Need Charge 2 App for Kindle

[Swamphox]

Have Kindle Fire HR 10 gen. 7 and I uninstalled the app and now can't find it. I believe my Charge2 has been orphaned. Help me find app.

[Julia_G]

Hi, @Swamphox , the Kindle Fitbit app was not made by Fitbit and Amazon stopped updating it, and then removed it some years ago.  The Kindle Fire was never an officially supported device.

If you have a smartphone, an Android tablet, iPad, or Windows computer (running Windows 10) you should be able to use any of these with your Charge 2.

[Swamphox]

Julia, thanks for the reply. The Kindle Fire, as far as I understand, is an Android tablet. But if not, I have use my Kindle since 2015 with the Charge HR and then in 2017 got the Charge 2 and that also worked with my Kindle.

It sounds like maybe I can find the last version of the app on Amazon, but so far, that's been a bust. I can use my laptop with Windows 10, but prefer the ease of my Kindle.

It sucks when you buy something and then, without adequate warning, support gets discontinued. Fitbit has never been very friendly with it's users as far as I'm concerned.

[Julia_G]

Hi, @Swamphox , as I mentioned Fitbit did not create the app for Kindle Fire and also they did not remove it, so it is really Amazon you need to blame in this case.  My understanding that you are correct in that the Kindle Fire at base level uses Android OS but it is so much altered with Amazon specific programming that it cannot run the Fitbit app the way smart phones and other tablets can.

I looked into this a couple of years ago for someone else, and I am afraid I never could find any version of the Kindle Fire app for Fitbit.  Amazon Customer Support may be able to help you, or you may be luckier (or better at web search) than I am.

I a, sorry not to have better news for you!

[LZeeW]

@Swamphox   You're correct that the Kindle OS is a modified Android OS.  This topic has come up in the past.  I don't use Android, but there are articles with instructions on how to side load the Google Play Store.  Here's one (very current): How to Install the Google Play Store on Every Amazon Fire Tablet.  Users who have done this can download the current Android version of the Fitbit app.

I hope this will work for you.

I also want to add this additional information.  The Charge 2 is a great device.  My daughter still wears hers.  Rechargeable batteries have a lifespan.  The Charge 2 is getting on in years.  Users are posting about battery failures.  This is true for all devices released at the same time.  Just want you to be prepared.

[Swamphox]

Thanks again, Julia. I need to go to Amazon for help, but at least not Fitbit. I came to the community because I can't believe I'm alone with this problem. In the past, if I had to uninstall the Fitbit App, I could easily find it and reinstall in minutes. When I did that this last time, I was dumped to the side of the curb, so to speak, with way more trouble on my hands than I was prepared for.

If a product is good enough to sell, then I should never be prevented from getting a workaround if I haven't changed hardware yet. I do appreciate your help.

[Julia_G]

@Swamphox , please see above.  @LZeeW has a potentially good tip for you, though I am doubtful that the current version of the Fitbit app will work on your Kindle Fire.  Worth a try, however.

As she also mentions, all rechargeable batteries have a limited life, but it is a lot longer if they have been well cared for.  My Charge 2 is still going strong, and I have a 6 year old Fitbit One that needs frequent charging but still does the job.

[Swamphox]

Thanks LZeeW, I have already installed the Google Play Store on my Kindle using those same steps, but from a different site. I have been able to access the Google Play Store ever since.

I actually went to Amz. customer service and ended up with a rep calling me on the phone and doing remote access on the Kindle. She came to the same place I was stopped where it said that the store and my device hadn't been linked. Turns out had to change my Google Play Store to an email that worked as it still referenced Excite.com which I believe is defunct.

However, now that I can see the app I want, it says I don't have a compatible device. My device name, Amazon KFGIWI, came up under devices at the store, but once I put that in, the Fitbit app went away and now it shows the most likely app to be FitToFit by Tom Tietze. Still hunting, I don't know it that's the app or not. Waiting for a call back from Customer support at Amz.

Thanks.

[Swamphox]

Thanks Julia, Check my reply to @LZeeW above. Still working through, but not quite there yet. If I find a solution, I'll be back. 😉

[Julia_G]

Sadly, as I suspected, the Fitbit app has moved on, and it sounds like without Amazon support to adapt it for the Kindle Fire, you are probably out of luck.  I am pretty sure that Amazon removed support, and their app, a couple of years ago.  It may be for the same reason that Fitbit never supported the Kindle Fire - there just weren’t enough users to make it economically viable to keep up with all the technology changes.  Data gathered from Fitbit users suggest that the overwhelming majority of users interact with their Fitbits via a smartphone.  I would not be surprised if even support for the Windows 20 app were eventually phased out.

I know it is not the ideal solution for you, but for now, at least, you can still use your Charge 2 via your Windows computer.  And even the most affordable of smartphones these days probably would still support the minimum Fitbit requirements, and your Charge 2 - whenever you are ready to take that leap into the brave new world!

Again, sorry not to have a better solution for you.  But thank you for raising this question!  I think it will be helpful to others in a similar position, especially if you are able to update with any further information.

[Swamphox · Accepted solution]

I just spent 45 mins. with Amz. support over the phone and in the process went to their Appstore, clicked on the pancake in up left, selected Library and saw that Fitbit seemed to still be on the Kindle and it said 'Open' in the right hand side. Repeated clicking on open did nothing, so tried the 3 dots on the right side and selected 'Delete from Device.' This assumed that since I had downloaded it, it was still in my cloud and if I could uninstall, perhaps reinstall again. Nothing happened.

But, in the Appstore/library where it showed the Fitbit icon, it showed it was version 2.63. So, from my Kindle browser, Silk, I searched on Fitbit v. 2.63 and came back with an offering from 'Softpedia' where I downloaded the file for v. 2.63, clicked okay on the warnings. I went to my Downloads, found file Fitbit-2.63.* and installed it. Voila! Now, if I can just get the new Charge 2 to get associated as the new device, I'll be all set. If not, then I may be returning the Charge 2 as it's the problem. (software at us.softpedia-secure-download.com)

Hope that helps someone else. 😉 also to @LZeeW