Versa 3 heart rate inaccuracy

[MeganHaz]

I’ve noticed over the past couple of days that my Versa 3 seems to be having issues tracking my heart rate. When I’m exercising it’s saying my heart rate is in the 90’s and I’m dripping in sweat and breathless. Is there anything that anyone can recommend doing or a solution to this? Thanks 

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[WendiWhit]

I got on here to see if anyone else was saying the same thing! I actually just got my new Versa 3 (2/24) because my Versa 2 was inaccurate so often (among a few other things), and I'm very annoyed at the incorrect HR with this one too! Same here, it reads low (sometimes 90's, but more like 1-teens), and I'm doing HIIT, Conditioning, crazy stuff where I'm dying, and it reads 100-ish. I'll even take my pulse myself (several times), and it's 155-170. I thought with this one having Pure Pulse 2.0 the new, better HR tracker, that it would be more accurate.

Hopefully someone will have some advice!

[zacharsj]

I have had the exact same issue! I went for an hour long walk today and it said I burnt over 400 calories-yet when I am lifting weights and going from sprints on my spin bike to do weights again or do burpees etc, the watch will not track my heart rate accurately. I’ll be at like 90bpm. When I know my heart rate is above that. There is an extreme lag-even when I’m on my spin bike and working hard it takes ages to actually track where my heart rate is at. I honestly am super disappointed in the product. I have done everything that Fitbit support has told me to to fix the issue and it still is not accurate. I’m switching to a different fitness tracking device. Not worth the money. 

Update: I have had the same issues with the versa 3. I had an older apple watch before this. And it was way more accurate! I got this solely to track my workouts and am

so disappointed!!

I have had the same issues with the versa 3. I had an older apple watch before this. And it was way more accurate! I got this solely to track my workouts and am

so disappointed!

Moderator Edit: Merged Posts

[Soccerhockey06]

I'm having the same issue and I'm beyond frustrated. My Versa 2 was working great and Id be in peak zone for half my workout then it stopped tracking my HR accurately so I invested in the Versa 3 and this might be even worse at tracking my HR when I workout. I am NEVER in peak zone any more no matter how hard I'm going. Its constantly around 100-120.

[zacharsj]

Me too! I am switching to the newest Apple Watch this month. I had an older one before and it was heaps better at tracking than this. I will never invest in a Fitbit again for anything other than steps. 

[MarreFitbit]

Hi there @MeganHaz @WendiWhit @Soccerhockey06 @zacharsj, welcome to the Community Forums. Thanks for sharing the details about the inconvenience with your Versa 3 and for trying to troubleshoot it before reaching out.  We‘re taking into consideration your comments and sentiments with regards to our products.

Note that you might notice slight variations between your heart-rate reading on your new Fitbit devices compared with your old ones due to improvements in the heart rate sensor and algorithm.

Differences between heart-rate readings on your device and on exercise equipment are likely due to wrist or hand position. Make sure the back of your device is in contact with your wrist and that your band is snug.

Several factors can affect heart rate, including air temperature, stress level, alcohol or caffeine intake, immune response to illness, and medication use. For more information, see What factors can affect my heart-rate reading on my Fitbit device?

[Brian116]

Marre, what you and other Fitbit staff are not recognizing is that in this thread and others it is experienced Fitbit users who are having problems that just recently popped up as in the inaccurate floor count data or this issue with tracking the HR (which I’ve also noticed on my Versa 3). So giving the basic answer of hey read our documentation isn’t helpful. If fact it is insulting as Fitbit seems not to be interested in fixing the issues.  I have no choice but to look at the Apple Watch more seriously.  Again very disappointed and if I was head of software development I would be having daily crisis meetings to determine a firmware update release date and the commit to our customers that I would fix the problems.  

[zacharsj]

It doesn’t. This was the same thing I was told previously. And has not been helpful. I expect some variations in heart rate, because technology isn’t perfect, but for me to be sweating and breathing heavy for my entire workout and my heart rate to only read 100bpm is grossly inaccurate. 

