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. 

[slellis128]

Well, the multiples of 5 may or may not be what it was. I used that for simplicities sake. Honestly, I can't give you exact figures since I made them refund my purchase and sent back the versas I had in my possession and I no longer have one to watch go up and record the info. All I can say is I watched the numbers go up in increments both small and large. And in 5 minutes or so, I saw over 5000 steps added while I watched the numbers jump up...

[Nu2_4rum]

The fact that replacement watches tend to exhibit the exact same problems suggests that, whatever causes the ghost steps, it is something specific to the users who have the problem.

By this I do not mean to imply any fault on the part of the users. I mean there may be some environmental factor, or something specific to the user’s account, configuration (including installed apps and watch face), login credentials, etc, that somehow triggers the misbehaviour.

So something else to try: Uninstall as many watch apps as you can live without, and try a different watch face.

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

[Nu2_4rum]

I think you may be making an assumption based on the numbers used as examples to illustrate the magnitude of the increments.

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

[Glenmcd]

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@Nu2_4rum wrote:
The fact that replacement watches tend to exhibit the exact same problems suggests that, whatever causes the ghost steps, it is something specific to the users who have the problem.

By this I do not mean to imply any fault on the part of the users. I mean there may be some environmental factor, or something specific to the user’s account, configuration (including installed apps and watch face), login credentials, etc, that somehow triggers the misbehaviour.

Agreed.  But also you have the users like me, that couldn't care less about steps and don't bother to view them at all.  I hate walking/jogging/running.  But I love to ride my bike.  My stats have calories as main target and I look at my HR zones after a ride, and then a fake activity that simply records my HR during recovery.

[geepondy]

When I bought my Versa in early May, within the first week, I got several thousand ghost steps while Versa was sitting on the charger for two nights and at least one episode of several thousand while sitting idly watching TV.  Then in the second week before my 15 day Best Buy return period expired, I tried like  heck to duplicate and narrow down the problem.  I tried different USB chargers, the original AC powered hub charger, my PC USB port charger, my Apple ipad charger.  I tried repeatedly plugging them and out of the charger.  I tried rapidly powering off and on the charger (for the AC powered model) while the Versa was hooked up.  But I never could again get it to fail.  I can say that in all instances of failure, I had my iphone within bluetooth range.

[Nu2_4rum]

>From this arises another idea:


* Disable Bluetooth on phone while watch is on charger.
* See if ghost steps still occur.

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

[winnie1280]

I charge my Versa using my lap top. I do not get ghost steps while
charging my watch. I have ghost floors on occasion. Trying to figure out
what I am doing when these appear but so far haven't been able to pinpoint
what is causing this. This however is not a real concern to me. Sleep
tracking is way off. Distance lags behind official race timing and other
timing devices. Constantly disconnects from phone while running when watch
is on my wrist and phone is in arm.band on my arm...right or left or if I
carry it in my hand..right or left. I am still not satisfied with my Versa
but since ghost steps while charging is no longer an issue I have just
accepted it for what it is and moved on. However I will no longer
recommend a Fit Bit device to anyone nor will I ever buy another.
Disappointing because I absolutely loved my Charge 2.

[MinaMazing72]

I disconnected Bluetooth while charging. Woke up to 25000 extra steps. I set it on the charger about 2am took it off the charger about 7am should've had the 300 steps I took before 2am. But low and behold 25332. It's super frustrating. I turned off notifications as well. I just don't get it. 

[Nu2_4rum]

This is useful information. It implies that the problem is WITHIN the watch, ie it happens without Bluetooth activity, and therefore the influence of a phone (via the Fitbit app, Bluetooth drivers, or GPS) is proven to be irrelevant.

So it is either a hardware or software problem WITHIN the watch. But it has to be a problem that REPEATEDLY manifests for some users but NOT for others. So what is the software difference between one watch and another? Well, we can assume they are all running the same firmware version. So then it would come down to (a) which apps are installed and (b) how they and the Fitbit OS are configured and (c) which watch face is being used.

If it were a hardware problem, then those people who have had several replacements, all behaving the same, would instead have found that the replacements worked. Unless all watches have the same hardware issues. In which case why are there other users who never have ghost steps?

This makes me conclude that it is a SOFTWARE problem WITHIN the watch, and that it MAY be to do with which apps and watch face are installed, and possibly whether the watch has been set up to supply Bluetooth data to headphones etc.

So as I have previously suggested:

Anyone with ghost steps, please try uninstalling as many apps as you can live without, and try a different watch face, then see if it makes any difference to the ghost steps, and report back.

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

[Stormyam]

I agree, I haven't had ghost steps since I reset, updated and only use
pandora and Starbucks apps but bluetooth on.
32.32.10.15 firmware
Simple analog clock face
Charge while in shower

Sleeping time is close to reality

[Nu2_4rum]

This is great info. Please, others come forward with you observations too. I think we may be starting to focus on the root cause.

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

[geepondy]

When I had my Versa with ghost step problem, I did not install any extra apps, save change the watch face, then what was already present on the Versa.

