Ionic Setup Checklist

[CarlosCFitbit]

Everyone -- I really appreciate your candid feedback on your setup experience. 

After reviewing this discussion, I want to provide tips to help you setup your shiny, new Ionic successfully. Please understand that during this process there are certain steps that can take longer, especially the Firmware update, so patience is key. This is the largest firmware we've ever released and contains more data than any of our past Firmware update releases.

During setup, I recommend connecting to a strong personal or work Wi-Fi network that requires a password (public networks like coffee shops or bookstores should be avoided). If you're not connected to strong Wi-Fi connection or using Bluetooth, the process can take as long as 2 hours or more. So please make sure your Wi-Fi connection is strong. 

With that being said, let's get you setup!

Setup checklist

1. Start by making sure your device meets the requirements
2. Un-pair all Fitbit trackers in Bluetooth settings (if any are listed under devices in BT settings)   
3. Remove all Fitbit trackers from your Fitbit account (If any other Fitbit trackers are setup to your account already)
4. Turn Bluetooth off/on
5. Perform a factory reset on Ionic (tap on Settings/ tap on About/ tap on Factory Reset)
6. Restart your device (phone or computer)
7. Plug-in Ionic to charge somewhere close to your internet router
8. Go through the setup process (instructions start on page 9 of the manual) 

What if setup still doesn't work? 

Try giving it another shot. Follow the instructions above and if you get stuck, please tell me where in the process Ionic stalled.

I want to acknowledge everyone's contribution to this discussion and express appreciation for bearing with us through some of the hiccups. We're always striving to improve our product and observe user sentiment and feedback to make improvements where necessary. Rest assured that future firmware and app updates will be released incrementally to address issues experienced by users.   

Lastly, I welcome you to continue sharing your experiences here and provide as much insight as you can. My hope for all of you is a successful setup so you can start reaching your health and fitness goals with help from Ionic!  

[prost22]

Perhaps a little more information would help someone figure this out? You are having trouble with the initial set up? If so, how are you going through setup? Are you using the app. on your cell phone? Or are you using some program on your computer? If your computer, which program are you using? There's an application (program) that you can download from the Windows Store, and there is a program that we had from our previous Fitbits--the Fitbit Connection I believe it is called. We used the Fitbit Connection, and had some trouble with the Fitbit application downloaded from the Windows Store. It's been a year, but I vaguely recall that if you try to set up on your computer, get your cell phone far far away from the computer--there appeared to be some kind of conflict with my wife's cell phone. I could 'see' the cell phone AND the Fitbit Ionic on the Bluetooth page in the Windows 10 settings, and once I disabled Bluetooth, the set up went much better.

However, I agree with the one post, try the two different procedures first-the restart/reboot and the reset. These are two different procedures last I checked. So search for "Ionic reset" and "Ionic restart" or "Ionic reboot".

Another question--can you see the little Fitbit icon in your system tray? I think that's what is it called. In case you don't know what I am talking about, let me describe it--on my computer, it's the "up" arrow in the lower right of the screen, along the bottom. Left mouse button on that shows a bunch of different icons. If you use the Fitbit icon (black with some white dots), then your Fitbit should be set up.

This is a lot to think about, but if you go through these one by one, I am sure someone can help. Last one--is this your first Fitbit? If so, then disregard the rest of this paragraph. If this is your 2nd or higher Fitbit, then there might be a conflict with the Fitbit connection software. If you can go to your dashboard on the Fitbit page, you'll have to do some searching to find out which Fitbit the Fitbit connection software thinks you have--we had to get rid of the old Fitbit in the software before the new Fitbit would set up. If you have an iPhone, this page might help: https://www.imore.com/how-add-replace-and-delete-trackers-fitbit-iphone-and-ipad

This seems like a bit hassle...if you are anything like my wife, you'll love your new Ionic and it will be worth it in the end to work through this.

[Truefreedom]

Big disappointment echoed above in the 14 pages of disappointed customers.

ken

[Pete-Fl]

Regarding point #3 , (remove all Fitbit trackers from your account).  Are you saying Fitbit cannot support more than one device on an account? This isn’t my understanding.

[Pokerface]

I have been using One Plus 5T for last 1.5yrs. I started having sync problem with my Alta HR since Feb 2019. So I bought Ionic in Aug 2019 thinking that my hardware had failed. But I had setup problem with Ionic too on Windows 10 App and One Plus 5T android app. It just wouldn't connect. I read all the forums and  was in touch with customer care. They advised me same thing what's in the forum.Nothing worked. 

I bypassed the Android play store and download the older fitbit android version from internet, Fitbit version 2.82, dated October 31, 2018. 

This fixed the problem. Now my Alta HR is syncing back after 4 months of non syncing. Also I can setup my ionic. 

Moral of the story: Just go back to the previous working sofware version of fitbit. Fitbit app development team is breaking millions of working device by rolling out half baked code without properly testing for all the devices. Forums and customer support are shooting in the dark as they cannot advise customers to rolll back to the previous working sofware version.  They just don't want to accept problem is in their latest app update. 

