Charge 3 is dropping Bluetooth connection

[Jaelkay]

Purchased this Charge 3 a few weeks ago. Initially all was working well but now I find I have to reset the Charge 3 5 or 6 times a day because it drops bluetooth connection with my iPhone.

I have tried ALL the suggestions in the forum to get this working, but to no avail

This is obviously a widespread problem yet nothing has yet been done to rectify the situation.

Very, very disappointed with FitBit's response to this particular problem.

[MarreFitbit]

Welcome to the Fitbit Community @Jaelkay! Thanks so much for all the steps you've tried in order to solve the Bluetooth connectivity issues. Nice way to go! 

In order to solve this, please go to the Bluetooth settings on your phone and remove the tracker. In the list of Bluetooth devices you'll see the Charge 3 and next to it, this symbol "!". Hit the symbol and it will take you to the next step, once you're there select the option that says "Forget this device" or "Unpair".

Once you've made sure about that, go back to the Fitbit app, go to the "Account" option in the upper right corner and select "Set up a Device". This should start the setup process for your device. 

If you continue to have syncing or pairing difficulties, see: Why won't my Fitbit device sync? or Why can't I set up my Fitbit device?

Hope that helps, keep me posted! 

[Jaelkay]

Hi there

As I stated in my original post, I have done all this, and more, to try to get the FitBit Charge 3 to stay connected to BlueTooth

I did as you suggested (again) and all was good for a few hours. Later in the day and again yesterday, I had to put my FitBit Charge 3 into the power charger and reboot the thing to get it to connect.

This is a systemic problem and not isolated to one or two people on an occasional basis. It is a right, royal, pain in the arse.

Would appreciate your boffins taking this issue seriously and doing something about rectifying the problem.

Regards

John

[MarreFitbit]

Hi @Jaelkay! Thanks for getting back and for following the recommendations provided. 

Since this sounds a bit more serious, I've created a Support Case on your behalf - you should soon receive an email from Customer Support at the email you used to register with the Community forums. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to let me know. 

[hikergal100]

Ive tried the solutions given by Fitbit - didn't work, and now my phone won't recognize my fitbit at all.  

[Jaelkay]

Hello Hikergal100 - I can't tell you what the problem is. I have had to re-do all the above once to get connected again. Today (so far) is the first day I've not had to go through the process of reconnecting. There is something definitely wrong with FitBit's implementation of Bluetooth connectivity.

Edit: Thank you. I appreciate your escalating this.

Hello Hikergal100 - I can't tell you what the problem is. I have had to re-do all the above once to get connected again. Today (so far) is the first day I've not had to go through the process of reconnecting. There is something definitely wrong with FitBit's implementation of Bluetooth connectivity.

[KevinA89]

I'm having the same problems, the first day I tracked a bike ride and it worked great, now it wont connect when  I try to track a ride. I tried all the steps recommended here 

[MarreFitbit]

Hi there @KevinA89  and @Jaelkay! Sorry to hear about the syncing difficulties you've been experiencing with your Charge 3 lately.

I've seen that you both got in touch with our Support Team. If the issue is still going on after the steps they provided to you, please feel free to reply back to your open case. They will be more than glad to further assist. 

Welcome to the Community Forums @hikergal100! Thanks for following the suggestions given by Fitbit. Can you please let me know if you tried removing your Charge 3 from the phone's Bluetooth settings as I've advised here? 

Looking forward to your response.

[obdwlx]

Hi there,

it seems I have this problem too. The charge 3 easily connects with windows 10 PC including all info readable. Connecting with my iPhone 6 worked for 2 days and pairing with bluetooth is impossible. The iPhone doesn't see the charge 3 at all.

So help me out, please.

Frans

[MarreFitbit]

Welcome to the Fitbit Community @obdwlx! I'd recommend to follow the troubleshooting steps I've provided here. Also, please make sure that the Fitbit app is updated to the latest version (2.91). 

If your phone is managing multiple Bluetooth connections simultaneously:

• Your Fitbit device might stop syncing or stop receiving notifications.
• You can experience interruptions with any consistently streaming Bluetooth connection such as headsets, car kits, stereo audio, tethering, and file transfers.

These interruptions are typically caused by operating system and Bluetooth limitations. It's also possible that an app on your phone is causing the issue.

Give this a go and let me know if the steps work. I'll be around! 

[hikergal100]

Not sure what the solution is.  I have had to turn off my phone completely and that often solves the problem, but I can't get text messages or phone calls on my Charge 3 at all.  I looked at the instructions to sync the pone and the Charge 3 and followed them, and things worked for a few days - then it started to deteriorate.  I'm about to return the Charge 3 and get an Apple watch.  Tired of this!

