RESOLVED: Steps count increase while charging Fitbit Versa

[AlessFitbit]

Fitbit Update: 9/09

 Hi, Versa Fam! 

Thanks so much for your patience while our team continues to investigate and work on this issue. We're still working on this and I hope to have more information for you all very soon. 

As soon as there is a fix in place, I will make sure to announce that here. Please stay tuned and subscribed to this thread for updates. 

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Fitbit Update: 7/25

Hey, everyone!

I know many of you are wondering what the status on this bug is and I'm here to reassure you this is still being worked on by our team. For anyone still getting ghost steps on their Versa's, we are definitely working towards a fix. I don't have a timeline for when the fix will be released, so I appreciate everyone's patience for the time being. I recommend if possible, placing your Versa on a different flat surface without any vibrations to prevent the extra steps. 

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Fitbit Update: 6/21

Hi, everyone!

Sorry to hear that some of you are accumulating unwanted steps while charging your Versa's. Thank you for taking the time to report this issue here on the forums. Our team is aware of this affecting some of you and is working towards a fix on a future firmware release.

Thanks for your patience for the time being. 

[Yattaw]

I have just purchased a Fitbit Versa SE today and when I got home I placed it in charger and loaded software and updates. When I put it on after about 4 hrs of buying it it is showing over 11,000 steps.  It was on a stand with nothing around it. No fan nothing. If this continues to be an issue I will return it.  I had a Fitbit Versa before this and it never did this. 

[slellis128]

I also get mystery steps when its not charging!!!  My husband is an electrician and he checked the output of the wall outlet I use to charge to ensure that it was correct. It was... 

So to summarize I get mystery steps both while charging and when I am wearing it but sitting still. I have tried using a wall outlet, my computer, and my phone charger adapter to charge. I do not charge it around anything that vibrates, nor do I swing my arms around like a crazy woman when I am watching a movie!  Not one of the suggestions that have been given have made any difference what so ever.

[Ngold3]

Mine does this too! For instance, I charged mine overnight & it says I’ve walked 64k steps but I haven’t even hit 4 miles today.

[SunsetRunner]

Hello! What I've found out to be helpful with the 👻 steps, is to clean the contacts on the Versa before I charge it. Hope this helps. 

[Nu2_4rum]

I agree that keeping the Versa contacts clean is a good idea, and if provides an interim solution to the problem of the unwanted addition of steps, all well and good, provided a proper solution is still coming.

While there is the possibility that dirty contacts are associated with the spurious addition of steps, it is clearly the case that dirty contacts should NOT be causing such a problem, and if for some strange reason they are, then that is a bug that needs to be fixed.

[ey814]

I had over 47k steps one night (plugged into a wall charger, not near a fan or AC) and called and got a replacement. Since then I won’t charge over night. Luckily the battery is pretty good and I just charge it in the morning while I shower and get ready. Not sure if it’s the new versa, or the limited charging time (less than a half hour), but I haven’t had the problem since.

I still think a device of this price point should not have such a dramatic flaw, and agree the lame timeline offered is extremely frustrating. 

[wolfdance]

After reading reviews, and all the forums, decided to avoid another Fitbit mistake. I'm so happy i switched to my gear watch. It's made with quality materials, not the cheap Fitbit rubber that always falls apart. And the features actually work. Like phone calls and messages come through when phone gets them, unlike Fitbit that only tells you phone rang after they hang up.



Sent from my Verizon, Samsung Galaxy smartphone

[Ngold3]

How do I clear out the contacts? I’m new to Fitbit & the Versa.

[PurdyChristina]

The same thing has happened to my Versa! I had it on a flat surface while sleeping...woke up to over  35k steps and counting!  And right now it's counting steps while I had the versa off!! Crazy! 

[LBatch]

I am new as well. Maybe someone more experienced can help. Any takers?

[slellis128]

My opinion ion is that there is nothing that can help. This has been happening for months! I have tried every single thing that has been suggested. Only charging a short period of time stopped the steps while charging. BUT  I still get mystery steps sitting in a recliner almost every night. The only thing that will help is if fitbit figures out why it's happening and puts out a fix.

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@LBatch wrote:

I am new as well. Maybe someone more experienced can help. Any takers?

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[SunsetRunner]

Just use a microfiber towel and if you can use a glass cleaner (Windex, or those reading glasses solution)

[AlvaroFitbit]

Hello everyone. If you all have discarded any external factors as the cause of these steps you see on your Versa then feel free to let our Support team know. they are able to review your device's data and provide options for you.

I'll be around!

[Mazyman]

A friend has a Versa and it will not count steps when she is pushing a shopping cart.  Is this going to be looked at in this next fix?   I was thinking about upgrading but, since I have heard about the issues I am holding back until the upgrade is issued and problems are resolved.  I am a long time owner of FitBit products since they first came out.  Hope you guys can get a handle on this one.

[tinamarie62]

The Charge 2 I had didn't count steps while pushing a cart either

[geepondy]

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This is a known occurrence.  I read a review comparing a Fitbit wrist device, I believe one of the charge models and the Fitbit One which strapped to the reviewers side.  The way these accelerators work is they need a sudden change in force such as your foot hitting the ground.  Your hand resting on the cart will prevent this sudden change in force making it to your wrist.  I had my Versa for about two weeks before returning it and I spent a few days comparing it to my One (which I'm now back to using).  Overall, when discarding the mystery steps, the Versa would have between 5-10 percent extra steps at the end of the day.  So most likely any lost steps pushing a shopping cart will be more than made up by extraneous wrist activity being counted as steps.

@tinamarie62 wrote:

The Charge and the Charge 2 I had didn't count steps while pushing a cart either.

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[wolfdance]

Steps are measured by the arm swinging when waking, when pushing a cart your arm stays steady and can't count. I push cart with right and remember to swing left when pushing cart.

[missbees]

So I sent my ghost step Versa back and got a replacement that is also haunted. Fedex smartpost took over a week to get my package back to the service center, and the service center had it on hand for another week before I called and reminded them to send me my replacement. 

The replacement is also giving ghost steps. I am beyond irritated. Fitbit should recall this and send me a Ionic instead. The Ionic is big and ugly but at least it works. 

[Dianalbk]

I received the Versa for Mother's Day and it worked really well for four weeks, then it started counting steps I had not taken.  I've deleted the app two times and waited a couple weeks for all my info to disappear.  Just reloaded the app, and before I put on the Versa it said I had taken over 8,000 steps. I'm so disappointed and am looking into returning this product. 

[KB9WNS]

Are you sure it's vibration?