Inaccurate step counting Charge 3

[SuzeMer]

Hi,

Wondering if anyone can help.I have the new charge 3, have never used a Fitbit before so was really excited when I put it on this morning.Bearing in mind I sit at a desk all day for work with the odd trip to make a tea,it has counted that I have done over 5000 steps! I walked down the corridor and it counted almost 200 steps.What am I doing wrong? Im wearing it on my less dominant arm.

Really don't want to have to return it but not much point if it's completely inaccurate!

Thanks 

[MarreFitbit]

Welcome on board @SuzeMer, it's nice to see you here! Thanks for making sure about the placements settings on your Charge 3, nice way to go! 

If you're having discrepancy with your step count, first make sure the wrist placement settings are correct. Next, double check that you entered your height correctly. Since we use height to estimate your walking and running stride lengths, you may want to measure and manually adjust these values if your legs are longer or shorter than average.

Remember that the wrist trackers count steps depending on the movement of your arms, when you are driving or for example when your tracker is close to a fan. In these scenarios, your tracker counts steps due to the vibrations. 

To get more information about this, check the article: How accurate are Fitbit devices?

I know you've done this, but if after taking these factors into account you still think your tracker is significantly undercounting or overcounting steps, please try a step test:

1. Restart your tracker.

2. Put your wrist-based tracker on your wrist.
3. Walk 100 steps, making sure to count a step each time one of your feet hits the ground.
4. Pause, then check your tracker to see your step count.

Give this a shot and let me know the outcome! 

[SuzeMer]

Thanks very much for your advice,I've definitely set my height correctly but will have a go with the other steps youve suggested.

I am still wary that it may not work,I washed my hands when wearing it this morning and it counted 80+ steps..will get back to you.

Thanks 

[juls11]

This is the same problem I am having.  Every movement of my hand counts as a step. I sit at a desk and type quite a bit, but haven't walked that much today and I am already at 6000 steps.  This is the first fitbit that I have owned that this has happened with.

[SunsetRunner]

The exact same thing is happening with me.  I've made sure my height is accurate, but it still ghost counts steps and floors, although today the floor is accurate

[gsmith11]

Having the same issue. Reaching 10,000 steps far too early in my day. I also noticed that I can start the day with 100 steps and not even be out of bed. I thought it was something to do with the device being on my dominant hand but had no issues with the Charge 2. It might be an update issue as I don't think a stride input is going to solve this.

I have no issues with the sleep data or my resting heart rate. It appears to me that it is in the steps only.

[cyclemenow]

@SuzeMer, did you eventually find a fix? 

I've had several other trackers including Fitbit ones, and the Charge 3 is definitely counting significantly more (like 50%+ more) than others.  I'm about to return it, but still hoping there is a fix.  

[gsmith11]

I don't think that my Charge 3 is over by that much but it is still counting too many steps. It is odd that they haven't addressed the issue yet as I assume they know about it and it is a doable firmware fix. I am not ready yet to give up on the Charge 3. Still hoping for a correction.

[TDBendert]

ughhh SAME Problem. My less expensive tracker was wayyyyy more accurate. This is the first fitbit I purchased. I wanted to make sure I would use a fitness tracker so I bought a less expensive one, I've really enjoyed it and decided to upgrade to a 'real' fitbit...ummm yah, very disappointed. 2019 is my year for Wellness Transformation - I was so looking forward to fitbit and all the extras it provides. Now I don't trust it at all and am wearing my inexpensive one.  They really need to fix this problem. I type on a computer a lot, so I really rack up the steps - lol.  Funny, but NOT really - I'm very disappointed

[Sapph]

The steps/floors are nowhere near correct. This is a joke. I bought the C3 for 4 reasons... to monitor steps, which it is rubbish at. For the sleep data, which doesn't sync correctly. For the ability to pay using it, no good in the UK unless you bank with Santander or 3 other companies I've never heard of. For the waterproofing, which is the only bit that seems to actually work! What a waste of money & time to set up/restart/search for solutions. Is there any chance that these issues being described by so many are going to be fixed? If not I'll return it & buy something more reliable for my hard earned money! 

[Sapph]

The main feature of this device to count steps/floors are nowhere near correct. This is a joke. I bought the C3 for 4 reasons... to monitor steps, which it is rubbish at. For the sleep data, which doesn't sync correctly. For the ability to pay using it, no good in the UK unless you bank with Santander or 3 other companies I've never heard of. For the waterproofing, which is the only bit that seems to actually work, although the swimming detail is wildly inaccurate! What a waste of money & time to set up/restart/search for solutions. Is there any chance that these issues being described by so many are going to be fixed? If not I'll return it & buy something more reliable for my hard earned money! 

[TDBendert]

My thought exactly!!!! Tomorrow I am going to wear both, my new C3 and the off brand I bought several months back - that keeps accurate steps and sleep and it was only $30

Sent from my iPhone

[_A_l_f_]

I am a brand new user and have the exact same problem. My Garmin 220 and iPhone step counter appear much more accurate. The Charge 3 recorded over 1,000 steps while I stood still and hand washed dishes. 

FitBit: Please work on a device-wide fix. This is clearly not user error or a basic calibration issue. 

[SunsetRunner]

Apparently i can walk several miles in a day without leaving the couch except to walk to the fridge. I was more interested in the sleep part anyway and that seems to work well except it failed to pick up one of the 2 naps i took this week . I guess i can turn of the annoying fitness tracking until they admit the issue and create a fix. Hope in software. 

