Can't set up my Versa with my new iPhone 17

[ChiefRoadkill]

Hey, im hoping someone might be able to help. 

I've been using my Fitbit Versa 1 on my iphone 13 pro fine,and i just got a new Iphone 17 pro max and have tried to setup the watch on the new phone and it just wont find it. 

I've followed all the guidance: 

• Removed the watch from the Fit bit app on the old phone
• Forget the watch from the bluetooth settings on the old phone
• I then add the app to the new phone
• make sure it has bluetooth access
• within the app click add device and add the Versa
• it the just sits searching for devices and evetually just shows "Something went wrong"

it feels like the app is missing some sort of access to the bluetooth but i cant see what since it shows access in the permissions thing. 

Is my Versa finally done? 

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[LZeeW]

@ChiefRoadkill   I think you should contact Support for more help.  It doesn't seem that long ago, but Fitbit released the Versa in 2018, so it is an older model.  It might be an iOS 26 issue.

[DavidFitbit]

Hi @ChiefRoadkill and @LZeeW, Thanks for stopping by, I hope you're doing well.

Let me help you sync your Versa to your new iPhone. I appreciate all the troubleshooting you have already tried. Thanks for the contribution @LZeeW. 

As general info, when you get a new compatible mobile device, you can just download the Fitbit app on your new mobile, open the Fitbit app, enter your credentials (email address and password) and then manually sync.

Your Fitbit device is linked via Bluetooth to your old mobile but as long as you remove it from the Bluetooth list of the old one, your Fitbit device will sync to the new mobile.

If you already removed your Fitbit device from your old mobile, then troubleshoot with the help of our help article Why can't I set up my Fitbit device? > Troubleshooting 

[Kurtnews]

I am having the same problem with the iPhone 17 Pro Max and my Versa. I have done everything in the troubleshooting guide at least ten times and my phone is unable to see my Versa. I removed it from my old phone’s Bluetooth and deleted the Fitbit app on the old phone. I have reinstalled the app repeatedly and rebooted my Versa more than a dozen times. Nothing has worked. Is there anything else to do? 

[Blufitgirl]

I am also having this problem. My Versa (1) won’t connect to my iPhone 17 pro. Tried all the same things. Removed the tracker from old phone. Bluetooth on, tracker charging, in range of phone. Updated app. Updated phone iOS. Removed and reinstalled Fitbit app. Turned both devices off and back on. PLEASE ADMINS give us a response other than the canned troubleshooting answers. 

[Guy_]

Hi all, it's possible also that the latest Apple phones don't support the older Bluetooth devices anymore but to check try the options listed here

What should I do if I lose my Fitbit device?

Once you have restarted the watch see if the phone can find it. Also try on an old phone to make sure the process is working.

[ChiefRoadkill]

I think that’s probably the case. I contacted support and they tried a few other things and couldn’t get it to work. 
they didn’t outright say it doesn’t work with this phone  but that was the impression I got. 
I suspect they would have had me send the watch in to them but because it’s out of warranty and it’s so old it’s just not worth the hassle I guess. 
so it looks like I may need to upgrade 😢

---

I reached out to Support in the online chat and they couldn’t get it to work either seems like it doesn’t work on the new phone. 
It connected perfectly back on my old one so the watch is fine and it works. It just seems like a Bluetooth connectivity/security issue. 
I did wonder if it was worth reaching out to Apple support 🤷🏼‍:male_sign:

[Guy_]

@ChiefRoadkill  - it might be worth contacting Apple support, there may be a setting or it could even be a bug.

Versa 1 is a great watch, be careful if you change, it may turn out to be a downgrade as later watches don't have all the features found on the older watches.

Don't factory reset your watch, that's a bad move.

[LZeeW]

@ChiefRoadkill  @Kurtnews   @Blufitgirl   There is a thread in the iOS forum where some users had issues with iOS 26 when it was still a beta version.  It was listed as fixed with Fitbit app v 4.50.  No one mentioned a Versa (original) as their device.  This information might or might not help you.

I also flagged this thread to get a moderator's attention.

[MarkMM]

Too late now, but all you had to do was download the app and sign in. Fitbits are attached to accounts. Not phones. Although I've never tried Fitbit on Ios, I've had all my Fitbits on multiple android phones at the same time since I joined with the Blaze in 2016. 

[Blufitgirl]

@LZeeW thanks for the tip! Hoping it will get fixed by apple and not require a new watch. Might convert to anpple watch and not buy a Fitbit if that’s the fix. 

---

@MarkMM Do you not think that is what we all have done for years and the first thing we tried?

[MarkMM]

@Blufitgirl I was half asleep and only saw.the first two posts. Obviously there's more to it than that. My fault. 

[ChiefRoadkill]

Thanks @MarkMM it was one of the things I tried. The watch even shows in the app on the new phone but it just doesn’t connect or find it under the Bluetooth devices. 
From trying again on my old phone it seems to mess up where the phone should get a pairing request that the watch wants to send notifications this never happens. 

I did also contact Apple Support but since the watch was discontinued and it’s nearly 7 years old they just said it’s probably not compatible. 
Google support was helpful even though couldn’t get it to work, they offered me a 30% discount on a new device so I may do that instead. 

[Anna.narwhal]

Just wanted to come here to tell you that you're not the only one with this issue. I have a Versa 1 that worked fine with my iPhone 12 Pro. Recently got an iPhone 17, and it will no longer connect; I'm getting the same 'something went wrong' error.

I followed all the recommended troubleshooting steps, even removed it from my account and factory reset it. The only way I could get it synced back to my account after that was to use my old phone. New one can't even see the Versa in the Bluetooth settings. 

[versawatchfail]

Same. iPhone 17 pro will not connect to the versa via Bluetooth. App has the info etc… but Bluetooth doesn’t connect.

---

I forgot to mention it’s not an iOS26 issue, iPhone 15 pro worked with versa without issues.

Bluetooth scanner App Lirum did see the Versa via Bluetooth, but can’t connect.

I factory reset the versa, started over but wouldn’t connect to the 17, but worked with the 15. I give up, apple broke it somehow 

[ChiefRoadkill]

Thanks so it sounds like it is a iPhone 17 Bluetooth issue and not an iOS software problem. 
I’ve changed watches now sadly the new fitbits don’t seem to have some of the things I used on my Versa so I’ve switched brands for now. 

[xFuManchu]

Have the exact same issue.
Versa was previously paired with an iPhone 14 pro.
Now it won't appear in the 17 pro max's device list. There's definitely an issue as in control centre with the device registered in the fitbit app, Bluetooth shows the versa appears to be connected, yet clicking on Bluetooth and into the device list and it's not there.

The watch can connect to both the old iPhone 14 pro, test with the family member I gave it to and my one plus 9 pro so it's not a watch specific issue. This seems to be an iPhone 17 issue in general.

Annoying as the versa does exactly what I want a watch to do and last 5 days without need to recharge. I don't want to change device and have essentially been relegated to keeping an old phone running for the sole purpose of syncing my data which is a pain.

[LZeeW]

Hi @xFuManchu.  I'm not an expert on this, but did a little searching.  The iPhone 16 has Bluetooth 6.0.  Bluetooth syncing is supposed to be backwards compatible.  But there are posts in different sites pointing out Bluetooth issues with older devices, including Apple devices.  I don't think this is a Fitbit issue.  I think you should turn to the Apple Support Community for help.