Charge 3 won’t sync and won’t pair after removing it

[jlpayne]

I know there are only like 3 people that have this device right now, but if anyone else that has it can check...is yours syncing ok? Mine last synced 4 hours ago and when trying to force a manual sync it wouldn’t get past “looking.” I tried the usual fixes - turning bluetooth off and on, removing the C3 from the app and my phone and attempting to re-add it, power cycling my phone...nothing works. The user manual says to press the side button for 8 seconds to reset, but all that does is bring up the screen wake/notifications toggle screen. Just issues due to it being new/unreleased, or is it possible it crapped out on me already?!

[Kaisercat]

Yes syncing is slow. Takes up to 4 minutes sometimes. I have ALL DAY SYNC inactive.

Sent from my iPhone

[Davidthesailor]

Thank you for the hints and tips. I am waiting now to hear from Customer services. Interestingly I am unable to change the clock face although the indications are that the Bluetooth is connected.

Heart rate is a long way from being accurate when examined against the traditional means of measuring ones pulse. I can do this without the aid of technology and so if the records are to be lost every time it stops working there is no point in having a continuous read out.

I will post again - if and when I get an answer from FitBit
DavidtheSailor

[James_Vierkant]

Davidthesailor,

I had the same thing, I couldn't change the clock face, but the tracker was showing up on my bluetooth devices.  Turns out, it hadn't actually been able to connect for 14 days or more.  I could not get it to sync and would let it spin for hours.  I couldn't download the firmware update to the tracker, either.  Same thing - the phone could not connect to the tracker.  Then I tried connecting it to my wife's and daughter's i-Phone and that's when I figured out that the bluetooth radio had died in the tracker.

[FitForLife52]

Not even close. Hundreds if not thousands of similar posts. Also check Amazon reviews. Nothing here but "copy and paste" replies on restarting, etc. 

[AlejandraFitbit]

Hi guys, I hope you are doing well.

I am sorry for the delay in respond and appreciate all the efforts in trying to fix this pairing issue by yourselves. Thanks for the input @James_Vierkant.

@Midwesterner2, @Jbgroth, @Kaisercat and @JEG62, it's great to hear that your trackers are now working properly. If there is anything else we can help you with, do not hesitate to post it.

@Nat8, @FitForLife52 and @Brett_Cocks, I would like to know if you keep having pairing issues? If you do, I recommend taking a look at the help article Why can't I set up my Fitbit device? and follow the instructions provided there.

@Davidthesailor, I am sorry to hear about your frustration and if you are having accuracy issues with your Charge 3, I recommend taking a look at the help article How accurate are Fitbit devices? and follow the tips provided. Just keep in mind that we are moderating this thread for users who are having setup problems. If you are experiencing other issues or have a feature suggestion or improvement, I encourage you to find a similar thread, check out the feature suggestion board or start a new thread.

See you later. 

[Davidthesailor]

Thank you the community (Non US) might be interested in the FitBit reply when I aksed for a refund - here is their reply - not vey encouraging I am afraid. I bought mine in October from a renowned UK department store but they are not interested either:

I will be posting this saga elsewhere but feel free to share the information.

https://contact.fitbit.com
Mon 18/03/2019 22:05
You

Hi David,

We are here to address your refund request for your Charge 3 that is not working as expected. We appreciate the information that you've provided as well as your efforts in performing troubleshooting steps on your tracker prior to contacting us.

Upon checking our tools, we have seen that you have a Fitbit account connected to the email address that you used to contact us.

To address your inquiry, we'd like to share to you that if you bought your Charge 3 from fitbit.com, we accept returns for 45 days from the date of purchase. We can also exchange a device for the same model in a different size or color within 45 days. We're unable to exchange devices for a different model. If you want a refund or to exchange your device, please let us know and we'll provide the address where you can return your purchase. In the US, within the first 45 days of purchase, you can start your return here: returns.narvar.com/fitbit/returns.

If you bought your device from a partner or another retailer and didn't purchase your Charge 3 from fitbit.com directly, you may contact the retailer or partner about returns and exchanges. We can only exchange or refund items purchased from fitbit.com.