[salamanderKane]

SuzeMer - hey there 🙂

I am a long time user of the FitBit One - and it was ace.  (Note: I also have a few chinese pedometers that I test)

I bought the ionic sometime back and it was odd ... wrong step counts (chinese pedometers were spot on) - I hated the look of the Ionic so stopped using it

The Fitbit Charge came out and I bought it pre-order and it arrived on launch day

Let's skip the fact that it is an awful interface, have to tap numerous times to activate the screen, has a stupid system and the numbers/characters are way too small - But I have now tested it over and over and over and I can confirm there is a major fault with the fitbit charge 3 and step counts

(note: It has counted 22 steps since I started typing this)

I want to say that I actually pay close attention to this as it is my professional job to test pedometers for a project i am working on

Something has bothered me since I have bought the fitbit charge 3, but today I finally lost my temper with it.  Why?

My chinese pedometer of choice is showing 2239 steps today. 

The fitbit is showing 7190!! ARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRG

I have left the house once only and to a local shop - I know it is about 700 steps each way (1400 total), which the fitbit one, numerous Chinese pedometers and my fav Chinese pedometer also records with a margin of no more than +/- 2% (i believe in the industry up to +/- 5% is acceptable)

NOW IMPORTANT NOTE: In all fairness, the FitBit Charge 3 is close to 700 steps too.

In fact on straight walks over distance even if it is off terrain or paths uphills etc - all perform within +/- 2% of each other

BUT THERE IS DEFINITELY ONE THING WRONG WITH THE FITBIT CHARGE 3

Steps counted when typing, washing cooking cleaning, having a shower - it is shocking!!

The fit bit can pick up 300 steps just in a shower.  300 steps for washing up the dishes

It has now picked up another 15 steps typing

i am using it on my non-dominant hand

and i hate that the responses are always about "have you put in the right stride?" what's that got to do with anything?

No matter what i do, the fitbit seems to be 20% more steps on average every day - 

After 5 years of using a fitbit and other hardware pedometers I know the distances of some of my walks pretty accurately ... my walk in the park is 5000 steps on average, the walk to the stadium and back is 8000 steps, the walk to the train station and back is just short of 10,000 steps

And all the pedometers I won are pretty accurate with it and in a sense so is the fitbit charge three, but its the other stuff that is terrible and 20% is alot when u are doing 10,000 steps

Its shows 12,000!! and it happens often

So why was today almost three times the distance - well, its the weekend, i have been cleaning the house, washing, ironing, and doing alot of work and catching up with things

The chinese pedometer says 2300 (that's ok 1400 to the shop and back and the remaining 900 is about right for sitting around a lot all day)

BUT 7200 on the fitbit that is a joke! and just depressing when you cannot trust it anymore!

(its picked up another 18 steps)

So yes, its awful - and I doubt they can do a fix - it may actually be a hard ware issue and they are screwed

There was only ever one decent fitbit - the fitbit one

Even for any other brand, belt clips are the most accurate - even my previous favorite Chinese pedometer

The most important thing to remember is the hardware has been good and around for almost 5 years now.

Fitbit's additions are just a waste of time (heart rate? not one person i know uses it afetr the novelty factor is gone - even the personal trainers I know laugh at this "cardio burn zone" lol - and if they do use it its to see their resting heart rate first thing in the morning when they wake up)

Sadly, to make u buy newer versions, they have to add more gimmicks.  But its close to the end for fitbit - its share price is worth only 5% of what it was when it went on the stock markets
And it will join the others like Nike fuelband and jawbone

I don't mind paying for a decent product ... but this is actually a freaking disaster - and people will realize soon enough - and then its game over.  If you cannot trust your device .. its game over

[Farfocl]

I do agree with you! I was so thrilled when I got mine Charge 3 and unfortunately I was soooo soo disappointed with step counting accuracy, thus had to return it the day after buying 😔😔😔 I really hope Fitbit will somehow fix it, because an activity tracker, which doesn't meet the most important requirement like step counting is totally useless. I stick to my Xiaomi Mi Band 2 for now... 

[WJM429]

I bought my Fitbit Charge 3 in November 2018. I just returned mine this afternoon Gotta love Costco's return policy). I was taking for granted that the Fitbit Charge 3 was approximate in counting steps, heart rate...etc. After a few doctor visits where the heart rate was off by 12-18 bpm I began to wonder and pay closer attention. I found that I could take it off the charger, put it on my wrist and already have burned over 600 calories and have anywhere from 200-400 steps; all within a few minutes of sitting at my desk. That's the easiest workout ever. My son has a Fitbit Blaze that he swears by and his girlfriend loves her Fitbit Versa, but I'm done with the Fitbit Charge.

[SunsetRunner]

They should this piece of junk a “motion monitor” counts steps when I brush my teeth, wash my hands, ride my motorcycle, drive my truck, use a drill. It’s stupid. And can’t return it cause I’ve waited to long. Fitbit should man up and buy all the worthless Charge 3s back and stop with all the these lame “fixes” here. I shouldn’t have to log driving times or put it on a charger to keep it from counting steps. Not a good product and I tell everyone not to buy. 

[SunsetRunner]

I have the same issue. Brand new charge 3 and it is counting steps like crazy. When I work at my keyboard it counts steps. I have now walked 10,000 steps two days in a row while mostly sitting in meetings. This is very frustrating because my 20 year old pedometer works better at counting steps.