Charge 3 Firmware Release - 1.88.11

[KateFitbit]

8/14 Update: We are continuing to roll out the firmware update for Charge 3 and expect more users will see it as available. This is a progressive rollout, and all customers can expect to have it within a few weeks. We roll out releases in phases as a cautionary measure so that we can monitor performance closely and make adjustments if needed. If you don't see the option to update, don't worry - you'll have it soon! 

Please use this thread to share your experience updating the firmware once it's received. If you have a different inquiry, please post in a thread with a similar topic or create a new post. 

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7/23 Update: the firmware update has only rolled out to a small percentage of users, and will roll out further next week. It should be rolling out to everyone soon. Thanks for your patience and interest, we look forward to hearing your feedback on the new firmware. 

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We've begun releasing new firmware (1.88.11) for Charge 3 to customers. This is a progressive rollout which means everyone will receive it at different stages until it has been completely released to all users. We roll out releases in phases as a cautionary measure so that we can monitor performance closely and make adjustments if needed. 

*Firmware releases are not distributed based on region or location and can reach anyone no matter where you reside. We do not recommend performing a factory reset to force the update to your device as your data will be lost and you may not get the update. Please be patient and wait until you see the update banner inside of the Fitbit app to begin the firmware download.

WHAT’S NEW

Please click here for firmware notes. 

HOW DO I UPDATE?

Step by step instructions for updating your Charge 3 can be found here.

If you run into any trouble updating your Charge 3, please review these troubleshooting tips. 

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR CHARGE 3 FIRMWARE UPDATE: ALARMS CLEARED

We moved where you set alarms from the Fitbit app to your wrist! After you update, any alarms set will be cleared and need to set up again on the device. 

To make sure you don't miss an important alarm, open the Alarms app on Charge 3 and tap *+ Set up a new alarm*. Tap the checkmark to save and make sure it’s set.

[WaywardSon]

Also, I did a deep reset and changed clock faces after the update and that did not fix the display.

I'm thinking that if you've done those steps & it didn't work, it's a hardware problem and not the software.

[robman501a]

Yeah, same here. It keeps showing an X and the app keeps looping the update process over and over, fails at every attempt.

[liams085]

Update completed also. Took about 2 hours though from start to finish

[Decoherence]

Well it arrived here. Not sure how long it took to install as I just left my phone and Charge 3 together to get on with it, but all ran smoothly. First sync restored stats to the device. Had to fiddle a bit to get the Agenda app set the way I wanted (I have complex sets of calendars), but after that all good. If anything it seems to sync more easily than previously (often I'd have to refresh twice, with the first being met with "no device found", which I've not had so far since the update). And so far all sensors working normally, no visual glitches, etc. 

On the update itself, if I used the device as a watch some of the new faces would be nice, but I have real watches for that so have reverted to "stats heavy" (I do prefer numbers to progress bars, which feature in some of the new faces). Some nice little touches, such as time in the stats view, and sleep showing a progress bar as well as the sleep score (I think that's new anyway, I mainly look at this on the app) - I'd probably prefer just the time, as I don't find the sleep score very interesting, but the bar at least gives some indication so it's better than just the score. The agenda seems about as good as you can manage on a screen like this, and on the controversial change I personally found alarm setting on the device very simple to do, happy with that. Not played with DND or sleep settings yet, but nice to have, and having a restart option in the settings is also appreciated (obviously won't help if you need to restart because the device becomes unresponsive, as my previous one sometimes did, so something like "hold the button for 10 seconds" might have been better, but it's better than always having to find a charging cable before you can reboot).

So for me it's an improvement overall, and relatively painless. Obviously there are a few things I'd have done differently, but that's true of any device. But just wanted to let people know that it does work for some of us (probably more than it seems from here, since people with problems are more likely to post than people who don't).

[DaveyReyn]

Finally was one of the privileged chosen ones to receive the update. If the phone screen turns off it seems to not complete the update & start over several times with the progress bar. After about 20-30 minutes I set my phone screen time out to the max setting off 10 minutes & kept my phone next to me with the band making sure the screen didn't turn off. It then progressed & installed. So far no issues that I can see. Setting alarms is not as difficult as I anticipated, you can still set multiple alarms that repeat, pretty intuitive & not too challenging once you figure it out. I can see people with vision issues perhaps struggling on the small screen, but the font is pretty big. Screen timeout settings is definitely an improvement. I think the max timeout is 9 seconds, so for any medical professionals thinking they can use a clock face with seconds on it & check someone's pulse should know it's longer but not that long. It's good for checking time & being able to read a longer text without the screen turning off too fast. A few decent new clock faces. Looking forward to trying smart wake on my morning alarm. Agenda app is also useful.

