Charge 3 screen is dim

[swood28]

I have noticed over the past few months and and specifically after this last update that the screen has been dimming on the Charge 3!! I have done everything has been mentioned to others about helping to restore the screen by draining the battery, holding down the specific buttons for the correct amount of time to reset, and making sure all settings are right in my phone!! I have medical issues an truly depend on my Fitbit to remind me to take my meds and to know when to get to appointments!!! This seems to truly be a problem for many people using this type of Fitbit!! What is the best solution to the problem??? 

Moderator edit: subject for clarity

[ucalagon]

Hi Swood28, I'm in same situation as you, 2 hospitalisations this year meant my Charge 3 has gone flat twice. Now recharged, the screen is invisible! A few ghostly shapes can be seen in a blacked out room. 

Losing faith in Fitbit after buying Versa 3 for lovely wife and Aria 3 for me!!  HELP HELP...

David W

[WilsonFitbit]

Hello @swood28, @ucalagon. Welcome to the community forums. 

Thank you very much for the detailed information and for your help in trying to resolve these inconveniences and for taking the time to provide your feedback. Please note that any feedback posted in the forums is always welcome as it helps to improve our products, services and overall environment.

@swood28 I am sorry for the experience. I was able to see that you reached out to our Support Team and they have provided information and assistance. If you still have additional questions or inquiries, I recommend replying back to them and they will be more than glad to continue assisting you. 

@ucalagon I appreciate your patience and I'd like to let you know that if you've followed the suggestions in this thread and the issue has persisted, my best recommendation is that you please contact our Support Team for further assistance. Note that you can contact them through chat or over the phone, but phone wait times have been longer than normal. You can click here to get connected. 

[swood28]

Hi David,

I honestly think the dimming screen has just to do with the Charge 3 and their updates. Every time there is one it gets harder to see. It’s their way of getting rid of the Charge 3 watches for some reason and making us all buy new ones. For me they checked my warranty, since it wasn’t under warranty anymore they sent me a 35% off a new watch. But my other family members have Fitbit watches and they are still working so that’s why I think it’s the Charge 3. 

The best I can say is be happy that you already got rid of the Charge 3, make sure all your settings on your new devices are correct and just enjoy time with your wife!!

Swood28

[WilsonFitbit]

@swood28 Thank you for your reply. 

I understand how you are feeling and I appreciate the feedback provided. At this time, I'd like to let you know that we're not sure about what exactly could have caused this matter and normal wear and tear from everyday wear is expected. 

In addition, replacement devices are provided for products within the warranty period. If your original Charge 3 is no longer under warranty a discount could be an available option but some conditions and requirements should be met. For more information about our warranty policy, I recommend visiting the following link: https://www.fitbit.com/global/us/legal/returns-and-warranty.

[Annemarie10]

hi

i have the same problem I can hardly see data on face although it is stored on my iPhone. This is a replacement charge 3 sent directly from Fitbit as previous charge 3 would not charge and plug was overheating. So fustrated 

Moderator Edit: Formatting

[WilsonFitbit]

Hello @Annemarie10. Welcome to the community forums. 

I'm sorry for the experience and thank you for the detailed information and for the steps you've followed prior to posting. As mentioned on a post above, if you've followed the suggestions in this thread and the issue has persisted, my best recommendation is that you please contact our Support Team for further assistance. Note that you can contact them through chat or over the phone, but phone wait times have been longer than normal. You can click here to get connected. 

See you around. 

[TriedEverything]

I've had the same issues with the brightness on my fitbit Charge 3 failing.  I've tried all the things you suggested in your thread and eventually contacted the Support Team through chat.  In the end, the representative said he would send me an email containing options available to me based upon the warranty.  He was also going to provide articles or PDF's detailing other things I may want to try.  It has been a couple weeks and I have not received anything.  I've had the fitbit a little over a year and a half.  I certainly did not expect it to fail in that short of a time. 

[AndreaFitbit]

Welcome to the Fitbit Community, @TriedEverything. Thank you for letting us know that you contacted our team and that you were going to get an email with your warranty options. 

I would suggest contacting our team again, so they can send you the information they promised.

Keep on visiting the forums. 

[Annemarie10]

Hi
Can someone please help me with this. After returning my charge 3 for problem with heating charger and Fitbit not charging. I was sent this new charge 3 with new charger but only weeks after having it the screen is so dim I can’t see anything. Data is showing up on my iPhone but not actual Fitbit. I have tried all the restart stuff still no joy. Can anyone please help

Anne Marie

Sent from my iPhone

[swood28]

Hi,

I still believe it has to do with the charge 3 itself and the last update few updates the have done on it. Not sure they really want to keep the Charge 3 around so it’s there way of getting rid of it since they have two other models now. 

[StellaNordica]

Have you had any luck yet? It has happened to my charge 3 all the time after an update. Easiest way to get it back to normal for me is go to settings on the tracker (once on the display you have to swipe four times), click on "settings" (should be the only one in the upper half of the display), the first option is "light" (or whatever it is in English, mine is set to a different language), click on it until you get "normal". There are three settings "normal", "automatic" and "dimmed". "Dimmed" is the default setting after an update.

Hope this helps you and everyone in this thread.

[AndreaFitbit]

Thanks for getting back to us @Annemarie10, @swood28 and @StellaNordica. 

@Annemarie10, you can try @StellaNordica's advise. 

Thank you for your comments and advise @swood28 and @StellaNordica.

Keep on visiting the forums. 

[Ank1950]

Thank you! It's working now! This was very helpful!

[AndreaFitbit]

Welcome to the Fitbit Community, @Ank1950.

I'm glad to hear that your Charge 3 is working now. 

I'd like to invite you to visit our Discussions board where you can share your experiences, meet people and create new topics.

[Aliceunder]

My husband & I have Charge 3 Fitbits given us Christmas 2020, & both of them are now so dim we have to go into a dark closet to see them at all! I am very familiar with settings & restarts, have tried all the options, & have never worn my device in water. I realize Fitbit would prefer we upgraded but honestly this seems either unusually shoddy quality or planned obsolescence. It's a pity because the app itself is good & we both enjoyed our Fitbits very much when we could see them!

[hey-rei-rei]

Same situation here. My Charge 3 screen has noticeably gotten dimmer (certain lines are much harder to read), and by last week there was no way I could see the display outside. The green light on the backs works, and it still syncs with my phone app, however. Finally on the weekend, it went all black, and no trick (changing clock faces, long restarts tec.) has brought it back to life. Suddenly, today, I was able to see the screen out of nowhere. A few minutes later, I flicked my wrist to see the screen. Nothing. So i pressed the side buttons. Then it turned into a screen possessed, with flickering, the time in big letters, black on white writing etc. After a few seconds of this, it died again. So I think it is dead? I just want to confirm that I should be burying this in the Fitbit graveyard along with my other devices that have kicked the bucket within 2 years.