Fitbit Flex counting arm movements as steps

[BR67]

I was very excited to get my Fitbit. I noticed today that everything was double my normal amount of steps. They just are realizing cuz I'm sitting at my desk typing and reaching for files and move it around and talking to my clients started showing as a step. Called customer service and they could not get the concept that moving an arm is not a step. Very very disappointed with this product.

Moderator edit: Updated title for clarity

[NLNZKiwi]

 oh dear ... well, would you or your daughter be able to contact

a. the seller

b. Fitbit via Facebook

[MissJess1979]

I’ll look into it 😉😁

[pattilane56]

I had a flex2 and was so disappointed that my steps increase continuously when I play the drums. I can be sitting for 2 hours and my Fitbit registers 10,000 steps. So I decided to buy a different model and got the inspire hr. 
Unfortunately I got the same result. Is the only way to alleviate this by wearing a bigger bracelet on my ankle? 

[NLNZKiwi]

Unfortunately for the Fitbit not to register your arm movements as steps, you would need to wear it around your ankle or in your pocket, as per our local sales person where we bought my Fitbit.

I have used a pedometer for 4 years, and of course that is not totally 100% accurate either.  However, the difference at the end of Saturday 25 January, (both set to 0) is as follows:

a)  Fitbit: 13,862

b)  Pedometer: 11,029

Bit disappointed ....  But on the upside I know my arm (non-dominant) is getting a lot of exercise :))

[Midlowalker]

I notice that when I rake leaves my Inspire, on my non dominant hand, records my arm movements as steps. It probably records any vigorous arm movements.

[NLNZKiwi]

Yes, you're right, unfortunately the majority of arm movements are counted as steps on Fitbit .... 🤔 

[Windy1952]

I recently put my husbands on my ankle and walked a mile or so. As I was holding my phone and not creating enough arm movement my own Fitbit on my wrist was way off. Does anyone just wear it on their ankle for accuracy?

[Sunnher]

What did u do cause I can not find my tracker in my app.. pkz help

[LizLancaster]

Have same problem, counting movement not steps. Please explain exactly how you sorted it. I’m new to this too and need things explained simply! Thank you.

or if there is anyone else who can help. Ta.

[NLNZKiwi]

Hi Liz, despite Fitbit replacing my Charge 3, the same issue remains that the Fitbit counts the arm movements as steps.  See my post of 26 Jan 2020.

I made contact with Fitbit via Facebook, and they were quick to respond.  

All I can say is either put up with it, or go to a pedometer.  Not quite what I had in mind, but it is what it is.  Keep walking anyway! 

Cheers

[pattilane56]

The only way I can find to count steps is by putting a bigger bracelet around my ankle. I see they sell them online but I haven’t purchased one.

[santoshsatkar]

I purchased Fitbit Charge 4 this week and getting the same problem as it is counting my arm movement for counting the steps. I was very excited about this new product but got really disappointed with this experience. I am wearing the watch in my right hand and selected the wrist placement as "Dominant" in app. Please let me know if I am missing any setting. Else I have no option and will return the product. 

[NLNZKiwi]

I don't think you're missing anything.  The counting of the arm movements is what the rest of us has found too, unfortunately. 

I wore the Fitbit on the left wrist, which is my non-dominant side and had the Fitbit on the non-dominant setting.  Unfortunately that made no difference either.

I have gone back to a pedometer - possibly not 100% accurate, but at least it does not count my arm movements as steps!   

[LizLancaster]

Thank you for the help and explanation. I just didn’t research it enough
before I got it. I have been using the free Fitbit app on my phone for
several years and usually had that in my back pocket or rucksack and
thought the number of steps was fairly accurate. Then I got a bigger phone
which is too big for my pocket. So bought the wrist Fitbit. I suppose the
answer is to only wear it when I want to count actual walking steps -
‘boots on miles’- and leave it at that. Or I could carry the watch in my
pocket or rucksack and see what that counts, when this is all over, of
course! Thank you again.

Another point. The reason for counting steps is to then convert that into miles and accumulate them into my goal of 1000 miles in a year - usually ‘boots on miles’ ie not really counting round the house. Not too much of a challenge for me as I am retired and I managed it by about September each year. So would it be better to use the GPS to track miles. Would that work? Have I got that on my Fitbit Inspire HR, how do you set it up, and would that be more accurate? I usually carry my iPhone with me as well anyway. Or ... just forget it and enjoy walking for health and fun?! Especially at this time!

Moderator edit: merged reply

[NLNZKiwi]

I don't know much about Fitbit Inspire HR.  I have a Fitbit Charge 3.  For the Charge 3 you have to sync it with your Android/iPhone.  When you are actually going on a walk, on your Fitbit you select 'Exercise' and then select 'Walk'.  Then swipe up and make sure 'Use Phone GPS' is on 'On'.  

But like you say mostly go out for your walk, stay healthy and have fun.  Don't let the Fitbit get to you 🙂

[pattilane56]

I was also excited to think I found a Fitbit to track only steps and not
arm movements but returned it as I was wrong. The only solution I found was
to find a bracelet that fit around my ankle and wear the Fitbit there.

[MarMoo]

Ive tried doing what yu suhgezt (setting which arm.iam.wearing my fir bit on) but am having trouble.finding where this is on my inspire. 

My step count is WAY over the reality. 

[Kimmygee]

Selecting dominant or non dominant does not work. It still counts as steps 

[TheFire]

Did this solution resolve any of the user "arm movement counts as steps" problem at all?

After a long time sync problem, put my fit bit aside since my patience runs out! I tried to give a try again, finally synced, that fixed date and time! Installed the latest app and all. And put on my non-dominant wrist.

Working from home, on the computer. Very busy day at work, so, a very sedentary day! In the evening, I thought! let me check how many steps I took with sarcasm! Huh! 6453 steps! How that can even be possible. Normally I should be happy! Right! ; if I would not test the steps by moving my arms around! I guess, until this is fixed if ever! Bad reviews and fitbit into the drawer again! Very, very, very, very disappointed. Did I put enough "very"!  

[LizLancaster]

Hi. No I haven’t solved the problem. As others have noted, working at the
computer or sewing or any other action using arms and hands results in too
many ‘steps’ and inaccurate distances! I am on 2 crutches at the moment and
I know I am walking less but the tally of steps is very inaccurate. So I
have given up. I use the Fitbit HR as a watch, showing my heart rate and it
buzzes if I have been sitting too long and should get up and walk around a
little. That’s all. Disappointing. I will ditch it when I am walking
outdoors and want an accurate record of distances.