[obdwlx]

Hi Marre,
For now it works. How come?

I went into town. So not in immediate surrounding of PC. Trying (during
waiting at the dentist) to connect: and yes. It seems that connectivity is
prevailed by PC and blocks my iPhone when they are in the same room.

At the moment as well PC as iPhone shows and updates the dashboard. But
when problems occur, I will contact you again.

Still have other problems:
1. screentime just 3 seconds. Way too less for me (bad eyes and during
sportactivities screen is out before I really see what the information on
the screen is). Functionalitiy on the charge 3 to create longer screentime
is not visible.

2. How to get the notifications of what's app?? or received e-mail??? I
can't find these in the very short and succinct manual.

3. Setting up and switching of location is still strange. Yesterday I was
a. in the netherlands, in Israel????? and last in Portugal (strange place).
at the moment it shows the right place, but I'm a little bit worried when
changing place to the Netherlands again. But I'll give it some try-outs.

So I hope, that for a part it will be "the novelty of a new device" and
other issues will be easily solved by using additional directions.

Heej, thanks a lot and kind regards

Moderator edit: removed personal information

[Dunt]

Oh **ahem**, just bought 2 Charge 3's into our household, both have syncing issues with Android phones. Seeing how long these issues have been around and how wide spread it is, I think we're going to use the retailers 50-days "no questions asked" return-policy. These "work-arounds" aren't a real fix for the issue, yet all these threads seem to have the same copy-pasted steps accepted as solution lol. These same issues have been reported already in 2016 on the Charge HR forums. Are they using the same faulty code? Why hasn't this been fixed? It obviously isn't hardware or OS related, unless it's the Fitbit's...

[MarreFitbit]

Hello there @hikergal100  and @Dunt! Thank you for the thorough feedback for the Fitbit customer service and devices. Fitbit has been designed to provide motivation and help you to reach your daily goals to success. Please know that we provide feedback to our team based on community posts and we are always working on improving our devices and overall environment based on that feedback.

I was wondering if the mobile device you're syncing with is included in our list of supported devices? You can see the list at: Which phones and tablets can I use with my Fitbit watch or tracker?

If your phone is supported, I'd recommend following the troubleshooting steps provided in the help article Why won't my Fitbit device sync?

Please let me know the following:

• Is your Fitbit app updated to version 2.91?
• Your phone's OS?
• What's the model of your mobile phone?

Hey @obdwlx! 

1. I was making some research and was able to find this asking for the same:

• Longer Screen Time for Charge 3

Please cast a vote for the idea and leave a comment to show support for them. 

For anything else you would like to see implemented in the future, consider visiting our Feature Suggestions board. This is a space where Community users can post features, ideas, and suggestions that they'd like to see in future Fitbit products, accessories, and software and top-voted suggestions get relayed to our product team for review. 

2. To receive WhatsApp or email notifications, see My Fitbit device isn't receiving notifications from my phone.

3. If you're traveling between time zones, I'd recommend to check What should I know about traveling with my Fitbit?

I'll be around, let me know if you need further assistance.

[MykeyWill]

Hello I am having the same issue as the other users in this thread.

My bluetooth connectivity keeps dropping off. then I have to reset my fitbit charge 3 and go through the process through my phone of forgetting the device and reconnecting and checking that notifications etc are allowed on both the iphone 6s and the fitbit app etc.

None of these steps seem to provide a consistent result of me being able to see notifications on my fitbit charge 3.

What else can be done to help?

Regards,

[Cherita52]

My fitbit charge 3 replacement is behaving exactly like my original.  Constantly dropping the Bluetooth connection.  It is not an iphone issue as my FitBit Flex 2 works flawlessly.  Very frustrated with this device and that FitBit support is determined to say it is an issue on my side when it clearly isn't.

[CMD536]

I am fed up having to do this. 

I repeated the process several times yesterday & again today

May I return my Charge 3 for a Refund?

[hikergal100]

I agree - this Charge 3 has been a real pain. It’s always dropping the Bluetooth and it has almost never notified me of text and phone messages.  About to give it up for an Apple Watch. It’s not the phone, it’s the Fitbit!

[CMD536]

Exactly. I am going to try & return under my Retailers guarantee.

Fitbit are at fault.

Sent from my iPhone

[CMD536]

I keep doing that & the problem is not resolved. Happens daily. 
Infuriating.