If you still wish to exhaust troubleshooting steps on your Charge 3 with direct guidance from us, don't hesitate to contact us back so that we can assist you with it.

We look forward to your response as we strive to resolve this with you. David, feel free to ask any questions.

Sincerely,

Kurt and the Fitbit Team


DavidtheSailor

[Nat8]

I have done all the steps it works for a few days then happens all over again. You lose information, it doesn’t count all your steps or sleep. I was completing an 8week challenge and sleep was a very important part of this.

Sent from my iPhone

[Kaisercat]

Re-pairing it with your iPhone should do the trick!

[Gmullz]

I was having issues pairing my Charge 3 to my iPhone 8 this morning. I restarted both my phone and my Charge 3 several times and now it's working again. Didn't have to wipe the data.

The last steps that I took were:

-Plug Fitbit in to charging cradle

-Restart iPhone

-Restart Fitbit while plugged in

Now it's paired with my phone and syncing in the app again. 

[Kaisercat]

Right on XM! I have an iPhone 8+

Sent from my iPhone

[MarreFitbit]

Hi @Davidthesailor! 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.

When a tracker suffers damage while under warranty, you can contact Customer Support. Discounts and replacements depend on tracker model and other factors.

Additionally to this, I'd like to add that the warranty in most of the regions is only for 365 days. (In Europe due to the law, is extended for 2 years). This means that your tracker will be covered for a full year and during this period of time you can receive any replacement in case of a defect. 

If you are unsatisfied with your purchase from Fitbit.com for any reason, you have 45 days from the date of shipment to request a full refund. You may return any Product purchased on Fitbit.com in accordance with the terms provided here, excluding the purchase or renewal of any Fitbit paid services, which are subject to our Terms of Use.

Hi @Nat8! Thanks for following the tips and recommendations provided in this thread. I have reached out to our support team and created a case regarding your inquiry. Someone will be reaching out to you within the next 24-72 hours with next steps. 

Thanks so much for helping out and for sharing the steps that worked for you @Kaisercat  and @Gmullz! 

See you around! 

[Kaisercat]

No problem. Glad I could be of service.

Sent from my iPad

[frein]

I have had my Charge3 since the beginning of December and it was working and syncing fine. But now it has not synced since 9 March. I have paired and re-paired many times with both my Android phone (Samsung Galaxy S7) and my Windows 10 Laptop. Attempts to re-pair are not always successful even when all the relevant devices are touching each other. Sometimes the devices find the tracker and appear to be syncing but then the process falls over. I have read all the help posts. What happened two weeks ago to change the process? How can it be fixed. The problem is definitely not on my side of the technology and i am extremely frustrated at the amount of time I have so far spent to get nowhere with a solution. Fitbit please provide the technical support that I need. 

[Kaisercat]

Turn off ALL DAY SYNC

Sent from my iPad

[frein]

Tried that. It doesn't work! At this moment my phone has been "syncing" for more than 30 minutes to no effect at all, 

[Kaisercat]

Are the steps showing on your phone? If not maybe opening up a new FITBIT account will be the fix. You’ll lose all the steps from the old account.

Sent from my iPad

[JEMswiw]

Tried all the fixes.  Still not working well. No texts message notifications, heart rate not showing in the app, some swims record, alarm didnt work one morning since it didnt sync    I appreciate the message about the warranty but since i bought one prior the release and kept trying to fix it I cannit get a refund.  However, I guess I will have to find time to call customer service and pray they offer me a replacement.  Well wish me luck!   All I want is for it to work like it did earlier until that update.  Jem 

[James_Vierkant]

Frein,

Is the time on the tracker accurate or is it off?  If so, my guess would be the bluetooth antenna failed on the tracker.  

[Davidthesailor]

When you say the tracker - do you mean in the Charge 2 or on my iphone - I wouls appreciate the additional information.
DavidtheSailor

[James_Vierkant]

Davidthesailor,

The Charge 3 Fitness Tracker