Losing steps with multiple trackers. Flex2 and charge 2

[Trina_P]

I have been losing steps after syncing my aqua exercises to the Fitbit app from my flex 2.  My flex 2 steps show on my app up to 30 mins after syncing but when I arrive home and start wearing my regular charge 2 the 5k steps from my flex 2 disappears.  This happens 3 times a week and it’s becomming frustrating! I’ve tried all the troubleshooting tips and have read the forums with the same issues and I still don’t have a solution.  I’ve been a Fitbit user since 2013 with a total of 5 trackers for me and gifting  a total of 6 to family members, but this issue of losing data has me considering changing to apple series 3 fitness watch. Has anyone used a different brand of tracker and what do you recommend? Thanks 

[Julia_G · Accepted solution]

Hi, @Trina_P, the trick to not losing steps is making sure that not just the app, but also the tracker shows the steps.  Sometimes you will need to sync and resync several times until they all agree.

It's a little harder if one of the trackers is the Flex 2, because you can't see the exact numbers.  However, say for example you have been wearing your Charge 2 for 3 hours and then decide to switch to your Flex 2.  You sync your Charge 2 to your app, and it shows 5250 steps.  

Obviously how many lights your Flex 2 shows depends on your goal, but, for example, if your goal is 10,000 steps, then each light means 2500 steps (one quarter of your step goal)

You pick up your Flex 2 -- it does not show any solid lights... So NOT safe to switch!  It might be okay, but you might lose steps.  Sync your Flex 2 and check it again.  Still no solid lights? Still not safe to switch.  Sync it again.  Poof! Now it shows 2 solid lights and a flashing third.  Okay, you're good to go!  You will not lose steps.

In the opposite direction, if your Flex 2 shows 2 solid lights, and you sync them to your app and it shows 5250 steps, then don't head off with your Charge 2 until it also shows your 5250 steps on the screen.

In other words, not just the app, but the Fitbits themselves must agree.  If you do that each time you should not have any issues.

[Alana54]

I have the flex 2 and the charge hr 2 but I keep loosing steps. I always sync before i swap them and check they have done so successfully. However the other day my flex 2 vibrated to say i hit my steps... once update this dropped to 8k... and this happened twice in the same day. 

Yesterday i was only wearing the flex 2 and could see 4k steps on the app and the lights to match... then suddenly it dropped to 200 steps. No idea why this is happening. 

[Alana54]

I have the flex 2 and the charge hr 2 but I keep loosing steps. I always sync before i swap them and check they have done so successfully. However the other day my flex 2 vibrated to say i hit my steps... once updated on the app this dropped to 8k(showed briefly over 10k)... and this happened twice in the same day. 

Yesterday i was only wearing the flex 2 and could see 4k steps on the app and the lights to match... then suddenly it dropped to 200 steps. No idea why this is happening. 

[Wendy316]

I also am having this same issue.  Today my step count keeps resetting to the 12 steps I had on my Alta—after a workout which makes it really frustrating 

[Trina_P]

It's a motivational killer to see your workout steps disappear. The flex 2 was the only Fitbit waterproof tracker option I had when it was purchased. Now Fitbit has other waterproof options available, but I don't have faith in the product anymore.

I started with a flex, went to the force which caused nasty burns and rashes, updated with the surge and  the screen broke from vibration from mowing the lawn and recharging it became an issue as I had to hold it in place while it was recharging, went to a charge 2 and band doesn't fit snugly into the clock face (possibly because it can have replacement bands) went to a flex 2 for my water sports and now I'm losing up to 4K steps. Reality is most of the issues I have with Fitbit usually happen close to the 12 month warranty expiration so I just update. It's been the same for friends and family that I have encouraged to get a Fitbit so we can do challenges. I will miss the challenges and the Fitbit community and that is probably why I have persevered with Fitbit trackers.

I think 30 minutes is sufficient time to log in to the app on my phone, check my steps have been updated and match the amount of lights on my flex 2. During this time my charge 2 is 15km away from my phone and my flex 2....really it shouldn't be interfering with my app and flex 2. Like the majority of people haven't got time to be babysitting my Fitbit trackers by making sure each one is up to date and in sync with steps. It should be automatic!

