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?"

[theaardvark]

You don't need Windows 10. There's a Windows 7 program. It's available from
the "setup" page. The link is at the bottom.

[SunsetRunner]

I've just tried this (again)....and given up (again). As much as I like Fitbit, and my Ionic, this has got to be the stupidest method of file transfer any dev has come up with. 

During the half hour or so I wasted on this today, what I did noticed was (1) the fitbit app refused to list available networks, when previously it has, despite being sat virtually on top of my router and my laptop having a strong wifi signal, and (2) the Bluetooth connection to the Ionic kept switching from paired to connected to paired to connected etc, again with the Ionic next to my computer.

Dumb Fitbit, real dumb. Here's hoping this gets improved very soon. For the meantime I'm going to continue with music staying on my phone. I might have another go sometime in the future. But then again <flap> <oink> <flap> <oink> <flap> <oink>

[mikefmcnally]

Sorry, can't be patient for basic technology. The ionic was marketed as a smart watch. It has an lcd screen that will never have always on display. The music transfer is terrible. This product was rushed to market and worth about 1/2 the cost paid. It's being returned. 

[Melissap12]

Have you figured this “no ionic paired to your fitbit account”? When clearly it is.. I feel like this is the only thing stopping me from transferring my music..

thank you!!

[Michael_Shi]

Will you develop an app which controls the music player on Android? It's kinda inconvenient for me because my speakers are always connected with my phone.

[EL-Mare]

I’m sooo disappointed! I bought an Ionic for the music on my wrist BUT now the IT guy that I had to ask for help after struggling my but off, showed me that I cannot download music that’s paid for!! How in the world does this work?????? Why not????

[WinthropDC]

El-Mare, are you talking about music with DRM (Digital Rights Management)?

I have downloaded 3 playlists to my Ionic using the Windows 10 UWP App and have over 300 songs available.

It can work, but it is slow and not memory efficient as my playlists only take up about half of the 2.5Gb available on the ionic when you look on the PC at the actual files.

David

[EL-Mare]

So what’s the solution, how can I get this to work if they’re DRM encrypted?

Regards

EL-Maré

[WinthropDC]

According to this post you cannot put DRM music onto the Ionic.

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Ionic/Music-with-DRM/td-p/2261824

Are you sure it is encrypted?

Personally, none of my music is encrypted. I have heard too many horror stories of the provider of the DRM license shutting down and people losing access to the music they paid for.  So I make sure all my music is pure unprotected MP3.

[WinthropDC]

Have a look at this

http://www.noteburner.com/apple-music/play-apple-music-on-fitbit-ionic.html

[EL-Mare]

Thanks will try this and let you know how it went!

Regards

EL

[SunsetRunner]

From the Noteburner site Got to laugh at this bit: "Then simply connect to your computer or your mobie via Wi-Fi and use the Fitbit Connect app to transfer the converted Apple Music songs" as that's the bit that causes the most problems.

[C_Iverson]

I wanted to add two songs to my work-out playlist,
I HAD TO RE UPLOAD THE ENITRE PLAYLIST?!?  3 HOURS to add a couple songs?  Seriouly?
This can't be... It just cant.

Please some tell me Im wrong, and that there is a way to edit/add songs to a playlist and only add the new...

Please...

[SunsetRunner]

---

@C_Iverson wrote:

I wanted to add two songs to my work-out playlist,
I HAD TO RE UPLOAD THE ENITRE PLAYLIST?!?  3 HOURS to add a couple songs?  Seriouly?
This can't be... It just cant.

Please some tell me Im wrong, and that there is a way to edit/add songs to a playlist and only add the new...

Please...

---

Nope, not at the moment. Entire playlist only 

[EL-Mare]

I tried the solution suggested to me in downloading another programme to solve my Apple Music issue of being DRM encrypted and guess what this will cost me another $70 NZD. Wow this is not good Fitbit!!!!!

Regards

EL-Maré

[Grubenstier]

Indeed, the stupidest method of file transfer EVER! ...and THIS in the year 2017! Simply unbelievable.

[dgb2n]

Has anyone heard from fitbit support on when this will get addressed with a software update?

I like to load podcasts for my runs and the load times are preposterous.  I've figured out workarounds that make the process work (running wifi setup on my iphone to get the watch to be recognized on my PC) but the load times for podcasts seems to be somewhere around 1 hour for every 4 hours of podcasts.  Crazy.  

[SunsetRunner]

"Create at least 1 playlist of songs or podcasts in iTunes or Windows Media Player..."

No Windows Media Player on my laptop any longer which is on the Insider Update program. It was removed my Microsoft a few updates ago. And when I try to download it from Microsoft, it says "Not compatible with your system."

Is there any other acceptable way to create a playlist? Or is it only WMP?  

[SunsetRunner]

---

@SunsetRunner wrote:

"Create at least 1 playlist of songs or podcasts in iTunes or Windows Media Player..."

No Windows Media Player on my laptop any longer which is on the Insider Update program. It was removed my Microsoft a few updates ago. And when I try to download it from Microsoft, it says "Not compatible with your system."

Is there any other acceptable way to create a playlist? Or is it only WMP?  

---

You can get the Windows media pack, which was omitted from some versions of W10 due to anti-competitive rulings, from here Microsoft Media Features download . This includes Windows Media Player.

[WinthropDC]

@SunsetRunner

My playlists are m3u files created by Winamp and 

they worked fine. Go to http://www.winamp.com

I think you can use any music player as long as it is a supported playlist file format.