Versa 3 suddenly massively overcounting steps

[WalkerOfSam]

I've had my Versa 3 for just over a year, and yesterday it overestimated steps during a walk, then corrected itself. Today, it has done the same overestimation, but failed to correct it. When I look at the App, the steps counting during a walk seem appropriate, but the daily total is 1000s more than it should be. The total for today is apparently 30,010, but the 5 periods of walking total only 18,542 (1,376 + 1,419 + 11,787 +3,147 + 813). There's no way that I have done 13,000 incidental steps! I've tried rebooting the watch twice and restarting the app and my phone.  Maybe the 3-axis accelerometer is faulty???

[amcccoy]

I’ve had the same thing happen to me the last 2 days as well.  Guy but will show more steps and when it syncs with the app it corrects itself.   It’s very strange.   I’ve rebooted both Fitbit and phone and it seems to still be happening 

[MyotisSodalis]

It's happening to a lot of users! I made a post about it in the /r fitbit community. Of course fitbit will just tell is to restart our watch instead of actually fixing the problem.

[Mw-Ward]

I’ve had the same issue just the past two or three days (in in Sydney Aust).

What seems rather strange is the app on my Samsung phone also initially shows the incorrect data, but for you click on Steps, the step count looks much more credible.

it seems to randomly add hundreds of extra steps to the Versa 3 display and the initial App display. I suspect the device must be reporting both the additional data (since previous update) as well as the new total, so the app initially displays the new total, but when you look at the steps on the app, the total there is based on the series of “additional steps”?

I did find that forcing a sync (maybe a few times) brought both the device and initial app data back to a credible number.

i also think a few days ago, the weekly data wasn’t showing the correct data on the app with data for “yesterday” showing zero, but that also came good after a few back and forward operations ( I didn’t note what I did!)

hopefully someone it Google Fitbit is working on a solution? Has there been a software update in the past week or two?

[Patsy34]

My Fitbit Versa 3 has suddenly started adding 1000s more steps than I ve walked followed by quickly deducting them and matching the number on my phone. My husbands is now doing exactly the same thing! What is going on? Are fitbits being deliberately targeted so they are phased out??

[CATMOMof3]

Mine started that yesterday. I restarted today but still erratic. Very frustrating. I checked out the help section and it seems like this happens often going back to at least 2016 and was labeled “a known problem”. I didn’t see anywhere where people had the issue resolved. 

[Guy_]

Hi @Patsy34 @CATMOMof3  - it is clearly a bug, see unreliable step counting bug

[Guy_]

Hi all - see the unreliable step counting bug it is something that needs fixing as it affects many people, giving misleading information.

[Theresam12]

Mine also started doing the exact same thing! Sometimes it will adjust back, but then it happens again. 

[deirdreoneill]

I keep losing steps. I was at 7,000 then it increases to 8,000 then decreased to just under 6,000. I’m concerned it’s syncing elsewhere but I’ve checked and double checked and turned off Apple health. It’s typically after I’ve put in “workout” mode on my watch. 

[Mw-Ward]

While not a fix, I have found that going to the app on my android phone and forcing it to resync, appears to reliably make the step count on the Versa3 display the correct data.

Hopefully some will find this useful?

[Patsy34]

I think the same as you … too much of a coincidence that my husband’s watch is doing the same as mine now too! I think Google are phasing Fitbit out.
Sent from my iPhone

[njean]

Ours are doing the same thing.  What's going on??!

[Pfletch]

Add me to the list of users reporting this!

[Mw-Ward]

Actually, the re-syncing I suggested doesn’t always work, but it often does.

[Klk73]

It’s been happening to me starting on Feb 21 through today, Feb 24. It started happening before I updated the app, too. I thought updating the app would fix it but no such luck. Add me to the list of impacted users!  

[Bertie_Button]

Exact same is happening to me, I go for a walk in the morning (approx 4500 steps) and it tells me I’ve hit my goal for the day (8000 steps) - the app records the same amount but then when I sync it goes back to 4500. I’ve added images below that sow before and after a sync:

 

 

[Guy_]

Hi all - see the unreliable step counting bug it is something that needs fixing as it affects many people, giving misleading information, which affects your goals and move hours.

Turning off Bluetooth will avoid it happening until it is turned on again, the incorrect syncing will happen regardless.

It's not possible to stop this happening but multiple manual syncing may get you to correct result until it happens again.

[SamSmette]

This has started happening to me in the last few days! UK based user. I thought I was losing the plot or imagining it at first, as my step count would jump from 7500 to 8850, then after a treadmill run to 12000 & now it has settled at 10000. 

I have tried syncing manually and rebooting but to no avail. 

Obviously this is a bug - let’s hope they come up with a quick fix!

[ManuFitbit]

Hi everyone and welcome to the forums to the new members.

Thank you for taking the time to share all this details and screenshots regarding this difficulty that we are experiencing with steps and thank you for trying to fix it on your own. 

Please note that our team is investigating the issue and working on a solution.

Could you please share the cell phone model and software version you are using. This information will help in the investigation, eg iPhone 8 IOs 18.1, Pixel Phone Android 13, etc.