Inspire HR: Step accuracy

[franskemper]

Hello,

I am using my Inspire HR only a few days, but find that the step count is way off. Only today I put the Inspire to charge and already the count show 1.662 steps. (1.32KM) We do not have a small house, but to walk that many steps will not happen. This was my confirmation of suspecting the same during the past few days. Since I used the Inspire, it gives me consistent way more steps, and distance, than I actually did. Is there any way to fix this?

Thanks.

Moderator edit: Subject for clarity 

[BettyontheMove]

I agree. I have a fitbit alta and just purchased the inspire for my husband. Sometimes he's at 4,000 step before he even leaves for work. I am so dosappointed. This thing is inaccurate and useless.

[Kahama67]

I gave this suggestion 3 weeks ago after having the same concerning issues and I am now very HAPPY with it.

"check your step distance, i also got mine yesterday driving from work to home 36km  it started at an already excessive  695 -3500!! checking my setting noticed stride length was 0.8cm i/o 80cm!.  Now that I have reset this it is counting correctly. Perhaps being such a short distance also made every single movement a step?" 

My verdict after 3 weeks especially after the FB update:

Steps

Driving: now doing 100-120 steps per commute. with 36km over bumpy italian roads with lots of direction change, I find this more than acceptable in fact it is accurate, heart rate, attention, increase when driving which consumes calories hence a few step counts. 

Office:up and down all day with evident 45 minute stationary moments at computer. hourly 250 count fully functional.

Heartbeat: accurate goes up and down as it should and beats are the same as a recent exam.

Sleep: This is also accurate TIP If you look at watch before getting out of bed it may show 500 steps once you rise if you check 3 minute later it will have lowered to only a few. Give it time to wake and update. Again if it does count your movements during the night you are still consuming calories hence steps will be added calculating heartbeat/movement to calculate calories consumed.

Suggestion: Check your settings are all correct and try again. I am more than happy with app and watch..

Only slightly frustrating issue I have are the delays in updating. However noticed low battery power and internet connections made it slower. 

Hope this helps 

[Treetop10]

Bless you for sharing. I need instructions for setting strides starting from A to the end of the instructions... no assuming I know the basics.... I am 84 years and still plowing through 😀👍

Sent from my iPhone

[SheKnows]

Wow they edit posts on here??

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi everyone. Thanks for getting back to this thread, and I'm sorry for my delayed response.

I appreciate your feedback, as well for sharing the steps that you've tried so far. @Kahama67, thank you also for your great help. Our team is aware of the Inspire HR not recording the steps accurately, and they're investigating your information and working to bring a solution as soon as possible. This thread will be updated once our team provides me with more details.

@SheKnows, thanks for your question. Let me explain that some posts are edited based on the Community Guidelines to keep our forums organized, and your privacy secured.

Let me know if you have another question.

[Leukoplasthea]

Same problem here, although not this bad ... I bought my Fitbit 4 days ago and the step count was pretty accurate the first 2 days. However, yesterday and today, my Inspire HR had recorded 11 steps when I was still lying in bed, and tracked over 500 steps in the following 2 hours where I would only walk around our (small) flat, prepare coffee, take a shower etc. - which should be 200 steps at best!

Yesterday, in an attempt to tackle this, I recharged it, adapted the stride length (which should be more accurate now according to my measurements), even disconnected it from the Fitbit app, reset it to default settings, reconnected with the app ... funny enough, the step count during the rest of the day seemed pretty accurate when I checked it intermittently. And then: 11 steps after waking up and over 500 steps now.

[Treetop10]

How do you adapt the stride length?... my count is about 1500 steps too much

Sent from my iPhone

[SunsetRunner]

On the mobile app if you go into your account and scroll down there is a setting called Advanced Settings click on there and you should see your stride length.  Hope this helps

[WilfredMax]

So is there an update on this? Bought the Fitbit inspire yesterday, sitting on the couch has recorded hundreds of steps. 