[Harry.m]

Why haven’t I got the update yet?

[WaywardSon]

My gripe about moving alarm management to be only on the device has to do with what happens when the device screen gets goobered up & you can't read anything small on it.

Mine was like that for a whil before the upgrade, but as I could read the bigger things enough to use it and could do things in the app, I hadn't called about replacing it.

Once the new firmware installed, I simply could not read it well enough to even find the alarms to set anything. I was forced to contact them for a replacement. Since it was still under warranty this wasn't a big deal, but once it's out of warranty, if the screen does this again, all alarm management functionality will be lost to me unless I buy a new one.

If they left it on the app as well as added it to the device, that would have allowed us to use it either way, as needed.

[squiter]

There is no way to set alarms by the app anymore?

That an aweful idea, the interface of the wrist is not better than the app... it's a lot complicated to see all my alarms in the wrist and know if I need to set another one or not. Why remove a good feature, why not just add the possibility to add new alarms from the wrist keeping the feature in the app??

I'm very disapointed with this decision 😕

[Blues2go]

 

FINALLY , FINALLY it came good - check out the two happy snaps - BELOW  calorie counting on waking just over 600 and ABOVE  finally a sleep score 90 and analysis - YOU can see clearly for FRI SAT SUN MON after the update there was a PROBLEM following the update - only thing not working these days in sleep analysis is the Sleeping Heart Rate chart in Restoration BUT that had failed prior the UPDATE - 

 

[audreykifer]

I just got mine 5 minutes ago it’s currently updating 

[dadsafrantic]

nothing here yet.

[AhmadB1]

Aight – one day after the update, and using the new firmware.

New clock faces – very nice. Moving the alarm to the device is not a problem for me, I actually love it. But I understand that it might be challenging for a lot duo to the smaller screen. I do not understand why Fitbit didn’t keep it on the app too, it wasn’t hurting anyone 😊. Love the smart wake feature and the agenda app. I couldn’t notice any change to screen brightness as some other users indicated.

Overall the new version is great and I really like it ... but Fitbit should really work more on how they release their updates. It took me forever to receive it, and many others still don’t have it. There should be a better way of rolling out firmware updates.

[psjcal]

I have attempted to update x2.  In between 1st & 2nd attempt I did a reset. Both times it immediately found charge 3, started the d/l & both times after about 50-60% completion restarted the process. The 1st time during the 2nd restart received the error message "NOT WORKING?" The 2nd attempt there were 4, FOUR restarts before the message "NOT WORKING?" Of course I DID keep phone & tracker close together, b/t WAS enabled, internet connection WAS active & battery WAS charged (98% 1st attempt & 96% the 2nd). I am frustrated & have wasted almost 2 hours attempting install the firmware update with no success.

[tiuri]

Completed the update, seemingly successfully, but when trying to access the clock faces and the apps in the app on the phone it claims that there's no internet connection (when it is definitely connected to the Internet). Hope this resolves itself automatically

[antigoneX]

I have tried to update my Charge 3 since 7 this morning (over five hours).  The watch has completely stopped working, records nothing, I cannot change the screen or access any information on it; I am trying to update via the phone, I keep being told the watch is not connected (it is) that the battery is low (it isn't) and then than an error has occurred.  The lack of support is very frustrating - no email support, no online chat (or, if there is it is very cunningly concealed). 

The moderator asked for feedback; can you let us know when this update works?  Right now I feel like throwing the watch in a bin and never buying a fitbit again.

[Macsquirrel]

I've updated the firmware on my Charge 3. Now the app doesn't recognize the watch. Folliwed the advice you gave to a similar complaint to unlink Bluetooth. Now Bluetooth doesn't recognize the watch at all!!! What's going on??? How do I get my watch synched with the app?

Thus is reaaaally frustrating.

[Macsquirrel]

OK, have now found the fix to the lack of Bluetooth link; reboot my watch THREE times and reinstall the app once. Then everything started to talk to each other. What a palaver!

[Macsquirrel]

I had that problem and ended up rebooting my watch three times before Bluetooth was able to find it and synch.

[artisticwolff]

Why on earth would Fitbit remove a completely functional Silent Alarm option from the app? Many of us users have multiple alarms which was much easier to setup in the app than on the device. Who wants to try to set an alarm on a tiny screen, let alone multiples and some that repeat. Very disappointed in Fitbit's decision to do this as many other users are. We are counting on Fitbit to fix this fast and add this functionality back into the app. Seriously, who thought removing this was a good idea?!

[SunsetRunner]

Just to share my experience: mine took way more than an hour to update. Screen went black a couple of times (the app still said "updating"), but came back with the progress bar moving. 

Working smoothly so far! Can't wait to try Smart Wake.