Charge 2 not recording steps

[moejoe75]

For two days in a row, my fitbit does not register any steps.

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[AlvaroFitbit · Accepted solution]

@moejoe75 Welcome to the Fitbit Community! It's great to have you here! Sorry to hear that your Charge 2 isn't counting your steps. Your tracker will detect the movement on your arm and translate that movement into steps. There are situations in which your arm may move but you won't be actually walking and vice versa. This may happen when you are playing the drums, burping a baby or clapping and the opposite can happen when you push a cart. It can also happen when driving. For added sensitivity you can try wearing your tracker on your dominant hand but select that hand as non dominant on the tracker’s settings to make it more sensitive to movement. Finally restart your device.

Let me know how it goes!

[A1n2j3]

Read in one of the solutions that it tracks arm movements but Fitbit s sole purpose is to count footsteps. So confused. Please help

[Delta-flyer]

I have a similar problem about recording steps. I’ve had my Charge 2 for a couple of years and it’s been very accurate, but in the last few days I noticed that it’s undercounting my steps by 12-15%. I noticed that on my treadmill, where I walk typically 4 miles. It’s always counted about 7500-8000 steps (my profile is set to 33 inches pace, so theoretically 4 miles would count about 7680 steps, which is roughly what it’s been counting for 4 miles, since I first started using it. 

In the last several days, I have noticed that it’s been counting about 6500 steps, or about 85% of what it did before. I just tested it, walking exactly 100 steps, and it only counted 88 steps in the first test and 89 steps in the second. So something has happened in the last week or so, maybe some sort of upgrade or something is wrong with my particular unit. I’m wearing it exactly the same way as always, a little bit above my wrist, so it counts my heartbeat correctly. 

[MaryTriller]

Hi there!  I am still having problems with my Charge 2.  Since this morning, I have been fairly active, walking and climbing stairs, but my Fitbit still says zero.  So I made sure my Fitbit is fully charged and comfortably placed on my left arm as usually.  It still says zero steps.  I followed the restart instructions to no avail.

Funny part is, my Fitbit is buzzing on the last 10 minutes of the hour and giving me encouraging messages.  So any suggestions on getting it to record my steps?

[Delta-flyer]

Yesterday I ran a 6.5 mile road race (1/4 marathon) and it counted the steps fairly accurately - 10,180 - my stride length is set to 38” so it should have counted 10,800, but I think my stride length is longer, but in any event, this was only 7% off instead of 12-15%. 

So my feeling is that when walking the impact acceleration (i.e., the g-level) is lower than while running, and the accelerometer in the fitbit may not sense all the steps while walking, Perhaps I should tighten the strap to get better contact with my arm. Or, perhaps something changed in the fitbit software. 

[MaryTriller]

Thanks for the info.  I do agree that the difference from running to walking might make the Fitbit behave differently.  But I didn't switch activities as I am not a runner.  I am wearing my Fitbit the same as always so I don't think that is the issue.  And I hope after just a year and a month of using my Fitbit Charger 2, I can get it working again.  Thanks for trying to help!

[Delta-flyer]

I just completed 5 miles walking on the treadmill, at my “regular” rate of 4 mph, which has always registered about 9500 steps, today registered 7600. It also failed to register my heart rate correctly - it jumped all over the place. I think my fitbit has just bit the dust, it’s over 2 years old. I’ll try a different brand next. 

[MaryTriller]

This info doesn't help me but thanks for trying!

[Delta-flyer]

Replying to the moderator . . . , the Fitbit has worked for me for two years, and now, the last couple or weeks, it’s undercounting steps. I have not changed my way of using it. Judging from others on this thread, it appears that there may have been a common cause for this malfunction, perhaps an “upgrade” that has affected this model. 

[MaryTriller]

Thanks for the vote.  Case is closed at the moment as my Charge 2 began recording again the next morning.  Looks like it took a one day holiday away from its job! LOL, I hope it is a long time before it does it again!

[Delta-flyer]

Well, son of a gun! This morning it counted my treadmill session correctly - you guys must have tweaked the software and updated all you users. I notice another user, Mary, observed the same result. Now the fitbit and the Omron are within 0.6%!

Thanks, whatever you did!

[Delta-flyer]

Bad news again - last few days it's back to undercounting my steps. I had a few good days when it worked correctly, now it's messing up again. 

Here are the facts:

I walk most weekdays on my treadmill, 4 miles in one hour, at slope of 6 - 8%  

I have timed my steps, and in 0.1 mile (as displayed on the treadmill), I walk about 200 steps, that means 8000 steps per hour, 4 miles. 

Until a few weeks ago, I've been logging about 8000 step. In the last few weeks, it began logging only about 5300 steps, but a week ago it went back to normal, but starting yesterday, it's logging again just over 5000 steps. 

What's going on? Are there software changes being downloaded into my watch? 

[Cswootton]

My fitbit flex 2 has not recorded my steps for the last two days. What do i need to do?

[Delta-flyer]

Since my previous post, I have discovered a way to make the steps count accurately - the forarm the watch is on needs be held rather horizontally,  swinging in unison with the steps. I have now found on the treadmill the steps are counted correctly. 

When running, I naturally hold my arm like that all the time, and it’s pretty accurate. Try that.

[Cswootton]

This was not my question. My fibit flex 2 has not recorded my steps the
last 2 days. Should it be tight on my wrist?

For His glory,
Charlotte

[Delta-flyer]

My reply was indeed relevant to your question, even if you didn’t like it. I’m sorry I bothered to reply, I guess no good deed ever goes unpunished. 

Peter Stricker

[Cswootton]

I appreciate your efforts. My fitbit is a flex 2 and doesnt have a watch. Thank you.

[Veronicajg]

My fit bit needs syncing and isn't recording steps and sleep as well as heartbeat and energy output. How do I get it going again?

[moejoe75]

I have problems with family and business that hit me all at once, If You felt slighted, it was not my intention. I am sorry for any misunderstandings. 

Richard