I'm losing GPS signal when tracking runs and walks

[Justyna82]

Hi, 

I am using Charge 2 for 1 month already. I used it for tracking runs and walks and it worked pretty well, showing the distance on the map and pace. Recently I have noticed the app does not track my walks properly. It seems like it is losing GPS signal and distances, pace shown are totally inaccurate. Sometimes they even are not recording distance at all.  I did log similar exercise using another application (endomondo) to check if it is not an issue with my device. And it worked well, while fitbit still shows weird figures. Does anyone have similar issue? It is huge loss of charge 2 functionality if I cannot track my outdoor workouts.. 

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity and format 

[HeydyF]

Hey @Justyna82, it is great to see new faces around!  By any chance, while doing your run and walks, are you getting some of the errors in this post? If so, please try the troubleshooting stated there. If you are not getting any of those, please make sure you have updated the Android app to the latest version 2.69. In previous versions, there were some improvements made to Connected GPS. To ensure all the features continue working as expected, it is important to be on the newest app version. 

If the issue persists even after updating the app, I'd like you to post screenshots with your exercises tracked with Endomondo and with the connected GPS on your Charge 2 so I can take a look and help you out. 

Keep me posted! 

[Justyna82]

Hi, 

Thanks a lot for your reply. I checked fitbit app and I have the latest version 2.69. Last time I recorded walking, I used "always connected" option. I was monitoring wheter my Charge 2 is keeping connection with my phone and I notced it is losing connection from time to time. I had to manually sync devices to get connection back. 

At the end app recorded my walk properly. But it is obvious, manual syncing during excercising might be slightly challenging.  So maybe here is the root of this issue? Did you meet situation when charge 2 is losing connection with phone despite launching an "always connected" option? 

[HeydyF]

Thanks for getting back to me @Justyna82! If your Charge 2 seems to be losing connection with your phone, then I suggest you to reboot the Bluetooth on your phone. In addition, please try to restart your Charge 2 by following the instructions in this post. Now in regards of "always connected", please try to toggle it off and then on again. 

Let me know how it goes! 

[Justyna82]

Hi Heydy,

I did as suggested. Reboot Charge 2, restart Bluetooth unpair and pair back both devices and it workday well, but only 15 minutes. After that time Charge is losing connection and is not sync any more, untill I sync it manually. Same problem appears. Recorded trainings are not accurate. The map shows like I stopped excercise at the moment Charge 2 is not synced.

Any idea what else I can do? 😞

It starts to be really frustrating 😞

[Alex-on-Bike]

Hello,

I’m having the same problem with my charge 2 when tracking cycling activities (walks are fine). It happened to me already a couple of times, the first time I lost at least 7 miles of my ride and i did realise it because I know the route very well. Again this afternoon and noticed it because i was also tracking my commute with my Garmin but as i wasn’t wearing my HR monitor I decided to track the ride with my charge 2. Basically it all starts fine, then apparently it loses the GPS signal to recover it back at some point of the ride. I can even see it from the map on the Fitbit app. It’s been very annoying, today it happened in the morning ride and in the afternoon one as well. Is there anything that we can do? It always happens when I’m cycling and as cycling it’s my main sport I’d say this has already upset me few times especially when for some reason I’m not wearing my HR or not running Garmin. I was also planning to buy the Versa as I do really like fitbit app but this connected GPS really put me off 😞

[mmarion3624]

Hi there! Same issue over here running with a Charge 2 HR connected to my phone. Tried the bluetooth disconnect & re-pair, restarting the FitBit itself, and checking for app updates. I even cleared the cache on all my GPS apps: this improved my phone's accuracy but the Charge 2 keeps losing the connection & "estimating" my mileage, cutting me short for 3 weeks now. What's frustrating is that it was all working absolutely PERFECTLY up to this point. I can't find the issue & am out of ideas. Background App refresh is on, connected GPS is on. 

Anything I'm overlooking?

[Tigg22er]

I have the exact same problem and I use a Charge 3. The GPS will lose a brief connection and then when it finds it it just draws a straight line from where I was as if it was paused. It seems like I'm running through buildings and lakes, but not very convenient for tracking. Has anyone been able to find a solution?

[mmarion3624]

The only fix I found was pairing the watch with a different cell phone, an iPhone. Whether it's a one-off with my own Moto Z or an Android OS issue I can't say, but having run with this same watch paired to an iPhone the tracking has been very accurate for about two weeks.

Fitbit is willing to warranty the watch but I also can upgrade my phone. Knowing more about the cause of the GPS issue would help inform which way I should go with this. What type of phone do you have where you're having the same GPS problems?

[Thom77]

I've been having same problems, on bike and walking. I also use strava just in case I lose gps on fitbit. And never had a problem with strava

[Thom77]

• I've been having same problems, on bike and walking. I also use strava just in case I lose gps on fitbit. And never had a problem with strava