Connected GPS problem

[Atissa]

The GPS only connects when the fitbit app is running on the forefront and the phone screen is on... the moment the screen turns off or i open another  app it disconnects. I can't possibly keep the phone screen on all the time during a bike ride or a run. Other topics seems to discuss not being able to connect at all, or random disconnect. In my case it's not random, but it's not working as intended...it's useless.

Does anyone have this problem too? 

[Marrrmaduke]

@Atissa It seems that your Fitbit mobile app or location services are getting killed by the OS of your phone. Are you on Huawei, Honor, Xiaomi, OP etc? What phone model do you have and which OS? Which Fitbit mobile app version are you running? A few ideas:

1. Make sure Fitbit mobile app is not being optimized by Android. Go to your phone's battery settings and disable battery optimization for Fitbit app.

2. Lock Fitbit mobile app in the background, so it doesn't get killed by Android. Please take a look at this link.

3. In the Fitbit mobile app, tap on Versa, and scroll down to Always Connected and All-day Sync. Enable it.

[Atissa]

Thank you!

I tried the things and it didn't help 😞 I have a samsung S8+ with up to date system, and Fitbit app is also up to date. I don't know how to find app version, i can only see that it's up to date.... 

If I use endomondo or runtracker, it manages to get gps even with phone screen off.

[Marrrmaduke]

@Atissa I am also having constant GPS issues. If locking the app in the background does not help, you can trying downgrading the Fitbit mobile app to version 2.74.2. I know it used to work with GPS and the tips I have provided in my previous post. You would have to uninstall the current version of fitbit app, download APK file for the 2.74.2 from the internet and install it. There's lots of information online how to install apk files on your phone. Of course, if you don't particularly mind waiting, hopefully Fitbit will release the fix with the update. Sorry I couldn't be more helpful. 😞

[natefrog255]

I have a Flex 2 and used the GPS exercise feature and ran into the same thing when my screen timed out.  I just assumed I lost my walk so I went back into the Fitbit app, hit the + next to the exercise area on the dashboard and my walk was actually still going.  It was cumbersome to always have to do this, but at least it was still tracking.  I don't know if you tried that at all.

I will note that my voice cues didn't work at all during the run even though they were enabled and I was able to hear the test voice.  I don't know if my music app disables the voice alerts or not. 

Hopefully I find something where I can keep the Fitbit GPS feature open even if screen times out. 

[TenSean]

I was suffering this problem as well, whereby when the Fitbit Versa screen turned off during a run GPS signal would be lost and constantly be 'connecting' again despite the phone still tracking using Strava.

In the end I found that disabling high location accuracy in Google location settings (where your phone uses WiFi and Bluetooth to improve accuracy) meant the watch stayed permanently connected.

The maps of my run were just as accurate after this but the actual distance tracked is now 20% lower than the same run tracked using Strava on the phone.