Versa 3 Controls won't stay connected to my phone's Bluetooth

[D-Mit]

The Versa 3 Controls that control the Calls and Input Device settings from the phone's Bluetooth settings continually disconnects. 

Here's what's happening & what I've been doing. 

I'm on a Samsung Galaxy s10 phone.

The Versa 3 was added to the app and the Versa 3 Controls were working but when I got a call it didn't come through to the watch after the first day. So when I went into the phone's Bluetooth setting & found the Versa 3 Controls were paired but didn't show "connected". However the app and watch synced fine. 

So I forgot the Versa 3 Controls and disconnected it in the Bluetooth settings in the watch. I then re-paired the watch with the phone and the Versa 3 Controls showed "connected for calls" again.

However after a certain amount of time this disappears and the watch doesn't take on wrist calls anymore. However, the watch & Fitbit app sync just fine. 

So I go into the Fitbit app, click the "On Wrist Calls" button then back into the Bluetooth settings of the phone and it shows "connected for calls" again in the Versa 3 Controls. Then, again, after a certain time, it disconnects.

Round & round it goes, but after about 2 more times it just doesn't work doing that anymore and I have to completely forget the Versa 3 Controls in the Bluetooth settings and re-pair it again. Then it disconnects & I start the process all over again. Meanwhile, this whole time the watch syncs just fine with the app. It just doesn't take the on wrist calls. 

The watch is 3 days old.

I've also removed the watch from the app & re-installed it. That didn't help either. 

Any ideas? 

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[MarreFitbit]

Hi there @D-Mit, thanks for stopping by and for already troubleshooting the Versa 3 Controls prior to posting here. 

In order to solve the issue with the incoming calls on your Versa 3, please see: How do I take on-wrist phone calls with my Fitbit smartwatch? 

Please note that Versa 3 Controls might be listed as “Not Connected” in the list of Bluetooth devices on your phone. When you receive a phone call, the controls automatically reconnect. This feature requires more frequent charging.

Let me know how it goes. 

[D-Mit]

Hi @MarreFitbit, thanks for stopping by my thread.

Don't know if you saw what I wrote in my original post but the reason I noticed this error was because after I connected the watch to the phone the calls where not coming through to the watch. 

I appreciate you copying and pasting the standard tech support post but I've already been there and read that page more than once before I posted my thread. I'm proactive like that.

However, in the interest of fairness, I gave your solution another chance and tried it again after you posted. 

This morning the watch was "connected" in the Versa 3 Controls, but only for input devices, not calls. However, when a call came, in the watch didn't acknowledge it at all.

I've re-paired it multiple times again and even sent test calls. Even those test calls fail. 

So what do I do now? 

[MarreFitbit]

Hi there @D-Mit, thanks for getting back and for giving the steps I recommended another change. We acknowledge the limitation we have on our part particularly on what you have experienced. We‘re taking into consideration your comments and sentiments with regards to our products and services.

I've seen you contacted our Support Team after posting here and they helped you with this situation. If you need further assistance, please feel free to reach out to them. 

Have a nice day! 

[Sofargoner]

I’m having exact same. Exasperating. 

[D-Mit]

Hi @MarreFitbit,

Yes I did contact Fitbit Support after posting here and they were able to get the watch to connect & temporarily correct the concern I had. But the reality is, between this issue & the HR problem I decided to give the Samsung Galaxy Watch 3 a test run to compare. 

I have to say, Fitbit has a way to go. The HR monitoring is better, the notification UI is better, the general OS is better, I can download Spotify playlists & use them without my phone and connect the watch to bluetooth ear pods. I can go running & leave the phone at home. The GPS starts faster and is more accurate. Plus it has an EKG & on demand Spo2 sensor. 

Really the only thing Fitbit does better is sleep monitoring & I think the health part of the phone app is just all around easier to use and more intuitive. But Sansung has the wearable app which helps control the phone which is very helpful and better than Fitbit's in app controls. 

I returned the Versa 3 which is unfortunate because I like Fitbit. It's just not ready yet. Maybe the 4 or the Sense 2 will improve the technology and close the gap. 

[mgarito]

same issue with my samsung galaxy s8. now bluetooth won't even find the versa 3 controls. is this a galaxy specific issue? 

[SunsetRunner]

Hi mate. I'm having the same issue and I tired to do factory reset but it got hanged and now I'm not able to do anything. It's a piece of crap. What should I do now?

[A_Town]

Yesss!!! This is so annoying. Maybe an update will fix it?

This also seems to effect text messages. I wonder about things like calendar notifications. Presumably none of it would work.

Now I'm confused. I was thinking that calling and texting would both be effected. But for curiosity sake I just shut off calling permissions and my texts still come to my watch. My texts were not coming all day, which is what set me out to search the topic and found this thread. Either way, it would be nice to have full working functionality.

Moderator edit: merged reply

[Nadsw2002]

I have also been having this issue. I have just renamed the Bluetooth connection from versa 3 controls to versa 3 notifications in Bluetooth settings and it seems to be staying connected. Just waiting for someone to text me now to see if it works. 

[Sofargoner]

Is it possible to actually talk to Fitbit support? Im about to return this - for three days I’ve reset, reconnected, restarted, and fought to have versa controls stay paired. I got texts on Monday on the versa but no other day. Seems to just not work. Can’t afford nearly £200 for something that doesn’t work. I’ve checked for updates, refreshed, resynched, reinstalled...

[A_Town]

So far so good over here with just getting texts and not bothering with the phone calls part. Sucks, because it should work, but I likely wouldn't take many voice calls on it anyway.

Its seems like you only need that connection for voice calls. Last night I turned off voice call notifications and my Versa 3 controls is not connected, but my texts continue to come through. So far so good!

Moderator edit: merged reply

[D-Mit]

When I called them, according to Fitbit Support, the bluetooth setting will show that it's not connected, but when a call comes in it will connect for the phone call and then disconnect when the call is done.

After speaking with them for a while and getting everything reset and reconnected, the phone and watch seemed to work with the notifications and phone calls.

The reason I switched to the Galaxy Watch 3 wasn't because of this issue anymore. It was because the Versa's HR monitor wasn't keeping HR correctly on rapid changes in HR. Which is a known issue. It's something with the algorithm that was changed from the Versa 2 to the 3. And also because the Versa won't allow you to connect bluetooth ear pods and download Spotify music to the watch. When you're competing in this industry and your competitors are doing both of those things it's hard to win customers. Especially the HR monitoring. I just don't see how you can call something a "Fit"bit and not to HR monitoring the best.

[platter103]

Thank you for starting this convo. I too have been having the same issues with my brand new Versa 3 staying connected to my iPhone 12. I am tired of fighting with it. Fitbit would be kind enough to address this permanently. 

[Zettakins]

Same problem. Can't  calls or texts.

[LGonzalezP]

It’s discouraging reading this thread. I’ve had this watch for 24 h and have all the problems noted above. Seriously thinking on returning it.

[A_Town]

Mine works fine as long as I dont try to use the phone call feature, which
I likely wouldn't anyway. I turned it off, and stopped worrying about the
Versa 3 Controls and it's been fine. I agree, it would be nice to have full
functionality though.

[Sofargoner]

I think for the money spent.....

Sent from my iPhone

[hnadon]

What was the fix? My Samsung S20 FE won't stay connected and calls and texts don't happen....

[SunsetRunner]

I’ve noticed mine started having issues after the last firmware update with all notifications. I’ve had to factory reset my Versa 3 twice now to solve the issue. Considering I’ve had it since late October, I never thought I would have to reset my Fitbit completely since it’s still so new.