[Nu2_4rum]

Not quite sure I understand. Are you saying that the ghost steps occurred since changing watch face but not before? If so, how long was it, after you got the watch, before you changed the watch face?

Sent from Mail for Windows 10

[Cljf]

I reluctantly must say, why do we have all these consumer suggestions and efforts to find the magic bullet that stops the misdeeds of the Versa? Who buys a car, finds it misbehaves, then has dozens of other owners suggesting what to do to fix it? No, you contact the dealer, and if that doesn’t work go to the manufacturer. If there are a considerable number of owners who have the same problem, either the dealer fixes it or there is a manufacturer recall to remedy the issue.

Consumers can forever make suggestions, guess what the problem is, and try everything and anything. All this activity is borne of frustration and disappointment. All need a recall or fix from Fitbit.

Now the best action is to report problems, and wait for Fitbit to fix them. If not, then abandon the company and their products and warn other consumers that there are unremedied issues and they should avoid the product.

What doesn’t seem right is that the product is still aggressively sold by retailers...home shopping network recently had a whole segment on the Versa. How many buyers will have difficulties, stumble on these posts and go through the litany of well meaning suggestions that seem never to resolve the issue.

I wish Fitbit well, and hope they solve this...past products did what they advertised for the most part and all purchasers of Versas/Ionics would like nothing more than to have a product that works well and becomes a part of their lives.

[lenny4d]

@Cljf  good post, "Who buys a car, finds it misbehaves, then has dozens of other owners suggesting what to do to fix it? "  Exactly!

>> What doesn’t seem right is that the product is still aggressively sold by retailers...home shopping network recently had a whole segment on the Versa. How many buyers will have difficulties,

Well, I hope you realize there are MANY people who simply do not have any of the problems that a few others (percentage wise) seem to have, for reasons that are either their own or not. I don't have ghoststeps while charging (the subject of this thread), not at all. Now I do recognize that there are some other quirks and hence I am more inclined to 'aggresively' recommend the Charge 2 before the other newer models, but in fact I do like my Versa a LOT.  I do appreciate that those people that appear to have problems feel like lost in a desert and that there is room for improvement.

The day someone says (and shows) "hey I get 1000s of ghoststeps when charging, both with my wall charger, as well as PC as well as USB brick, THEN we (=fitbit) can move on". Untill then there is simply no substance.

[danielamneto]

Hi guys, i will explain my expirience with versa. I bought it and the day after i assume that i did ~20000 steps which was completely wrong, on the 3rd day i found it. It count a lot when i was driving and when i sit still on my desk when i was working.

I search for ghost steps and i found this forum and try few things.

Turn off the all day sync and restart -> Didnt work.
Turn off phone GPS -> Didnt work.
First Factory reset -> Make it worse, expect when i leave it on the table all night before the second reset. It doesnt count any ghost step. 
Second factory reset -> I was searching for my last watch face and it wasnt available anymore and i choose another one. This time it didnt count anymore when i was at the sofa watching TV, but when i was on the bed and making normal movements with my arm it does count a lot of steps. I decide to turn off "Automaticly stride" and put it manual 67cm. Im still test it. 

In my case i started with ghost steps, but now i think the fitbit versa sensor its to sensitive to arm movements. My boyfriend has a different smartwatch and it count farely good. It count almost the same when we are actualy walking but in this situation that are a lot of arm movements it counts as steps on versa. 

I hope you fix it very soon guys, by software or hardware. This is my experience, im still testing it after the second factory reset. 

[lenny4d]

@danielamneto  - thank you for your email and testing!! I also have the Versa (firmware 32.32.10.15, you may want to confirm you have the same, it is listed both under settings on the watch as well in the mobile app when you are in the Versa settings panel). I don't have any ghoststeps.

In reality there is no definite verdict on what the cause is of the ghoststeps, there are many manifestations. Some people say it is due to vibrations, other claim it is a software bug of sorts. But in all cases it is annoying!  That said, for sure certain arm movements will induce 'steps' (by nature that is how the tracker detect steps). You can try to monitor the steps reading while sitting at a desk to understand better what/when/how it is happening. A useful way that avoid having to look at your watch all the time is to put your mobile in front of you with the fitbit app open. If it has synced you will see the step and hr tiles updating in real time, and it may help to spot when extra steps are generated and what exactly is going on.... You might want to try it, if only to help the community 🙂

[MarcoGFitbit]

Hello everyone, I hope you're having a great day. 

I appreciate your participation in the Forums and for the constant feedback and insights you've provided so far. I understand some of you have tried several methods for your step count to stop increasing while your Versa is charging and I'll make sure to forward your findings to our team so they can check them out. 

Thanks for all your patience and understanding regarding this matter, I would like to ask you to please keep us updated with this issue, all the information and details you've provided has been very helpful so far, thanks. 

Happy stepping!

[LeslieV]

Are we able to return and get a refund or new product? It’s too late for me to take it back to Target but I hate to have spent over $200 and not know when it’ll ever work. I haven’t even been taking it off the charger for days and I’m ahead of my runner friends in steps. 

[slellis128]

I did get a refund from fitbit after I had argued with them forever. I stopped arguing and looked online to find information about how to contact the better business bureau.