Exercise tracking in app - no heart rate data

[robynarthur]

Hi!

I just upgraded to the Charge 2 (from a One) and am trying out the different exercise tracking options.

I'm used to tracking a run from the fitbit app on my iphone.

My question is regarding the heart rate tracking.  If I track my run from the Charge 2 I see my heart rate data in real time during the run (on the Charge 2 screen) and a summary afterwards in the fitbit app.  But if I track a run from the app I don't see any heart rate data - during the run or in the summary afterwards.  I assume the Charge 2 is tracking heart rate during the run regardless, so why doesn't it show me that data in the app as part of the exercise summary?

As I run without my glasses, I find it easier to see my run stats in large font on my phone than on the small Charge 2 screen.  But does this mean I can't record heart rate data for my run unless I track the run from the Charge 2?

Thanks for any help!

Robyn

[Wade995]

Me too. Tossed the Fitbit - bought Apple Watch 2 weeks back. I don’t even carry a phone anymore and get all the data, music and podcasts I need. Thanks for opening my eyes Fitbit. Technology is supposed to improve over time; not decline requiring workarounds. And now pushing for “premium” paid subscription. And a dozen different trackers. Fitbit = quantity not quality. A simple reverse/fix of HR through phone but no. They just don’t care. I’ll never again touch a Fitbit. 

[i-love-running]

Me too. It has been broken for what, 3 months, now? It’s fairly safe to assume they are not fixing it. Instead I keep getting emails about some amazing new features I don’t care about (eg Alexa).

[siul1979]

I'm very grateful to Fitbit since I purchased their charge 3 last October to start getting into a better physical condition. The metrics that I started to see motivated me to do further. I started to outdoor run in December, and while slow at first, picked it up thought-out the following months. I used the Fitbit data in conjunction with Strava analysis to help my training goals of doing a half marathon in January. However, in July, the heart rate data was no longer part of the run information sent to Strava (whether that's intentional or a bug), but it's been months since it's been addressed one way or another. At either rate, I feel like my personal goals have outgrown the Charge 3. I would've probably have looked at only Fitbit options, but with this issue, I got a chance to see other competitors, and I've noticed other trackers that give more runner-specific data, such as the Garmin Forerunner 245 or the 645m. Again, I probably would've stayed in the Fitbit ecosystem a few more months without this bug, but I would've outgrown it anyways. Thanks Fitbit for getting me towards a better shape, physically, and hope everyone else suffering from this issue gets a resolution one way or another

[CLP1949]

Sorry I don't know anything about the Alta or vitality points, but here are the other two workarounds that work with the Charge 2 maybe one will work for you and get you the data that you need

In this first method you use the Track function to start and stop your exercise, when you are done you have an exercise with just GPS data, from this you have time, distance and start time if go to the Log function in the app and put these 3 pieces of data in the appropriate places and save, you will get another exercise that has just heart rate data.

Method #2: Setup your Fitbit for auto recognize for your exercise, once again use the Track function to start and stop your exercise. When you are done you will have two exercises, one with HR data and one with GPS data.



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[LHatch_29]

And so now we know what has been going on: Fitbit is being acquired by
Google. I don't know if that is good or bad, but I just read the email
from Fitbit. Still no HR data, unless you follow the ridiculous
instructions to enter another entry just to see the HR data on the same
activity that was tracked and output by the app. Maybe we can look forward
to Google fixing this at some point.
Regards,
Lynn

[SwissTim]

Only explains it if all the programmers were sacked to make the P&L look better....

To quote the press release “Consumer trust is paramount to Fitbit” So who trusts them to do anything they say after this debacle?

Nothing’s changed for Fitbit - I agree.They have sold out and don’t follow their values.

3 months and counting. It’s a joke.

[adebaser]

I found this thread after searching. I've been having a similar or possibly the opposite problem for months now with an Alta HR.

If I log previous activity, sometimes it will have no heart rate data, even though if I look at the heart rate data on the app I can see it. And it won't even have splits, even though I have entered the distance. It's like the app just gives up and doesn't bother processing it.

Sometimes if I remove it and add it again it will eventually register it properly with all of heart rate zones and splits, although it can take five or six tries, so the data is there, the app just sometimes doesn't do what it is supposed to., Sometimes if I completely force the app to close and then log previous, then it will work.

I know these workarounds are frustrating and they should just fix the app, but maybe it will help someone.

[Lemone]

Hi,

I’m really glad the thread has helped a number of Fitbit users with work arounds and opportunities to vent their frustrations.

Unfortunately there seems to have been no action from Fitbit - and they have lost customers as a result - for a software issue that should have been resolved months ago.

I hope some quotes from this thread end up on a PowerPoint presentation, try this one for size, “listen to your customers, you will be rewarded with loyalty and positive feedback which will attract more revenue” sounds like a business plan...

