Fitbit Versa connected GPS issues

[SunsetRunner]

Hi There!

My versa loses connection with my phone (nexus 5x) during bike excercise and thus shows no route on the map. I know I have gps, because Strava app shows it right.

Is this a bug in the software from the Versa?

I tried to start an excercise from fitbit app, but only walk, run or hike does gps. (no bike. why not?!?) so i choose hike.  now i have a hike excercise with hr and ps data. this this excercise shows after sync with strava in strava as hike. in strava i change hike in bike.

now i have bike excercise in strava with hr and gps. after a while just from magic, the ecercise in strava has been changed back into hike again with no hr data anymore.

I know that fitbit versa is not a swiss watch, but at least it should be working as advertised!

connected gps is not not working. People at Fitbit, can you fix this?

Moderator Edit: Updated Subject For Clarity.

[Jayelo]

I have this problem too. It drives me nuts that my Versa cannot stay connected to my gps. Then I get this wonky map and inaccurate stats. Every time I start my gps on my walks it is constantly “connecting” 😡😡😡

[Jessy_lew]

Yep, same problem here. I have Strava and it works fine. Super annoying, I may have well just bought a cheaper Fitbit.

[kcronin]

I've found that in Versa>Settings>Bluetooth Connection Options>Music Via Bluetooth you can toggle between ON/PAIR/OFF.  For me, I need this setting to be OFF but others that I've communicated with have better success with ON.  May be phone dependent.

I've worked on this problem with Support now for over 2 weeks.  I have never had a direct admission that it's a bug but it's been suggested that once I receive the firmware update, I should have an easier time.

It is suggested that you set your location services in your phone to Phone Only and turn off BT scanning and WiFi scanning for location.  Also, some report that turning off their WiFi on their phones during the Run/Bike helps.  I don't and it doesn't seem to matter, fwiw.

I do believe that this issue will be worked out.  I agree that this is a major selling feature of the Versa and needs to work correctly.  It definitely isn't a problem with my phone losing gps signal as is often suggested as a cause.  I've tested this repeatedly.  Let's sit tight and wait for the firmware update.  In the meantime, Strava as an app on your phone works great (free is fine) and if you link your Fitbit Versa account and the Strava account, the little Strava app on your Versa will display your stats after your run.  Takes a little while to come through tho'.

[SunsetRunner]

@SunsetRunner @Jessy_lew @Jayelo. I think I know why the mileage is less.  I just walked what is supposed to be 3.29 miles.  My Versa says I walked 2.13 miles.  I started my exercise on the Versa and waited for it to connect.  After starting, during the entire walk, it was constantly "connecting".  Since it was pretty much in a constant state of "connecting" to my phone, it calculates the mileage wrong and my pace was off too. I had "All-Day Sync" on.  The first time I took this same route it said I walked 2.76 miles and it didn't even produce a map of my route. Today it did.  I'm not sure why that happened.  Anyways, I turned on "Always Connected" and walked around for a bit and it stayed connected. Haven't tried it on my 3 mile walk yet but I will report back when I do.

****UPDATE 5-23-18****

Returned my Versa due to it not staying connected to Bluetooth and in turn making all my stats wrong.

[LColium]

I'm having this problem too, and apparently the Nexus 5x is "not yet compatible" with Connected GPS, which I had no idea before I bought Versa.

[SunsetRunner]

Oh? Ok, I didn't know that. then I have to wait till my nexus5x will be compatible then... 

I have now disabled automatic syncing excersises from fitbit to strava. I am making export from my "hike" (recorded with fitbit app on my phone with gps)  in tcx and than import it in strava on my PC. bit clumsy but it works.

[SunsetRunner]

Clearly the implementation of Connected GPS just doesn't work all that well.  I purchased the Versa thinking that I could bring my phone with my on my Mountain Bike rides and just use the watch instead of firing up Strava.  Admittedly I sometimes forget to start Strava on the phone and I miss part of the ride, hence the assumed convenience of starting an Bike exercise on the watch then have it sync to Strava later.   Great Idea?

Unfortunately, its clear that the Connected GPS function doesn't work all that well with my Samsung S8.  I ride with friends who Strava and all of their rides indicate 20% More mileage than was recorded on the watch.  They all use either a dedicated GPS or their phone.  I've done three separate rides as a comparison and all of them were in error of at least 20%.  That's a lot!   Compound this with the fact the mileage never shows up in the Fitbit Dashboard, it kinda defeats the purpose of having the watch.  

I do like the heart rate data available but that is not all I wanted to use the watch for.  

I've been looking for the almost perfect Fitness watch that wouldn't break the bank and thought I had found it in the Versa, but I was sadly mistaken.   Too bad 😞

[swim4lifekac]

Since the update my GPS  had been working flawlessly.  Not so much before the update (even with two different phones)

[mikolajrsk]

Hi there, I have got the same problem. I am using LG G6 and i can't connect my gps to the Versa. I tried restarting bluetooth, restarting Versa, and many more. Still doesn't work. Please help!

