Ionic and Heart Rate Issues

[SJG0515]

I just bought my Ionic and the heart rate is crazy off. My resting heart rate has always been lower than what it is reading now. I can walk from my desk to the kitchen and go into fat burning mode. Are there any plans to correct this soon?

[MarreFitbit]

Welcome to the Fitbit Community @SJG0515! As you may know, your heart rate may be affected by any a number of factors at any given moment. Movement, temperature, humidity, stress level, physical body position, caffeine intake, and medication use are just a few things that can affect your heart rate. Different medical conditions and medications can impact your heart rate as well.

When your heart beats, your capillaries expand and contract based on blood volume changes. PurePulse LED lights on your device reflect onto the skin to detect blood volume changes and finely tuned algorithms are applied to measure heart rate automatically and continuously. The heart-rate icon you see on the display tells you if you're in 1 of 3 heart-rate zones.

Resting heart rate refers to the heart rate measured when you’re awake, calm, comfortable, and have not recently exerted yourself. We use your heart rate data from when you’re awake and asleep to estimate your resting heart rate. For best accuracy, wear your device to sleep. 

Your resting heart rate is usually higher than your heart rate while you are asleep, so don’t be surprised if your resting heart rate is higher than the lowest number that you see in your heart rate graphs.

Your tracker can have difficulty finding a signal, typically due to the tracker's fit. For example, wearing your band tightly may constrict blood flow in your wrist and affect the signal. We recommend experimenting with how high you place the tracker on your wrist. When you're not exercising, wearing the tracker just above the wrist bone--as you would a watch--typically works fine. However, moving the tracker up a couple inches can be helpful during high-intensity exercises or exercises that cause you to bend your wrist frequently. If you haven't already done so, please review our recommendations for wear and other tips shared by @SantiFitbit. 

Note that on Fitbit Ionic, the heart-rate value appears gray if your watch is searching for a stronger reading.
 

Occasionally your device may have difficulty getting a strong signal. If you don't see your heart rate on your device, first make sure you are wearing it correctly. After a short wait, you should see your correct heart rate again. On Ionic, make sure the Heart Rate setting is On. For additional troubleshooting, see Why don't I see my heart rate on my Fitbit device?

Try the recommendations and let me know the outcome! 

[indianwin2001]

Instead of all this nonsense about moving the watch here or there tight or loose, why doesn't fitbit just make their trackers compcompatile with chest straps. Than at least during exercise it would be accurate 

[SJG0515]

I actually had a chat conversation with a fitbit rep last night and she stated there is an issue with the heart rate monitoring and that the engineers are working on a fix. I had a charge 2 prior to the ionic with no issues. I'm aware of how to wear the fitbit as well as how they work. 

[Avinesh]

I have the exact same issue. It is frustrating me!!!! I am fiddling with my Ionic to get a good heart rate while having a workout. My Charge 2 was a lot better. Fitbit PLEASE fix this issue.

[Slaybee]

I'm having the same problem and the only response I get is that their specialist team are working on it... it's been over a year that this has been a problem yet they keep releasing new watches and not fixing problems with the others... even the most expensive one. I am so pissed with Fitbit and their lack of support. I will never buy another Fitbit in future.

[PhilT21]

Any update from Fitbit on the poor performance by the Ionic’s heart rate  during exercise? I’ve had my Ionic for less than a year and I’ve had nothing but problems. Can anyone recommend a better wristworn monitor? 

[lablover55]

Mine completely stopped working yesterday (I have had this ionic for a little bit over 2 years).  Please advise.

[PhilT21]

I charged mine overnight and then did the standard reboot. Since then it had been working fine.

Good luck,
Phil

Sent from my iPhone

[cbrosch]

Over 1/2 of my workouts suffer this massive delay in the HR response according to Ionic, so I finally tracked it side by side with a chest monitor and here are the results.  10 full minutes of detection two zones lower than reality. 

[pandamousemom]

No lights on back for 2 days now.  No HR, very few steps recorded.  Worked fine through Tuesday night.  Have done all steps shown . . .  multiple times.  What next?

[PhilT21]

Get another watch! I invoked the extended warranty and received a second Ionic. Now, less than a year later, the second Ionic is starting to fail. I think I’ll be switching to an Apple Watch.

Sent from my iPhone