[Treetop10]

I wear a 3D Fitbit on my waist instead of relying on the Fitbit on my wrist 😩

Sent from my iPhone

[LouisianaGal]

I’m wearing the Inspire HR in a clip on my waist - sometimes on my pocket and it still isn’t working right. They are probably never going to fix it. This foolishness has been going on for too long. 😡

Sent from my iPhone

Moderator edit: personal info removed

[Leukoplasthea]

Question for everyone: Is the step accuracy always bad or only when the battery is below a certain percentage? I charged my Fitbit yesterday morning after the accuracy was bad for a few days and all of a sudden, the number of steps was way more accurate. Now, I'm at 79% battery and I'm getting approx. double the steps that should be there. However, charging the Fitbit daily should obviously not be the solution.

Also, in another thread, I found the suggestion to change the setting from "non-dominant" to "dominant" (in case you're wearing it on the non-dominant arm and the setting is "non-dominant"):

"The dominant wrist setting decreases the sensitivity of step counting and should reduce any over counting of steps when your body is not moving. Your dominant hand is the one you use for writing and eating."

I tried it and it obviously doesn't solve the issue perfectly, but I suppose that it helps a bit.

[GraceGFitbit]

Nice to see that you're digging into the Fitbit Forums! 

Take into account that Fitbit devices have an algorithm for step counting. The algorithm is designed to look for intensity and motion patterns that are most indicative of people walking and running. For more details, I recommend you this helpful article How does my Fitbit device count steps? and this post.

I confirm it's possible to get different readings if the trackers are worn in different locations or dominant vs non-dominant wrist, you can check this help article to get more details : How do I wear my Fitbit device?  

In addition, as mentioned before I'd like to suggest you to restart your Inspire HR.

If you have any further questions or comments, please let me know. Have a nice weekend!

[KarinaU]

As always, not addressing the actual complaints.
If the fitbit algorithm used is the answer.... Then why do some models have less accuracy issues than others? Why would a newer model have much more accuracy issues than older models?

[Treetop10]

So ... like Apple? buy buy??

Sent from my iPhone

[NeverwinterMoon]

I just bought Inspire HR, updated it, even restarted it to be sure. Step count is extremely wrong. Basically, I can wave my hand vertically, slowly, only 5 cm up and 5 cm down, so a very short distance, for 10 seconds and it counts as 10-15 steps. I mean, c'mon, I get that it might count some of arm movements as steps, but that many steps for a very short wave...

I have an activity reminder for every hour to do 250 steps. Today I was working from home, so I stood up and walked around the sofa a few times in my small apartment. I actually counted my steps and it was about 50. But somehow Inspire HR counted it as 250 steps. Goddam. Now I am beginning to doubt any stats coming from that device. All the reviews were so good for it, but I guess I was just a fool to believe them. Considering how inaccurate it is, it's actually super expensive. I got slick looking plastic band for 99 EUR. Yeah.

[Treetop10]

I know and feel your disappointment.... you are correct, the step count is way off and I don’t even depend on it but wear a clip on called a. ...3D Fitbit and seems to be dependable.... figure that out! I also use it for sleep monitoring and logging my food. I just wish they would tell us how much the monthly charge is for the Premium food logging before I sign up for the trial period... need to be a little more customer friendly

Sent from my iPhone

[NeverwinterMoon]

Well, I am frustrated to the point that I am not willing to try any other Fitbit products. This was my first and the last one. Further more, some people already noticed me wearing it and started asking about it, so I am giving a bad but honest review based on my experience. Would definitely try to spread my terrible results with the product as wide as I can. 

[Lonefred]

Me too!

[Anyame]

I bought Inspire HR yesterday. I already noticed stepcount is very far from accurate. 

I made a little test today. I recorded my walk with Google fit and Inspire. Insipire counted 1600 steps more than Google Fit and that cannot be right.