[Cbvh17]

Did the suggested plan above work? I’ve been swapping from flex to Alta for the last year with no issues, but recently I’m dropping so many steps! Today I checked my flex after my workout and when I got home I’d lost 2000 steps!!! I’m getting really frustrated with it and similarly considering swapping to an Apple as I like to be able to track my swimming. 

[Wendy316]

I was having too many issues. So frustrating. I stopped using the flex2 and will likely return. Will choose a different product if I need waterproof. 

[Wendy316]

I could never get this to work. Losing steps was extremely frustrating. Stopped using the flex2 

[Trina_P]

No nothing has worked and I'm still losing steps between the flex2 and charge 2. It's so **ahem** annoying😡

[bikerhiker]

I use both an Apple Watch via SyncSolver and the Flex 2 together and here's what I found works and won't drop steps.  I was willing to put up with the quirks because of the Fitbit app's fitness and weight loss tracking features.  It's among the best app I've used; better than Apple Health.

Praises aside, If you have 2 trackers for doing 2 different things, you need to think of separating them in the days you use them.  In my case, if I do not swim or plan an outdoor bike ride for that day, I would wear my Apple Watch for the whole day and Sync Solve at night to the Fitbit app.  I will only check my steps progress through the online Dashboard, not through the Phone app.  Launching the Fitbit phone app will sync my Flex 2 and thus reseting the Apple Watch steps I synced with Sync Solve.  It is a warning Sync Solve posted on its app.  And if I plan to swim or do a bike ride after work, I would only wear the Flex 2 for the entire day and leave the Apple Watch and make sure I do not sync solve the Apple Watch at night or otherwise, it will delete any active minutes and active steps I did with the Flex 2.  Also, before I use the Flex 2, I need to sync it first thing in the morning and then check the Flex 2 activity light to make sure it matches the steps on the Fitbit app, which should be 0.  And then I can be sure it will Smart Trak my activities.  Otherwise, when there is a steps mismatch, Smart Trak won't work and then you have to usually do the reset the tracker routine and then re-sync.  It's a pain because you can't simply wear 1 watch for half a day and then wear another watch for the rest of the day.  With Apple Health you can do this, but with Fitbit you can't. 

With Apple Health, any devices linked to it would add to the steps you had done during the day and that means, you can own a Garmin to track swims, Suunto to track your hikes and Apple Watch for the city and be able to amalgamate all the relevant data into one kit, but with Fitbit app, it is the opposite.  It only allows just 1 device to sync and maintain cumulative active steps and active minutes with the Fitbit app.  So if you want GPS, Altimeter and waterproofness that you can swim, your option is the Fitbit Ionic.  Unlike the Apple Health option, you can have more freedom and the Apple Watch series 3 can do much more.  

[Julia_G]

@bikerhiker, I am sorry, but that is simply not true.  If you follow the steps I have outlined above, you can use multiple trackers, in the same day, switching between them, using Fitbits and the Fitbit app, without losing steps.

I have been doing it for several years.

However, you MUST ensure that, not just that app, but the trackers themselves agree on the number of steps.  I appreciarte that this does mean a certain amount of "babysitting" -- ie checking back and forth to make sure that the synced steps from one tracker are reflected on a second tracker, before you switch.  If you do that, it quite simply works.  But I agree that getting to that state is particularly annoying if you are in a hurry and just want to switch trackers and run.

[shetheri]

This is the practice it takes to swap between fitbits, but can’t FItbit work to make this more seamless?  I just lost another 4000 steps cause my flex 2 only syncs with my iPhone and my Charge 2 with my iPad. And there was an internet problem so the 10000 on my Flex didn’t come across to to the iPad before syncing my Charge. 

Seems Fitbit’s reconciliation is to somewhat average the steps. Why not trust the highest step count instead? 

It’s frustrating to lose your goal steps just as you’re getting ready to sleep. Please Fitbit, using multiple trackers is an advantage, so make it easy for us to switch. Thank you. 

[bhavpat]

I'm having the same issues still between Flex 2 and Alta HR. I understand making sure both devices and the app are saying the same thing but the downside is that for example, my app is syncing with my Flex 2 (which I don't use often) and both are accurate and when I hope to sync with my Alta HR, rather than the Alta HR syncing to reflect the Flex 2, the Alta HR overrides it and I lose all my steps. It seems near impossible to get both devices to show the same number of the issue because one overrides the other (for me the Alta and Alta HR have always overridden my Flex 2) instead of syncing.