Charge 2 ships without dongle

[evet]

Why does the Charge 2 not ship with a dongle? Does the Charge 2 not need one or do I use the dongle from another Fitbit device? Or does a dongle have to be purchased separately?

[CissyB]

Well said, Stronger

[David321]

Hello, I have been unable to set up my Charge 2 using my PC that has the latest version of Windows. I have been told I will have to wait 3-4 weeks for Fitbit to send me a dongle...

A friend told me that they have a dongle for an earlier Fitbit model. Do you know whether I will be able to use that older dongle or whether I will need a more up to date dongle for a Charge 2?

Thanks,

David

[SteveH]

@David321 any fitbit dongle will do.

If your PC has Windows 10 and you use the fitbit app from the windows store then any bluetooth should do: either built in the PC, a standard bluetooth dongle or any fitbit dongle.

[David321]

Many thanks SteveH

David321

[CissyB]

If for any reason, you still want a Dongle, Amazon fast and cheaper. Just saying...

[David321]

A friend lent me a dongle and te Charge 2 set up great! Thanks for the suggestions.

[Mal56]

Okay, I know I can't be the first, but you know how sometimes you just want to scream even though it will do no good ??????  .........

Great, just got my fitbit as a birthday present.

Go through set up

Hey !!! what's the dongle it's asking for ?  Nobody mentioned a dongle ??

Oh dear, I'm stuck on the screen asking for the dongle ?  No "back" button ??

Maybe I clicked on the wrong model to install.  I guess I'll just have to go uninstall and start again ?

Okay, I've worked out that apparently you don't need a dongle - so err, why does it actually ask for one on set up when I've told you what fitbit I have.

Have I missed the button somewhere marked "enable telepathy mode" , or is that just on the Tesla fitbit model ???

So Fitbit, here's a bit of really deep revolutionary advice : Change the set up wizard so it says

"Insert a dongle - OR pair the device with your phone, click here to see how to do that, OR click here to see all the other comments from customers who we've already p**** off by having a "set up wizard" that actually expects the customers to be the wizard part of the set up".

Alternatively, and I know this is a little low tech (like the fitbit at the moment, cos all it is at the moment is plack plastic bracelet with a battery in it) PUT A PIECE OF PAPER IN THE FITBIT BOX SAYING "Unless you are pairing this with a phone, go to the rant section of our web site to find out about dongles".

Maybe I'm being a little churlish, but why have a set up wizard, and direct customers to it, when you'd be better off directing people straight to the advice comments.  It would at least save the first act of the fitbit being to RAISE people's blood pressure.

Thank you all for listening to my rant, and sharing my pain. 

[sandiblast]

I have bluetooth but am still unable to sync my fitbitcharge2 to my computer and start my fitbit up

[sandiblast]

why would there not be this dongle with the fitbit charge2 included in the box? I have bluetooth and still cannot set up my device to work. I do have the app on my comptuer

[DerrickS]

@sandiblast Our newer trackers are optimized for use with mobile devices, which is why they don't ship with dongles.

I'd recommend verifying that you have Bluetooth 4.0 LE on your computer. This is required in order to sync Fitbit trackers using your computer's native Bluetooth.

Afterwards, I'd then recommend downloading the Windows 10 App or the latest Mac version of Fitbit Connect, depending on which type of computer you have. Click here to download both.

[sandiblast]

I contacted Fitbit and got it figured out. Thanks.

[chai613]

FitbitConnect requires a microsoft account if using windows 10.  I do NOT have nor want a microsoft account.  That leaves me without being able to connect my Surge 2 to my new windows 10 laptop.

My prior tracker was linked to my desktop running windows 7.  No problem there using the dongle from my fitbit zip and fitbit connect on that system.  Seems for windows 10 users, without another solution, we're not able to synch to our laptops.

Microsoft should not have such a monopoly.

[SteveH]

You only need a Microsoft account if you want to use the fitbit app. If you'd rather not use the app then fitbit connect will work just the same as it did with earlier versions of Windows. 

[Easter]

How do I sync new Fitbit without dongle. Will not let me

[DerrickS]

@Easter I'd recommend verifying that you have either the latest version of Fitbit Connect for Mac or the Windows 10 App, both can be downloaded here.

I'd also recommend verifying that your computer has built-in Bluetooth 4.0 LE. 

If both of these conditions are met, you should be able to sync your tracker without a dongle.

[Brin1956]

I have a brand new computer only bought last thursday and still had to use the dongle before it would sync.  Blue tooth and windows 10 Thank goodness I had the company ship me one for this purpose.   I hope this boo boo is costing the company money as their watch still needs the use of a dongle.  

Edith

[sylvie2666]

Yes it will, I had the the same fitbit flex, you use the same dongle to sync your charge 2, I also have windows vista which is an old version and it works well as long as you keep your dongel, i do not not have a smart phone either

[kaiserdr]

It would have helped it you said HOW to forced sync. I ordered the Charge 2 as a present for my wife. We have a new Windows 10 computer. I tried everything, including tech support on the phone, and they said I had to have a dongle--I do not. It is absurd that installing this device is so complicated--NOT user friendly at all! If it requires a dongle, it should have been shipped with one! My wife was anxious to try this device, but after a week and several hours on the phone with tech support, we are considering returning it. Tech support provided no help whatsoever and basically said we need the dongle. 

[kaiserdr]

We just bought a new Win. 10 computer with bluetooth. We do not have a phone. I installed the app on my computer. Just bought a new Charge 2, directly from Fitbit, but I can not get the Charge 2 to mate with the computer. It is absurd that the Charge 2, being "New" does not come with everything necessary to install the program and use the device. I just spent two hours, one hour on "hold" and over an hour talking to two tech support people and neither could get the Charge 2 to be recognized on my computer.

[kaiserdr]

You are lucky, I have been trying to do this for two days. Every time I call tech support I have to wait a half hour to 45 minutes to talk to a tech person--then they walk me thought the installation process and it will not recognize the device. I have spent three hours and this does not work. This was a gift for my wife and she is not happy. I am thinking of buying a $20 Timex and sending this back. I do not have a dongle and it is not realistic that I should have to buy one. My wife is spending 14 hours a day for three months at a hospital taking care of a sick relative and we do not need this added problem. This was supposed to be a Christmas present but the way this is going it will take until NEXT Christmas to get it working.