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!  

[jontbrooks]

I could not get the Ionic added either until I did one thing differently.

I followed all the steps as outlined except I uninstalled and then reinstalled the Fitbit app on my Android. I then turned my bluetooth off and only turned it back on when I started to add the Ionic. I was prompted to allow the fitbit app to use bluetooth and then and only then did it find the ionic. Everything else was smooth sailing after that. 

[LBrackenreed]

Has it been smooth sailing since? Like are addition syncs okay?

Sent from my iPhone

[TomDNA]

Ionic cannot sync on Windows 10 PC.

Background: I purchased the Ionic to replace my Blaze, which readily synced with Fitbit Connect on all three of my computers (desktop Win 7 Ultimate, laptop Win 10, and desktop Win 10). After several hours’ effort, I established an Ionic account on the Win 10 desktop. (I do not have a smartphone.)

But my Ionic cannot be synced to either Win 10 computer. However, the old Blaze Fitbit Connect program on my Win 7 computer recognizes the Ionic, and this connection permits data from the Ionic to be transferred to my Ionic account. On the Win 10 computers, I can click the Fitbit App and view my Ionic Dashboard, but with every attempt to sync, I get the message that no dongle exists, and I am offered a link to the Fitbit store where a dongle can purchased. My workaround is to use the Ionic daily and rely on the old Win 7 Fitbit Connect program to transfer data to my Ionic account. Then, on Win 10, I can view the data and analyses. My Bluetooth devices setting shows that the Ionic (Classic) is connected and paired.

The inability to sync directly on a Win 10 PC is not only inconvenient, I am denied access to the Ionic apps (clock faces, music et al.). Plus, two computers – the Win 7 & Win 10 -- are required.

I have tried re-booting the Win 10 computers, reinstalling and uninstalling the Blaze, uninstalling Fitbit Connect, removing and re-installing Fitbit App, switching dongle ports, forced sync, classic mode, testing each of my five Fitbit dongles, turning Bluetooth off and on, removing potentially competitive Bluetooth devices, and then repeating everything. Again, using Fitbit Connect on the Win 7 computer, I can download the Ionic’s data but cannot sync to the Win 10 Ionic page because the requisite apps are not accessible on Win 7. Trying to sync the Ionic on a Win 10 computer via Fitbit Connect is futile – you only get an error message stating that Fitbit Connect must first be uninstalled.

Can anyone explain how to sync my Ionic to my Win 10 computers?

[SunsetRunner]

I CAN NOT believe I waited for this stupid thing.   I've had it a week and everyday I get tired of jacking with it and put it away and rethink my opinion of iPhone products.   I'm a pro at this, this is my 6th fitbit !!!   This thing is garbage !!!!!!!!!!~!

[debraguk]

I've had no issues with my Ionic so far. I haven't set it up for notifications as yet though and don't use it for music.

[indianwin2001]

same with me---I got it today and set it up seamlessley----I upgraded from the charge 2

[susie0203]

---

@CarlosCFitbit wrote:

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!  

---

[susie0203]

I can not get my ionic to even come on.  All it does is show the Fitbit symbol and scroll differenct languages saying start set up go to www.fitbit.com/setup.  Well I had already gotten the app for I own a Surge 101.  Now I deleted the surge and there is no symbol to add another fitbit.  What do I do?

[OnkelWichser]

Okey Dokey, i've done everything ( but probably missed something ), so, before i happily smash this piece of wonderful technology with a hammer and post it on YouTube, i'll ask you again. 

Can you please help me set this ahhhhhh...Plug and Play Device? 🙂 (NOT)

3 simple buttons and this thing won't connect/snyc 😞

[Critic1]

5 days and still no notifications not working properly .Fitbit NOT TAKING RETURNS for the Ionic due to software issues( they refuse to believe that there might be something wrong with the wifi/blutooth on the device). pictures and descriptions of how notifications should work and look on the device are incorrect.

