Over counting steps causing calories burned and distance

[SunsetRunner]

Step Counter has counted over 2000 steps from sitting at my desk.  I chatted with tech support for about 30 minutes with no resolution to problem.  Tech support said that the product is possibly recording steps from typing(not joking).  According to the device i have burned over 1500 calories and covered 1.35 miles without breaking a sweat and all while sitting at my desk typing.  Makes me wonder if the sleep tracker and heart rate monitor are also inaccurate.  I will exchange for a new device.  If problem continues, i will return it.  After speaking to tech support, i am not confident this issue will get fixed.

Moderator edit: Updated subject for clarity.

[YojanaFitbit]

Nice to see you around @SunsetRunner, welcome to the Forums.

Thanks for reaching out the Fitbit Community and for checking those details with our customer support team. We really appreciate your time and for checking the accuracy of your Inspire HR.

You might get a few extra steps from arm swings since your tracker will sense the movements of your hand. So, as a friendly tip I suggest to wear your Inspire HR in your non dominant arm. It's important to specify whether you wear the device on your dominant or non-dominant wrist during setup, but you can do so on your Fitbit app:

• The dominant wrist setting decreases the sensitivity of step counting and should reduce any over counting of steps when your body is not moving. Your dominant hand is the one you use for writing and eating.
• The non-dominant wrist setting increases the sensitivity of step counting and should reduce any under counting of steps.

To start, the Wrist setting is set to non-dominant. Change your wrist setting in the Fitbit app > Account > Inspire HR > Wrist Placement. You can find this information other important facts about Fitbit accuracy here: How accurate are Fitbit devices?

Give it a try and please keep me posted.

[SunsetRunner]

I’ve had the Fitbit Inspire HR for a couple of weeks now.  I noticed that when I woke up in the morning, I already had 1200 steps counted.  I called tech support and they helped me with a sleep sensitivity setting that should correct the problem.  While my number of steps upon waking has dropped, it’s not uncommon for me to still have 300 or 400 when I get out of bed.  I’m also finding that, while sitting, doing nothing, my hand/wrist movements are being counted as steps.  I reached an hourly goal while sitting in a chair playing WWF.  Haha.  But also - not funny.  Because the accuracy of the device is, obviously, wildly off.  I wear the bit on my dominant wrist and have it set accordingly in the app.  Is there a way to fix this, or will I be sending this thing back from whence it came. Thanks!

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @SunsetRunner, welcome to the Forums! Nice to see you here.

Thanks for sharing with us your Fitbit experience and for confirming that you've checked the suggested steps. You've done an excellent work with our customer support team too. We really appreciate the time you've taken to troubleshoot this.

Your comments are important for us and the accuracy of Fitbit devices is one of our priority goals, so even if you're just playing or tracking your steps in a marathon; the number of extra steps added when doing other activities shouldn't be that significant when compared to your overall stats. You can read more about the accuracy of Fitbit trackers here: How accurate are Fitbit devices?

Now, thanks to your feedback and other comments from our users, we’re aware of it and are working to identify a resolution as quickly as possible. We're sorry for any trouble. We appreciate your patience and look forward to getting you back on track.

Please let us know if there's anything we can do to assist you in the meantime.

[Slurpee2104]

I had Previously been using an old Fitbit the one where the lights just light up as you get more steps. I got the Inspire HR for my birthday to upgrade my old one and it seems like the steps for the Inspire HR are way off...I get steps for just moving my arm, it is on my dominant wrist and the settings are set accordingly, I did the update yesterday and it seems to have got worse since the update. Is there anyway to calibrate or fix the problem. I feel like if I put It on my non-dominant wrist and still had the setting marked as dominant my steps would still Be off as it would be counting things as steps that shouldn’t be. 

[SunsetRunner]

I've been posting about the same issue, over counting steps and even steps while I'm driving to work. So what is the status of a fix for this?  Is this being worked on, that's all I want to know.  If not I can just return this one now. 

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @SunsetRunner nice to see you around. @Slurpee2104 welcome to the Forums.

