Ionic won't turn on after factory reset

[dodgers188]

Hi,

I need help for my Ionic Adidas. When I got it and set it up for the first time it was fine and updated accordingly. However I received the calibration error messages. I decided to do a factory reset, then it went through until installation of the firmware upgrade and stuck there around 25% for 2 hours+.

I pressed all 3 buttons then release the bottom right button until I feel vibration then I release all buttons. Then my fitbit Ionic Adidas won't turn on anymore.

I have tried to plug in for 6 hours:

1. Press 3 buttons for 15 seconds

2. Press left and bottom right button for 15 seconds

3. Press left button only for 15 seconds

all can't wake my Ionic up

[AndreaFitbit]

Welcome to the Fitbit Community @dodgers188. I'll be glad to assist you with your Fitbit Ionic display inquiry.

To turn on and make your Ionic again please set it up again. 

Please let me know how it goes.

[evgeny.i]

I have the same issue. Only I have just Fitbit Ionic, not Adidas edition. I after a factory reset I went through setup steps using android Fitbit app. After this I can see only black screen and the phone cannot find the device.

I tried the same steps @dodgers188 did. Nohing helped.

@AndreaFitbit suggestion "please set it up again" is irrelevant. The article you refer to imply that the device is working. But the device IS NOT WORKING AT ALL. THERE IS A BLACK SCREEN ONLY.

Please suggest sumething more relevant.

[dodgers188]

I have contacted support via live chat, there's nothing more we can do, got my replacement unit 

[Norm2204]

I too have had this same issue and fitbit customer service is sending me a replacement unit wonderful painless and easy customer service 

[Gabor_007]

Hi,

I can't turn on my beloved fitbit inoic watch.

I bought my watch more than a year ago and used it every day without any serious problem.

But today from one moment to the next it stopped and I am not able to wake it up. I have tried to push the buttons in different ways based on the user manual description to reset the watch and I put it on the charger without any visual signal. What else can I do?

This watch is really important for me to track my daily activity.

Thank you in advance.

Best regards

Gabor

[AaronTH]

I just had the same thing happen to me today. I worked with support for almost an hour and could not get it working again. They said it was past warranty and offered me 25% off a new Ionic. I am done with Fitbit. $200+ and only a year and a half old and it’s dead.  This is the 4th Fitbit I have owned and I am pissed with this treatment. I wish you luck on getting your issue resolved. 

[johnk85]

Fit ionic wouldn't sync so support told me to factory reset and now it won't even turn on. I called and demanded a new one and after talking to a supervisor they are sending one for free, which they should even if it's over year. 

[RichieGlo]

Mine too! After my Fitbit wouldn’t track sleep and other key data I was advised by customer support to do a factory reset but now the watch won’t turn on. Fitbit obviously have a floor in the OS or their products are poor quality! I’m waiting to Customer Support to message me back, I’ll post their response. I had a charge 2 which also stopped working. Not good enough Fitbit! 

[Thewretched55]

I'm having the same issue. I was told that I was out of luck because my fitbit was 3 months over the warranty. I don't feel it's right that I took such good care of this device and I'm held responsible for a firmware issue. I'm very disappointed in the way fitbit is handling these cases. 

[AndreaFitbit]

Thanks for getting back to us and welcome to our new community friends. I apologize for the delayed response and will be glad to assist.

I appreciate your feedback and comments @AaronTH and @Thewretched55. We don't want to create frustration in our customers. Fitbit has been designed to provide motivation and help you to reach your daily goals to success. Please know that we provide feedback to our team based on community posts and we are always working on improving our devices and overall environment based on what you share here.

Thank you for sharing your experience @johnk85. 

What did customer Support tell you  @RichieGlo?

Keep on visiting the forums. 

[Thewretched55]

I was told I was out of luck unfortunately. I'm not exactly sure why I'm being held at fault when the watch was clearly unable to perform a factory reset. There should be a warning that says "even though this watch is cared for and only a year old, performing a factory reset may brick it and we will not replace it." It's frustrating to spend $270 on something to only have it break on it's own a year later. Very disappointed. 

