Fitbit over stating distance

[Y_J]

I have only had my Inspire 3 a few weeks but it is over stating the distance I am walking by around 40% every day. I have tried altering my step length to match my phone app but it’s still way over. 

I previously had an Inspire 2 which was accurate so am both puzzled and disappointed by my new Fitbit. Can anyone help please?

[Julia_G]

Hi, @Y_J unless you use the connected GPS feature of the Inspire 3 the only way your Fitbit can calculate distance is by multiplying the number of steps you have taken times the stride length which is set in the app.  You can find it by clicking the gear icon top right side of the opening screen on the app, then choosing Activity and Wellness, then Exercise and then scroll down to Stride Length.  Fitbit sets this automatically when you first set up your account, but you can alter it.

If the number of steps you have taken seems to have been accurately recorded but the distance recorded is too high, that means the stride length is set too long.  If you have already adjusted this and it is still wrong that indicates you need to keep adjusting until it is roughly accurate.

Fitbit provides this information for determining your stride length:

How do I measure my stride length? 

1. Go to a place where you're sure of the distance, such as a track.
2. Count your steps as you walk or run, making sure you travel at least 20 steps.
3. Divide the distance traveled (in yards or meters) by the number of steps you took to determine your stride length. If needed, convert your stride length into inches or centimeters.

If you have your phone with you when you walk I would also would recommend trying the Connected GPS option which allows the Fitbit to take GPS information from your phone to calculate your distance (hopefully) more accurately when you take a walk.  (You will need to track using the exercise app on your Inspire 3.). If you try that a few times and compare it to the distance you get calculated without GPS you should be able to get a better idea of how much you need to adjust your stride settings.  You can find out more about Connected GPS  here.  Please also see this help article to see how your distance is calculated.

I hope this helps.  Welcome to the Community Forums.

[ellelle]

You're not alone. Mine is tracking driving on bumpy, back roads as walking. I'm going way too fast for it to track as walking, yet it does.. This is a new problem, started after I had to do a factory reset in order to get it to connect to my phone. My inspire 3 is basically just a watch. 🤷‍:female_sign:

[Julia_G]

Actually logging steps while driving (especially on bumpy roads) is a long standing issue going back more than 10 years.  That’s why Fitbit invented the “driving activity” as the only way of deleting (actually suppressing and hiding) false steps.

I just met my 250 steps per hour goal the other day while driving (wearing my Charge 6).  It happens.  

I think the OP is having a different issue.

[Y_J]

Yes different issue. Mine is over recording distance whilst walking. My husband and I both have other apps that give us steps, step length, km walked and both are pretty close when we walk together. My Fitbit gets the same number of steps but no matter what I set the step length to over records Km by about 40%. I’d have to set a step length of around 35 cm to reduce the distance enough which is crazy

[Y_J]

I’ve checked all my settings and once I am in the same space as my Fitbit will try again and see what happens.