4 white lights and 1 red on device

[Daffi]

My Fitbit has 4 white lights and 1 red light and will not sync, i have deleted the app and reinstalled it but this hasn't helped. Any ideas?

Moderator edit: Subject for clarity 

[JohnnyRow]

Here's the key to the lights:

What do the light patterns mean on my Flex or Flex 2? 

I don't see 4 whites and a red, but 4 darks and a red mean battery low.

[RicardoFitbit]

Hi @Daffi, welcome to the Community Forums!

Thanks for bringing this to my attention and the details that were shared in your post. As it turns out and just as @JohnnyRow stated, the pattern your Flex 2 is currently showing isn't listed on our help article: What do the light patterns mean on my Flex or Flex 2? therefore, I'd like to suggest you to restart your device following the next steps:

1. Plug the charging cable into the USB port on your computer or a UL-certified USB wall charger.
2. Remove the pebble from the wristband and press it into the compartment on the charging cable. The pins on the charging cable must align with the corresponding pins on the back of the pebble to lock securely in place.
   

   You’ll know the connection is secure when the pebble vibrates and you see the indicator lights blinking.

3. Find the button on the charging cable below the tracker compartment.
4. Press it three times within five seconds. The tracker vibrates each time you press the button. A few seconds after the third press, all the lights will flash simultaneously. This means the pebble has restarted. If you miss the light flash but notice the pebble has resumed charging, that too is confirmation that the restart was successful.
5. Remove the pebble from the charging cable and insert it back into the wristband.

Keep me posted and let me know if you have any additional questions.

[Carol196412]

I tried this a few times but it doesn't work.  No vibration on pressing the reset button and still have four flashing white lights and one flashing red/pink.  Have tried customer services but all they have suggested is what I have already tried.

[Daffi]

Strange, as this is exactly what mine is showing

[Daffi]

I've tried this a few times but no change

[Daffi]

I've tried this but it still has the same lights and still will not sync

[bthoneycutt]

Same advice. I got a "discount" to buy a new fitbit, but I like my Flex 2, too much. Anyone have a fix to this problem?

[Daffi]

Fitbit also offered me a 25% discount on a new one, but if people are having problems with the this one surly Fitbit need to look into it to see exactly what has gone wrong

[Carol196412]

I agree

This seems to be a common problem - Fitbit should be doing something to
resolve the issue, not just offer discounts on a new device. It would seem
they don't read the Community comments, as they would be aware that this
problem is affecting many people.

[1Houston]

I’ve tried what you’ve recommended and it won’t respond at all

[1Houston]

Seems very suspicious that so many are having the same issues at the same time

[trima]

It finally worked. I had also shut off bluetooth and reinstalled app but I think the advice here is what finally worked. It did take me more than a few tries.

[GizmoDK]

Exactly what advice did you find helpful?

[Evilcowboy420]

I know this is a little dated but the person never got back to you on it. The information that helps the most is turning off bluetooth on any device that has the capability of syncing. This is some weird syncing loop it gets stuck in, it only really gets stuck in that loop when the battery is fully discharge, when it fully is discharged it will just give the brief **~** lights in that pattern then ***** pulsating when you put it in to charge.

Near as I can tell from a good 6 hours I spent working on it, when it fully discharges as soon as it is plugged in the device tries to perform functions, mostly syncing the device and then it reboots. So whatever charge it sends to it at 0.5v 1amp (not a lot) the syncing immediately will discharge it and it errors out and gets stuck in this loop. The device literally does not wait until enough of a charge is in it before it demands it to start performing, lack of this check being programmed in causes a discharge first, then the 5 light pulsating error, then the user pulls it out and plugs it back in and then fitbit customer service tells you to reset it, the user does the reset around 3 times. It finally goes back into charge mode with 1 light pulsating (this is also an error) and then the app performs a sync and does the whole process all over again. 

This is entirely the fault of fitbit because it needs to not sync a completely dead device as soon as it gets power. Its a really stupid thing to overlook because they literally are having their CS team, the user and the device all contributing to the infinite loop it gets stuck in. Once it errors it has no power to pull itself out of the endless loop. Human interaction is why it is so difficult to track down. 

Thats why turning off bluetooth on any device that it is currently syncing to works. It is denying it the opportunity to sync when the power is below a certain thresh hold. Fitbit will claim that the device will automatically turn itself off when around 5 to 10% of battery life is remaining, and that is adequate enough to avoid this type of error. It's not enough and the reason why is it does NOT account for someone letting it sit there long enough to bleed the remaining power off or a user tapping it using more of its power. If it sits for a period of time without being connected to the charge then it will discharge completely. Its why batteries have a shelf life. 

So how does fitbit correct this problem, have it perform a pre-check of how much battery life it has before it starts trying to sync it and only start the syncing when it is above a certain amount of power and give a "cannot sync, low power" message on the app. Then have it perform the same check 1 hour later to ensure it has been charged. Anything beyond that point would be the users fault for not plugging it in when an app and the device tell you to plug it in. 

When it does not vibrate when plugged into the charger then it is not charging, indicating it does not even have enough power to work the vibration motor inside of it. When it can't work a simple motor that vibrates it then it is definitely not enough power to sync it. Doing that it is possible to get it working again.

However, if it was discharged for a really long time you may also have luck jumping the battery with more power like a 9v battery (this could potentially break it so obviously it would also break any warranty). To jump it with more power connect the negative of the 9v to the middle contact pad and the positive to the pad on the right looking at the pads with it upright like you would wear it on your wrist. It won't stay on but it will jolt the internal battery and that can sometimes bring any battery back to life. 

Those are a few things you can do but there is no guarantee it will work on every device as it could just be the battery life has expired. This device is simply a very bad design and very inadequate engineering as no device should cause its users more headaches than the product is worth. Hope this helps someone. 

[motqltr]

Oct 21, 2021, my flex 2, just started this wildly flashing light thing. Says -0- steps for today, and Bluetooth not connected. It hasn’t vibrated when charging for months. I can’t find the button to reset.  I really don’t want to buy a new one. Just had to buy a new wristband because the silicone one tore. 

[Tanja509]

And now in coherent steps please...

Came here with the same problem. Will try to turn bluetooth off.