Exercise tracking not showing heart rate

[Cat94]

I've recently upgraded from the charge hr to the charge 2. However I can't get it to track my exercise properly. Its not showing my heart rates for the exercise session now like it did with my charge hr. Is this the model or is there a nack to it?

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[Simonsimps]

Hello Fitbit. When are you going to fix this please.

What is the point of a fitness band that does not show you your heart rate in the app or dashboard (web version)

It works on my Versa when I do a GPS tracked walk or ride but not on my partners Charge 3 doing the very same exercise ?????

Please fix it...........

[JaneHale]

If you know the start time and duration you can add later and shows heart rate; but no gps :p. Just select the exercise > press the stop watch icon > select log.  Then just select the type of exercise and enter the details.

[SwissTim]

A partial workaround Jane for a problem created by Fitbit. That HR data will not export either in tcx format from the web.

No good if you use the device for tracking cycling, running, etc and keep maps of these activities. And very difficult to see if HR was up during or after climb, etc.

This is so poor Fitbit, total and utter shame on your lack of caring.

[Muzni]

I bought a fitbit Versa 2 to replace my charge 3 thinking that the issue will be fixed. This issue hasn’t been fixed since last year July (2018). Isn’t it about time it to fix it. @fitbitDevs. 😡

[SwissTim]

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

#shltbit #fitShlt

No more fitbits for me - the hardware fails, the 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.

Well f you corporate, say no to big data farmers, we are not cattle to the slaughter.

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

Goodbye all, best of luck!

[david89145]

Same problem with Charge 2 and iPhone.  Tracks heart rate but does not add it to manually entered exercise.  The exercise profile does show percentage of time in fat burn, cardio, etc. but not graph of heart rate over time.  It used to work, but stopped a few weeks ago.

[Kastens54]

Logged exercise is not showing heart rate after the update February 2020. Any solution?

[Kastens54]

not on the versa. When I log exercise the heart rate says not enough data. But all the heart rate data it is in heart rate history. 

[Kastens54]

Now that I see this has been a problem for months, Fitbit must not care about their customers. I’m changing to another option and discontinuing my premium app membership!  If we all do the same, maybe they will get the message!

[Justinn39]

I don't know if this is a stupid answer but I just fixed mine in the font and screen zoom settings of my android phone. The bottom of my app was being cut off and I couldn't scroll down.

[Lottiri]

Noticed the same issue today when tracking run via phone app. However, when I start the run via Fitbit device it seems to show both GPS and HR later. For you as well? 

[AcerJacks]

It seems the integration between watch and app is off, if I start via watch I get heart rate and Gps (map) is off, distance is reduced by 30% of what it should be(probably goes by steps?) While if I start by phone, there is no heart rate, doing both is an option, it doesnt integrate later though but at least you have the info 😄

[Lottiri]

Thanks, wow that is super frustrating. I would annoy their customer service about it, but alsways feel so sorry for the poor dude following protocol... Hm. Do you know of a comparable wearable where integration is smoother? I tried other watches a few years back, and back then didn't like their app a lot.

[SteveFactor]

HR & GPS Workaround

I’ve got charge2. It has no problem tracking HR. All my software is up to date. But, the activity log will not report both GPS and HR together. It used to.

If I initiate the activity without my phone app open, it will record and report HR but not GPS.

If I initiate the activity the activity from either watch or phone with the Fitbit app open, it will record GPS but not HR.

 I stumbled on a solution that will display both HR and GPS in the activity logs;

1) Open the app on the phone

2) Start the activity on watch

3) Exercise 

4) Turn off Bluetooth on your phone.

5) Stop activity on watch

This gets around the software bug which will not report HR when also reporting GPS.

Can’t say that I’d buy another Fitbit after this one. Ignoring basic software maintenance and allowing features to regress is almost antagonistic to their consumer base. Something worthy of cable and satellite content providers. This is something they should solve immediately and go out of their way to make right. If they did that, they would engender loyalty through familiarity and quality service. Banking on folks upgrading to another Fitbit to solve this is a very short sighted approach. 

[Muzni]

Fitbit is owned by google now. The only thing google cares about is the years of health data that was collected by Fitbit. 😔

[CLP1949]

Most of then entries in this forum are in regards to an issue/problem that started in July 2019, so I’m not sure if your issue is the same since it’s been 9 months. If your solution works for you that’s good, but it conflicts with the way my charge 2 works. I’ve posted this method a couple of times and been using the following method since July to capture my data.

In the app, go to Exercise Shortcuts and add the exercise or exercises that you want to track. If you turn on Connected GPS you will get GPS data from your Fitbit. Now you should be ready. On your Fitbit select your exercise and hold the button in until it vibrates to start the exercise and do the same to end the exercise. You can also use the Track function in the app for the real time GPS data and voice cues. If you don’t want to use the Track function you will still get GPS data from the Fitbit as well as the HR data in your exercise summary, including the map.


Sent from Mail for Windows 10

[SteveFactor]

I appreciate your reply CPL1949, but honestly, it reads like how everything ought to work. It's not really a work around of the bug that won't record both GPS and HR - which I see lots of folks mentioning in this thread. Also, the charge 2 has no GPS capabilities. It relies on the phone for that (you may have mistyped it). Of course, the new charge 4 has GPS. Call me a pessimist, but I'm pretty sure they have PhD mathematicians doing the calculus on what would make them more money.

[CLP1949]

Stevefactor, you are right the Charge 2 does not have GPS and you are also right I could of done a better job of explaining. The Connected GPS function/feature provides a link from the Charge 2 to the GPS function on your phone allowing you to capture HR data and GPS data in one place.
Each morning I select the exercise shortcut Bike and start the exercise on the Charge 2, at the same time I start the Track function on my phone for real time GPS data. When my ride is over, I stop the exercise on the Charge 2 and my phone.
When I open up the summary or history in the app for that day, I have two exercises listed, one from the track function with just GPS data, which I delete. The other exercise listed is from the Charge 2 and it shows GPS and HR data.
I used to call this a workaround but really it is just a different method of collecting HR and GPS data in one place, it is even somewhat documented in the Charge 2 manual. Still not as nice as the method that they took from us but it does work. Hopefully Google will do a better job with customer support and addressing issues presented by the Fitbit users.


Sent from Mail for Windows 10

[SteveFactor]

Ahh, I see. Thanks for the clarification. Seems we both found a way to get the app to do what it should be doing on its own.

[Vben]

It is so crazy that this still does not work. I have a charge 2.  When I track with the shortcut on the app and press the play button to track my exercise (heart rate, distance, gps route and calories burned) it either tracks two different exercises - one where heart rate, calories bured and distance shows up - and another one where only the map of my route shows up. It was showing the wrong time even though the time settings were correct on both phone and watch so when I updated the app it stopped showing two exercises but now the heart rate is lost and it does not track my correct heart rate, it looks like an estimate. I usually burn much more than it says now because I walk very fast.

This is very frustrating and I am considering to buy another brand. When I contacted help they just told me to restart the device - did not work.