Charge 3 step accuracy

[Rosiekia]

My new Charge 3 is adding on 1000’s of steps i haven’t done. Is there anyway I can sort this out?

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[gmacwan]

Hey.. thanks for your reply.. could you help me out by directing me hoe yo get my fc3 changed? I really do hope this is a software bug that can be changed.

[Imtheonlycosta1]

I just called the Fitbit helpline. The number is on the app. I told them the problem and now they're sending me a new one. It should arrive by the end of the week. To be fair, they were very helpful. It sounds like this is a common problem that they are trying to solve-whether they can or not is another question. Hopefully the new one works properly. I know that this is not a problem with all wrist trackers, because I was talking with my friend who has a Garmin wrist tracker, and the step counter on that is very accurate.

[MikeSalter]

Not sure if  you've been able to resolve the issue yet, but I'm having the same issue as well. I ended up installing the "Drivebit" app from the google playstore. It seems simple enough. Press start on the app and it basically logs the amount of time spent driving untip you press stop. Your tracker will still count steps while driving. Once you press stop on Drivebit app the log will be submitted and your steps will be set back to the count you had before you started driving. This however does not seem to solve my problem most days as I always forget to press start button on the homescreen widget 😅. Hope this helps 

[Rosiekia]

Thank you. I will give it a try. I am so disappointed with the new Charge 3!

Sent from my iPhone

[Devorah]

Hi, Could you please tell me the Garmin model your friend has? I’m on my 2nd Charge  3 within two weeks. Both have the same problem. I’m over it and am looking for a different wrist tracker that will work. Open to suggestions, if anyone has any. Thanks.

[FitWtracker]

I have same issue on my new Fitbit  Charge 3. it counts step while I am in sleep. and I think in order to fix these issue ,  the R&D team of Fitbit should optimized the algorithm of the software. this is really become a down side of the Fitbit charge 3. 

[Heano44]

I purchased the charge 3 special edition and found the step count was adding steps while sitting. A friend who has a different device asked which arm it was set up on. It was set up on my non dominent hand, she advised me to change the setting to my dominent hand and now it is a lot less sensitive and doesn't change whilst sitting. Don't know if this is helpful to anyone. Plus when I woke up steps completed 0.

[stron]

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@Heano44 wrote:

I purchased the charge 3 special edition and found the step count was adding steps while sitting. A friend who has a different device asked which arm it was set up on. It was set up on my non dominent hand, she advised me to change the setting to my dominent hand and now it is a lot less sensitive and doesn't change whilst sitting. Don't know if this is helpful to anyone

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I changed the same setting. Now it's counting fewer steps than before but it's still inaccurate, though to a lesser degree.

[Ddkmartin]

I will try this . I've had continual problems with my charge 2. I'm just about to give up on the entire fit bit and I have 4 for my family..  I'm a mail lady. It catches the movements of the vehicle all day and my driving movements and add in so many steps there is no point. I've done all the above sixes add I wear it on my opsit wrist nothing has made a difference. I came on this forum because I was going to upgrade to charge 3 if they had fixed the problem. Obviously not. 75 pounds overweight starting to fix me before its too late health wise and am very disappointed fit bit won't be my helper. I love everything about the app the accessibility the product.  I've also had it over a year so I've given it plenty of time period

[Heano44]

Hi I was wearing it on the non dominent hand but didn't know to set it on my phone as my dominent hand until a friend suggested it and it has made it a lot more accurate. I am a restless sleeper but now I wake up with No steps completed, picking things up or scratching my head No steps completed. Plus I wear it snug to my wrist so that it doesn't move at all, so no extra vibration. Give it a go as would be sad to give it up x

[FizzyFiona]

I am a longtime Fitbit user and have recently upgraded from a Charge 2 to a Charge 3. I am so frustrated and disappointed with Charge 3.  I have started riding to work and each day my Fitbit tells me that I have climbed around 30 floors and walked 13,000 steps. It records the ride time well but also adds these other inaccurate stats. It is impossible for these readings to be accurate as I sit at a desk all day and my only activity is the ride to and from work.  I am strongly considering returning this Fitbit and trying something else. Hoping this software can be adjusted soon otherwise you will have lost a Fitbit fan.

