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...

[BigRad]

Its my opinion only, but it sounds like a programming issue.  Too many users are having the same problem.

[GDS1971]

Hey Alejandra, thanks for the reply.  I tried what you suggested but it is still very temperamental unfortunately.  Cheers. Greg

[Whitsa]

Same issue. Brand new Charge 4 out of the box yesterday. Walked with my iphone and the route was mapped out beautifully. Went for a 30 minute run without my iphone and 10 minutes-in get the message no GPS connection. Have spent the last 10 minutes fiddling with settings and trying to get a connection (without using phone) and it just will not connect. I had 50% battery - maybe that is the issue, but its not very practical to need at least 80% battery every time I want to run. Will return if this is not resolved 😞

[PF77]

Having moved back from New York to a rural setting in the UK, I was hoping this would no longer be a problem.  Sadly, the GPS didn’t connect until I had ran out of my village, and dropped again as I re-entered it.  All on a full battery charge.

[arkanist]

Here's what helped me: on the watch, go to settings/GPS. Set it to PHONE ONLY. Before your run, sync the watch on the app, then start your exercise. It'll search for gps for less than 10 secs and will connect without a problem. It's a pity that the onboard gps is worthless, rendering the device a charge 3. I hope this will help!

[Sebastiaan83]

Hi.

Getting a gps signal is impossible the last two weeks. When I got my Charge 4 it worked fine, but now it’s frustrating. Cloudy, sunny, different locations.

Please get this fixed Fitbit. A lot of smart people a reporting problems with your hardware.....

[Manc19]

Same issue - built in doesn’t connect whilst outdoors, without iPhone, open air and 100% charged... simply bad gps tech. Useless support just send links around and assume it’s due to user ignorance when it’s clearly a structural fault with the gps. Also sleep stages don’t work at all. Crappy device 

[Manc19]

Another useless send the user community a bunch of links we’ve all read from the website instead of admitting it’s a gps fault....stop sending links and fix your faulty built in gps 

[Manc19]

Yep it’s a crap device and waste of cash 

[Manc19]

So basically most places it’s doesn’t work.... have the same issues - the built in gps has NEVER connected for me. Dynamic does as it uses the phone - but Built in is a crappy piece of gps tech - useless

[Manc19]

“Support” team do nothing - just send links that we’ve all read. I have a case number but just get given links and links of info I’ve read and done all the suggestions.... waiting for an admission that the built in gps is so low quality that it never connects - hasn’t done for me - 

[Manc19]

Same issue for me - don’t bother with support as they will just send you links and attach the blame with the user than admit their built in gps is substandard and faulty. My advice is to request a refund as they will delay any action by “offering advice” with days delay between communications. 

[Manc19]

Yep - same for thousands of people unfortunately who bought the Fitbit 4 for the untethered gps experience - it’s a structural fault that they are yet to admit 

[DarynK]

I opened this to reply the exactly the same change I found yesterday. 

The device continues to be hit or miss but changing the connection to device only (not phone only) it allowed it to work for me yesterday. 

Even after doing that it took a good 2-5 minutes to get a connection. Its a bit of a shame really, I like the device but you can't advertise it as a GPS device if the service is so bad. 

disappointing 

[ASHKSU]

Add another dissatisfied customer that's having problems with GPS. I bought the Charge 4 solely for the GPS because I didn't want to take my phone with me every time I exercised. I bought it in April and the GPS never connected quickly, but it at least connected within a minute or two. It's got worse the longer I've had it and ever since the 1.96.29 update it's been terrible. It doesn't matter what kind of day it is or where I'm at it constantly sits at "Connecting". Like others have mentioned, considering people are having problems with the GPS all over the world it would seem to be an issue with the GPS in this device or a programming issue. Kind of odd that it's got worse since the latest update when they added the Dynamic GPS so it will use your phone. It's almost like they're admitting the GPS sucks and want you to use your phone. I guess the jokes on me for buying a device of a company that's being sold. Hopefully somebody fixes this issue. At this point I wish I could return it.

[libbet79]

Tried all of this but no luck. Any more advice? thanks.

[Bluesky_liz]

I have had my charge 4 for two weeks and it has connected twice to the gps and failed every other time (outside in clear blue sky conditions). Very frustrating at the start of a run. I previously had an ionic but the smaller charge 4 really appealed to me.  So far very disappointed. 

[DJWTrafford]

My Charge 4 GPS has been working perfectly (months) up until 2 days ago when half way through a run it stopped tracking.  It was not overcast and was travelling the same route I run everyday.  I tried again today and it still would not connect to GPS.  I have restarted the device and made sure it syncs with my phone and all good.   I have even changed from Dynamic to On-board GPS just to be sure.  Still no luck.   I also purchased this device because of the non-tethered feature as I do not like running with my phone.

Any suggestion would be appreciated.

[ASHKSU]

Well, after complaining about it I changed my GPS settings to Built-in GPS, GLONASS to On, and GPS Low Power Mode to Off. I've gone 3 days in a row now where after starting my exercise it connected to GPS in less than a minute (potentially even less than 30 seconds) and stayed connected during my bike ride. I can live with that. Hopefully it continues to work like that. They say those settings will effect the battery life, but I don't care about that. It hasn't effected it enough to make the battery life terrible.

[Bluesky_liz]

Hi, that is good to hear. I have also had a play with those settings.  I contacted support when it would not connect and did a hard restart (not just a restart through the settings menu) and it connected but took ages. Fingers crossed it improves and I can use it every time I run. Thanks for taking the time to let me know how you got on. It gives me some hope.