Actual life span of Charge 3

[Mombailey]

I’ve had my Fitbit Charge 3 for about 2 yrs. At this time I think it’s ready to die on me. I can no longer see the screen unless the room is totally dark. Yes, it’s set on normal, not low or auto for the brightness. Can anyone help? 

[gaylene1]

I recently purchased my third  Charge 3.  Took very good care of them, but one lasted only one year and the other almost 10 months.  Asked salesman and he said the life span is 1.5 to 2 years.  He said mine had not lasted as long as they should have even though I never got them wet or anything like that. If this one doesn't last at least two years, I won't buy this brand again.

[RaleighCJ]

My last one was not quite two years and now this one is looking to die. Can barely see screen. Seems like they should last longer than 1-2 years. 

[WilsonFitbit]

Hello everyone. @RaleighCJ Welcome to the community forums. 

Thank you for the information. If you refer that your Charge 3 screen brightness isn't working properly, please make sure that the Brightness setting on your Charge 3 is set correctly. If you have questions about how to navigate your Charge 3, please visit the following link: 

How do I navigate my Fitbit device?

Also, make sure that Sleep Mode isn't activated. When this option is activated, the screen's brightness is set to dim. Finally, I recommend changing the clock face on your Charge 3 and performing a restart by following the instructions here: How do I restart my Fitbit device?

On a side note, I appreciate your feedback about life span of Charge 3. Please note that our team is always working to enhance your experience and your feedback is a big part of that process.

Hope this helps. 

[gaylene1]

My "new" Charge 3 died. I returned it and since it had been only a few months since I had purchased it, they had me pay extra to get a newer model.  They tried several different stores, but not one store had a Charge 3 that wasn't dead. I think New Zealand must get the duds - although my first two were purchased in the U.S. I agreed to spend a bit more to have the Charge 3 replaced, but will not feel good if this one doesn't last at least one year.  My husband says that it wasn't good to purchase another Fitbit.  Would love to hear if anyone has had a Fitbit that lasted more than 12 months!

Moderator edit: word choice

[WilsonFitbit]

@gaylene1 Thank you very much for your reply. 

I also appreciate your comments and feedback. Please note that any feedback posted in the forums is always welcome as it helps to improve our products, services and overall environment. 

At this time, I'd like to let you know that if you require further assistance, I recommend contacting our Support Team for further assistance. Note that you can contact them through chat or over the phone, but phone wait times have been longer than normal, so I recommend initiating a chat. Click here to get connected. 

See you around. 

[peebsmom]

Only once did my fitbit die on me before years end & they replaced it.  I think they have great customer support.  I usually get 2 years or so out of them.

[WilsonFitbit]

Hello @peebsmom. Nice to see you around. 

Thank you very much for your input and information. At this time, I was able to see that you reached out to our Support Team for a situation with your Charge 3 and they were able to provide information and assistance. If you still have additional questions or inquiries, I recommend replying back to them and they will be more than glad to continue assisting you. 

Also, if you have any other questions or inquiries, take into consideration that you can post them in a new thread. 

See you around. 

[EricGandy]

I had a charge HR that lasted around 5 years.  It was in rough shape for at least a year.  I tried to keep it dry, but on more than one occasion it had mud packed in the charging area that I had to dig out with a paperclip so the charger could engage.  I chipped a chunk out of the corner of the front screen cover sometime along the way and the back half of the case was barely hanging on the last 6 months or year.  My wife went thru two of the same model along with other family members and friends.  Usually the cause of death was the back housing coming off.   I unhook charging cords by gripping them from the sides and pushing the device away at the same time which is why I think mine outlasted everyone else I know, along with the fact I wore it looking like it belonged in the trash can just to see how long it would go.   I have had a Charge 3 for around 2 years now.  The screen has some lines in it that don't display properly and the screen will randomly go dark or dim and I have to wait until it is dark to be able to see the screen well enough to change the settings back to auto or bright.  It is supposed to be water resistant or water proof but it gets moisture in the screen on the rare occasion I wear it in the shower if I have been in some gross stuff at work.  It is glitchy and has been for some time.   I have seen way too many models not last but a year or so on people who treat them much better than I do.  Also seeing features removed, like being able to see calls coming in leaves a bad taste in my mouth.   They have been very poorly made devices in the past and my friends and family are migrating away as devices fail so I have no reason to stay to play games with them when this one dies.

[CUTiger]

Electronic devices are not meant to last forever, but 2 years is pretty bad for a product.  Cell phones, laptops, smart fridges, robot vacuums, etc... do not just stop after 2 yrs. This is a problem w Fitbit and possibly on purpose. 

[CUTiger]

The screen being dark is a known issue on this thread for a couple of years. Fitbit has not done anything about it.  No electronic device lasts forever, but this issue and lack of usage time compared to other electronics is laughable and will hurt Fitbit's bottom line. 

[HockeyGuy99]

I know I’m late to the party. Wife’s lasted 1.5 maybe 2 years. Screen is starting to become an issue, half of the display doesn’t show and the other half is very dim. Screen is set to normal and sleep mode isn’t on. Tried all the “fixes”, reset clock screen, restart device etc nothing works.
On a side note, seems Fitbits in general tend to last 1.5-2.5 years. Kind of concerning that a lot of the “fixes” are just change to different clock screen then switch back.