Transferring Personal Music to Ionic

[ErickFitbit]

Update 10/6/17 -- Thanks for sharing your experiences with attempting to transfer your playlists onto Ionic. After reading through the discussions in this thread, I noticed some users where successful and others not so much.

Users are running into various blockers that are preventing a successful transfer. I've compiled the complications into the following categories:

• Stuck on "Looking for Ionic" message on Fitbit connect even though Ionic/Fitbit App/Computer on same Network) 

Cannot connect unless a force manual IP address for Ionic is done(entering IP address manually)

• Frozen at "Determining Transfer Time" (check out @xTommyG's workaround here)
• Stuck on "Transfer in progress" (try restarting your Ionic and then reestablish Wi-Fi connection on Ionic)
• Ionic won't connect to Wi-Fi (see Why won't my Fitbit watch connect to Wi-Fi? for tips)

I've created a guide to help anyone that's having issues with this. So, without further ado, let's start transferring some music!  

Requirements

• Windows 10 (PC) or Mac computer 
• Wi-Fi capable computer: Must be able to connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi (direct ethernet connections will not work)
• Must connect to a 2.4GHz frequency network (5 GHz frequency is not supported)
• Fitbit Connect Software (Win10/Mac) must be installed
• Ionic battery life must be above 40% to transfer music (Keeping Ionic charging during this process is recommended)
• Create at least 1 playlist of songs or podcasts in iTunes or Windows Media Player to download to your watch. You can also create playlists in the Fitbit Music app using the drag-and-drop feature to add individual tracks. 
• To download music files, they must fall under one of the following audio file types: 
  • Windows 10
    • MP3 files
    • MP4 files with AAC audio
    • WMA files
  • Mac
    • MP3 files
    • AIFF
    • MP4 files with AAC audio

• If you use iTunes, make sure you approve the app to share playlists with your watch: Open iTunes on your computer > Edit > Preferences > Advanced > Share iTunes Library XML with other applications > OK.

 

• For best results, perform this process as close to your router as possible to reduce any interference 

Transfer Music Checklist

1. Restart computer
2. Make sure your computer is connected to a strong Wi-Fi network (note: personal or work network that requires a password to connect is recommended - 2.4 GHz) 
3. Restart phone
4. Restart Ionic
5. In the Fitbit app go to Account/Media/Manage Wi-fi Networks and remove all saved networks
6. Connect back to your Wi-Fi network 
7. Plug-in your watch to charge
8. On your Ionic, tap Music app and then Transfer Music: 
9. Ionic will show this screen when connection is established: 
10. Open Fitbit Connect and click on Manage My Music 
11. When prompted, follow the on-screen instructions on your Mac/PC to choose the playlists you want to download to your watch. After you choose a playlist, the download starts automatically. Download/transfer times vary based on how large your playlist is (was able to download 1 hours worth of music in about 6-8 minutes).

Note: For faster download times, you might want to avoid large playlists. The more songs you transfer under one playlist the longer download times you will experience. Should you run into an issue please let us know where in the process you get stuck.

Thanks everyone for your continued insight and feedback in this thread. I hope all of you Ionic users get transferred, drop your phones on your dressers and start working out to the music you most enjoy, phone free!

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Update 9/28/17 -- The latest version of Fitbit Connect for Mac is now live! The update can now be found on the setup page. Please update if you haven't already so you can start transferring your favorite tunes to your Ionic!

• Download Fitbit Connect for Mac: www.fitbit.com/setup

• Download Fitbit Connect for PC: http://cache.fitbit.com/FitbitConnect/FitbitConnect-v2.0.2.6954-2017-09-28.exe 

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Everyone -- To transfer music with Fitbit Connect, please click the applicable link below to download and install the Fitbit Connect software:

• Download Fitbit Connect for Mac: www.fitbit.com/setup

• Download Fitbit Connect for PC: http://cache.fitbit.com/FitbitConnect/FitbitConnect-v2.0.2.6954-2017-09-28.exe

With the Music app on Fitbit Ionic, you can store and play several hours worth of your favorite songs and podcasts right on your wrist. After you download playlists to your watch, connect Bluetooth headphones or another audio device to listen to your tracks.

You need a Windows 10 PC or a Mac connected to Wi-Fi to download music and podcasts to your watch. Keep in mind you can only transfer files that you own or don’t require a license. 

If you live in the United States, you can also use the Pandora app to download stations to your watch. 

For full instructions, I recommend checking out "How do I listen to music and podcasts on my Fitbit watch?"

[SunsetRunner]

I don’t know if this will help, but the same thing happened to me.  I have several WiFi connections.  I had to turn off the WiFi at the router, then turn it back on and make sure to reconnect both the computer and the Ionic to the same 2.4 GHz WiFi.  Then it finally saw the ionic.  It took me about two hours of trying before I got that to work.  

[Yansus11]

My computer can find my fitibit. I can't transfer any music over

Sent from my iPhone

[mitwess]

Yeah i think you need a computer that's connected via wifi.

[Yansus11]

I have wifi

Sent from my iPhone

[jkgaut]

This worked for me. I really wanted to use my iTunes playlist, but it would never recognize it. So I "wasted" some more time and moved my songs, one by one, to WMP, and FINALLY, Ionic recognized a playlist. It took over an hour to transfer 106 songs, but at least it worked!!! Hallelujah!

I just wish I could figure out how to get it to point to my iTunes playlist. I have it set to where it is supposed to share, like mentioned in some other posts, but it just wouldn't work.

