My steps are not syncing correctly with challenges

[pbrennan]

my steps in the work week challenge are not registering correctly. It seems to be caught by 2/3rds. The single day challenges reflect the same number of steps as the dashboard. This is getting frustrating as I look my of a loser than in just weight 😭 help!

Moderator edit: subject updated for clarity 

[Marie164]

 Thanks!!  I hope it synchs soon.  I agree, as long as it eventually catches up i'm good with it.  Just frustrating right now.  Thanks for the help!

Okay - i've waited all day and tried everything I could think of. I should be somewhere near 25,000 steps in the challenge and i'm only at 7,897.  Makes no sense.  Same issue today as yesterday.  Someone please help?

Moderator edit: merged reply

[rumbledolly]

I'm so sorry it's not working. It's odd it records some steps. I know some people have said it's a "stride" thing but I can't recall how to fix it. Honestly "help" on lots of issues is lacking. I will assume your challenge started on Monday and yesterday and today your steps should be in the 25,000 range. I know my week is set to start on Sunday so my step total is different from challenge total for work week challenge. I think it's time to contact Fitbit directly. Sounds like something is wrong with device. If it's new I'd want a replacement!

[Marie164]

You are correct, I will want a new one if it's already defective! 

Many thanks for the feedback, at least someone was there to help spitball this issue!!!!

[HelenaFitbit]

Thank you @rumbledolly for helping out @Marie164! You can edit and update your Stride length by going to your Settings Page which is the gear icon at the top right of your Dashboard. 

Thank you for letting me know this @SuzyCute, I'll make sure to pass this along for further verification. 

@Herutje @Marie164 If you are encountering problems syncing as a whole (not just your steps for challenges), please check this page with steps to correct this problem.

@mspad Bear in mind that challenges can be affected by the timezone of the members who are in it as well as any logged activities on your account, this includes MobileRun, manual logs and third party logging.

In this case, it's best to use your tracked steps (without mobile run or manual log) while stepping. Using any kind of manual logging when running or walking will not count towards your challenges.

Hope this helps! Let me know if you have any questions. 

[PLF6]

I have a different problem. I've been doing the workweek hustle, but today when I got the invite I got an error saying that I needed a step-tracking device. Well, I have one, I sync is hourly. I restarted my fitbit, but it didn't help. I don't know what to do

[tgullage]

I'm having the same problem as many described previously: my Fitbit Flex is working just fine and my Dashboard shows 17,221 steps, however the Weekend Warrior challenge I participate is only showing a little over 3000 steps. As far as I know everyone in our challenge is in the same time zone (although I am not 100% certain on that). My Fitbit is linked to My Fitness pal. Please help.

[rumbledolly]

I'd contact Customer Service.

Honestly I'm really tired of all the syncing issues myself! Seems like too
much of a pain!

Perhaps a hard reset? Though my understanding is you lose all your stored
info. Plus I don't know how to do it on my device...the flex.

Good luck!

[chadmeir]

The Fitbit is supposed to get people moving, not just walking. I ride my bike, so I agree ... if you aren't going to integrate with the iFit equipment, let us manually input our steps and have them count in challenges, leader boards, etc.

If you don't do this because you think people will "cheat," think again. People can cheat with our without this feature. I know someone who knits alot and gets a lot of "steps" while doing it.

[rumbledolly]

I agree with "getting people moving" statement. Today I'm off to the gym and then I'll struggle to get my 10k steps. It should be about whatever activity you're doing...even knitting!

[manirupa]

It would be helpful if you could please provide instructions on how to change "to" the MobileTracker setting incase it's set to manual -- which I am quite sure it's not, as I never changed an tracking settings explicitly.

I have the same problem of steps not syncing to challenges, infact it shows me zero, 0, on all challenges, even though I log many steps per day, and it shows me the right number of steps on the tracker and the main app dashboard, am thoroughly disappointed as this is the same issue now, please provide correct direction on this issue.

