Charge 2 won't pair to my desktop computer (Windows 10 + Bluetooth OK)

[mandbt]

                                    Got a Charge 2 for Xmas, went to fitbit com/setup and created account. Tried to pair the Charge 2 to my desktop computer (Windows 10 & Bluetooth 4) but the pairing fails. When I go to Bluetooth it finds the Charge 2 OK and is ready to pair but I get the failure message that the pairing hasn't worked as the device is not discoverable.                    

[twsf]

Rich - I have done that - I have spent almost an hour on the phone across multiple calls with Fitbit support. My hope is that some responsible adult at Fitbit will see all the support calls, all the ratings of "did not solve my problem" in follow-up surveys, as well as the pages upon pages of frustration here and actually fix the product.

[Username345]

Im having the exact same problem on a new Dell XPS 15 (9570). Windows 10 Pro sees the fitbit charge 2 but can't connect to it. I tried another version of the same laptop and still can't connect.

Like others have reported, it syncs with various phones, tablets. But for some reason it doesn't like some windows versions.

I doubt the issue will ever get resolved. 

[Lucky_1977]

I ended up getting mine to work somehow but forgot what I did.

I think I forgot to highlight something in the initial screen when it says sync. you have to hit some button or something that I didn't see initially and it eventually worked

- jeff-

[dlynskey]

I had never bothered setting up sync to my Windows 10 desktop or laptop because I use my iPhone 99% of the time.  I decided to start tracking food and noticed my Charge 2 was not syncing to the desktop & decided to fix this.  Fitbit's Help and instructions are really lacking.  First, I went a little nuts trying to find the "Account Icon" on the web app only to learn, eventually, it is not there - you need an app from the Windows Store.  Installed that and then had an app telling me the percent of battery charge on my Charge 2 while simultaneously telling me it could not locate my tracker...WTF!  Computer's Bluetooth saw the device said it was paired, but it would not respond to attempts to connect it.  Removed the device from computer's Bluetooth to try to start over, then the computer didn't find it.  I removed it from the app after telling the app that I wanted to "replace" the Charge 2 that was already connected [but could not be found for syncing].  Again, the app swore there was no Charge 2 to be found, so it suggested I connect it to the charging cable.  While walking across the room to get the charging cable, the setup wizard gave up and popped a Help page with a number of suggestions.  One of the suggestions was, if the device is successfully paired with another Bluetooth device, remove the Bluetooth setup from that device [in my case, my iPhone] and try repeating the whole process.  Being the tech genius I am, instead of undoing the setup of the Charge 2 on my iPhone, I just turned off the phone.  Et, voila!  The Fitbit App Setup Wizard immediately 'found" my tracker, allowed me to finish the setup [when it prompts you for four numbers, they are displayed on the screen of your Charge 2], synced the app with the device and I am on my way.  So, if you have your Charge 2 paired with another device and are trying to pair and connect with a different device, turn the other device[s] off [or delete the other Bluetooth setup[s] (probably overkill) and try again...and you might have to start from scratch.  Now that both the computer and the iPhone are paired to the Charge 2, they both sync even when the Fitbit apps are open on both.  [Also note: in the Win 10 computer Fitbit App, under "Advanced" settings, there is a "Fitbit Classic Mode" setting which allows you to tell the app to look for a dongle for syncing instead of Bluetooth.  I  tried getting this to work without any luck, possibly because I had Bluetooth on at the same time so the app was partially finding the device while still unable to sync.  I removed the dongle, did all of the correcting above, then got a "connection error" while trying to sync again.  The connection error was the app trying to find the now disconnected dongle while sync was working via Bluetooth.  I had forgotten to turn off "Classic Mode" in Advanced Settings.]  So, if you want to sync with a computer that does not have Bluetooth and you have a dongle, download the Fitbit App from thw Windows Store, got to settings, Advanced, turn "On" Fitbit Classic Mode so the app will look for a dongle instead of a Bluetooth connection.  If you have Bluetooth and it is on, the dongle may not work even if Classic Mode is enabled, I did not thoroughly test this option.  Sorry for the long story, but, you know...  I hope this helps the struggling masses of Fitbitters.  And, yes, I am Fitbitter, too.   P.S. Fitbit + iPhone worked flawlessly without any of this crap.  Hello, Microsoft & Fitbit!