I haven't had any issues with the clock face, and my weather app appears to be working. I think I will be content with the Ionic for a while, but some serious changes/updates need to happen with this. It really shouldn't be this difficult and time-consuming to do such a "simple" task!!! I was on the teetering on the line of returning it for a refund!

[CarlosCFitbit]

Hi all! Check out this updated floated post. I created it to help guide those of you who are still running into a snag during the transferring music process. Thanks for continuing the conversation and helping each other out!  

[SLovell]

Good info!  Do think that the fact the Ionic won't transfer music if battery is under 40% so it is recommended to have the Ionic charging during a transfer,  as well as how to restart / reboot the Ionic should be in the getting started paper work that is received with the Fitbit Ionic.  Currently that paper work is light on content, and could be helped by some of the items shared

[SLovell]

2nd comment...  why only Pandora?  Why not Spotify also?  Spotify over took Pandora from a user base perspective since 2015... As if June Spotify had about 2X the user base of Pandora.   Hopefully there are plans for a Spotify app in the near future.   And as not only a user but also a stockholder can only hope that the Pandora preference is part of a larger strategy toward getting Sirius radio on board (Sirius just bought a big chunk of Pandora). 

[big8fan]

Well you got me further than I was, Thanks! I can't seem to log into the fitbit connect app on windows 10. I know the info is correct but it goes blank when i hit login.

[JustinAiken]

I can't get over how bad this "Personal Music" feature is.  It's the whole reason I bought the Ionic to replace the Surge - yay no more bringing phone with!

But syncing music is just terrible.  iTunes integration is horrible, playlists aren't deduped, songs randomly show up as "not found", can't stop the sync halfway through so I can just go running with what's on the watch. 

And the Pandora-but-not-Spotify feels like the "music feature" is more a promotion for a failing streaming service over a feature.

I was so excited for this watch, and I hate it so much.  😕 

[Yofarbs]

The Fitbit app can't find my iTunes playlists (I get that red exclamation point), and I have added all the relevant folders.  Can't get this to work!!

[DXBrunner]

Fitbit connect on MAC IOS 10.11.6 is crashing before I even can select the music I want! Any help?

[winb83]

I've found that on Windows 10 with the Fitbit Windows 10 app. I didn't have those problems. My issue is the Ionic won't transfer all the songs in one go. It sends about 5 or so songs and then the watch says transfer complete meanwhile I'm trying to move over 260 songs.

[Grubenstier]

I completely agree! Same here! 

Transferring music to the Ionic should NOT be this ridiculously difficult or impossible at that! Unbelievably frustrating considering I purchased the Ionic & the Fitbit Flyer over the Apple Watch Series 3 and wireless ear-pods.

NOT. HAPPY. AT. ALL. FITBIT!

This is what will make or break the Ionic and I suspect it is going to break it, sadly enough. 😞

[SLovell]

The Fitbit connect app works well (I am running Windows 7 Pro).  I transferred a playlist of 132 songs to my Ionic.  Problem I had was that I did not have my Ionic plugged in and by the end of the 1.5 to 2 hrs it took for the transfer my battery was down to 25%... As a result of the low battery during the transfer my watch got stuck in transfer mode and I had to figure out how to reboot my watch (hold the left button and the bottom right button in for like 15 sec until you get FITBIT icon on the screen)... but once rebooted all of the music was on the watch and playing the music back has been easy.  Key lesson is -- keep the watch charging during the transfer process to avoid issues.

Agreed it should not be so difficult to transfer music, and it should not require a laptop and creation of a playlist... In this modern day we should be able to transfer music directly from phone to watch...  With the transfer of 132 songs I will be set for a while, but for folks that wish to change music and add music regularly the current transfer process can be a burden, but once the music is on the watch all works well.   And the 5 days battery life is great!  I topped up my charge Saturday and have worn the watch since 11 am Saturday and I am at 61% charge now ( I do a 1 hr row workout daily and play music during that work out -- No GPS use like in a run)...  If I can get 6 to 7 days battery life will be very very happy... But FITBIT does need to get a simple phone to watch song transfer files process in place... 

[Yansus11]

Yes very disappointed. I return my ionic n now have the Apple Watch. N I love it!!!

Sent from my iPhone

[Groovyp]

If you follow this gentleman's instructions very carefully, it will work.  I finally got my music on there. 

With that said, what a major fail by fitbit.  This is a key feature of the ionic and there is no way in heck it should be this difficult!  I mean, does this company do ANY QA testing or focus groups at all? Just sad.

[Andytj66]

Just bought the Fitbit ionic, even taken my desktop and watch to a local computer shop even they can’t fathom out how to transfer iTunes music to my Fitbit Ionic, just debating whether to return it no support from Fitbit whatsoever absolute joke.

[DXBrunner]

I just got the final reply from Support.. Fitbit Connect is apparently not working with OS 10.11.6, and I should upgrade to OS 10.13!! Unfortunately I have an old iMac that is not able to update to OS10.13 that means Im stuck with a Fitbit watch that is not delivering all it should because my mac is not update! My options:

A) return the fitbit watch and pay a bit more for an apple watch series 3

B) keep the ionic and pay a lot more for a new iMac without the guarantee that its going to work..

Very very bad for Fitbits image..

[Grubenstier]

SO many users have posted that they are returning the Ionic and going for the Apple Watch Series 3. I will probably end up doing the same. Unfortunately, because I actually prefer the Fitbit software to Apple's Health apps. 😞