details" on a specific activity using Chrome, desktop version. You don't be able to do this on your phone.

Step 2

In Chrome press CTRL+U (or right click on the page and select "View Source).

Step 3

Press CTRL+F and search for: "dataType", the first result should show something like this:

dataType: 'heart-rate',
  average: 115,
  unit: 'bpm',
  data:
 

What follows after "data:" is a very large string of values on a single line of code which looks like this:

[{"duration":0,"value":114},{"duration":3000,"value":115}.... etc.

Select the whole lot and copy it. CTRL+C.

Step 4

Paste the data into the following tool: https://json-csv.com/ and download the CSV.

Now your can plot your own graphs of your activity HR data.

You're welcome.

Dan

---

[joella]

SquashPlayer, 

Your data pull utility is lovely work.  Many thanks. 

[ForesterMan]

Thanks very much. Just what I wanted.

[Mashers]

Hi Dude, thanks for this! It's exactly what I wanted. Resting heert rate isareally good guide as to you health state. If your resting heart rate rises first thing, then it's a good guide to you being about to be hit by a bug, so a good day to not do a hard training session.

Interesting that your resting heart rate data extracted from fitbit is much more accurte, as I have had issues with their data not being accurate, and their graphs being way out.

Well done for this, it's a great job Mate!

[CMCGUY]

@SquashPlayer:

Thanks ever so much for the Fitbit API interface!  Worked great the first time.

[denisomalley]

Squash Player,

Thank you very, very much for your post.

I had pretty much given up on FitBit doing anything on this model.  My disappointment started with the undernourished buzz for notifications and then the minimal ability to get any real heart rate data except in a limited fashion.

On Aug 1 I underwent a very successful 8.5-hour spinal surgery, discharged from hospital on Aug 5.  Predictably, my energy was low.  Because it was spinal surgery, I have restrictions for several months, affectionately know as BLT for NO Bending, Lifting, or Turning. Twisting.  My situation prior to surgery involved severe nerve pain in my legs that prevented any serious cardio.  So, in addition to my low energy, I was weak in my arms and legs.  This is very frustrating.

Fast forward to Saturday, Aug 25 -- a grim day -- pain almost unabated by Oxycontin, extraordinary sleepiness, zero appetites.  I had been warned to expect days like that. 

Sunday was better.  Wondering what I might find on FitBit about limited exercise opportunities I decided to look for any advancements in heart rate exporting.  I came across this posting I decided to give it a try, even thought FitBit had their standard disclaimers.  What an amazing app!  The network works.  The app was apparently developed by a member of a Squash Club (sportsmen not vegetable collectors).  So I set about downloading my data; there are few restrictions on how much you can download.  I selected the period of time since my discharge from hospital to Saturday (when I was feeling low).  The last 12 days scared the bejeebers out of me.  My heart rate on my FitBit ranged from a single low of 52 to a single high of 142, rapidly changing -- not good!  Equally amazing, I had no physical manifestations, like pain, shortness of breath, etc.  First thing Monday I got an appointment with my physician.  After a 20-minute visit, she sent me to the ER where I spent the remainder of the day undergoing a variety of tests and concluded with a diagnosis of atrial tachycardia and an appointment with a cardiologist.  I had a similar diagnosis a year ago and it was supposedly being managed with medication.

The point is not that I had a scary day, the point is if FitBit had been more responsive and building what appears to be simple app into its android or PC programs, I might have been aware of this new version of an old malady sooner.  Certainly, others have asked for similar features without any hint from FitBit that they are even considering it.  I would imagine the person who invented it would be willing to work an arrangement with FitBit.  I will be using the Squash app with great regularity.  And I am so grateful for it, I made a contribution to it.

The Squash app apparently can handle other FitBit data as well as heart rate.  I plan to check that out also.

So, Squash Player, again thank you very, very much.  I now have an excellent tool to manage one part of my life.  And FitBit, this would not be possible were it not for the amazing amount of data you collect  (my download I described above had 85,000+ discrete CSV data points).  Please give us a tool as sophisticated as Squash app for the versions we have already invested in and not force us into a new purchase.

Best regards to all,

Denis O'Malley

Concord CA USA