Versa Smartwatches - Fitbit OS 4.2 Firmware Update (71.6.19)

[KateFitbit]

Update 9/3/2020: This update should now be available to all customers. If you have any difficulty updating, make sure you are following the directions in this article, and then provide as many specific details as possible in your post so that we can assist.

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We've started rolling out Fitbit OS 4.2 Firmware Update (71.6.19) for the Versa series.

We release firmware updates to all customers in phases. The update will be available to everyone soon, and a banner will appear in the app when you can install the update. If you don’t see the banner yet, check the app again later.

*Firmware releases are not distributed based on region or location and can reach anyone no matter where you reside. We do not recommend performing a factory reset to force the update to your device as your data will be lost and you may not get the update. Please be patient and wait until you see the update banner inside of the Fitbit app to begin the firmware download.

WHAT’S NEW AND FIXED

Release notes can be found here.

HOW DO I UPDATE?

Step by step instructions for updating your Versa device can be found here.

We recommend updating your Versa over a home Wi-Fi network as this can greatly reduce the time it can take to get set up. For more information on connecting your Versa to Wi-Fi, check out this article. 

If you run into any trouble updating your Versa I recommend reviewing these troubleshooting tips. 

[GingerBel]

The GPS seems to lose connection since the update; this was previously never an issue. The tracking seems wildly inaccurate - is there anything that can be done to rectify? 

[swatton]

Same here mine was a present so 2 people very disappointed.

[GingerBel]

The watch face has actually decided to come away from the watch this evening so it’s going back to the shop tomorrow. Rather disappointing since it’s not even a year old! 😤

[ahzryn]

Sadly the face coming off is something most of the major smart watch manufacturers seem to have an issue with. I’ve been after my husband forever to go in and get his Apple Watch repaired for the same issue before they end their repair program, because they had a huge batch of defective watches. 

[huffpuff]

I have exactly the same problem after the update.  Can an admin post any troubleshooting steps for this particular issue?  Would a factory reset help, and if so, what are the steps to do so on a Versa 2 since text is not displaying, we cannot see it to select it from the watch menu.  Thank you.

[dragn]

I factory rest mine after trying everything else and removed it from my app, now it won't do anything

[SunsetRunner]

I did the update yesterday and lost control of my screen, the screen would change without me touching it or would not move when I tried to change it. It was a bit better today, but now has completely shutdown. I’ve changed watch faces and tried the restarts and I can’t get it back on at all. Is there a way to back out of the update?  What can be done?

[JennieK37]

Your update broke my Fitbit versa 2. The only thing it response to it's holding the button for the 10-15 seconds, and then, all it does is there up the Fitbit logo for a  few seconds and then that disappears.

[DutchBrit]

I updated my Versa 2 last week and since then the sleep score hasn’t been showing. I bought the Versa especially for this functionality. I have reset and synced about a dozen times, to no avail.
The zone minutes are completely useless to me. I’m menopausal, which means my heart rate goes haywire when I’m having a hot flush. I had 791 zone minutes on Sunday and I hadn’t gotten off the couch! Please, please, please bring back the active minutes. 
it also looks like the calories are completely off too. I seem to burn up twice as many since the firmware update.
I bought this watch to get fitter, not to get an elevated heart rate over the frustration! At the moment my expensive Versa 2 is no more use than a cheap pedometer I can buy at the discount shop.

[swatton]

Hi , I am the same nothing shows on my phone or tablet , doesn`t register
my swims so have to guess to input on pc dashboard .

[Chartwell]

Good morning i have done everything not 1 or 2 or 3 but multiple times. I am really, really frustrated with your product as well as the countless others in the forum. Why is Fitbit continuing to release these updates? The company has failed countless times to provide any glimpse of confidence to us the customers. The moderators come on and say the same thing you said last year try this and try that. I understand you all have a part to play with customer service, but for the love of all that is decent, fix the device or stop selling it! But they are really quick to promote and release a new product I see. Very poor business ethics, does anyone in the operational hierarchy of the company look at these forums?    

[Dsfry]

Ever since you pushed this update, my Versa 2 battery life drains so fast. For example, my Versa2 was fully charged less than 12 hours ago, right now it show a 50% remaining charge. I never had issues with battery life until you pushed this update. In addition, my watch is synced to my phone and the time is always off on my Versa2. For example, the time is 7:52am. My Versa2 shows 7:45am. Why would you push out a large update like this and not make sure no other functionality is impacted? This is so frustrating. When I walk on my lunch breaks, I depend on my watch time to be accurate. I shouldn’t need to carry another device just to be sure I am returning on time. Get your act together Fitbit!!! 

[janryndagreer]

Yup. They need to be scrounging funds to throw more developers on this emergency... and a PR firm to calm us all down and provide accurate information

[Dsfry]

I HATE the zone minutes. It is completely useless to me. I don’t know why they felt it was necessary to push out this useless  “improvement” and cause so many other issues with the watch. I’m so annoyed with Fitbit right now along with their lack of response. 

[Dsfry]

There are currently 426 replies in this post about the most recent update. A majority of the posts are reporting problems and that your suggested “solutions” don’t work. Fitbit, listen to your people and do some that out this ASAP! You are pushing me closer and closer to dropping Fitbit all together and going with a Garmin. Get your act together and fix what you have blatantly broken!! 😡😡

[MarkMM]

@Dsfry And how many are repeat posters like you and I? If you took out the posts not complaining, as well as the repeat posters, I'm sure the count would drop a lot. And for the sheer number of Fitbit owners, there really are not a lot of complainers. Certainly not enough to warrant epic fail or a big emergency.

I've been aboard since March 2016, and never had a firmware update fail. 

[angiorn4]

I had a similar issue as well. I went through ALL of the settings to see what had changed. There was a new 'location' permission that I hadn't seen before. I toggled it ON, reset my app and Versa...no further issues. Worth a try.

[McLinds01]

Since the update my heart rate will suddenly just crash in the middle of a workout.  It will read that it’s dropped to below peak (even those my actually heart rate is likely well into the 160s), then it will just crash and stop reading my heart rate altogether.  Once it comes back up, it takes some time to start reading it correctly, so it’s showing my calorie burn as being significantly less than normal. 

[swatton]

you are very lucky then !

[Marcia1371]

You're just especially lucky I guess, since so many of us had our devices bricked by the update.