Charge 3 over counting steps

[Overcounting]

Can a moderator please assist? Will there be a fix for the over counting any time soon? I just bought my mum a Charge 3 and I decided to try it out, and it counts steps even when I am in bed watching TV. I would hate to return this as I think this would be great with the fix of this bug, as with this huge over counting doesn't serve its main purpose. I know there were some suggestions to set it to the dominant hand and wear it on the non dominant ... but that would still not mean accuracy just cheating the bug a bit so it counts less, but still not accurate. Please advise. Thank you

Moderator edit: subject for clarity

[Bijal]

Very true.

I was driving it counts 3500 steps

And I slept at 10:30 ( posting time because I slept before 12 and so the is not changed )and I woke up at 7 it was like 350 steps,  I was laughing at this. What the technology is this company using. Now I'm like why I purchased this band while I was happy with cheap amount belt but they were accurate. This is expensive band with no accuracy.

[Bijal]

Hahaha 

Same issue. 

Very true.

I was driving it counts 3500 steps

And I slept at 10:30 ( posting time because I slept before 12 and so the is not changed )and I woke up at 7 it was like 350 steps,  I was laughing at this. What the technology is this company using. Now I'm like why I purchased this band while I was happy with cheap amount belt but they were accurate. This is expensive band with no accuracy.

[Butterfly1956]

I got my Charge3 for Christmas and it counter over 1500 steps before I got out of bed this morning. Compared to my husband's Garmin and Android phone. I guess it is +30% compared to my phone count.

I have tried restarting etc.

Please help!

[Seagu77]

When we should expect firmware upgrade which will solve the issue? There are already numerous complaints about excess steps counted during periods of non-moving. 

[PittsburghDonna]

I am ready to return mine, if there is no software fix coming out soon.

[Seagu77]

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@PittsburghDonna wrote:
I am ready to return mine, if there is no software fix coming out soon.

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Oh, yes! I am not in USA, so my only option is to throw it away, but it looks like Fitbit team has LOT of other problems when Charge 3 does not work at all, or not sync, or not charge, or crashed after firmware update. I am afraid that completely wrong steps counting will be not their first priority. Such a disaster after more or less good products! What I am wondering is that there are some happy users saying it is ok. Do their trackers overcount steps less?? Do some of trackers work how they should?

[AMKex]

Have been a fitbit user for MANY years.   First appalled at the discontinuance of the One.  It was absolutely fantastic.   Now appalled at the Charge 3.  It over counts steps by at least 20%.  It is amazing how many steps I have walked in my car.

Plan to return the Charge 3 and go to a different way to track my activities.   Is really sad to see how poor this product is.  The syncing is also poor.

[AMKex]

Also, I have started telling anyone who asks about the Charge 3 to not purchase one.   That is probably the only way to get a real change.

[SunsetRunner]

I have the same problem with my new fitbit charge 3 which I just got as a Christmas gift. I wear it on my.non-dominant hand. I also have my previous simple pedometer still. 

My fitbit overcounts my steps by 2x to 4x. It is pretty accurate over some periods then records 3x or 4x steps a couple of hours later. I don't mind it counting 35 arm movements at night as steps. I don't mind some discrepancy in counting but when my simple pedometer shows 4400 steps today and my fitbit says 10,000, the fitbit is useless and I am ready to return it. 

When will Fitbit acknowledge this bug and provide users with a solution?

[Bijal]

Agree.

I have the same issue.

[Butterfly1956]

Hi there. Over the last two days my Fitbit seems to be recording more
accurately so I am happy. No pbvoius update that I have run so must be one
they have applied. 🦋

[SunsetRunner]

Strongly agree. I have had the Charge 3 for 6 days and the over counting is ridiculous and disappointing. It therefore impacts the accuracy of most of the other metrics such as distance, stairs, calories etc.

It's clear that the device is flawed. Note the official fitbit line is basically user error even though users of it know it is wrong. I got 7 steps from waving to a neighbour earlier - that can't be right.

I agree with the suggestions that it would make more sense to link to the phone's data which seems to be more accurate.

