How do I know that my Ionic is charging?

[3girls]

When I connect the charge cord it will sometimes indicate it is charging.  Other times there is no indication and it does not charge.

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[wmchapman]

Normal operation (going dark and not showing the charging process) 

If I'm curious during the charge where my Ionic is at, I tip the magnetic base a tad to quickly release and reattach, you get a flash of the action, the charged % should be going up every couple of minutes. Lithiums charge to 70% pretty fast (less than 45 minutes, the balance is a trickle for the next hour and a quarter).

I try to never leave attached to a charger for more than 2 hours because heat is shortens a micro battery's lifespan.

[DramaQueenDiva]

Have you tried just tilting the Ionic upwards when you want to check the charge status?

It's also normal for the screen to go blank when it's charging, just in case you were curious.  I, like @wmchapman, try not to leave the Ionic charging for more than 2 hours for fear of overheating (same thing goes for my other electronics).

[SunsetRunner]

All, you have to do to check the charge percentage while charging is press a button.

[MarreFitbit]

Welcome on board @3girls, it's nice to have a new member here! Good points from @wmchapman and @DramaQueenDiva! 

Always make sure the pins on the charging cable lock securely with the port. The connection is secure when the watch vibrates and the battery icon or percentage appears on the screen. 

Charging fully takes up to 2 hours. While the watch charges, you can tap the screen or press any button to check the battery level. 

If after the 1-2 hours you don't get anything on the display, check if the contacts on your tracker or charging cable are not dirty. Dust and debris can accumulate over time and prevent a charge. Try cleaning them by following these instructions.

Let us know if you need further assistance! 

[MiKershaw77]

My Ionic was dead last night at around 10PM.  I put it on the charger and it indicated it was charging.  At 4:30AM I took it off the charger and it was only charged 90%.  That is 6.5 hours and it only charged 90%.  I can't remember the last time it charged to 100%, mostly 99%.   Others in this forum have indicated that the Ionic charges in 2 hours.  Is it supposed to charge to 100% in 2 hours or are they accepting 90% or 99% like me?  Is there anything I can do to improve charging?

My Ionic is requiring charging more frequently recently, probably two or three times a week when it used to be maybe once or twice a week (like every 5 or 6 days).  This coincided with the recent firmware update.  Are there features that I can disable or setting to change that will improve battery life?

[MarreFitbit]

Welcome here @MiKershaw77! Thanks for already troubleshooting this inconvenience with your battery, nice way to go! 

Have you tried restarting your Ionic? I'd recommend letting your tracker to run out of battery completely? If not yet, please allow your tracker to do so, then perform the restart. Once you've done this, try charging your tracker again. 

If after the 1-2 hours you don't get anything on the display, check if the contacts on your tracker or charging cable are not dirty. Dust and debris can accumulate over time and prevent a charge. Try cleaning them by following these instructions.

How do you charge your buddy? Have you checked if by any chance the USB port or outlet is faulty? If you haven't done so, try a different port. A UL-certified wall charger will also work. Don't use a USB hub.

If so, plug the charging cable into the USB port on your computer or a UL-certified USB wall charger. 

Hold the other end of the charging cable near the port on the back of the watch until attaches magnetically.

Also, I'd recommend you to see: Can I improve my Fitbit device's battery life?

Give this a shot and let me know the outcome!