NO fully expanded text or emails are possible, everything is truncated, also it would have been nice to have that on the packaging as well that phone calls only work with IPHONES. This is such a letdown by fitbit and their customer service. I thought I was buying a fully tested/debugged ready to enjoy product, not a developers model with halfbaked functions and customer service who"s only solutions is reset-reset-reset.....time to sell my shares

[chris-bit]

I just received a Fitbit Ionic as a gift... up to 10 minute to upgrade... It took 1 hour and half =/
And it is still acting out =/

[chris-bit]

I started working... but I made to "Perform a factory reset on Ionic (tap on Settings/ tap on About/ tap on Factory Reset)" as described here....
And now again.. it does not sync =/

[chris-bit]

It does not sync anymore... I am stuck with the the fitbit.com/setup screen.
WI-FI setting spin  on the app and then it s says "Could not connect to your device".... I have a Samsung S7

[TomDNA]

Dear Chris-Bit,

Thanks for sharing your experience. I have considered the factory reset but
have been too afraid to try it and risk losing all data, having to start
over, etc.

TomDNA

[chris-bit]

BTW, just a follow up.

The ionic seems to be configured and working fine now except that the sync now with the phone still seems not be working consistently. The app only synced this morning even with manual attempts. The app keeps having the spinning arrows and eventually the red exclamation arrow appear. I think it is the wifi that is out of range but I thought that the bluetooth connection was enough to sync...

The initial setup took way too long. I would estimate 10h of total time and at least 4h of actively trying to make it update. 

I had probably more than 10 failed attempts to update. Once after 2h, it was about to be done and it failed starting over.  It as been very frustrating.

[Atiatus]

Unfortunately I am aware of all these steps mentioned above and tried them multiple times I've even contacted the Support but I explained my situation again to them and the forwarded me to here. So let me say it this way,

I always succeed to do the factory reset very smoothly and see the Red X with a “Memory not cleared” error and I am aware that it shouldn’t be an obstacle for setting it up. But here’s the problem I always face:

After I pair my Ionic with my account, I need to choose a wifi connection to being the update and my Ionic shuts itself down before I can connect that. 1 out of 12 trials after I connect it to WiFi it shuts itself down during the update so it gets interrupted and I need to reboot it and then it shuts itself down again so I can’t update no matter what happens.

As a second choice I try to update using Bluetooth rather than WiFi but the problem I face is the same, since it turns itself off so quickly and periodically, the connection always get lost in less than 20 seconds. 

As I try the same methods again and again, since my Ionic shuts itself down so quickly I cannot proceed any further. I have tried running around the bush, trying to keep it on by tapping the screen too but it doesn’t work. 

Please there must be a way that I can proceed my sports with my Ionic again.

[OnkelWichser]

Hi Chris-Bit.

Yeah, i initially had some issues with the firmware update.

Download was okay, but installing took nearly 24hrs!!!!! < Yep!

Finally at approx 17P:34hrs it came up with udate successfull!!! grrrrrrr

It's still to new and prolly realeased too early as well.

Try and be patient with it. 🙂

[OnkelWichser]

ahhhhhhhh.....that's the problem i had....stuck in the standby mode.

hmmm, there is a work around message about this, but i remember it now. 🙂

1. go to your app (phone/tablet)

2. find the devices tab? ( i think ) ...wherever,  your particular device show up!!!

3. remove it!!!!

4. reinstall it

now, when you have done this, let it do the download again, okay....this is relatively quick 10/20 mins.

Okay, as i remember (because it was stressin' the **ahem** outta me), just let the intall thingy do it's thing.

I intially thought it had simply locked up because the arrow thingy was going round and round......( never ending it seemed).

However, got home after work (and approxiamately 24hrs later), i get msg saying "successful"......

Please try this, and let me know if it was successful.

I will try and find the link in the forums and send it to you if i can find it again.

Hope it works

GL

[OnkelWichser]

Okey Dokey...i understand your frustration.

here, please read this post and try!

This will get you out of the standby mode......okay

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Ionic/RESOLVED-Ionic-Syncing-Issues/m-p/2218143

hope this helps

(just remember the update, after this will take some considerable time.....)

[Critic1]

Your not alone my friend,btu whatis worse that all of this is Fitbit will
not admit they have a problem!
If you bought it at a retailer take is back if you can and re-purchase it
late one they ( hopefully) fix all the issues. It will also be cheaper or
on sale.
If you bought it from Fitibit they will refund but not exchange it because
they claim there is nothing defective with the watch itself just the
software....BUT BEWARE if you wait to long you own this piece of junk.

--
Thank You
Michael C. Pulte