Inspire 3 battery draining quickly

[Swallogs]

I have been happily using my Inspire 3 since November 2022. I don't need bells & whistles, I need basic info like heart rate, steps, etc - perfect match!

Everything worked like a charm until I recently updated the app on my iPhone. Apart from the reduced usability, especially around exercises and shortcuts, my battery life has dropped from 10 days to 1 day. I've followed the advice on the forums, have turned off location services and anything else that can "drain the battery" - although it didn't previously - to no avail.

The kind of functionality I need and use doesn't warrant a 1-day battery life, so what to do?

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[MarreFitbit]

Hi there, @Swallogs. Welcome to the Fitbit Community Forums. Thanks for bringing this to my attention and for the troubleshooting steps you've tried. I'm sorry to hear that the battery of your Inspire 3 keeps draining. I understand your concern, I will do my best to help you with this!

As a first approach, please bear in mind that as all rechargeable batteries age, they deteriorate to some extent and an older device will need to be charged more often than a new one. The best way of minimizing this effect is to avoid deep discharges of the battery. To maximize the overall life of your Fitbit device's battery, ideally keep it between 20-80%.  Many people find that a daily battery boost works best ( e.g. giving it a 15 minutes charge while you are showering in the morning).

Using features such as always-on display and GPS require more frequent charging. If you turn on the always-on display, your Inspire 3 will have a battery life of up to 3 days and if you also use built-in GPS continuously it'll have a battery life of up to 12 hours. Make sure you've followed all tips and recommendations provided here Can I extend my Fitbit device's battery life?

Please find below some tips to best charge Fitbit devices:

• Use only genuine Fitbit charging cables
• Use only UL-certified wall chargers
• Avoid USB battery packs
• Charge at room temperature

For charging purposes, your charging cable or your base station can be plugged into any USB power source, including but not limited to:

• A computer
• A Wall A/C to USB adapter, commonly found with smartphones
• A DC to USB adapter (vehicle power port)

[Swallogs]

Appreciate the response @MarreFitbit !

However.......I don't use GPS, don't use always-on. I have not had to change any parts and still have and use all the original component parts. My battery life decreased from 10 days to 1 day overnight after the app on my iPhone was updated a week or so back. In my humble opinion, this has to be a software issue.

In the interest of transparency, rather than trot out the standard responses to a battery query, it might not be a bad idea to state that it is a known issue and that it is being investigated.......

I look forward to the next app update, sooner rather than later 😉

[alexthecat]

@Swallogs have you tried restarting your Fitbit? That's usually the first thing I try when I get unexpected behavior. I am wearing an Inspire 3 currently and I haven't encountered any battery life issues recently. 

[Swallogs]

Hi @alexthecat thanks for the suggestion. Yep - I've restarted the Fitbit and my iPhone a number of times, to no avail.

There have been 4 "Bug fixes and performance improvements" updates to the app over the last month or so, so I remain optimistic!

[alexthecat]

@Swallogs GPS and SpO2 are two things that will run down your battery quickly. It sounds like you've already covered GPS. What about SpO2? If you look at the back of your Fitbit, is the red light on during the day? 

[Swallogs]

@alexthecat - thanks again! I take my watch off when I go to sleep so don't use the Sp02 functionality - and the red light isn't on during the day (had to check for that one!) 

[Swallogs]

@alexthecat - there was a software update yesterday and I've uninstalled the Sp02 App from the Gallery - let's see if that does the trick!

[alexthecat]

@Swallogs good luck! Let me know how it goes. If it works, that might be useful for other people who are having a similar problem. 

[Swallogs]

Last night I charged my Inspire 3 to 100% before I went to bed. I didn't wear it overnight, and this morning at 7:00am the battery charge has dropped to 77%.

So, unfortunately, nothing has worked. 

Thanks @alexthecat and @MarreFitbit for the responses, but this is clearly a software problem which hopefully gets resolved in coming "Bug fixes and performance improvements"................

[alexthecat]

@Swallogs I'm sorry you are still experiencing this problem. You may want to consider contacting Customer Support  to see if they can help get your Inspire 3 back on track. My Inspire 3 is only a few months younger than yours and works fine.

Many people find that their Fitbits last about 2 years before they start seeing deterioration of performance. That can include fading screen or deceasing battery life. 

[Swallogs]

Will do @alexthecat - thanks for your help.

I've logged a call - they are going to monitor my device for at least a day then we'll revisit.

[Swallogs]

@alexthecat  I am delighted to inform you that my device is going to be replaced! Thank you for your assistance and support - much appreciated.

Fitbit fan for life!!

[alexthecat]

@Swallogs that's great! I'm so glad that they were able to help you. 

[Swallogs]

I am delighted to report that I have just received my refurbished replacement - looks as good as new!

I posted the old one off last Tuesday - that's only a week to resolve the problem - great customer service.