Over counting steps causing calories burned and distance

[SunsetRunner]

Step Counter has counted over 2000 steps from sitting at my desk.  I chatted with tech support for about 30 minutes with no resolution to problem.  Tech support said that the product is possibly recording steps from typing(not joking).  According to the device i have burned over 1500 calories and covered 1.35 miles without breaking a sweat and all while sitting at my desk typing.  Makes me wonder if the sleep tracker and heart rate monitor are also inaccurate.  I will exchange for a new device.  If problem continues, i will return it.  After speaking to tech support, i am not confident this issue will get fixed.

Moderator edit: Updated subject for clarity.

[JaxL]

My Charge 3 recorded 20 steps just putting my hair in a ponytail.  I was going to reset it, but found that changing the Use Phone GPS setting to On, under the individual Exercise settings,sorted the excessive counting. This could be coincidence, but maybe worth a try.

[amanda_panda_75]

I know mine definitely over counts throughout the day. I do realize I am in
constant motion for at least 9+ hours a day so I know I'm not gaining steps
while not moving. I may not be walking the entire time but constant
movement. The only thing I can figure when people are sleeping their may be
certain movements active sleepers have that show as walking? Wearing on
ankle seems to be a common thing. Unfortunately you can't view it as
easily.

[Lillie101]

Hi @YojanaFitbit and @MattFitbit ,

The over-counting of steps seems to be an issue for quite a number of users and a reply from fitbit would be much appreciated.

For example: I noticed it counted steps when I was lifting weights above my head while standing still and there are many other example in all the replies on this thread. Please review and let us know if fitbit can/will investigate this and if its fixable? I am loving all other aspects of the Inspire HR so this is a real shame.

Thanks,

Lillie

[matkinson1864]

I read through this thread before buying my Inspire and decided I would do some testing against my Alta HR and report back. Here's what I found:

TLDR: Inspire counted more but I believe it was more accurate than the Alta.  
- For two days I wore both the Alta and Inspire on the same wrist. I also kept my Google Pixel 2 (Google Fit steps) with me for every step I took.
- The Inspire counted 14.91% and 14.87% more steps than the Alta on day 1 and 2 respectively. Google Fit counted 3.95% more on day 1 and 8.33% on day 2. Total steps were less than 5,000 per day
- Also, I walked around my home and counted out 114 steps then check what each device recorded. Alta - 108, Inspire - 115, Google Fit - 135
- I only wore them both for sleeping one night, but the Alta tracked 6hrs 4mins and the Inspire 5hrs 57mins.

[cappieem]

The issue is related to step counting while driving. Last week I got 2000 steps driving for one hour. Similarly, every day while going to work in 10 minutes I get 200-300 steps

[LeftwardSalmon]

Just bought a fitbit HR as my blaze died but it's massively over counting steps. Are fitbit looking to fit this shortly? It's frustrating as the device is a new mode l! I thought it'd be more accurate than the previous one! 

[MahkG.]

  I have the same problem with my Inspire.

  I believed the numbers it was giving me and as a result gained a pound, even though the calories burned vs. calories taken in showed I was 1200 to 1500 calories UNDER on any given day. That is such a huge discrepancy that I think this Fitbit is a highly inaccurate and wholly unreliable piece of junk.

   It doesn't sound, from what you have posted, that contacting the company will do much good, unless it is to return their misbegotten product.

[JackiLea]

Please tell us if Fitbit is working on a solution to the over counting steps issue.  It is real, and none of the troubleshooting advice works.

[SunsetRunner]

I stayed at home... 2.5km and I can't remember how many calories... all fake data. Why are you selling this?

[Beje]

I am having that along with other problems When I was driving  I got credit for riding abike I am getting way to many steps  and  it takes forever to sync Iam not impressad

[EmpY12E]

Disgusting fitbit have not addressed this.

[Lillie101]

It counts about 30 steps for tying my shoelaces...

[Sami929]

I realized this was a problem a long time ago... I work a retail job and so I'm constantly moving my arms to fold tables and hang stuff... I realized that I was getting like 300 steps added just from moving my arms.... So then I switched to wearing my fitbit on my belt loop of my pants and that way it doesn't get any movement except for when I walk....

I think they do need to resolve this because we want an accurate reading and want to be able to trust that we are doing the work to get the results... 

[MahkG.]

I also put mine on my belt using the 20.00 clip.
Tests show that it continues to overcount steps, anywhere from 0 to
100%. It's frustrating. The thing just refusesto be accurate no matter what
I do. I hope they try and resolve it, but given the barely concealed
condescension displayed by the customer service rep I spoke to I doubt what
I hadto say made it any further than his ear.

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi guys thanks for sharing the sensitivity issues of your Fitbit Inspire HR. Sorry for the delay. Welcome to the Community Forums @amapte @mholmen @JaxL @matkinson1864 @LeftwardSalmon and @Sami929.

@Lillie101 @EmpY12E @amanda_panda_75 @SunsetRunner @cappieem @Slurpee2104 @EmpY12E @MahkG. @JackiLea and @Beje. I wanted to let you know that our team is working on this. You comments are really important for you, at this moment we don't have more information about it. We'll have to wait for the next update. You can try the steps suggested here: How accurate are Fitbit devices?

We'll update this thread as soon we have more details about it.

[Lillie101]

Hi @YojanaFitbit - thanks so much for letting us know - much appreciated!

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @Lillie101 you're very welcome. I'm very interested in helping you out. Please let me know if you need anything else.

I'l be around. 

[justinluong0310]

Mine got extra 1000 steps after 10 mins of riding motorbike.

Really love the design of the HR but if this problem is not fixed anytime soon, i'll return it and get the garmin instead

[YojanaFitbit]

Welcome to the Community Forums @justinluong0310. Thanks for sharing your Fitbit experience us. 

Thanks for sharing you findings, I'd like to mention that Fitbit devices use a 3-axis accelerometer to understand your motions. The algorithm is designed to look for motion patterns that are most indicative of people walking.

The algorithm determines whether a motion's size is large enough by setting a threshold. If the motion and its subsequent acceleration measurement meet the threshold, the motion will be counted as a step. If the threshold is not met, the motion won’t be counted as a step. Other factors can create enough acceleration to meet our threshold and cause some over counting of steps, such as riding on a bumpy road. 

In other words, since Fitbit trackers have been designed to feel the vibrations on your body to track steps, your Inspire HR might confuse the vibration while driving. You can try these suggestions to avoid getting steps while driving from @MakMak! 

For those extra steps that your Inspire HR got while driving you can delete them by doing the following: 

1. Log into your fitbit.com dashboard using a computer or your phone browser.
2. At the top of the screen click Log > Activity.
3. Find the data you want to negate by selecting a date range.
4. In the activity menu, type in "Driving" and enter the duration and start time.
5. Click Log Activity. Your steps and calories burned will decrease for the time period you specified.

If your prefer to use your Fitbit App in a mobile device to delete your steps. Go to your Fitbit Account > Tap on the "Track exercise" tile > Tap on log log > type in "Driving" and pick the option that will show up.

Finally enter the date and the period of time you want to delete.

Give it a shot and let me know if that works.

[RusticMommy]

Load of BS FitBit Rep! I wear mine on my non-dominant arm. I wasn’t even wearing mine last night but I woke up with over 100 steps and calories burned. 

My iPhone keeps better track of my steps than this thing. 

Its a return for me and spread the word. 

Moderator edit: Word choice.