[MisQ3]

My husband and I hike together often.  He has the iconic with onboard gps and I have the versa.  Our hike per his fitbit as 3.2 miles.  I logged 1.9.  Connected gps just isnt that good

Update:

How did you get so lucky?  Any tips?

I bought the S9+ and the Veraa and I cant get the gps to stay connected, now it wont even sync to my phone unless I uninstall and reinstall the app every single time.

My husband has the ionic, we hike together. He got 3.2 miles this morning.  I got 1.95. His sync flawlessly with his new S9+. 

I bought the versa for the aesthetics as my wrist is tiny and the ionic looks masculine and too big for my arm.  I wish I hadn't because so far it's a nightmare. (Wish I hadn't cracked the screen of my charge 2).

Moderator Edit: Format

[RobertoME]

Hello Versa fellows, thank you for your feedback about the GPS connectivity and my apologies for the late response. I was reading you are having troubles to have a steady GPS connection with the Fitbit Versa.

My first recommendation is to review your Fitbit app version. There are new versions for Android and iOS that might give you some help with this issue. For more details please refer to this article: What's changed in the latest release of the Fitbit app?

Regardless if is require to update the app or you are running the latest version already, there are some external factors that might interrupt the connection between your Versa and the phone. To learn more about this, review: Why isn't GPS working on my Fitbit device?

I've seen some of you mentioned a few mobile phones that are not listed as compatible. The full list of compatible devices with confirmed compatibility can be found at fitbit.com/devices.

If a device isn’t listed it doesn’t mean it won’t work with a Fitbit tracker or smartwatch. We routinely test new devices to ensure full compatibility with Fitbit devices and the Fitbit App, and are constantly working to confirm compatibility with new phone models. A majority of Android phones running version 4.4 or higher will work with our products, however we cannot guarantee optimal performance on devices for which we have not tested and confirmed compatibility.

See you around and keep sharing your feedback.

[Jumpin-Jensen]

Im having Gps connection issues with my Fitbit Versa and iphone 7. For a while, when I logged a walk, it would show my gps data, but now it is no longer showing it. I tried shutting it off and back on, with no luck. Very frustrating.

[SunsetRunner]

As topic starter, I can tell that I have better results now. I still have a Nexus 5x phone, but I updated my Versa and and app. Besides that, when I do a bike excersise  I set "Always-on Screen" to "on" in the settings of the bike excersise on the Versa.

[GrubbyDuck]

Hi all - just been through this too - no map but workout data displaying.  My self found  resolution was to do an 'as new' reinstall for the Versa 'set up new device' from the main console on Windows 10 (yes  I have the FitBit dongle).  Hope this helps someone out there.  

[MichaelBiker]

Here's what I don't get:  my Versa is showing "Connected" with my phone (Moto Z Play), and it faithfully records the correct distance of my rides and the correct time. However, for some reason, it is only showing about half the routes I bike. It just started doing this, and it has me scratching my head. How can it be connected, show the absolute correct distance for the entire route (this is confirmed by my fellow rider), and yet only show a portion of the route traveled?

[GrubbyDuck]

I lost a 20 mile hike 6 June. Absolutely *urinated & fornicated off *about
that too. FitBit chat support response? Input hike manually - yeah
alright & just how do I insert the map, mins per mile etc., stats? #dweedbs.
Versa was checked constantly during hike that it was connected and it was.
End of walk details sync ok, map started to show then it just came up
'error' FitBit went off line 7 June & I lost the work out & that absolutely
sucks.

[litetaker]

My fix for this issue has been very simple. 

Return the clearly defective product to Fitbit. Look for better competing products. I personally went with Garmin (vivoactive 3 model). Very similar price as the special edition watch I had (just an extra $20) and I got a ton of new and awesome features for it, better look and an always on screen.

It is a thorough shame, honestly! I've been with Fitbit for over 2 years! I have a lot of data here. The Fitbit app is more user friendly than the Garmin for sure, but that also means it is far too simplistic and not detailed enough. I really hoped Fitbit will steal the Pebble DNA and come up with a watch that is just a great simple smartwatch + amazing fitness tracker thanks to Pebble. But no. 

I honestly feel that the Garmin is a closer spiritual successor of Pebble than Fitbit. I feel they nailed it with this watch's design.

[OrrinT]

I returned my Vivoactive 3 when the versa came out.Had the Garmin for 4 weeks and I thought i'd be getting a better product with the Fitbit.I can say I never had a problem mapping my runs with my previous watch.I have the updated firmware and app for the Versa and the connection is still hit or miss.I have an LG V20 and a run app I use when the Versa doesn't connect works great.Missing my Garmin 😞

[OrrinT]

I traded my Vivoactive 3 for the new versa.Firmware updated.Still connection issues.I miss my Garmin...