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

[Steltek]

---

@Cerizas wrote:

Also, my  app shows that the firmware version is 1.96.29. Is that not the latest?

---

As far as I know, that is the latest. The broken one that shipped was 1.94.13. My Charge 4 started working normally after the update to 1.96.29.

[Cerizas]

Thanks!

[Rich_Laue]

@Cerizas on the phone that you found, download the fitbit app. 

Log into your Fitbit account. 

Wait for the firmware to be buffered into the phone. 

You are correct, this was not needed with the charge 3. The charge 3 downloaded firmware straight from the Internet to the tracker. Fitbit users where complaining that an Internet connection was needed, and if the Internet disconnected, the update failed. If the Internet is slow, it stalls the update. 

Many users requested the ability to install the firmware from the phone, not from the Internet. 

Fitbit setup the Charge 4 so it can install the firmware from the phone. 

[Cerizas]

I understand why the change was made. Thanks for being so helpful.

[GeoffL123]

I agree it's pretty frustrating that this isn't highlighted when it's obviously an issue that everyone will encounter. Better to be upfront about that annoy anyone who buys the thing. Should have been the first bit of information offered by fitbit when initial query was asked instead of pretending that the instructions must have somehow been performed incorrectly. Pretty poor customer service, already annoyed straight away and I haven't even used the Fitbit yet.

[Equi]

just got mine yesterday with 1.94.13. it is killing me. nothing works......

i really hope that is how it works otherwise this **ahem**ed up device will be sent straight back to hell. how dare they putting such a broken device on the market??? my charge 2 is still working fine and even a reset with that was easy. i spent already like 1 hour since yesterday just trying to reset the charge 4 by pressing that button hoping that eventually the smiley face appears........what a disgrace!

Moderator edit: merged reply

[Travislee19]

Hey mate i got a new charge 4 today anf having trouble with syncing my apps and installing my apps. Does this mean in a few days i should be able to do so. 

[Rich_Laue · Accepted solution]

This thread was quickly hijacked and the current subject has nothing to to with the original post which asked about why they can not connect the tracker to the phone'a Bluetooth and told to use the app. 

This is because the Fitbit app manages the Bluetooth connection, not the user. 

The user sets up the tracker to their Fitbit account, then the Fitbit app connects the tracker to the phones Bluetooth. 

The hijacked subject is about the final firmware install. 

As with all Fitbit trackers the Charge 4 comes without its final firmware. Users where upset that to install this firmware depended on a live Internet connection. (this suggestion had many pages of complaints about needing a live ibternet). 

With the Charge 4 the user first installs a limited firmware and the final firmware gets.buffered in the background to the phone. This could take a day or two, support says up to 4 days. 

. The time needed epends on the Internet speed. 

Make sure that the Fitbit app has the ability to run in the background. 

[Steltek]

Yes, mine was exactly the same way. No way to reset or get the described features to work... had to wait 2 days and then the upgrade was finally allowed to happen.

@Travislee19 wrote:

Hey mate i got a new charge 4 today anf having trouble with syncing my apps and installing my apps. Does this mean in a few days i should be able to do so. 

Yes. The unfortunate product design makes it such that these specific features will not work until the firmware is upgraded, and there's no way to force that to happen. You're at the mercy of the app/device for 1-2 days. (mine let me update the firmware after 2 days.) Make sure you have good Internet connectivity and frequently sync with the device in the meantime.

Potentially related: I had set up Fitbit Pay before the update, only to find it not working afterwards. Had to remove the cards and set them up again afterwards to make them work, so that may be another feature that's broken out of the box until the fw is up-to-date.

Moderator edit: merged reply

[Equi]

i am with you mate! seems we only can hope and wait

[Equi]

but why does it take so long? my phone is connected to WLAN with up to 500mBit speed......it should only take a few seconds

[Rich_Laue]

Can't say why it takes so long, mine took a little over 8 hours. I know the app doesn't try to hog the Internet. 

[Equi]

mine is already 24 hours....and now it stopped to sync with the app

[jwalther]

So we all got new Fitbit Charge 4's for Christmas that we cannot use! 

This is a customer satisfaction disaster for Fitbit. Whoever was the project manager for this type of firmware update process should get fired. I am very close to returning my Fitbit Charge 4 and never buying a Fitbit again. The out of the box experience for a customer should be seamless. This is anything but seamless. I also deleted my weather app since it wasn't syncing correcting with the intention of redownloading it and it possibly working but now it isn't even available from the apps page to redownload. I also cannot access the settings app on the Charge 4. Every time I try to open the app, it freezes for a few seconds then goes to a black screen. Hoping that the firmware update corrects this as well.

Fitbit needs to fix this ASAP. I am shocked by this poor set-up process. There is no indication on the box or in the instructions that you need to wait hours to days for the firmware update. I thought my Charge 4 was broken after I first set it up. 

So I will sit here and wait for a firmware update to come through and not be able to use my new device to the fullest...

Hoping that this 

[Steltek]

---

@jwalther wrote:

This is anything but seamless. I also deleted my weather app since it wasn't syncing correcting with the intention of redownloading it and it possibly working but now it isn't even available from the apps page to redownload. I also cannot access the settings app on the Charge 4. Every time I try to open the app, it freezes for a few seconds then goes to a black screen. Hoping that the firmware update corrects this as well.

---

Yep, those are the symptoms. (Weather doesn't work, Agenda doesn't work, Spotify control doesn't work, Settings app just crashes back to clock face with no error, reset doesn't work via the button method, Fitbit app lies and says you have the latest update when you try and force a check.) Once the firmware update becomes available to install (took 2 days for me) and is installed, those issues all go away and the device reset should also work then.

[C16]

I have already put in the code that appeared on the watch screen in the place on the fitbit that it asked for after this it gave me information on how to set up on the app on my phone after this I turned the watch on again and it came up with just the fitbit logo on screen and the message saying "download or update fitbit app" I have tried charging again and holding the on button but nothing has seemed to work and it has continued to have this message on screen for hours and I cannot use the watch because of this, to continue set up what should I do? 

[Rich_Laue]

Once the tracker has been attached to the Fitbit account, you should be requested to download some firmware. Here is the setup instructions. 

[GeoffL123]

Just an update on this. Readded the device to the app as a "replacement" after getting in touch with customer service and that has fixed the issue and it works now

[Equi]

finally yesterday night it finally it updated to 1.96.29. now everything works......thank god

[RhonaR]

I've got the same Xmas present problem. My Android phone tells me I have what I believe to be the latest firmware (1.96.29) and running the sync process tells me the phone app and fitbit are synchronised and yet the fitbit still tells me to download or update the firmware. Can't move on!