Fails to connect with Bluetooth on my laptop

[Harry]

My new Charge 3 fails to connect with my laptop. The Bluetooth finds the Charge 3 but has a problem connecting to it. I uninstalled my pairing for my Charge 2 and then reinstalled it and everything is working fine for that device. Bluetooth found and paired the Charge 2.. Working with support no answers to what is causing this issue with that Charge 3. I used an old Nexus 7 7 inch tablet and that paired but I do not want to use this as my primary device..too old...?

However it's not working with my Acer laptop.

I am posting this in case other have this issue.

Returned to using my Charge 2 on this Acer laptop.

I do not have a smartphone. I am returning the Charge 3.

[j_boo]

Already tried two PCs. One desktop and one laptop both with working bluetooths

[Harry]

I tried 3 different Charge 3s (returned all of them) and have 4 different laptops (current technology) and the Charge 3 never worked like my old Charge 2. I am a dedicated Fitbit user who already logged 68 million steps and 33 thousand miles over the last 6 years. I Average 10-13 real Garmin miles a day walking and use the Food/calorie/weight (Weight Guru scale, the 2 different Fitbit scales died within 18 months) I had to go back to the Charge 2. I am VERY disappointed that FitBit did not keep the regular PC users in their development. I will be looking for a brand alternative when my Charge 2 dies or becomes non supported by FitBit.

[rosebud2018]

I had that issue and returned mine after frustrating issues. I tried again and kept it as simple as possible and now I'm okay. I only linked it to my phone this time and it seems to be working fine.

[janzer]

If you haven't tried uninstalling / re-installing the app, give that a go.
If you still are having trouble, check this web page for help and follow
the directions there:*
https://www.thewindowsclub.com/bluetooth-devices-not-showing-windows
. *It
may be your bluetooth app isn't configured correctly to detect other
devices.
*Janice *

[janzer]

Yes Android seems to pair better with Fitbit than does Windows. 😕
*Janice *

[Harry]

Janice, thanks, but early on I worked with support and I am highly technical on software and Windows.

I always get connected with my Charge 2 even after install/uninstall to try the Charge 3. Also, I can use an old dongle but features like heart rate and updates for clock, software updates, etc via Bluetooth are not supported.

[SunsetRunner]

Ok, here's what I've found out so far.  For Windows 10 you need a bluetooth adapter that is Bluetooth 4.0 with LE (Low Energy) support.  Older bluetooth chipsets won't work with the Charge 3.

The dongle supplied by Fitbit isn't fully compatible with the Charge 3.  It can only read the Charge 3, it can't send anything to it, so you can't change clock faces, for instance.  For full function you need a genuine Bluetooth 4.0 connection.

If your computer does not have built in bluetooth this bluetooth dongle should work.  The brand is "Plugable" and the model is " USB-BT4LE", it has a Broadcom 4.0 LE chipset.  Available for about $13 on Amazon.

I have a Sony laptop with Bluetooth 4.0 LE, Intel chipset built-in, and it will not connect to the Charge 3 period.  Even disabling the internal bluetooth and installing the above "Plugable" dongle, it still will not connect to the Charge 3.

I have an older HP laptop with Bluetooth built in, but it is not 4.0 LE bluetooth.  It also will not connect to the Charge 3, even with the external dongle.

It seems the external Plugable Bluetooth 4.0 LE dongle only works with the Charge 3 on computers that don't have built in Bluetooth, like many desktops for instance.

All the windows 10 testing was on version 1903, Win 10 Pro 64 bit.

[SunsetRunner]

I forgot to mention:  Don't try to pair though the windows control panel,  Only setup the Charge 3 through the Fitbit app.  It does the pairing (the pairing is apparently proprietary).  That's probably why there is so many problems with Windows 10.

[Dette1]

Thank you. Yes. Dongle didn't work either. So downloaded data on phone
only. Which doesn't always work either. Running low on space. Will check
Amazon. Thank you.

[SunsetRunner]

I have not been able to get it to work on a win 10 laptop at all, even with the usb bluetooth 4.0 LE adapter.  I could only get it to work on my desktop computers!  Go figure.

[Dette1]

I shall try the dongle on old my desktop I reckon. Now I know why I kept
this big box after buying a laptop which I only use otherwise.

[Harry]

Almost a year later with an update:

Well I move to a Charge 3 and returned 3 of them after extensive effort trying to connect to my laptops. Now today I got a new cheap Andriod Tracfone and then got a Versa 2 and now I use the phone while walking (Bluetooth connected only) and when I get home I take the phone to the kitchen away from my laptop and connect in another room to my laptop. I downloaded the latest Window Store FitBit windows 10 App and everything works fine as long as I do not have the phone (Bluetooth) close to the laptop.

Could NEVER get the Charge 3 to do any pairing.

Really like the Versa 2.....

[angrybetrayal]

Yeah my wife was really sad too. This is our first experience with fitbit and will likely be our last. Wirecutter has never failed us so hard.

[angrybetrayal]

Thank you for providing this explanation. Phone support told me twice to just replace the device. This is a total betrayal.

[creativetracy]

I'm having problems as well. My Fitbit Charge 2 is added and synced to my old laptop but it is starting to crash and I'm trying to add it to my new laptop. When I go to add device, it recognizes my Charge 2 but the connection keeps failing. Any help provided would be appreciated.

[creativetracy]

My Charge 2 is added to my old Lenovo laptop but won't get connected to my new Lenovo laptop. Says connection failed also. So frustrating! Any help would be appreciated.

[Rich_Laue]

@creativetracy how are you trying to pair your tracker? Since this is a BT Low Energy device, you can not pair through the computers Bluetooth. You will need the now, unsupported fitbit app to pair the tracker. 

Basically you are going to have to sync through a smart phone. 

[creativetracy]

I paired it just fine not that long ago to my old laptops' bluetooth
device.

I go into Bluetooth settings, add device, and it recognized Charge 2. I
then clicked "connect" and it connected and is now synced to my laptop and
continues to sync.

However, I have a new laptop now - a Windows 11 Lenovo. The old laptop is a
Windows 10 Lenovo and is about to crash.

When I go into bluetooth settings and add device, it recognizes Charge 2
but fails to connect.

Why did it work on my old laptop not that long ago and not my new one now?
What should I do?

Tracy

[Rich_Laue]

Yes @creativetracy your Charge. 2 will never and has never paired through the Bluetooth menu on your computer. Bluetooth Low Energy devices do not work this way. 

We first setup the tracker, using the fitbit app for your computer. This app then will pair the tracker to the computer. 

However, Fitbit has stopped supporting the syncing of the tracker through a computer. So even if you did get the tracker to pair, you will not be able to sync through the computer. 

What should you do, find a phone to sync through. This phone does not need to have a working cell number, it will sync when connected to WiFi.