Thanks for checking the settings of your Fitbit App @Slurpee2104. I'd suggest to try to restart your Fitbit Inspire HR using these instructions: 

1. Plug the charging cable into the USB port on your computer or any UL-certified USB wall charger.
2. Hold the other end of the charging cable near the port on the back of the tracker until it attaches magnetically. The pins on the charging cable must connect securely with the port.
3. Press and hold the button on your tracker for 5 seconds. 
4. Release the button. When you see a smile icon and the tracker vibrates, the tracker restarted.

If your Fitbit still doesn't work accurately after a restart please let me know. 

I'll be around. 

[Lillie101]

Hi @YojanaFitbit,

I’m also having issues with the Inspire HR over counting steps even after doing the reset. Is a fix being worked on? Would it help wearing the tracker on my  non dominant wrist but setting it as dominant in the settings?

Thanks,

Lillie

[SunsetRunner]

I just got an inspire HR yesterday, I got it over the charge 3 as the store only had the inspire HR in stock and they seem quite similar in features. 

I too am experiencing its sensitivity to steps. It recorded me apparently walking when I was driving and also walking in my sleep. I thought perhaps that's just how they are but glad its not just me. Wondering whether I should take it back and swap it for a charge 3? Or maybe get a completely different fitness tracker all together. 

[EmpY12E]

Huge overcounting here I tried only wearing on a non dominant wrist with dominant setting which is a little uncomfortable as I preferred it on the other wrist. The real issue is every time i go anywhere in the car it counts steps. My 30 minutes drive to work adds on about 1,000 steps each way and there is no way ro recallibrate the device. I am not convinced about heartrate either because it says 60pm is resting HR right away but my average is moving up to 67-70 . I tried a week of use before returning.

[amapte]

Even I am seeing an increase in the step count with no activity. Even while driving my step count increased. I tried a restart once and also did try clearing the user settings twice but still facing the same issue. After talking to tech support they suggested to add to the ongoing thread.

Response from Tech Support:
While I was checking my system, I was able to confirm that this situation has been going on in the past days for some of our Inspire HR users. For that reason, our specialized team are aware of the problem and are working to resolve it as quickly as possible.

Hoping for a quick fix. 

[amanda_panda_75]

Hello! I'm fairly new with navigating this forum and found this looking for my post/comments. I was literally researching this yesterday and found out that the hr tracker is more accurate as long as there is nothing "interfering". Pretty much sitting still gives best accuracy. As for the steps it recognizes specific movements as steps. I am curious if where on the arm it is placed would give a more accurate reading? 

[SunsetRunner]

Same problem here with Inspire HR. At least we need to be able to correct the stats manually n order for them to make some sense in the meantime.

[cappieem]

After firmware update, my fitbit is counting 2-3000 steps while driving 30 minutes. Before firmware update it was perfect. I tried to reset and change to dominant but issue is still there. 

[SunsetRunner]

Maybe fitbit thinks we are driving Flintstones cars 😄 😛

[Slurpee2104]

I actually moved mine to my non-dominant wrist and have it set to dominant in settings and somehow I have steps before I even get out of bed!

[Slurpee2104]

I noticed the issue after the update as well, prior to the update it was on point

[mholmen]

I am also getting a significant number of over-counting of steps.

This is my third fitbit device (One, Flex2, and now Inspire HR).  On the previous two devices I was aware that is was over counting here and there at a marginal clip.

However with the new Inspire HR I have no confidence in that is anywhere near accurate.  I had 80+ steps when I woke up this morning, and that it had almost 400 steps for me taking a shower.  maybe 20 steps moving around in the shower but 400!

I only just received this device last week and have the latest update so I cannot compare to prior to that, but something in the sensitivity is way off compare to the Flex 2 which i had set up exactly the same.

[EmpY12E]

I just want to add that i took my new device back after 5 days and the new
device is playing up exactly the same. I have been away for the weekend
with my husband hiking and according to my device i have done 30 - 35 %
more steps than him and more miles per day. He has a charge 2. Its all
coming down to the device counting in the car really. I am hugely
disappointed as a new customer and if this isn't resolved in the next day
or two with a software update i will return for a full refund.

[wekebu]

Mine over counts wildly when I drive.  If I keep my wrist on my lap, it seems to be okay.  However, I need to shift and steer.  

I'm very disappointed.  I'm just over my return period.

Now I'm wondering if the heart rate and sleep tracking are incorrect.