[Raymond0760]

Iam a fitbit blaze user. I bought two ionics to upgradre mine and my wife. None of them works. I lost my money, they are in a drawer close to go to the garbage can. I can't setup it on my phone (Galaxy S6 active with Android OS Level 7). I try everything I read on the  setup procesure, support page and in this post. Still with the same problem.

If fitbit knows that the ionic is a lemon (item that came out of factory with problems), they should do a recall, like car companies do.

I will wait a little more to see if they come with a solution. If not, I will change to another brand and forgetr about fitbit. If fitbit read this and have a real solution to the problem, they can email me. raymond.rosado0760@gmail.com 

[prost22]

The first Fitbit software we used to talk between the computer and our Fitbit was Fitbit Connect. The Fitbit Connect software seems to work better than whatever they developed when we bought the Ionic in Spring 2018. I can get you the Fitbit Connect software if you want to try it.

[Cindydornon1]

I had to do the same but from ( am-333 Am next day and still no hope untill today.......alittle closer but still won't sync

[prost22]

You tried installing and using Fitbit Connect software and that didn't work? I don't know what else you can do; if the synching with Bluetooth didn't work, and Fitbit Connect didn't work, I have no other ideas.

[Jamze]

I still suspect fitbit's Bluetooth implementation, especially on Android. Mine had all these setup issues, and occasionally it just stops syncing, and I factory reset and hope it reconnects.

Recently tried that FibriCheck app (paid for a month), and 9 times out of 10 it fails taking a reading with a Bluetooth error. FibriCheck can't help me, they just say Bluetooth is unreliable, try keeping the phone screen awake with the fitbit app open. From the pic you can see that made zero difference. So it makes a quick 1 minute FibriCheck reading 15 mins of struggling to get it to work, so I've given up on that.

I listen to hi-res music via Bluetooth all day long with the phone locked and asleep, never have an issue with that?

It's a shame, the Ionic could do everything I want, GPS tracks my bike rides, steps. heartrate, AFIB, syncs with my smart scales, but has this sync/setup issue. I'm dreading the update to Android 10 that's due on my phone this month.

[prost22]

I set it up to sync on my laptop I was having trouble with the Bluetooth syncing, so I disabled the Bluetooth on the laptop, installed the Fitbit Connect software, and after quite a bit of installation time, it finally synced and I have had zero trouble since (other than my router going bonkers now and again). So that's the first thing I did, disabled the Bluetooth...and of course move ALL cell phones some distance away from the Fitbit when you are doing the install, else it the Fitbit might be searching and finding and then try to sync with your cell phone(s).

[llamalips66]

 i feel your  pain it took me me 2 phone calls and 9 hrs later before it downloaded properly !!!!!

[VinhLam]

It tooks tooooo long setting up for a new ionic. It's quite complicated information after trying differrent from Mac book. Windows 10. SAMSUNG A30, Nokia 6 plus. Then i had using iphone 6s with whole night long. And it still updating... now. 

[prost22]

We first tried it with the phone. Gave that up after wasting an hour, so we went back to the old "FitbitConnect" way, which works if you have a dongle (that small square piece that plugs into your computer's USB port) and this program.

http://www.apesolutions.com/spd/FitbitConnect_Win_20151028_2.0.1.6742.exe

And oh, move your cell phone some distance away from your computer when you set this up so the dongle doesn't get confused.

[VinhLam]

Many thanks Pros22, but i don't have dongle. :(. i had spent two night for IONIC :(. 

[argonne]

Fitbit ionic is complete garbage. I've read how many have purchased more than one "fit**ahem**" watch - as for me - I have 42 separate domains- each with at least one forum - the only product which will be reviewed across ALL forums on each domain will be fitbit. Why anyone would waste time and money on such substandard unmitigated garbage is well beyond anything I could ever wish to imagine fathoming. 

Burn your money, or better yet donate it to a worthy cause - this company WILL LET YOU DOWN! OR - be sure to note your calendar, and treat this company as though it were Harbor Freight - turn in any working watch well before guarentee lapse - as it WILL surely die.

[argonne]

Fitbit - better to invest in Enron.

[argonne]

Why, in the WORLD would you go back to this company FOUR times!!???

[Jamze]

My Ionic has actually been very reliable for a while now. Phone upgraded to Android 10, no issues at all 👍🏻

[prost22]

"I have 42 separate domains- each with at least one forum - the only product which will be reviewed across ALL forums on each domain will be fitbit."

What are you trying to say? just because Fitbit is "reviewed" (whatever that means), doesn't mean it was a bad review, right? Are you saying all reviews are bad? 

Wish you had better experience. As for our experience, after fooling around with trying to get the Bluetooth to work with the phone, we went back to Fitbit Connect software (that had come with our other Fitbit that frankly wasn't sturdy enough so was trashed after 2 years), and connected right away, no problems. And we've had this Ionic for 2 years, and had not a bit of trouble since. We love our Ionic, so to say it's 'complete garbage' is incorrect (we're well past the warranty, BTW).

[argonne]

Enjoy, it's only a matter of time - I'm far from the only one with this experience. When people decide to unite against poor quality, theoretically - it should improve... but, that will also require an understanding that experiences vary, and a generalized agreement as to standards of quality.