Versa 3 won't track my heart rate accurately

[GalvinD]

Hi, my versa 3 heartrate tracker seems way off. I just upgraded from versa 2 which recorded heartrate in cardio (150s) during cardio workout. Versa 3 shows below zone (84 ish) for the same workout a few weeks later. I'm not that fit all of a sudden unfortunately! Please help! Thanks 

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[noseringirl]

I've had the same issue. I had a Versa 2 for almost 3 years and recently upgraded to a Versa 3 and the heartrate monitor doesn't work correctly. I can be in full out cardio and my hr will read 79. I KNOW that's completely false. I've reached out to Fitbit but the problem is ongoing. I hope you're able to get some help. 

[MarreFitbit]

Hi there, @GalvinD. Welcome to the Fitbit Community Forums. Thanks for the details provided in your post about the issue with your Versa 3. I understand how you must be feeling.

Several factors can affect heart rate, including air temperature, stress level, alcohol or caffeine intake, immune response to illness, and medication use (source).

Exercising in cold weather can make it more difficult for your device to track your heart rate, as environmental conditions can affect skin perfusion (the amount of blood that flows through your skin). Spikes in your heart rate during sleep may be caused by sudden movements (for example, waking up and getting out of bed), or a weak signal due to wrist placement. 

As with all heart-rate tracking technology, accuracy is affected by personal physiology, device location on your arm, and type of movement. For a more accurate heart-rate reading:

• Wear your Fitbit device on top of your wrist, and make sure the back of the device is in contact with your skin.
• When you’re not exercising, wear your device a finger’s width above your wrist bone.
• During exercise, wear your device a bit tighter and higher for an improved fit. The band should be snug but not constricting (a tight band restricts blood flow, potentially affecting the heart-rate signal). Many exercises such as bike riding or weight lifting cause you to bend your wrist frequently, which could interfere with the heart-rate signal if the watch is lower on your wrist.

To resolve common issues, see our troubleshooting steps in What factors can affect my heart-rate reading on my Fitbit device?

@noseringirl Welcome on board! Thanks for taking the time to share the details about the issue with your Versa 3. 

I've seen you contacted our Support Team after posting here and they've already assisted you. If you still need help or have any questions/concerns regarding the outcome of your case, please feel free to contact our team back for further assistance.