Heart rate and GPS features not working on Versa

[Bleeh]

I notice a periodic (a bit too often for my taste, sometimes every few minutes) failure of my Versa to track heart rate (blank values) or to sync with the Pixel 3's GPS (connecting...).

I also notice that at times the heart rate measurement is significantly off, without ever catching up. For instance, today on an uphill stretch I ran and reached 168 bpm. But then on a much steeper, longer stretch, the Versa didn't get past 118 bpm over about 10 minutes, even though I was panting harder than during the earlier run. I've noticed this on numerous occasions: I understand that FitBits are not able to detect rapid increases in heart rate, but I thought, based on reviews, that they eventually catch up and provide more accurate information. This does not appear to be the case all too often.

Anyone else experiencing this with their Versa?

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[JuanJoFitbit]

@Bleeh it's great to see you in our Fitbit Community! I'm happy to assist you with your Fitbit Versa since it's not tracking your heart rate accurately nor syncing with your phone's GPS. Thank you for providing details and examples.

If you haven't done so, please restart your Versa as described in this help article. This will refresh your watch internally. Also, make sure that your Versa is not being worn too tight.

In the meantime, I'd like to share this help article, which explains why heart rate may not appear. It also contains the restart process but you can skip it if you already tried it.

Regarding the GPS issue, I'd like you to take a look at this help page which provides some troubleshooting steps for this type of issues.

Let me know how it goes! 

[Bleeh]

Thanks, Juan.

I have restarted (numerous times). I have wiped the sensor, and move it around my wrist.

Unfortunately, it still fails to track heart rate intermittently. I notice that it appears to go blank under load (running uphill, for instance), which frankly is exactly when I really need somewhat accurate reading. Today, it kept showing two dashes periodically, until for the last mile it just stayed blank completely. I had to reboot to bring the heart rate back.

Based on the above, my guess is that this is a software issue and it should be brought to the attention of your developers.

[nancytaccarelli]

I am having the same issue, sometimes the HR is lower than the real one. I know this beacuse I have used my watch and my husband's Samsung Galaxy and it differs significantly. I know the Versa is wrong because it matches what the elliptic machine shows.

Is there a way to improve the HR measurement? 

[Bleeh]

The FitBit Versa (Special Edition) is becoming the most frustrating device I have had to deal with since an old HTC I had with Windows Mobile 6.

Heart rate has been going blank often during runs and hikes. So has the GPS connection to my Pixel 3 (which is rock solid with every other device I pair with it). I have been rebooting the Versa, loosening the band, tightening the band, rebooting the Pixel, unpairing, pairing again.

Today I was determined to get it working. Right from the start, it stopped tracking heart rate after about two minutes.

I stopped the exercise, rebooted the Versa, the heart rate came on.

But the Versa was stuck at "connecting..." to the GPS on my phone.

So, I stopped again, rebooted the Versa, rebooted the phone. They paired and I figured it will be OK for the rest of the hike/run.

When I looked at the Versa again in a 10 minutes or so, it was "connecting..." again. I ignored it for a while, but then the heart rate went blank, too.

So, I stopped. rebooted both devices. Heart rate came on, but the FitBit never connected to the Pixel.

After a while longer, I got mad/more determined, so I stopped again, rebooted both, unpaired and paired again. The **ahem**ed Versa was still "connecting..." even though the phone was showing it connected.

So, I gave up. It never connected again for the rest of the hike run.

The Fitbit is fine as a step counter and sleep tracker, with reasonable resting heart rate algorithm. But it's absolutely useless as an activity tracker.

I am about to call Fitbit tech support, in case I am doing something absolutely wrong, or my Versa is defective, but I am not holding my breath. I have wasted hours with this device, and I am reasonably versed with the technology.

[Bleeh]

Last night I I was fiddling with the Versa and unpaired it from the Pixel. Then I went to the settings and set "Music via BT" to "Pair."  I know this is for earphones, etc., but I had run out of options. It really shouldn't matter.

On the Pixel, two items came on: "Versa" and "Versa (Classic)" I paired with the "Versa," which should be the normal method, as far as I understand. It paired fine. Then I set "Music via BT" to Off (it was always On before).

This morning, I went for my hike and lo and behold, things were pretty good. Not a single heart rate or GPS drop that I noticed. Even the heart rate readings were notably more accurate than average (except for a steep hill I jogged up to and there is no way my heart did not go higher than 124 bpm, which is what the Versa peaked at).

But overall, today was a very good day for the Versa 🙂 Hope it continues.

Not sure if turning off "Music via BT" is what caused this change for the better, but I am keeping my fingers crossed.

[Bleeh]

An update, and a happy one 🙂

Since disabling and setting "Music via BT" to Off, my Versa has not had any major issues like disconnecting from  my phone's GPS, or blanking out on heart rate (it does it very occasionally now, for very short periods).

So, this seems to be the solution, in my case at least.

Of course, in addition to turning Music via BT to Off, remember that

(a) your FitBit App MUST be running on your phone, and

(b) make sure that your phone is not in Battery Saver mode.

[Bleeh]

Spoke too soon 😞

For the last two days in a row, heart rate tracking goes blank and stays blank, regardless of how I adjust the strap, or if I force sync from the app (pull down to update the app info with the latest data from the Versa).

I am guessing this is a buffer or some other inability to process data in the watch: it generally does it when under load (my heart rate was going close to 160-170bpm today at the time when the watch went blank today).

The only way to make the Versa trac HR again is to reboot, which I have been doing -- stop in the middle of the trail and reboot, then start the exercise again. 

Not happy. Will customer support and if I don't get a resolution, will just get the new Polar Ignite and be done with Fitbit.