Screen not right enough

[Patriciahunter]

I use my Fitbit for running but the screen is not bright enough to read to check my time, pace or distance. I virtually have to stop running to check it. We don’t get much sun here in UK so that isn’t the issue and I’m not in sleep mode. It simply isn’t bright enough w high is very disappointing.

[Crazygamer53 · Accepted solution]

Hi, I believe that this is a major problem for the Charge 4. Over the summer I noticed that my screen was becoming 

dimmer & harder to read especially while outside. I tried all the fixes, nothing worked.  Then last week my screen 

went totally blank. Everything else works on it  but it has become useless since I can’t see the time or data or scroll 

through the screens.  I have been back and forth with support all week to no avail,  since I am 5 months past the warranty 

they will not issue a replacement. They offered a 35% coupon off the original price of a different device. They did acknowledge 

that they were aware that this was a problem and said that it was an unexpected behavior with this particular device.  They 

should have alerted us that there was a problem, if they had I would have contacted them before my warranty ended.  So

please don’t make the same mistake that I did. One of the fixes is to go in and change to another clock face, I believe for some this has work for a short time.  So please contact support before it is too late for you to get a replacement.  Good Luck!

[Patriciahunter]

Thank you for the info - I’ll have to check my warranty but as with all my previous Fitbit products a problem always arises just outside the warranty period and a discount is offered to encourage you to stay with them. This can’t be a coincidence……..

Sent from my iPad

[Crazygamer53]

Hi,

Unfortunately you maybe right. I have a Fitbit Zip, One, Alta, Alta HR, Charge 2 and Charge 3, they all are still working.  
I loved my Charge 4, I wish that Fitbit would do more than just acknowledge that they have a bad product. They don’t seem to care about their customers or the quality of their devices. For now I will go back to using my Charge 3, seeing all the messages posted regarding the Charge 5, I think that will also be a problem device. They stated that they will replace up to a month after the warranty ends, I hope you fall in that timeframe!!

[Patriciahunter]

After a lengthy discussion with a Fitbit representative and redoing all the things I had already tried, they have agreed to send a replacement or a 50% discount off a different watch. Luckily I’m still in the warranty period. Hopefully I’ll get at least another year out of the replacement before that starts to go wrong. So thanks again - if you hadn’t suggested contacting Fitbit I probably would have just binned it and bought a different device.

[Crazygamer53]

I am so glad that this worked out for you! Enjoy your new Fitbit!

Sent from my iPad

[haimaker]

I also have a Charge 4 and have exactly the same complaint as you do about the difficulty of using this while running. I can’t see the screen and can’t rely on it at all.

Last Sunday I tried to adjust brightness in settings while out running and the screen went completely black. It did measure my run (which I could see later when synched to my phone) but useless to me at the time. We were three women trying to do intervals (in the UK); the two of us wearing Fitbits had to rely on our friend with a Garminto call out the times and pace etc.

The Fitbit seems to help with everything except when you’re trying to, er, get fit!

It’s my third Fitbit but I’m fairly sure I’ll go for another brand when this one dies. 

[Skere]

Interesting - they told me that a dim screen was not a fault. (Was under warranty).  I guess that was a ploy to let the warranty period expire

[Skere]

Same - this is the third Fitbit that has become virtually unusable just as the warranty period ends