Charge 3 resting heart rate not accurate

[yoshason]

I just got the Fitbit Charge 3 today. It is consistently showing my heart rate at 70-80 bpm when I am just sitting at my computer desk. Manually checking my bpm shows what I would expect 45-50 bpm (yes I know this is lower than normal for most people). I am wearing the band snuggly a 2 inches above my wrist and I've tried rebooting it.  Any suggestions to correct this 20+ bpm discrepancy? If it is this inaccurate there is no point in keeping it.

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[MarreFitbit]

Welcome on board @yoshason, it's nice to see you here! Thanks for already restarting your Charge 3, nice way to go!

Our heart-rate tracking technology, known as PurePulse, is specially designed to give you a more complete picture of your health and fitness. As with all heart-rate tracking technology, whether a chest strap or a wrist-based sensor, accuracy is affected by personal physiology, location of wear, and type of movement. 

For tips on wrist placement and how to wear your Fitbit device for best heart-rate tracking results, please see our help article: What impacts the accuracy of my heart-rate readings?

You can also try moving your device to your other wrist.

Heart rate tracking may not work with certain accessory bands, especially if they’re loose fitting. For best results, we recommend wearing a Fitbit-branded classic or sport band during exercise. For more information, see: What should I know about my heart rate data?

Hope this helps, I'll be around! 

[Heather-S]

I would try to restart your device.

I find the HR to be very accurate and haven't had any issues.  Sitting at my desk just doing regular work, my heart rate is around 60-64 which is normal for me.

[Sjr3]

I have the same issue with my charge3 ... I’ve had two other people use it and their resting heart rate is also about 20 points to high... this seems to be an issue with several people and needs to be addressed by Fitbit ... it certainly can’t be the device it being used or worn incorrectly by many people... 

[Robin007]

I have the same problem!

it's totally inaccurate.  Showed 101 (!!)  when I measured myself and it was 72.


Got my old fitbit charge hr on right wrist and showing a heart rate considerably more accurate than the new fitbit charge 3

what the heck????


you guys need to figure this out.  It's DEFINITELY not working properly

[Robin007]

I'm having the same issue.

it's higher by at least 30.

[Robin007]

It's definitely inaccurate.


By a LOT.


Fitbit needs to address this issue.  On this forum alone I'm finding too many people with the same problem.

[scassimjee]

Defnitelt over reads by about 20 beats when compared to garmin. 

[Didalee]

I agree mine is also completely inaccurate. The resting heart rate is 20 points higher than it should be and while exercising it does not keep up with the higher heart rate accurately. Very disappointed in this tracker. The charge 2 was much better.

[SMHerb]

I am manually measuring my resting heart rate to be 60 bpm and my Fitbit Charge 3 is showing 112 bpm. I have tried many different positions on both wrists. It was been snug enough to bruise my wrist. Doesn't seem like an effective product. 

[Photobuff]

Mine as worked OK till last week. Now it says anything from 67 to 120. It is not even recording sleep pattern because of it. I have a BPM and another finger pulse meter. They both say 53. This is what the Fitbit used to say.

Looking at the comments on here I may take it back to the shop and try to get my money back.

[TinaMarie73]

I have had a Fitbit charge 3 since Mother’s Day. My resting heart rate goes down to 54 to 55 sometimes and I know that’s below normal. Can the Fitbit be off some or is it accurate. I also know that it goes down to almost 50 at sleep is this normal or inaccurate? I just feel worried. Can you please help?

[Robin007]

First off:  a resting heart rate of 54/55 isn't necessarily "below normal" at all!  If you're in great shape, it can be that low!

Now:  whether the Fitbit Charge3 is being accurate....lol well that's another matter lol

How fit are you?  If you regularly work out/etc (lots of cardiovascular), then a resting heart rate that low is possible IMO

Do you ever compare your watch to your own HR measurements?  (finger to throat for 15 seconds; multiplied by 4)  Just curious...

[TinaMarie73]

I wouldn’t say that I’m in shape I do walk sometimes like 5 times a week the last few months and I weigh over 200 but I’m not a lazy person either on most days I’m always doing something. The lowest I have got was 59 beats per minute. 

Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone

[keengkong]

My results with the Fitbit Blaze showed a heart rate bearing little relation to my true heart rate.  I confess I've never worn a Charge 3.  

I get reasonably good results with my Apple Watch 3.

The best results come from chest strap monitors.  But I'm definitely not wearing them all day.  

[PeppermintTwist]

My Fitbit Charge 3, which I have only had for a few weeks now (and LOVE, love, love) seems to be very accurate regarding my resting heart rate.  When I check it by taking my resting heart rate manually, it matches what the Fitbit says.  As for the active heart rate (not sure if that is the right terminology, but I'm talking about non-resting heart rate, when I am walking around, etc.), I'm not sure about that, as I have nothing to compare it to.  I just took a walk around the grounds where I work, on my lunch break, and the Fitbit showed my heart rate getting up high in the peak zone during that, for a few minutes.  My resting heart rate is typically around 64 or 65 bpm, but during this walk, for example, it shot up as high as 156 for a minute or several.  Not sure if that is accurate and, if it is, not sure if I should be concerned.  It happens I'm going to a cardiologist for a routine check in a week or so, so I'm going to see what he says--haven't seen him in a few years and am supposed to go every two years because I have a weird electrical conduction thing (LBBB) going on with my heart--no symptoms/am totally fine, but we just need to keep an eye on it.  Eeenyhoo:  bottom line of my comment:  my Fitbit Charge 3 seems to be extremely accurate with resting heart rate.  Not sure about non-resting, but I think it is accurate on that, too.  I love it.

[PorkMarkets]

Really wish I'd seen this before wasting good money on a Charge 3.

I've tried all the suggestions in the FAQs and it still only intermittently records a heartrate, and when it does its usually 20bpm+ over where it should be, only sometimes does it accurately record and it fluctauates all over.

I've checked it myself, my resting rate is 48-52 and the fitbit records 72+. Obviously this makes it completely useless as a fitness tracker and it seems there are no fixes for this. 

I have somewhat hairy arms but surely a sportswatch should be designed to deal with some arm hair? Its not unusual!

I'll give it until the end of the week then its getting sent back. Not a happy customer so far

[FitLondonBoy]

I've worn a Fitbit and Garmin activity trackers for over two years now (Fitbit Charge 3; Inspire HR; Garmin Forerunner 245) and I have always noticed a consistent discrepancy of, among other things, my resting heart rate. 

To summarize, Fitbit will consistently give me a higher RHR than Garmin. The difference is approximately 6 to 10 bpm higher on Fitbit devices. I have kept a keen eye on this since RHR is an important variable in assessing one's own cardiovascular general fitness and have found this discrepancy to be applicable always. 

By means of example, today my Fitbit RHR was 66 bpm. In the last week, it has gone as high as 74 bpm. Garmin gave me a reading of 59 bpm this morning, with a weekly average of 60 bpm.