Charge 3 display won't turn on

[MFH7575]

Hi my new charge 3 is blank and when I charge it and try to restart it using the side button it just vibrates with a blank screen.

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[Eightbolz]

Hi,

I've just experienced a similar problem today. My fitbit charge 3 is barely a month old. The screen just went blank but the device is able to sync with my phone. I have also tried restarting it, no luck. Please help.

[CarlyOLoughlin]

My fiancé just bought a Charge 3 today and before he could even put it on his wrist this started. 
We've tried rebooting
We've tried changing the clock face

Fitbit said it's under warranty (purchased it less than 4 hours before this all started) and said they could ship us a new one. But of course it's the holidays so travel wise that won't work.

Looks like I'll be headed back to REI in the AM to exchange it. 

[MGale425]

Well. Joining the ranks of everyone else on here. Screen went blank. Still vibrates, could even reset it (it vibrates after an 8 sec hold)... charged it for 4 hours... synced it. It’s even counting my steps in my app. But the screen is blank. Sigh. Heading on vacation In 2 days. No chance of it getting replaced in time. 

FitBit - hope you’re paying attention and realize this is clearly an issue. 

[Isa11ledezma]

Same thing happened to me. One second my watch was good and then the other it just went blank. My Fitbit still vibrates and gets the messages but the screen is not turning on;it’s been like this for 2 days. I’m out of the country and my guarantee is done. Hope Fitbit realizes this is a big problem and would give me a good solution. 

[GeorgieTerry]

The same happened to me yesterday, still vibrates but the screen is not working, even when on charge the battery icon does not appear! 

[Louise94]

I also got a completely blank screen only vibrating when i push the button.
It doesn't work to charge it and it won't allow me to restart... 
And now I don't have any other ideas for getting it to work..

[AlfredHK]

I experienced similar smile face. Screen black out after about a month of use . Could vibrate and Synchronized. i pressed and held the side button before plugging the charging cable. Smile face came out then. I removed the cable. The display came back again.

A little tricky to press the side button with the charging cable clip. Press on the clip at the right position. The side button is not a real external button. Bring your microscope to look at it. I think it is an internal button (for water proof). Press the housing causing a little deformation and the internal button will be pressed. It is difficult to master the skill to press and hold the button. Every time I press it, no matter how hard I tried,  I can feel 3 pulse of vibrations. It is difficult to know whether I hold the button correctly without losing until I press through the charging clip. I feel only 2 pulses of vibrations. Keep pressing on the clip and plug in the charging cable. You will get a smile face and display black.

[MGale425]

That worked!!! Thanks!

Really simple. Placed it in the charger, pushed the button through the side of the charger and held it until the smiley showed up. Screen is back on.

[Jim-Mike]

I found that resetting the clock face via the app woke my display when it was in the dead state.

[AlejandraFitbit]

Hello all, I hope you are doing fine.

I appreciate all the efforts in trying to fix this issue and all the feedback provided. If you are having problems waking up your trackers, I recommend restarting them. If this process doesn't work, perform a long restart:

• Plug the device into the charging cable.
• While the device is plugged into the charging cable, hold the button down for 15 seconds.
• Remove your finger from button. Note: Device won't have a smiley face icon and should be off with a black screen.
• Remove the device from the charging cable.
• Plug the device into the charging cable again.
• The smiley face icon appears on the screen.

If these tips don't work, you can also change the clock face, this is a process that has worked for some of you.

Let me know the outcome. 

[SunsetRunner]

I have my Charge 3 special ed.for 1 month, and this morning It wouldn't turn on.. No display at all.

I tried charging it for 2 hr. the green light is flashing on the back of the Charge 3  but still no display..   I payed 169. 00 for the special edition, 

[Jim-Mike]

Try resetting the device when plugged in, or changing the clock face via
the app.

[bummedagain]

Help! I just charged my Fitbit Charge 3 SE 2 days ago and I just noticed that the screen won't light up or give any information. When I try to "re-set" it by pressing on the side of the face, it just vibrates. I've plugged it in to try to charge it...nothing. I don't get any vibration indicating that it has been plugged in to recharge. Nothing. I just ordered this and received it on November 15th, 2018. What would you suggest?

I am SO disappointed. Has anyone had any response from tech support about this? What is the remedy!? Thanks.

UPDATE!! After contacting the Fitbit Support they gave instructions for doing an update. I did that and on the second try my Fitbit is working again! Below is the post with instructions. Give it a try and Thanks Fitbit community & Tech support!

we were able to confirm that your Fitbit Charge 3 has anUpdate pending, and this might be the reason is not turning on or working as it has to. Therefore, we would like you to please try to update your Charge 3, but first, try to restart your device one more time using the steps on their Help page on "How do I restart my Fitbit" and then try to update it.

If still not updating, follow the instruction below:

* Turn Off the Bluetooth for 10 seconds and then Turn it back On.
* Then, reboot your mobile phone.
* Finally, open the Fitbit App and click the ID card icon that is on the top right corner and then hit on Charge 3 and hit "Update available" and try to update it one more time. 

Please, keep us updated it about the behavior of your Charge 3, since your satisfaction is our main goal and we're working everyday to improve our customer service and our products as well to give to our customers the best as we can.

Don't hesitate to contact us again if you have any other question or issue, and of course we'll be more than happy to assist you once again.

Sincerely,

Allyson F. and the Fitbit Team

[Jim-Mike]

You can reset the device by pressing and holding the side button for 8
seconds while it is attached to the charge cord, or you can try changing
the watch face from the app.

[SunsetRunner]

Thank you sooo much,I change the face on my charge 3 and it worked. Thanks again you made my day

Sent from my iPhone

[Jim-Mike]

Glad I could help! I was in the same position myself, so I know how
frustrating it is. The work around to change the clock face is a hack fix,
but hopefully Fitbit will make a significant effort to resolve the
underlying issue. It is the only blemish on my experience with the charge
3. Other than this issue, it has worked really well for me!

[SunsetRunner]

Well thanks again so glad you was there.

Sent from my iPhone

[Thanasi]

Had the same problem just before my fitness session, noticed that there was an update available and proceeded to do so and the the dark screen immediately showed the download timeline on it, then once download was complete the Fitbit Charge 3 went back to normal.

All good i hope this helps anyone with the same issue.

[Haggis23]

I think the recent update puts things right.

[SunsetRunner]

Thank you so much. I got the download

Sent from my iPhone