[R9363]

Have Charge 2 --was able to pair with a kindle and my daughter's Iphone--kindle has died---had an old XP pc which did not allow fitbit to be found--have newer HP with Win 10--have fitbit app-all attempts to pair have failed. Have tried all remedies  thru app/control panel, turn bluetooth on off, reload drivers, etc, Do not have dongle and never received one with the charge 2. Able to pair phone with HP. Am extremely frustrated by inability to pair charge 2 with windows 10. Any new help/suggestions would be welcome

Ed

[R9363]

Should make it clear that PC finds the charge 2 both with PC settings and thru fitbit app and tries to pair but never is able to pair-always fails.

Ed

[Rich_Laue]

Since you have mentioned other devices @R9363 are these other devices turned off if nearby? Your charge 2 will not be seen if it is still talking to a different device. 

[dlynskey]

You mention pairing the Charge 2 with an iPhone.  Try turning iPhone [and any other devices the Charge 2 might be paired with]  Bluetooth off before trying to pair with your HP.  All my attempts to pair the Charge 2 with the computer failed as long as it was paired with my iPhone and the connection was active.  Apparently, they don't pay well together.  After turning off iPhone Bluetooth, I was able to pair with the computer, then turn the iPhone Bluetooth back on and both worked...most of the time.  Occasionally the Charge 2 will not sync with the computer app unless I shut off iPhone Bluetooth.  Most of the time they both work without conflict.  Also, and forgive me if this is too obvious, you need to be pairing with the computer via the Fitbit App downloaded  from the Windows Store.  Once I got paired with the computer, syncing on either of the devices updated both, and the stats on the Fitbit web site.

[R9363]

Have removed charge 2 from the other devices--was attempting to pair them to trouble shoot--No device is near and actually repair with daughter's phone to sync--she does not live nearby and this is only temp solution. I see others have been able to use dongle--but this was not part of package with Charge 2. As mentioned-have removed, added, turned off, hard boot of PC, updated drivers, etc--all to no avail

Have followed advice from web search and fitbit community and suggestions from fitbit.

Help

Ed

[dlynskey]

Not sure this will; help but I just paired my Charge 2 with my Windows 10 Laptop to which it had not been paired before.  I turned off Bluetooth on my iPhone an desktop, then downloaded and installed the Fitbit app onto the laptop from the Windows store. [There is another Fitbit app called "Fitbit Coach", I installed "Fitbit App"].  As soon as the app finished installing, it popped a message saying it was trying to pair with my Charge 2 [it was on and I was wearing it], then an error message, "Connect failed".  I left the app open and opened the Bluetooth settings on the computer and Bluetooth was on but Charge 2 was not in the list of available devices.  I clicked "+ Add Bluetooth or other device", then "Bluetooth" and, in a few seconds the Charge 2 showed up on the list of potential device.  I clicked it and after a bit, the connection failed, so I pressed the button on the Charge 2 to activate the screen and tried again.  It connected then...and then said "Paired" an appeared in the list of Bluetooth devices.  When I returned to the Fitbit App, clicked from the dashboard to the settings page [icon top right of page], clicked "Sync now" and saw "Looking for tracker", then it found it and sync'd.  I suspect the App was in a wait state since I had tried to connect and failed, so the computer was able to "see" the app and pair the device.  It may not work the same way for you, but it seems to need to be available in the list of devices on the computer's Bluetooth devices screen, then paired with/connected to the Fitbit App.  That's the best I can do.  Good luck.

3.0

[R9363]

Thank you for your response--Have the fitbit app not coach--also have tried approaching "pairing" from app as well as settings-etc  The fitbit is found in both of them--attempts to pair--never succeeds

ED

[Rich_Laue]

---

@dlynskey wrote:

You mention pairing the Charge 2 with an iPhone.  Try turning iPhone [and any other devices the Charge 2 might be paired with]  Bluetooth off before trying to pair with your HP.  All my attempts to pair the Charge 2 with the computer failed as long as it was paired with my iPhone and the connection was active.  Apparently, they don't play well together.

_---------- cut --------

Occasionally the Charge 2 will not sync with the computer app unless I shut off iPhone Bluetooth.  Most of the time they both work without conflict

---

Yes but it is not the faulf of Fitbit, but the way Bluetooth waorks.

A Bluetooth receiving device has only one door, if one device is currently using the door, a second device will not be able to make contact. This is why a typical Bluetooth speaker can not connect to your Phone ne and iPad at the same time @dlynskey

When I read the setup guide, I see no place where the user is first instructed to pair the tracker to a phone or PC. The user uses the Fitbit app or Fitbit connect to setup the tracker. This setup process will attach the Fitbit tracker to the users account, and if needed the Fitbit app will then pair the tracker to the phone.

