The Fitbit app is still draining the phone battery

[Hauper]

Hi, I have a new Fitbit Charge 3, but I have an issue with the Fitbit app, draining my phone's battery suspiciously fast. I have tried all solutions, disabled everything possible, reinstalled the app, restarted the Fitbit, restarted my phone etc, but with no result 🤔. My phone is updated  to Android Pie, it acts perfectly normal with my other smartwatch/fitness tracker + app, no battery issue what so ever here. Hopefully there is a solution to the problem out there, I do not want to ditch my gorgeous Fitbit Charge 3.

By the way, may be 'Chare 3' refers to excessive phone charging?

Hauper

[MarreFitbit]

Welcome on board @Hauper, it's nice to see a new member around! Thanks so much for taking the time to troubleshoot the issue about the Fitbit app draining your phone's battery. 

Please know that this situation will be escalated to our team so that it can be looked into. As soon as there are any updates on the matter we will be sure to let everyone know.

I've moved your post to the Android App board as there are more chances to get related replies here.

Let me know if there is anything else that I can help you with in the meantime.

[Gcas2006]

Exact same issue here. Running latest Android pie on Pixel 3. Fitbit app accounts for majority of battery usage throughout the day. This is true regardless of restricting the app and not allowing it to run in background. App is not even open through during the day and still accounts for 20% battery usage. Hope there is a fix soon! Or wish there was a way to use my charge three without the phone app.

[MarreFitbit]

Welcome on board @Gcas2006! We totally understand you. Please keep in mind that as soon as there are any updates on the matter we will be sure to let everyone know.

If there's anything else I may do to assist in the meantime, let me know. 

[Hauper]

It looks like I've solved the drain issue temporary, I'm not sure how. I shut down all sync in the app, meaning that I only sync manually by opening the app, and due to the notifications not showing on the Fitbit for a minute or more I installed the 'Fit Notifications (for Fitbit)' app from Google Play, I have no idea what the problem is here. Though missing the sync benefits, apparently the Fitbit app does not drain the battery - for now. But I am really looking forward to a fix, Fitbit folks!

Hauper

[MarreFitbit]

Hi @Hauper! Thanks for sharing what has worked for you. We're glad to hear the Fitbit app is no longer draining your phone's battery for now. 

Note we'll let everyone know as soon as there are any updates about this. Thanks so much for your patience and understanding.

Let me know if there's anything I may do to assist in the meantime. 

[Hauper]

Correction: Apparently no need for the 'Fit Notifications (for Fitbit)' app, notifications still takes a loooong time to show up, and probably has no positive effect on battery drain. Sorry.

Hauper

[Gcas2006]

Thanks! I was just downloading and setting up the app. Fitbit still destroying my battery. Not opened once today and it accounts for the most battery usage by far.

[Hauper]

Here is an update: After I forcestopped the Fitbit app, reinstalled it and turned off both sync options (GPS is still on) there is no battery drain, - so far. Notifications are still very slow, and it takes forever to sync the unit when I open the Fitbit app. But for now things are kind of working.

Hauper

[MarreFitbit]

Hello there @Gcas2006! I'd recommend trying what @Hauper has shared. Let us know if those steps work for you as well. 

Hey @Hauper! I really appreciate you've taken the time to share your experience and the steps that worked for you. 

We’re aware of this ongoing issue about the syncing difficulties with the Fitbit app on Android phones and have been working to identify a resolution as quickly as possible. 

We have some updated troubleshooting suggestions we'd like for you on Android Pie (9.0) to try. 

First, turn off Background Restrictions/Limitations: Phone settings > Apps & Notifications > Fitbit app > Background restrictions or Background limits.

Then, disable battery limitations:

1. Go to Settings > Apps > Fitbit app > Advanced > Battery > Battery optimization
2. Change view to All apps
3. Search for Fitbit app
4. Choose Not optimized

Please give the steps above a try to improve syncing with your Fitbit device and Android 9.0 OS. We're still researching and testing out long-term solutions to this ongoing syncing issue. We thank you for your patience while we continue to work on this effort.

I'll be around if you need further assistance, keep me posted.

