Charge 2 won't sync time

[KylieV]

I'm having trouble getting my charge 2 to sync with another time zone I'm in. I have done the reset of the app and restarted the Fitbit itself. I have gone through the advanced settings and tried to manually select the right time zone/region and it still changed back to the pre-selected zone. I have also removed the device from the app and still have no luck. It's frustrating me because my Fitbit is off by 2 hours and I've been in a different time zone for over 48 hours already. Help!

[MarlenS]

Hey @KylieV, I'm excited to welcome you to the Community! 

Thank you for all the troubleshooting you've tried to fix the time zone issue. My recommendation is, if you use a mobile device to sync, to check if you have the automatic time zone enabled in the settings of the phone, if not, I suggest turning that option on so the Fitbit App can pick up the information from the Internet and set the time in an automatic way. Additionally, check if the automatic time zone is also set in your Fitbit App. I use my Iphone to do this and I'd like to attach some pictures to explain myself:

1. Go to the Settings in your phone and tap on General:

2. Select the Date & Time option and verify that the Automatic time is on:

3. Go to the Fitbit app and tap on Account, then scroll down and select Advance Settings, there you'll find the option to set the Automatic time:

I hope this helps and let me know if you have questions. 

[the4logans]

I had the same problem and your post was helpful, thanks.

[Sci72]

This is simply not working - if you log out and back into the app it resets to the incorrect timezone - how can this be? There is a major glitch in the software for this to be such an issue - fix please

[DilipK]

Nice to know that there are others with this issue. I bought a Charge 2 in Dec 2017 and had this issue along with a charging issue. Spent an inordinate amount of time chatting with the help desk and they decided to send me a replacement. Great, however when the replacement arrived it has the same problems. Have done everything that has to be done, set my smart phone settings to auto update date/time, removed the Fitbit app and reinstalled it etc etc with the Help desk folks on line and now they want me to return the replacement Charge 2 for yet another replacement. I am not impressed, so far this device is so far below my expectations that if the new replacement I get does not work, I will have a an expensive piece of junk on my hands that I can't even use as a door stop or boat anchor!!!

[DilipK]

Been there, done that and it does NOT WORK... Just a piece of junk with flawed software!!

[JDFL]

I've had issues with time as well. Charge 2 shows my time zone as Pacific, but I'm in Florida. This means I had to turn off automatic time set. Also, when I set an alarm for 6 am, it was changed to 9 am, the three hour time difference between California and Florida.

To get the alarm issue fixed, I had to uninstall the device (which also deleted the alarm). Reinstall and manually set the time zone, then sync. Turn the device off, then back on. Reset the alarm. Nothing to it! Can't wait for daylight savings, so I can do it all again.

[DilipK]

Thanks for the note. Isn’t it crazy that this bug exists!! I am waiting for a replacement as the support folks felt that it was a defective device when I was sure that it was a defective cable… then what do I know eh!!


Dilip Kembhavi

Moderator edit: personal info removed

[Matt1972]

I'm in the same position as a few others. 

I travelled to Spain last week. When I returned to UK my fitbit didn't return to GMT. I've tried with/without automatic time. Tried reloading app and also tried resetting time on phone settings. 

Help please!! 

[DMJUNK]

Same issue here.  I was in France at the weekend and my Charge 2 automatically changed to summer time when the clocks went forward.  The following day I returned to the UK but, 3 days later, I still cannot get it to change to UK time so my 'watch' is constantly an hour fast.  I've synced countless times (annoying in itself as it will only sync if I am watching it do so. 'all day sync' is obviously a thing of the past as it doesn't work).  I've turned 'automatic time zone' in the settings to on several times as it keeps switching this off but, despite it now saying it's on, the time does not agree with my phone (which IS set to auto and changed as soon as I hit UK soil).  I've stopped the app and restarted, I've unpaired and paired the device.  I've stopped and restarted Bluetooth.

I replaced a broken Charge HR with this a couple of months ago and so far am not impressed - I pretty much only use it as a watch and now that is useless too.

[tatiana.gaponov]

I had the same problem after returning from a trip. My clock felt one hour behind no matter what I tried to sync it up. I fixed it by manually choosing another time zone (one hour ahead of me) in the app, syncing up (after this the clock was one hour ahead of my time zone), turning on automatic time zone in the app and syncing up again. 

[DMJUNK]

Thanks - that worked.  I assume that, like 'all day sync', the 'automatic time zone/use network time' is another feature that no longer works and I will have do this every time I travel now.  Really regretting getting this device.

[PeterDoha]

I had the same issue when returning to the UK from Qatar...I'd add that it's always a good idea to make sure your IOS is up to date, because if it's not that'll stop the whole thing syncing and make sure you have more than 50% charge on the phone when you're doing it. Thanks. 

[HunterGreene]

Had this issue show up this morning, super frustrating.  So after finding this support article, I set the time zone one ahead of me, synced, and then reset the "automatic time zone," synced again, and it is now displaying the correct time.  For once, the internet was useful! 😄  Thanks guys!

[Katniss226]

Make sure you have your Location settings enabled for your phone to sync it. 

[Katniss226]

Do you have your Location settings enabled on your phone?

[tatiana.gaponov]

Sure, otherwise it won't be able to sync at all

[HunterGreene]

Yes, I have location settings enabled.  As I said in my post, I managed to find a way to compensate for this glitch.  Thank you for your suggestions!

[CCY]

I just ran into this problem and found these instructions....

My iPad's time zone is set automatically and is correct -- has been since I arrived in this time zone some 24 hours ago. The Fitbit App is also set to automatic time zone, but it retained the time zone I was in earlier. [I successfully synched the Charge 2 with the App multiple times. Number of steps and miles etc are uploaded. However, my Charge 2 still has the old time zone because that is what the App has.] Turning off App's "Set Automatically" and turning it back on fixed its time zone value, which then propagated to Charge 2. 

[Fran12]

Hi My Charger 2 will not sync the time?  It was working perfectly until I went to recharge it yesterday and for some reason it is 2 hours ahead and will not sync back to the correct time?  I have checked automatic time setting etc and they are all activated in Setting and in the fitbit?  any ideas? thanks