Since Fitbit Connect will sync any Fitbit tracker it is able to communicate with and it does not matter who the user is, they might be simply a neighbor standing in front of your house. The PC Fitbit app version also has this option.

My thought is if your having problems with the PC and sync, would be to remove the tracker from the Bluetooth menu and do not try to pair the tracker but simply use the Fitbit software, as instructed, to set it up.

How do I set up my Fitbit device?

Set up and get started using your new device

[dlynskey]

I'm not sure what the point of this post was.  My Charge 2 [and my Aria scale] is paired with my W10 desktop computer, W10 Laptop and iPhone 6S+ and I can sync successfully to any of them, so I'm not having a problem.  I posted as many details as possible of my experience with trying to pair the devices and get them syncing as potential help for others.  I'm on my fifth Fitbit device and have been using them successfully for years.  If you do a web or community search, though, you will find thousands of users who have trouble pairing their Fitbit devices with their computers and getting them to sync reliably.  Some of this is undoubtedly due to user errors or misunderstandings, but I think much of it has to do with Fitbit's instructions, devices and help [or lack thereof].  Having connected multiple Fitbit devices to multiple computers, tablets and phones over the years, I have consistently found that the instructions and/or processes don't work as described and, when that happens, there is no clear path to a source of reliable resolution of the issue.  A review of web and community posts will quickly and abundantly support that what I'm saying is the experience of many, many, many Fitbit users and I think it is the responsibility of the Fitbit company to do something about that beyond letting so many customers go round and round in circles without getting their problem resolved.  The Fitbit landscape of devices + software is confusing to customers and, over time, seems to have gotten worse rather than better.  The net result of this for me is that when the time comes to replace my Charge 2, I will be looking for a platform other than Fitbit.

[R9363]

The msg before yours may have been in response to my difficulty with "pairing" charge 2 and HP with windows 10. Have attempted all suggestions-removed, added, turned on, turned off, etc. Realize it is not necessary fitbit problem, appears to be windows 10 and ver 4 bluetooth.problem,,but very frustrating.

Ed

[dlynskey]

Agreed, Ed, very frustrating.  One thing I forgot to mention is that when I was struggling with the first connection to my desktop computer, I got so frustrated that I uninstalled the Fitbit app, then reinstalled it.  It was after the reinstall of the app that it finally found the tracker, prompted me for a 4-digit code which was showing on the screen of the tracker, and connected after I entered the code.  Pairing with my phone and laptop never actually prompted me for a code.  On the laptop, I just went to the settings screen in the app and clicked "sync now" and it searched for and found the tracker, then sync'd.  Little consistency on how the process works from device to device is not helpful.

[Username345]

I agree with all the latest comments, the end result is that for some reason on some devices the fitbit won't sync. Regardless I don't think Fitbit will ever fix the problem because the model is getting old, they are still selling many fitbits, they just won't waste their time investigating this REAL issue. 

[R9363]

Have tried all solutions --no success. Have removed/reloaded/etc-updated drivers-removed wireless printers, etc  

"Ionic, Surge, blaze, Alta HR, Flex 2, Charge 2, Charge, Charge HR, One, Zip, Ulta, Force - GALAXY S8,

Take a look at the Fitbit help site for further assistance and information."

is as useful as IT help desk asking if it is turned on, is it plugged in, did you reboot, are you sure you have the rights to perform that task.etc

Extremely frustrated is an understatement-- From the amount of traffic here and on web--I would have hoped Microsoft/fitbit would have joined forces to provide a simple fix.

[AlvaroFitbit]

Hi everyone. Sorry to hear about your difficulties pairing your Charge 2 with your Windows 10 computer. In general this should work if the computer has an integrated bluetooth chip. Dongles may give issues but you can still try. There are suggestions in the help article but if they don't work I suggest you use a phone (maybe from a friend or relative) to setup your tracker and try to only sync from your computer. If you are still having issues all this then please let our Support team know so they can further assist you.

Let me know how it goes!

[RayLeury]

This is absolute nonsense. Use a friend's phone? I have many Bluetooth devices and the ONLY ONE that does not work with Windows 10 is the FitBit. Fix the issue instead of blaming others and deflecting the question!

[R9363]

AlvaroFitbit mentions to set up with phone and then snyc with PC--that is the problem--the fitbit does not pair with the windows 10 to sync. It is found and attempts to pair but always fails no matter how many times has been removed, turned off, reloaded, all other possible bluetooth items removed from PC and area so that they might not be found, and all the other steps mentioned.