Charge 4 saying to download or update Fitbit app

[JOBench200]

Charge 4 keeps telling me to download or update Fitbit app. I already had the app (used it with my Charge 2). To humor device I uninstalled and then reinstalled Fitbit app; unfortunately the result is the same -- Charge 4 tells me to download or update Fitbit app. However, Charge 4 is synced with my laptop where the Fitbit app is...and that updates to show activity as it should... So what do I do to get Charge 4 to show it?

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[AlejandraFitbit]

It's great to see you here, @JOBench200.

Where are you seeing this message? In the tracker or the Fitbit app? When did you setup your unit? Keep in mind that you can sync our newest models only with phones, can you provide me with a screenshot of what you are seeing?.

I hope to hear from you soon.

[JDee_]

 I also have this same issue, but mine says it on the fitbit 4 watch. Which won't let me sync to the cell phone....

[Rich_Laue]

As for downloading apps or clocks, the initial firmware will not work. You will have to wait for the final firmware that comes within 2 days for most. 

[JOBench200]

Thank you; I had not used it with phone before (mine is an older model [6s] i-phone). Yes, the message appeared on the face of the Charge 4--and would not change so I could not even use it until I set up on phone. Thanks for your help.

[Cerizas]

Where does it say the Charge4 only syncs to phones? Why does my  laptop app still give the option to connect then?

Same. I'm still seeing the  message even though I disconnected all  other bluetooth devises. Do i need to move them further away form the watch too or something? 

Moderator edit: merged reply

[Rich_Laue]

Are you saying that this message to download the app is found on the tracker, or on the phones Bluetooth when trying to incorrectly pair the tracker? 

[Cerizas]

It's on the tracker. 

Spoiler

[Rich_Laue]

If this message is in place of the clock, the tracker has not been properly setup. 

[Cerizas]

If I'd known there was a compatibility list, I would have just stuck with my  Charge 3 and its bad screen. Don't have a phone.

[Rich_Laue]

The compatibility list is for the fitbit's app being compatible. in general the tracker doesn't matter. 

If the charge 3 worked the charge 4 should. 

[Steltek]

Is your Charge 4 new? If so, you're probably suffering from the same issue everybody does, which is that the device ships with outdated, and basically broken, firmware, and the Out Of Box Experience does not update the device unless you wait multiple days. (There is no way to force it, you have to just let it sync with the app continually and hope for the best.)

[Cerizas]

1. Yes, I took it out of the box  yesterday.   Apparently  it should sync to my  laptop, but  also it needs a phone for setup?  That  last is why I think I shold have just stuck with the Charge 3. 

[Rich_Laue]

Actually @Steltek your watch ships with no firmware. 

When the Charge 4 is setup a basic firmware is installed directly through the Internet. 

Now we have to look at why the next step was chosen. 

For several years there has been a request for the large firmware update to not depend on an Internet connection. With the Charge 4, Fitbit implemented this, however it does require the app to run in the background and the phone connected to the Internet. 

When the firmware install files have been fully downloaded to the phone, the user is notified. 

[Steltek]

The way I see it is that out of the box my device is "partly broken" because the necessary firmware for it to operate correctly isn't there after setup and worse, I am neither told about this, rather having to deal with weird symptoms like the Settings just crashing, Weather app telling me to sync despite sync working fine, the Fitbit app telling me my device is "up to date" when it clearly is not, ..., nor do I have any way of resolving any of these issues by forcing the update to install right now, consuming all the bandwidth and battery that is necessary to do so.

In my opinion, that is just a horrible OOBE and the product manager who let that slip through should seriously reconsider what they are doing. The number of threads in this forum alone, of people asking for help referencing the above issues, should be a big warning to Fitbit that this is not the way to ship a device. (There's a reason almost every smart device ever includes a "bring it to the latest software/firmware" step during setup.) Have your "slow trickle with no visible progress/feedback" firmware updates after first full firmware install... all fine, but don't build it so part of the device is basically unusable out of the box, with no recourse for the user to rectify it for multiple hours/days. At the very least put a big red warning the box stating: "Device requires an update to operate fully/correctly. This will take multiple days to install after initial activation".

[TheWolfNL]

After spending quite some time setting up, the firmware is a pain, i thought i was doing something wrong 😥 
I had an update button for the settings app, which I clicked, after which the settings app no longer worked 😑
Like you mention the lack of visual feedback is the worst, been trying to get the Spotify app to sync which eventually led to me finding this topic.
I would actually have expected more from a company that has been in the market for a while.

[Cerizas]

If i lose the internet connection before the firmware finishes downloading, does the process start all over?
Also, my  app shows that the firmware version is 1.96.29. Is that not the latest? Because I still have that Update or download message and no update option. 

[Rich_Laue]

As mentioned above, after tge update gets buffered to the phone, you will get a notification that you have an update. 

There is no Internet needed for the update to be installed onto the phone. 

[Cerizas]

Ok, I found a phone to use for the firmware download. How does this work? Wait another couple of days then update with my  Fitbit plugged in and the phone nearby?  Sorry, I didn't have to do this with the Charge3. 

[Steltek]

---

@Cerizas wrote:

Ok, I found a phone to use for the firmware download. How does this work? Wait another couple of days then update with my  Fitbit plugged in and the phone nearby?  Sorry, I didn't have to do this with the Charge3. 

---

Yes, make sure the phone and Fitbit have a good BT connection and are syncing often, and make sure the phone has a good network connection and is able to run the app in the background (some Android Phones have battery saving functions that kill apps if they are in the background, iOS might have something similar).

Other than that, and that's the annoying bit, you just have to wait and hope. There's no way to see any progress or force any progress as far as I know. The option to update should just show up in the app at some point (when you click onto your profile and then your device).