[Butterfly1956]

Hi I am back into the complaining group. The logging is so inaccurate it’s
ridiculous.

[PittsburghDonna]

It is ridiculous.

[SkyeShannon]

Hi 

I have tried all of your suggested and it hasn't worked. 

It doesn't count my steps accurately sometimes I can look at it walk probably 50 metres and it hasn't counted yet the phone in my back pocket counts them. 

Then when I get home it will count 18 or so steps before I get out of bed or when I'm in my wheelchair it will count steps. I'm an amputee with a prosthetic leg. 

It also counts steps when I'm sitting in a car or taxi or at work typing but doesn't as I said count accurately or near accurately when I'm walking 

[Heather30]

Like everyone else here, I am having trouble with my Fitbit overcounting my steps. I have also been disappointed with the Fitbit altogether. I was wondering if you were able to come up with any solutions to fix the problem yet and would appreciate tips. I was also wondering if I would be able to find more exercise tracking other than running and treadmill. Thank You!

[JuliaHelen]

Hey,  I had a similar problem with the over counting of steps compared to the HR Alto. I did what the fitbit bot said and restarted and started to wear my Charge 3 at least an inch away from my wrist down my arm and the sensitivity has gone down. I am counting the steps on par with how the HR Alto worked. It looks like you shouldn't have the fitbit tight around your wrist or too loose on your arm as it makes it over sensitive. Keep it tight in the position the fitbit instructions tell you to do and the over sensitive counting steps goes away. Hope this helps.

[CK_Loh]

I think the problem with overcounting is with wrist action. It has nothing to do with which hand or dormitory Or not. 

It basically records about 4K+ steps more than my AW3.(approx 11k to 13k on Apple Watch daily)

while im not working and having a rest day, it’s counting almost similar to the AW but the moment I’m working with all the movement, it’s so way way higher. 

I hope Fitbit solve this. I’m from Singapore, no way to return the product. Highly disappointed 

[Chada23a]

I have had the Charge 3 for about a week and have tried all the suggestions to get it to count accurately. When I first got the Charge 3 it gave me 300 steps for taking a shower, and I wasn't that dirty. Today i wore the Charge 3, and an Alta on the same wrist (non dominate). I also wore a Fitbit One clipped to my belt. I spent the first half of the day mostly at a desk with little activity. the Charge 3 had registered 1065 more steps than the Alta. The Alta had registered about 300 steps more than the Fitbit One. The difference between the Alta and the Fitbit one is understandable because of the wrist vs clip-on but the difference between the Charge 3 and the Alta needs to be explained by Fitbit. This evening I had to spend a lot of time on the treadmill to get 10K steps (or at least what Fitbit considers 10K steps). The discrepancies after walking around 4 thousand steps on the treadmill were not as significant as what I believe are false steps just from any movement. I am finishing the day with the Charge 3 at 10059, the Alta at 8549, and the Fitbit one at 7947. I really want to love the Charge 3 but unless Fitbit admits that there could be a problem and they can fix it I will be returning it to get the Garmin. I have several different bands for the Charge 3 showing up tomorrow that I will have to return as well. I guess I should have tried it out before I bought all the extra accessories 

[SunsetRunner]

Follow-up

I have returned my Fitbit Charge 3 and got my money back. I was sad to do so since I was liking the sleep monitoring and other features but the overcounting steps was too extreme. I would end a day of moderate activity and walking with 4500 steps on my simple pedometer and over 10,000 steps on the Fitbit. My wife loves her earlier model but the Charge 3 is clearly defective.

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@SunsetRunner wrote:

I have the same problem with my new fitbit charge 3 which I just got as a Christmas gift. I wear it on my.non-dominant hand. I also have my previous simple pedometer still. 

My fitbit overcounts my steps by 2x to 4x. It is pretty accurate over some periods then records 3x or 4x steps a couple of hours later. I don't mind it counting 35 arm movements at night as steps. I don't mind some discrepancy in counting but when my simple pedometer shows 4400 steps today and my fitbit says 10,000, the fitbit is useless and I am ready to return it. 

When will Fitbit acknowledge this bug and provide users with a solution?

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