User since 09/15 - using a replacement tracker as original had this same problem

[rumbledolly]

Honestly I'm starting to think the Flex Fitbit which is the least
expensive, is designed to fail since my friends with more expensive
versions have no issues!

I have no idea about manual mode. I have noticed I'm having less issues
since I purchased a new phone. Was syncing on Samsung Tab 4 tablet as my
phone didn't sync. New phone records approx 98% of my steps.

I wish when I'm walking or jogging I didn't have to always swing my arms so
vigorously though. I do receive one armed salutes from other Flex wearers
so obviously a universal problem.

Fitbit would love you to chime in any time with solutions. Am only using
because my friends are but if we all start switching to other trackers I
will be following suit.

[FB_Guru]

So I understand that activity that is logged manually does not count towards challenges... But why does it also not get added to my step total in the "7 Day Steps" view in the "Friends" tab? I am competing with some friends via the "7 Day Steps" view, and I accidentally left my Fitbit at home today before walking to work. Luckily I was walking with my friend who has a Fitbit, so I figured I could just log my activity based on the distance/duration of the walk according to her Fitbit. That would make sense wouldn't it?

Instead, logging my activity simply added the activity in my personal dashboard. It didn't add the activity to the "7 Day Steps" view, or to any of my challenges. So I ask, what is the point of logging the activity if it only adds it in views that I can see...? I already know I did the walk, but I want to get credit it for it amongst my peers. As a result of this stupid restriction, I am now about 11,000 steps short of where I should be. I legitimately went on a super long walk, and it is incredibly frustrating that there is no way I can get credit for it. Wouldn't it be smarter if there were a way to customize challenges and change the rules of them? You could easily make a feature that allows the admin of the challenge to enable or disable manually logged activity, or you could make it so manually logged activity is displayed as such, so people in the challenge can see what activity was logged manually and what activity wasn't.

Basically, it seems really dumb that if you leave your Fitbit somewhere on accident, you are completely out of luck in terms of tracking any physical activity for the purpose of competing with friends... There are other ways to limit cheating via manual activity logging, and it is incredibly frustrating to not get credit for activity done without the tracker on.

I hope someone at Fitbit takes the time to read this and respond to this. Feedback is valuable, and it seems that is issue is something that causes a lot of people a lot of frustration.

Moderator Edit: Format

[Sellfarquhar]

Mine does the same 😝😕 very frustrating...I am nearly 5000 steps past the leader, if her steps are correct...? Hope someone has an answer!

Moderator Edit: Format

[ScrappyJo]

Why does the workeork hustle show all step counts of challengers rather than just what has been earned for the week. (I have people in same time zone) and showing steps earned before the challenge rather than count of what each person has earned since beginning of challenge.

[Phylicia]

I'm having the same above issue, not mapping steps everyone in the same time zone. None of your solution options works.

[Phylicia]

did you ever get a solution that worked?

[rumbledolly]

I'm sorry. Fitbit doesn't seem to want to weigh in with an answer. Maybe
contacting them directly would work.

I've given up on it and just wear it with hopes it will work properly.
Sometimes it does and sometimes it doesn't.

[Marie164]

Hello Phylicia,

I contacted Fitbit directly and explained my problem. I also spent about two days trouble shooting with their different technicians.  Ultimately, they couldn't fix the problem and I received a new device. 

I know it's not the answer you're looking for, but unfortunately I had to get a new fitbit.

Good Luck!

[Jackatz1]

Same. I am doing none of these things and battery is full. Fitbit Flex.

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@Marie164 wrote:

Hello!

I too am having issues with my dashboard synching my steps with the challenges.

1. Yes, shows connected.

2. I am not manually logging steps.

3. I am not using the Mobile Run feature.

4. I am not in a different time zone.

5. Battery is full.

Please help!

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[RebeccaR2]

I have had my fitbit for a year.  In the past, all of my manual steps have been included in the total steps for the monthly group I am in.  For April my group total is 30K off.  I have restarted my fitbit three times, charged it up, turned the phone off and on etc.  What is next.