[tylernmatt2]

I am having the same problem. First night it recorded over 300 steps while I slept. I've tried every solution I've read about and anything else I thought might would help because I haven't wanted to take it back. I tracks my steps well as I've tested it several times. The problem is it continues to count and add steps while I'm not doing anything. Today I sat in training class for work with little movement and then the drive home and it says I completed 4,348 steps which is no where near accurate. I keep checking to see if there is a fix to this problem but I guess I will give up and take it back tomorrow. 

[Nightowl1966]

I have had mine a week.i carry my phone with me all the time and the Samsung health app records steps. The fit bit is anywhere 2000 to 3000 steps more. It added 150 steps just standing in the same spot changing clothes. 40 steps while tying shoes. The sleep and exercise functions work ok. Thinking of returning it and getting something else more accurate.

[Cheech65]

I had the same problem today. I drove about 120 miles and it said I climbed 18 floors. That is incorrect because I was sitting in my car no floors climbed at all

[TiffanyG]

I know I'm beating a dead horse here, but I thought I would add to the disappointment in the charge3.  I purchased the charge3 thinking it would be better than the charg2 I already own.  I really like the charge2, I did not have trouble with the step count and it didn't seem to over inflate my count.  This morning is day 3 of wearing the C3.  I haven't been feeling very energetic today, so I sat and crochet on the couch.  I now have a wopping 8000+ steps!  Sigh.  I am very sorry for having purchased this product and will be returning it today.  Too bad too, it was on sale.  I will return to the charge2 and hope for a more accurate product in the future.

[scragin]

I got over 7,000 steps playing my bass guitar in practice. Didn't do that with a Garmin Vivosmart or Amazefit Bip--I'd even get notices to move during practice before. And this morning, I walked from my bed to the bathroom (on same level) and got 4 flights of stairs.

This tracker is junk and I'm going to return it. I thought Fitbit was reputable, but that cannot be true with the huge inaccuracies in this product. REALLY wanted to like this thing, but I should have done more homework to learn about the many issues with it.

[scragin]

Return it. It's junk.

[makragic]

I am so disappointed... 

- It counts steps when I sleep...

- It counts steps when I'm working on my laptop, sitting, not moving.

- It counts floors when I use elevator, it counts floors when I walk regularly.

I was looking at all kind of different fitness trackers, and decided to buy Fitbit because of the companion app. However this I did not anticipate. What is unfortunate, I bought it in a different country and I can not even return it. I hope developers will fix this. But this is really a junk... 

I'm so sad right now. 

[makragic]

It also track steps while I'm driving. 

Also, I'm not sure how they measure distance, but I basically sit whole day and I get like 5 kilometers. 

This is HUGE disappointment. 

Besides the Fitbit app, the other reason I bought Charge 3 is because it is waterproof, I will test that in following days, but from what I see I do not expect much.

My sister has Huawei Honor Band 4, and it works perfectly, and watch this, it costs 30$. So for 5 times the money you get 10 times worse product. 

I thought the Fitbit was leader in fitness trackers, oh I was wrong. 

NEVER AGAIN.

[Brook0825]

Just upgraded from the One to the Charge 3 and am so disappointed in its accuracy. Gives me steps when I am sitting still. Does not give me flights of stairs when I walk up stairs — and stairs in my house so I know they fit the criteria in terms of number of steps and rise.  But I drive over a bridge and it gives me 16 flights.  I get it works in vibration but it gave me far more steps when I drive than the One did. Family who have the Versa and Charge 2 were in the car with me and did not get flights. So much for upgrading!  This is my 4th FitBit and I really dislike this one. 

Moderator edit: format