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

[FerdinandFitbit · Accepted solution]

Hi there @BR67, welcome to the Fitbit Community Forums! 🙂

I'm very sorry to hear that you're having problems with your tracker counting your arm movements as steps.

Fitbit devices have a finely tuned algorithm for step counting. The algorithm is designed to look for intensity and motion patterns that are most indicative of people walking and running.  When working at a desk, cooking, or doing other arm movements, a device on your wrist can pick up some extra steps if it thinks you're walking. Many of these situations—such as working or cooking—do include a few steps in-between stationary periods so the device tries to give you credit for those steps. For the vast majority of customers, the amount of stray steps accumulated is negligible when compared to the entire day.

For this reason, it's important that in your tracker settings (by tapping on the icon of your tracker in the Fitbit app), you choose which wrist you're wearing your tracker on (dominant or non dominant).

Hope this answers your question and if you need more help, I'm always around!

[BR67]

I can understand maybe a few extra stops but not double the amount of steps. I wear this on my non-dominant hand. I even attempted to just put it on my belt to see if that would help. That really did not help much is still shows me over a couple of thousand steps compared to my standard pedometer that I wear and another one that I use. So I'm just confused about why it has so many exercise UPS in there.

[FerdinandFitbit]

Thanks for getting back @BR67! 🙂

Now, even if you wear it on your non-dominant hand, have you chose this in the settings? If not, doing that could help.

For this, tap on the icon of your tracker at the top of the dashboard to access the tracker settings page. Then, the first option will be Wrist. Here, make sure that the chosen option says Non Dominant and then, sync your tracker.

If that was not the case, I can also recommend giving your tracker a quick restart. For this, plug the charging cable to any USB port or UL-certified USB wall charger and remove the pebble from the wristband and put it into the charging cable. Then, insert a paperclip into the small pinhole on the back of the charger for 3-4 seconds and then take the tracker out of the charger and put it into the wristband.

Thenk sync your tracker and see if there's any improvement. Let me know how it goes!

[gardengal316]

I did choose under account settings dominate wrist and left arm. It still counts arm movements.

[Luckystar1277]

Omg that what I was thinking and was very disappointed to when I was sweeping and mopping it tracked more arm movements as I was stepping thank God some one also noticed that but if it does give you credit than I guess it's ok . 

[gardengal316]

My friend Marianne says don't worry it is still exercise. But I would really like accurate steps. I could sit and just move my arms and still be sitting too much. For the price I was expecting more. I have the Alta.

When I clap at Karaoke each week it counts my claps. I was sorry to find that. Not accurate step count.

Moderator edit: merged reply

[SunsetRunner]

I’m having the same issue. The Charge 3 is on my non-dominant hand as indicated in the app, but I could sit all day & log ‘miles’ but not get out of my chair. I was wondering why I had about 3000 more steps on my Fitbit than on my other tracker (step counters & GPS). Not at all accurate. What can be done to fix this?I understand every movement counts toward fitness, but moving my arms is not the same as walking my miles.  It also clocks floors climbed when I’ve only climbed two steps to get into my house. Two steps up apparently counts as two floors. An escalator to the second floor of the mall counted as 17 floors.  The device may be working as programmed but the program wasn’t written correctly. 

[MissJess1979]

I am also having issue with arm movements. Received Fitbit charge 2 for Christmas and have settings for left wrist and right handedness. Notice it calculates steps when I’m not moving, just my arm moves. Might try the resetting option if there isn’t another option. Help! I’m new to the Fitbit world 😉😁

[NLNZKiwi]

Hi there

My husband bought a Fitbit Charge 3 on Saturday.  Have used the Fitbit for two days and am rather disappointed.  It counts my arm movements as steps, despite the fact that I have changed the setting to non-dominant wrist.  During a game of Dominoes (sitting at the table and obviously not walking) it continued to count from 6809 to 7268 steps, which is too much of a discrepancy when you are after your daily number of steps. 

I also noticed the Fitbit has registered that I climbed 9 stairs today - the reality is I have climbed no stairs at all today!!  We do not even have stairs.

Not impressed 😞

NLNZKiwi

[MissJess1979]

I’m very disappointed too! I did a factory reset to see if that made
a difference, but to no avail. I tried the sleep study too and that also
appears to be quite off 🥴🥺

[NLNZKiwi]

Hi MissJess1979

I'm sorry to hear that.  How frustrating. 

I phoned the shop where we bought the Fitbit and they will not accept returns for hygiene reasons!  So I'm stuck with an item that is not 'fit for purpose'!

[MissJess1979]

Oh no! Very frustrating for you also! I had such high expectations for
Fitbit items and am hoping that I can get some sort of resolution with mine
🤞

[BlissEternal]

Revised/Corrected:

In addition to the counting of too many steps due to wrist movement while actually not walking or moving legs, it does NOT count steps while you walk if you're holding something in your arms and therefore not moving your arms. It simply can't detect steps, apparently and the whole thing is gauging steps simply through arm movement. This is unfortunate. I'm quite disappointed. I've sent 2 cheaper step trackers back to Amazon for a refund for similar inaccuracies and finally bit the bullet to pay more for a Fitbit figuring it must be more precise. 😞

Ok. Sorry for all these posts. It seems to now be working as it should. It's not counting the arm movement while seated nor failing to count steps while I am not moving my arms. Weird. The only thing I did was go into the settings and reset them to exactly where they already were.

Moderator edit: merged reply

[NLNZKiwi]

Hi Bliss Eternal

I hope it is working ok for you now.  I'm still struggling as I have used pedometers for years.  The discrepancy is quite big between the Fitbit and the Omron pedometer when comparing the number of steps over a whole day.  We'll keep trying.

cheerio

NLNZKiwi

[MissJess1979]

Thanks Bliss Eternal. I’m also feeling the same about Fitbit. I thought it
would be better than the cheaper versions too. I did a reset and noticed a
bit of an improvement, but it’s still not accurate and the sleep study
function also does not work accurately. I’m very disappointed and am
wondering what I can do 🥺

[NLNZKiwi]

Have you contacted to shop where you bought your Fitbit?  Still under guarantee?

[MissJess1979]

I haven’t as yet. My daughter bought it for me for Xmas. I’ll have to ask
her about it 😉😊

[NLNZKiwi]

👍

[MissJess1979]

Just found out that she bought it brand new from a girl on Facebook 🥴