Fitbit Ionic - 'Always On' Screen in workout mode does not work

[FitGuy13]

Is there anything else I need to do to make the screen stay on at all times during workout modes outside of turning on the 'always on' screen in settings?

I enabled that for the swimming workout setting - and still while I swim the screen goes blank. I need it to stay on all the time - is that not what the 'always on' feature does, or did I get a defective phone?

Sidenote: This gps/smartwatch has been a really frustrating experience in the inability to keep the screen on (always) if I choose to. This is a 'watch' first and foremost - I should not have to do wrist flicks, and strategically placed / weird movements of the arm in order to read the time - especially while I am working out.

[b0rker]

Something I have noticed is when you set it to always on.. it stays on until you pause (I am constantly pausing it with my lifting gloves by mistake) which turns off the screen and then when you enable back the always on feature goes away.. ANNOYING and only way to fix is to restart.. which defeates the purpose of the whole watch.

[FitGuy13]

Mine right from the start starts to still go blank, without the pausing.

Maybe something to do with the watch being used in water or what not - but def this watch is useless to me if I cant even get info I need showing up on the screen

[b0rker]

yup.. if they don't fix this or enable a lock screen feature before my amazon return time it's going back and I'm going back to the Surge..  same thing I did with the blaze.  if I can't see my wrist info all the time it's useless to me

[WavyDavey]

Hi @FitGuy13,

If you go to the exercise modes, then select Workout (or whichever one you want to stay on), and click the gear icon. There you can set the screen to always on for that type of workout. I would go in with a decently charged battery, as the always on screen does hit the battery fairly hard.

[FitGuy13]

@WavyDavey

Exactly what I did - and its still a no-go for my swimming workout. Definitely keeps turning off, and I stopped my workout, then went back to settings to make sure it was still enabled on - which it was, restarted workout and still same thing.

Might try it on the 'run' workout next too see what happens but not gonna spend too much time diagnosing the issue.

Not sure if I possibly got a defective watch or the software is buggy - but so far a really frustrating experience. Might be going back soon for a refund...its a shame because watch / packaging is spectacular, but with tons of software changes needed.

[WavyDavey]

@FitGuy13,

I haven't tried swimming mode, but there may be something in particular with that mode. I do know swimming turns off the heart rate monitoring, so it may turn off the screen also?

Have you tried it with any of the other workout modes? It works on all of mine (again, not using swimming).

[FitGuy13]

Swim is most important to me, and the one I can least 'vary' the positioning of my arm to get it to come back on.  -- but I will give it a shot on the other ones.

[SunsetRunner]

I've found that when you submerge the ionic, the screen will turn off. Similar to when you put two or three fingers on the display. Perhaps that is the reason.

[FitGuy13]

@SunsetRunner

In that case that would fully defeat the screen 'always on' function in swim mode! But yes sensing that might be the problem, something about the watch being submerged, and some kind of movement to do with that ---

[FitGuy13]

I have verified that it is not just in swim mode where the screen still turns off. In treadmill mode - same thing I enabled the 'always on' screen - and lo and behold within a minute or so of staying on screen turns off again.

Not sure if I should 'exchange' my watch as this one is defective in that sense - or something is seriously wrong with the software / programming that needs to be addressed.

Such a bummer how such a nicely 'packaged' piece of electronics does not even seem to have the basics down (enabling the screen to show time!) --

[longboardfella]

seems to be a bug - I tried it in swim mode this morning.  Screen definitely not staying on despite setting to Always On

[Norvs]

I have the same problem with my new Fitbit Ionic. Always On enabled both for Running and Swimming but unfortunately not working. Hope FitBit can actually make the feature work properly. It very frustrating for user like me.

[Danymite]

I posted this yesterday without realizing there has been another thread for the same problem. So I'm just gonna cross-link here for visibility: 

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Ionic/Always-on-Screen-doesn-t-always-stay-on-during-exercise/m-p/23...

It is interesting that Tier 1 support at least thinks screen should always stay on during exercise if the always-on screen option is enabled. I'm still waiting to hear back from a specialist though.  I will update when they get back to me. 

[Norvs]

I just tried and always on is working correctly. This might have something to do with the new update yesterday.

[Danymite]

@Norvs I tried swimming with it and it no longer turns off during a manually tracked swimming session when going in and out of water.  However, in running (and most likely other forms of exercise where touch screen is enabled, but haven't really tried...), tapping the screen with two/three fingers still turns screen the screen off. Can you also reproduce this occurrence? 

[Norvs]

Both for Running and Weights always on working correctly as well.

[Danymite]

Hmmm, tapping / covering the screen with 3 fingers doesn't turn your screen off during those modes?
I can do this consistently. Not sure if intended though.. 

Tapping it with one finger just cycle through the middle stats. 

[Norvs]

hahaha.. covering the screen will turned off the unit (not only workout mode) . Looks like its by design to save battery. However, tapping 1 finger still ok and will just show you other stats.

[Danymite]

Alright. Thanks for confirming. It is indeed a useful feature even with Always-on screen enabled. Just wasn't sure if always-on display should override the screen-covering mechanism.