[thorejsi]

My Ionic just died after 13 months and 26 days. I had just taken it off of the charger, an hour earlier so it was at 100%. I contacted Fitbit and tried the 3 button reset. Since nothing worked they offered to give me a 25% discount on a new one and recommended I purchase a 2 year warranty for $50. This put it at the same price as a couple of resellers on Amazon. Amazon also had a 3 year warranty for $22. Since I had already replaced a Blaze that had issues still under warranty I am saying farewell to Fitbit and going to spend the extra money and buy an Apple watch.

[hilfordjames]

Hi Andrea, 

It would seem that FitBit is failing again!!

I've had my Fitbit since July 2018 and tonight after the firmware update the Ionic has stopped working completely. 

The screen lights up slightly and no logo shows and then turns off, and if I plug it into the charger the screen turns on and off without any logo and then nothing happens. 

I've attempted every reset option 1) holding left button and bottom right button, 2) holding all 3 buttons then letting go of the bottom right button etc, but nothing works. 

This is pretty crappy for a $500 piece of equipment to last only 14 months!!!!

------

Okay so its now 29/0/2021 and after this incident above, Fitbit replaced the unit free of charge even though it was out of warrant. 

Now today I've realized that since the latest update on 27/01/2021 the Ionic hasn't been synching and so today I attempted to troubleshoot. 

After disconnecting it from my account, it would not reconnect, so I've done a factory reset again (due to no other remedy at all available!) but it still will not connect to the account - the device is "Found - but then "TRY AGAIN" appears!!

[Thewretched55]

I was told I was out of luck unfortunately. I'm not exactly sure why I'm being held at fault when the watch was clearly unable to perform a factory reset. There should be a warning that says "even though this watch is cared for and only a year old, performing a factory reset may brick it and we will not replace it." It's frustrating to spend $270 on something to only have it break on it's own a year later. Very disappointed. 

[SunsetRunner]

Andrea,

I am having the same issue. I have only had my Fitbit Ionic since May 2019. I went on a trip to a different time zone, and it worked as it should; however, when I returned home, it would not adjust the time. I tried to turn it off and on, etc., but nothing would work, so I ended up doing a factory reset on it, and now the screen does not come on AT ALL. Black screen. Pressed the the 3 buttons as recommended... pressed left and bottom as recommended... nothing. Black screen. 

Andrea, what is up with these devices? Seems like a lot of people are disappointed in their performance.

[hoangdung]

This is my second Ionic , first my ionic is replace at june or july 2019 , And this is my second Ionic replace they send it to me free . And now it not turn on again . Oh my god done believe it . It not over a year with 2 smartwatch like this . lucky I did not buy another one for my wife gift . 

[LHonthego]

Hi 

I too have been struck by the dreaded black screen after resorting to a Factory Reset, following a normal Reset, after all activity icons stopped working. 
I am now staring at a screen, that if I’m lucky gives me a 0% battery icon. It appears not to respond to anything that all advisors say to do to remedy (as per dodgers188).

I have enjoyed my Ionic and looked after it for the 14 months of wear, now it’s out of warranty & I’m asking myself what can be done,

LHonthego

[dcapper]

The Ionic has an inherit problem and Fitbit will not admit it. Mine died last week and my buddy text me last night and asked if I could fix his. I'm an electronic technologist, hence why he asked. His is in better shape than mine. Mine is dead dead. His gets to the logo screen and it's stuck there. No three buttons work with mine or his. Fitbit should be replacing all these units. If yours dies and it's on warranty, they send you a refurb. So if they are sending you a refurb then they must have lots of them. They know these units are garbage.

[LHonthego]

I tried to buy an extended warranty, but the retailer wouldn’t sell me one. Maybe I should have taken this as a sign that they sick of sending them back to FitBit for replacement!