Inspire 2 buttons not working while sweaty/wet

[sidsarker]

Hi everyone,

I purchased my Inspire 2 today and was using it while on the elliptical machine. While trying to pause the exercise using the two side buttons, I realized that they were not responsive. I had to wipe my hands and the fitbit before the buttons were working again - this sort of defeats the purpose as it's highly likely that the person/device will be sweaty during exercise. Has anyone else faced this issue? Please, let me know. Thanks!

Sid

[scowie40]

I have the exact same issue have to dry it off by taking it off my wrist and wiping it after I do that it functions properly

[SBF4AFG]

Took it out for a run today for the first time and I'm having exactly the same problem...

[Leuven81]

Hi Silvia,

I actually have the same problem. If you run, it's difficult to keep it dry as  you sweat, so I'm not able to use the button and check my activity. what is it adviced for that?

Thanks

Best Regards

[scowie40]

The only way I can get mine to work again is I actually have to take it off
and dry it and dry my wrist my other Fitbit was never a problem it had a
manual button I'm not really sure how to fix this

[Ryche]

Hi Silvia and Fitbit -

I'm having a similar issue with my Inspire 2 - sometimes when my hands are wet/sweaty after a bike ride, neither the side buttons nor the face of the fitbit are responsive. In reading through, I'll try a reset (as read about in other posts on this thread) and be back in touch with whether it worked or not. Sometimes I have to simlply dry my hands/fingers before pressing the buttons. Other times, I have to take the watch/tracker completely off my wrist. The thing is, it doesn't happen all the time, so it may take a few days. But still annoying when it does happen.

[Beachbum22]

I can only say I wish you luck.  I have the same issue.  After I finish a bike ride, especially here in the south @ 85+, I am sweaty.  The Fitbit will NOT respond to the buttons being pressed till I get my hands and Fitbit dried off.

Guess this was an improvement over the Inspire HR button.  Too bad they never actually trialed this or they would have found out the problem. 

[scowie40]

I'd have to say I agree with you no alternative but to dry it off

[Rob828]

Yea. Also disappointed with customer service. This is my second Fitbit and I swore by my first one. Seriously debating buying another Fitbit tracker in the future and I don’t want a full on smart watch. Doesn’t seem like this one is going to last much longer. New inspire bands are cheaper and less durable too

[Beachbum22]

Unfortunately Fitbit designed the "new" Inspire 2 with side buttons that get confused when wet.  They fixed this by locking input from the side buttons AUTOMATICALLY if they sense water (or sweat).  For some reason they have refused to fix this MAJOR PROBLEM.  I like many bike for long periods and want to pause and eventually end the ride BUT can't do it because my fingers are sweaty and I don't take water *(to wash off the sweat) and dry towels.  When you call the help line they act like they have no idea there is such a problem.  Totally incompetent designers.

[OdoMetric]

I wonder if there are any non-conductive hydrophobic coatings that might help with drying it off faster? I'm guessing they are capacitive touch sensors that are affected by water. Guess I'll start looking for something.

[neal2]

Same problem with my Inspire2.  The side buttons to activate the screen DO NOT work when sweaty.  And that is when I most want them to work and to be able to see when a lesson is over or how many steps I've gone, etc..  The answers from Fitbit to the above people who are frustrated are not working.  Because this is the exact problem I and others are having, leads me to believe it is something that is wrong with Fitbit technology, not the user.  Please have someone look deeper into this to give a more comprehensive answer....  People suggest Apple Watch to me, but I'd like to continue with Fitbit unless this can't be solved...

[Cycomaniac]

Has anyone found a workable solution to this annoying "feature"?  My chat with Fitbit support this evening was disappointing.  The reps only suggestion was to wear the band 2-3 finger widths above the wrist bone.  When placing the band that high it is prone to sliding down to the wrist bone.  Plus I can't imagine how the higher position is any less sweaty then the lower arm. The agent did not reply to my question regarding if a fix was going to be available or not.  In fact she abruptly disconnected from the chat before I could reply.  Looks like I will be going back to an older Charge 2 for my cycling workouts and relegate the Inspire 2 to be a glorified pedometer.  Very bewildering how Fitbit would design a device that is nonfunctional in a sweaty environment. 

[Beachbum22]

Cycomaniac:

Many of us have the same problem that Fitbit has refused to address.  The band is a joke.  In case you try it, fingers sweat also and that is enough to turn on the water block system.

This winter I had no issues but so far this spring down here My hands and arms sweat and I have to rinse my fingers and the Fitbit with water then dry to get it to work.  My old Fitbit did not have this problem but then they "improved" the side switches (probably cheaper) and we all have the same issue.

Maybe if you but a more expensive one you will not have the same issue. 

[Colinbear46]

I wish we could see all the general locations of people who are having this issue and the time of year in which they are having it.  I also live on the Gulf Coast, as someone else on here mentioned.  Simply going outside during the day for a few minutes, not even doing an activity, constitute the kind of conditions that cause this thing to malfunction.  It is so incredibly humid.  And that is the case here probably 8+ months out of the year.  It is very frustrating that when you review your activities you can't be sure if that was your actual time your ran a few weeks ago, or if it was really 1-4 minutes quicker because you weren't able to stop the activity using the pinch buttons.  It messes up average pace terribly to the point that you don't really have good data.  

[scowie40]

it happens to anyone who sweats all the time

[DansWatch]

I am having the same issue and use the watch for running. I need to take the watch off and dry it off in order to press the button, and then it is still very difficult to press, even when dry. FitBit moderator please contact me. Thank you!

[Beachbum22]

There are times when I have to rinse the Fitbit AND my fingers then dry them for it to work.  There is no fix for this common problem.  They made a design "improvement" and this was the result.  The former Fit bit had a different "button" on the side.  This works fine as long as you don't sweat while exercising.  Don't bother calling them as they will give you multiple so called fixes that do not work.  This will be my last Fitbit device.

[John85259]

I've had the same problem.  When I'm sweating a lot my Fitbit Inspire 2 doesn't respond to my fingers on the sides of the device.  I end up taking it off and wiping it clean of sweat and then the side contact areas start working again.  Kind of a pain to deal with.

[Rae_pw]

This has been a problem with mine too.  If my wrists sweat (which often happens while exercising) my side buttons don't work.  I have to wait till I'm dryer and/or wipe down.  Sometimes frustrating and annoying.