[Gcas2006]

Hey @MarreFitbit @

The issue that we are talking about is not syncing, it is about a battery drain from the Fitbit app. We are just assuming it has something to do with the syncing. The solution likely lies on the Fitbit and to update the app to require less battery usage.

@Hauper here are the steps I have taken so far and things have been okay today. In the Fitbit app I turned off "all day sync" and "always connected" . Then I also went into Android settings-> apps->fitbit-> notifications and unchecked all of the Fitbit notifications available. Basically I turned off everything Fitbit would notify me of and left all of my phone, message, and other apps notifications I wanted to receive. After 5 hours, Fitbit app has only used 1% of battery which is a big improvement. Will keep you updated on this over the rest of the day.

Gcas2006

[Hauper]

Thanks for your feedback, I appreciate that. Background Limitations is off and Not Optimized is on by default on my phone, so no issue there, if I understand you right. Battery usage is ok now, the continues problem however, apart from slow manual syncing, is the default notifications, like Messages and Gmail; sometimes there, sometimes not there. That really bugs me 😕

Hauper

[Gcas2006]

So after 14 hours, Fitbit app has used only 1% of my battery! Phone notifications (calls, texts, emails, calendars) all coming in without delay. I did not receive any notifications from Fitbit (which I'm fine with) like x amount of steps from goal. 

I think turning off all day sync in the Fitbit app and unchecking all Fitbit notifications in the phone settings did the trick .

I will let you know if today was a fluke.

[Gcas2006]

Also, I have background restriction on and am optimizing battery use.

[Hauper]

So, after the weekend most things seem to be working fine, even SMS and mail notifications. Manual syncing is still painfully slow, but as long as the battery stays alive and notifications are working, I'm ok. The only thing I have changed from recent phone/app setup is that I have turned battery optimization on. Hopefully there is an app update coming soon, along with the newly released firmware update.

Hauper

[angwe]

I have found with my Charge 3 lately, as these users had found with their own devices, that the Fitbit App is requesting the GPS, even when it is not tracking an activity. This is an issue with the app not the phone. I find it completely unacceptable to have to either force-quit the Fitbit app (which doesn't always stop the issue from coming back when the tracker syncs again), or turn off all location services (GPS) until I explicitly want to use them again - which is what I am currently stuck doing - if I don't want my phone's battery to die.

A well-programmed app would properly stop requesting GPS updates when an activity is done (or, as is often the case since I apparently walk very fast, when an activity tracking is rejected - my lunch walk is not a run that I need tracked). Please indicate if there are any plans to update the software for Android so that it behaves properly.

[angwe]

FWIW - I thought I got a solution reinstalling the app on the phone. It didn't actually stop the problem, it recurred as soon as I synced the tracker. Actually recording a run with the connected GPS might have done it, but I can't be certain it won't come back. It seems like the worst way to get an app to stop draining the battery.

Again, it seems like the current best solution is to actually go on a run or walk or other GPS-tracked activity, and then properly finish that activity, then the app won't be "stuck" trying to query the GPS.

To the Fitbit folks (@MarreFitbit), this means that your app is not gracefully relinquishing the location request. If I walk fast enough that my Charge 3 asks if I want to track my run but I don't notice it, and it just times out (instead of me actively cancelling it) - it will get stuck continuously trying to query the location service until some GPS-tracked activity is recorded.

As others have stated, you seem to care more about the look and feel of the Android app than about actually ensuring that it is properly functioning.

[faj12]

Sorry I'm a bit late but I am also having ridiculous phone battery drainage problems. I got the Versa 2 two days ago and yesterday alone it used up 73.6% of my battery which is crazy. My phone is fairly new, and it's battery is very powerful, so I know it's not a problem with phone. This is downright ridiculous. It also heats up the phone, so now whenever I touch it, it's warm. I've had the versa 2 for two days, but I'm not sure if I want to keep it if it brings such trouble to my device. This shouldn't be happening. 

[Garryjoseph]

I have the same problem.  My fitbit drains within 3-4 hours.  There is a bright green light that shines that seems to be part of the problem.  It seems related to heart beat monitoring.  I cannot stop it. I have tried to get on chat for the last several days but I am not able to join as there are too many individuals trying to get chat help.  I can't wear the device because the battery drains too quickly.  Help!!!!