Sent from my iPhone

[Zephyrette]

My disgust with Fitbit often comes up as a subject of conversations with friends. I feel nothing but disgust for their lack of regard for their paying customers. You can't take a feature away from someone that they paid for!

[RunnerMcRunface]

It's been over 100 days and over 130 responses to this thread to fix this issue, and no decent response from Fitbit to fix a fundamental problem with their product. The data they collected has been sold to Google, so why should they care about all the loyal followers they've developed?

On top of the heart rate issue, the band on my Charge 2 just broke. I gave up. I ordered a Garmin, which should arrive tomorrow. Excited to give that one a go! I expect most of you will make an exodus by the end of this year.

Regardless, keep getting out there and pounding the pavement!

[LHatch_29]

I agree! Coincidentally, the band on my Charge 2 broke, also! I am
looking at the Vivo series of Garmin, and trying to decide which one to go
with. #betterdaysaheadwithgarmin!

[AleLeka]

I just got a fitbit 1 week ago and I am sad to see this is a 4 month issue that hasn't been addressed.  I am coming from Garmin vivoavtive 3 which broke the wrist band twice now with my husband and me. The light on bottom of that garmin leaked at night which was bad! Other than this stupid issue with the hr I am enjoying the fitbit specially for sleep tracking. Does the apple watch have sleep tracking? That would be the only deal breaker for me, otherwise I would like to consider a different product ( i dont love the garmin app).

[SwissTim]

As I predicted, the replacement band has failed 6 months after its 3rd replacement.

No more fitbits for me - hardware fails, software fails, so Google you have bought a lemon that everyone should now be leaving in droves. Alphabet obviously wants an Orwellian world where they control all our actions.

I will stay happy and healthy by doing what I do, but analog style. Way more engaging.

Goodbye all, best of luck!

Moderator edit: Word choice

[M-J-]

My second strap has just broken and it’s out of warranty. Fitbit confirmed the straps should last longer but won’t replace even though they SHOULD last longer! 
No more Fitbits for me either! 

[FitOne98]

I have this problem when doing exercises that aren’t an option on the watch itself, such as a kettlebell workout. I enter the kettlebell workout manually in the app, but the heart rate won’t show up, even after synching again. It shows on my watch screen the whole workout though! I’ve tried turning the heart rate setting to on verses auto and it still doesn’t show up in the app. I’m close to switching to an Apple Watch bc a lot of my fitness activities aren’t an option to start from the watch, so it’s not tracking a large portion of my workout heart rates. Help! 

[CLP1949]

I’m assuming when you say that you enter the exercise manually you are referring to using the Log function in the fitbit app. My understanding that the Log function stopped working a couple of weeks ago with a new software release, I don’t use this function except as a last resort for my heart rate data but I have verified that it is no longer working. Hopefully this is not permeant, it does work if I use the fitbit app on my PC.
Manual for me is using Fitbit device (watch) to start and stop my exercise interval, if it isn’t a standard exercise I just use workout and rename it when I retrieve the data from the app. I’ve been using this method for a long time, I’ve been using this method every day with a Charge 2 and a Charge 3 and it is still working.

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[SwissTim]

It wasn’t a few weeks ago that logging heart rate with a gps or app started exercise stopped working - try last July...

Fitbit/Google are not going to fix this, it now is clear it was deliberate and this organisation no longer cares about its customers.

When your device band breaks (and a charge hr2 will!) don’t replace it or buy another Fitbit - just leave. Plenty of alternatives out there if you still want to track your exercise. Make Fitbit go the way of Nokia. Vote with your feet. And wallet.

[i-love-running]

Yes, I am pretty amazed that people are still discussing this here. This issue has been around for almost a year now. Just leave one star review in app store and move on.

[CLP1949]

This is a totally new and different issue from the one from that started in July. The Log function in the fitbit app was one of the alternate methods of collecting HR data when they took away our preferred method away. Hopefully this one wasn’t on purpose, the Log function was a last resort method but it was always there as long as you were wearing your fitbit. Depending on the exercise we are left with only one method of collecting HR data. The company needs to get their act together because many people who own a fitbits now will never buy another one.

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[a_m_b]

Using a Charge 3 but encountered the same issue described here. When starting an activity from the phone app, the heart rate data are not associated with the activity. I have to start the activity from the Fitbit device for heart rate to be associated.

It's pretty incredible this thread started 3 years ago, with 8 pages of people discussing the same problem for over the last year. Apparently Fitbit just doesn't care that their product doesn't work properly.

I ran into 4 significant bugs within days of starting to use this device. Based on forum posts all these problems have existed for months or years across several products without ever being fixed. I am thinking I should return this half-baked thing and look elsewhere.