Charge 4 won't connect to GPS

[Kcoston]

why won't my charge 4 connect to GPS? It just keeps on showing "connecting" but never does. Had no trouble with the Ionic GPS connecting...

[DJWTrafford]

Thanks for the input...i will try those settings and reporr back after my run and let you know it that worked.   Would like to get back to tracking properly...without GPS it dosa not track the same distance at all.  

[ali440]

Hello. 

I am having the same issue - takes so long to connect (if at all) that I generally start an activity without connecting - I do not have that much free time to wait around. 

this is in a route that worked perfectly with my Ionic. Therefore it would imply the issue is with the Charge 4 and not the surroundings, environment or weather conditions. 

any chance on knowing a timeline for a fix?

thanks.

[PF77]

Thanks for this - I will give that a try!


Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPhone

[Lazydutch]

Same for me last two weeks no connection. Was never good since I purchased but now basically worthless for gps 

[jwmjr]

Since the latest firmware update my Charge 4 went from always connecting to never connecting. I’ve tried in a variety of locations, city, country, open sky - zero successes since mid July. Very frustrating. 

[116397719]

I am getting the same with my new Charge 4.

The first three or four times the GPS connected fine, if slowly.

Since then it's not connecting at all. All runs starting from the same location, with decent levels of charge and not around high buildings or dense forest!

It worked sometimes but seems to have stopped and now I get the "could not connect to GPS, so it will be turned off" alert.

I've tried rebooting the device a number of times but no use... Is it a defective Fitbit, or am I doing something wrong?

It seems to coincide with a firmware update too.

Very suspicious

Moderator edit: merged reply

[DJWTrafford]

So...I made the changes suggested and when I started my run it was not connecting...so I just started running and when I got back and synced with my phone the GPS had actually tracked the route accurately.   Will see if it keeps working...will update again after my run this afternoon.

[JakeOMite]

@AlejandraFitbit  Same issue here. I followed all your instructions. I live in sunny San Diego so no trees or cloud covered and fully charged (it's not ok that GPS requires 80% charge) but only once has the GPS worked throughout a workout. I'll wait and wait for the GPS to connect before running/hiking but even then most times GPS is lost during the workout. It periodically reconnects but not always. 

I'm also disapppointed because this Charge 4 is replacing my Fitbit Ionic that died prematurely on me. The best Fitbit did for me was give me a discount on older products but I was excited about this GPS feature so I didn't use the discount for the Charge 3. I keep getting screwed over. 

I'm in my first month with this tracker and I'm on Firmware Version 48.20001.96.29.

What do I do to get the features promised?

[ColinC51]

Same, most times it doesn't connect. It's quite irritating as I bought it because if the Gps

[Bluesky_liz]

After a hard restart my charge 4 did finally connect but lost the gps signal during my run. This is very disappointing. I cant track my runs on Strava.  I have had no follow up from fitbit support as they said they would after giving the initial advice. The charge 4 does not perform as advertised. Probably the gps antenna is too small. 

[Z_H]

Having the same issue. Newly bought just a few days ago and tried the GPS for my run twice. GPS couldn't work for both times and it just shows connecting. Followed all the instructions e.g. 80% charged, connect in an open area (I was in an open field), correct settings but none work. Quite disappointed as one of main reasons for the purchase was the built-in GPS.

[ColinC51]

The GPS was the main reason I bought it. It's quite disappointing that it doesn't work properly. I'm seriously considering returning it (I've only had it 2 weeks) and getting something more reliable.  

[inomlas]

I just tried this (changed my GPS settings to Built-in GPS, GLONASS to On, and GPS Low Power Mode to Off) myself after getting little or no GPS tracking at all since the recent firmware update.

And it worked for me too! I just went out for a quick 1-mile run and I'm looking at what seems to be an intact map of my journey for the first run in a long time 🙂 Thanks!

Connecting to GPS was quick and only took 30 seconds or so. All seems to be good now. Thanks again. 

[Erkiles]

Bought my Charge 4 two months ago. I use the gps function for bike rides. It was working fine until this week where the device keeps trying to connect to a gps signal for about 15-20 minutes and then fails and shuts off the gps function. Seeing all the posts here it seems to me to be a bigger issue with the Fitbit device than a single user’s issue.

Couldn’t this be fixed with a system update if the Charge 4 itself rather than the Fitbit app?

The only reason I upgraded from Charge 3 to 4 is because of the gps functionality so this is quite a bummer 😞

I will try the suggested changes in the settings on the device though. Fingers crossed! 🤞

How would this “help”? You say it yourself: that’s using it as a Charge 3 with a phone when the device itself has gps built in.

Moderator edit: merged reply

[arkanist]

Yes, we have a non-functional piece of crap wearable that looks pretty. For
anyone who doesn't want to send it back post-haste, this can 'help'. You're
welcome.

[ColinC51]

Thanks for the update, I'll try those settings on my next run. Cheers

[dotface]

Mine has been doing this as well.  The first two Charge 4 I received would NOT set up and finally my third one connected but it drops GPS sometimes with no reason to do so.

WHY ON EARTH does it have to be 80% battery.  That to me is unbelievable and somewhat unacceptable.  I love my device but after having to get a third Charge  4 (first two would not set up and had to return but third one finally did set up) and it supposed to be better technology this needs to be fixed.  Is fitbit working on fixing this?

Mine connects and then disconnects 1/2 the times on the same path I walk every single day.  This is unacceptable to not have good GPS connection

Moderator edit: merged reply

[Pesky]

Agreed so frustrating up until about 2 weeks ago was working fine , hoping it’s fixed very soon 

[Natalie310786]

Exactly the same for me. I got this because I don’t take my phone with me when I run. It’s so frustrating as I had a charge 3 that was working perfectly fine but I wanted gps built in and it doesn’t even work! 

[Pesky]

It’s was one of the reasons I paid the money as it advertised as a gps built in 😞 should have the extra for thé iconic / Garmin or apple but in covid times you’re watching every penny