[d_rovetto]

UPDATE: I unpaired my Versa 3 switched to my Versa last night, 3/10/21, and as of 9am on 3/11/21 NO floors have been counted which is completely accurate as I live in a one level house. To me this seems to indicate that there is something wrong with the Versa 3 software 🤔

Glad you said it!! 👏👏 I posted awhile ago about the inaccuracies in counting floors and got an answer that had to do with air pressure.  😄 I haven't moved to a new state or into the mountains or something.  I know the weather in TN can change quickly but this is ridiculous! This wasn't an issue before and my versa 3 shouldn't count floors when I am sitting at my desk nor should we have to figure out how try and delete information. I have had a fitbit for over 5 years so I know when something isn't working properly 🙃

[RunGary]

I am completely in agreement with @Brian116 I just got off the phone with a Fitbit customer service rep about inaccuracies of Versa 3 HR and felt the service was bad and that the service and software development structures need to be looked at.  What ever happened to the customer is right?? I compared HR from my Charge 2 and Versa 3 and get different results. 

[agaddy]

glad to know that I'm not alone.  I need to return this fitbit and either go with the Charge HR or just it the bullet and get the apple watch.  My Versa 2 was much more accurate.  SMH! 

[zacharsj]

I feel like mine has become even more inaccurate over time. I just got it at the beginning of December 2020 and did the same bike workout I did in December-and burnt less calories with the same amount of time, resistance and effort. 

[DreVen]

This does not help. I had fitbits for years with accurate heart rates. They told me my versa 2 was out of warranty so I bought a versa 3..... and the same issues. It is an software issues. Not a wrist placement issue. If your company has not read all the complaints and forums by now to recognize that,  then you need a whole need tech support team. The sooner you resolve, the better. I am happy to try a galaxy watch for an accurate workout stats. Have a nice day. 

[d_rovetto]

I was just thinking about the Galaxy Active 2. I have had a Fitbit for so long that I prefer their app and understand how it works however this problem with inaccuracies in floor counts and HR make we want to try something new and see if it works better.

[AmouFauve]

Same here! HR is SO innacurate. It's too high when resting and super low when working out. Doesn't make sense. Charge 3 was working better. Very disappointing for the price paid. 

[Doypa]

I have just bought a Versa 3 and have immediately noticed the vast inaccuracy in HR monitoring. This seems to occur more when an exercise tracking type is selected as opposed to when generally wearing the advice. 

The response from MarreFitbit above really was shocking and I really do hope that Fitbit can quickly do better than that to respond to this issue. 

[MarreFitbit]

Hi everyone - Thanks for letting us know about this issue with the accuracy of the heart rate monitor. We’re aware of it and are working to identify a resolution as quickly as possible. 

We're sorry for any trouble. We appreciate your patience and look forward to getting you back on track.

Thanks for being a Fitbit customer! 

[agaddy]

Not sure but it’s definitely a software issue

[PIWilson]

I've had the same problems with my Versa 3. Can climb a 4/500 foot hill and be breathing hard and sweating a bit and its only reading in the 80s. Lately it's gone mad the other way: I woke up on Wednesday morning last week to discover that over night I had generated over 70 plus active minutes - in my sleep!! and then despite resting the heart rate scarcely went below 95 plus. So I put on my Charge 2 and the heart rate was around 60. Not only that I have been sitting at my computer on the ground floor not doing any flights only to find I had managed to do 17 flights without leaving my seat. I was really looking forward to using the contactless payments - which only worked 3 times then ceased, The Versa 3 was funded by a work long service award. Things have become so annoying that I have deleted the Versa 3 and gone back to my Charge 2. This was my 3rd Fitbit and I have never been more disappointed.

[SunsetRunner]

I am having the same issues. When I first got the versa 3 around Christmas, it was fine. But since then, the HR when working out is totally wrong. I use an elliptical and treadmill for walking, no HIIT workouts. I've placed the band further up my wrist, on both sides, tightened the band, loosened the band, did this on both wrists, and cleaned the watch daily with alcohol. Nothing changed. I put my charge 2 on one wrist and the versa on another then worked out. Totally different HRs. 168 on the charge, 92 on the versa3. 

One thing I have noticed is that when I sync with the app when I'm done working out, the HR data is accurate in the app. This is not the reading from the Charge 2, it's from the versa. But when working out, when I need it most, it's completely wrong. I'm now using the versa as an expensive wrist watch and the charge while working out. 

Seems like a software issue to me. Would be nice to have this fixed. The product is nice and I love the app. But competitors are calling my name right now. Thanks.