Versa heart rate information not accurate

[Username2018]

How accurate is the Versa heart rate monitor? My new Versa is often very inaccurate.

Moderator edit: subject for clarity

[AlejandraFitbit]

Hey @Username2018, welcome to the Community.

I would like to know if you keep having issues with your heart rate information? If you do, I recommend taking a look at this post, where you will be able to see some things that might be affecting this reading and some tips to improve it. In this other post are some extra tips that you might take into consideration too.

I hope this helps, let me know the outcome. 

[ChayEban]

Hi, I just bought the Versa to replace my blaze because I accidentally smashed the screen on the blaze. First using the versa on the bike at the gym, my heart rate never went over 125 BPM where my Blaze use to read about 160 doing the same thing. I've now tried the versa over a few work outs with the band in different positions on my wrist, tight and loose and still the heat rate is not accurate. I measure my own heart rate by feeling my pulse in my neck and beats over 10 seconds and then multiplying that by 6 (BPM over 60 seconds) and still, I'm getting 160 BPM and I look down at my brand new versa and it's reading 110. It's not just a little bit inaccurate, it's not even close! how can it be tracking my fitness? My blaze use to be accurate and gave me a much different readings than the Versa. I've just read to try to reboot thing, so I've done that now and will see at the gym tomorrow if it's made any difference, if not i'm afraid I'll be asking for my money back and getting something else.

[RPMemphis]

I am having the EXACT same issue.  I had a blaze and it was very accurate - very close to chest strap monitoring at my gym.  Not the versa is not even close.  Supposedly there is a "known issue" that the engineers are working on, but I only have a few more weeks in my return window..super frustrating.

[MarcoGFitbit]

Hello @ChayEban, thanks for joining the Fitbit Community, it's great to have you on board. It's nice to see you too @RPMemphis, I hope you're doing well. 

I appreciate your participation in the Forums and for having taken the time to report this situation to us. At this moment if you're still having trouble with the accuracy of the heart rate on your Versa I would like to suggest you to perform a factory reset on it. Keep in mind that a factory reset will delete all the information that has not been synced yet, so please sync your Versa first. 

Now, in order to perform a factory reset:

1. Go to the Settings app on your Versa.
2. Scroll down and tap on About
3. Scroll down and tap on Factory Reset. 
4. Set up your Versa as a new device in the Fitbit app:
   1. Go to the Bluetooth settings on your phone and check if your tracker is on the list of paired devices. If it is, tap on it and select Forget this Device.
   2. Open the Fitbit app and tap on the Account symbol at the top right corner of the screen, then tap on "Set up a New Device"
   3. Choose your tracker and follow the onscreen instructions to continue
   4. When the app asks you to replace your current tracker, please replace it and continue with the process.
   5. When a pop-up appears asking you to Pair your tracker to your device, tap on Pair and continue.

I hope this can be helpful, if there's anything else I can do for you, please feel free to reply. 

[RPMemphis]

I have done 2 factory resets with no resolve.

[Tank1023]

I just received a versa as a birthday gift yesterday and noticed at rest it’s close to accurate but when I’m moving around it can be up to 20 BPM off. Been a firefighter for over 25 years and know how to take a pulse and this is NOT an accurate device. One day and I’m ready to return it.

[ChayEban]

Thank you for the advise however I’m afraid to report factory resetting has made no difference. It appears to be a common problem with the Veria as im

suffering the same symptoms as the others on here, accurate when resting but I get my BPM to over 160 when I do spin glasses and this piece of junk Fitbit never reads above 112 according to the Fitbit app when I look at the time I was exercising. I’ll be returning it for a refund tomorrow. It’s not fit for purpose.

[Hannahajohn]

I am also experiencing this same issue. Are engineers working on resolving this in an update? Should I get a replacement?

[AQ1]

My fitbit versa is no accuracy at all.  Some times, when I sit down and manually measure the heart rate that was very stable. HOWEVER, THE VERSA READING WAS CYCLING BETWEEN 58 AND 121 bpm.  And the position of the watch at wrist was not changed at all. 

Plus my versa has lots of trouble to Sync.

I'm really regraded that I bought this device because all these problems that fitbit Q&R must knew before the device release.  These are systematic problem and easy be detected in the production testing and Q&R process... 

[Neels122]

any idea if this problem has been solved. Mine has the same issue. I also found that the fitbit reading fluctuates significantly, I'll have a peak of 170 bpm and then it will drop to below 100 and back up to 160 within 30 seconds. chest strap monitors stay consistent during this time. Its quite frustrating when you need accurate data to udjust your training regime

[MirandaK · Accepted solution]

Is there a way to fix the inaccuracy on Fitbit Versa 2? 

[REDVONCUPCAKE]

This didn't work for me. I've also tried the measures from the  "IMPROVE THE ACCURACY OF MY HEART-RATE READING" article. The heart rate barely shows up and when it does, it's very off. I even went through a support process through Fitbit chat and nothing has worked and no solution offered. This device is less than a week old. This is very disappointing. 

[TheStarsThatFal]

I just got a versa (first version) and the heart rate gets stuck at 180 or doesn’t read at all. I’ve also done 2 factory resets and trouble shooting on the phone with tech support. The battery also drains quickly with notifications off, move each hour off, screen dim and screen only turns on when I press the button. It’s half way down or more in 24 hours. It also says I climb stairs when I take the elevator, but that seems to be connected to the heart rate being stuck at 180. My active minutes (though I only had 1,700 steps) were over 400 minutes! So it was showing my calorie burn as being over 6,000! I responded to the email they sent me that I was still having trouble after they had me reset it again. I was asked for my country and replied. I also sent photos of the box! No response. I asked to exchange it for something different that actually works like a charge 4. I don’t care if I have all of the fancy **ahem**, I just want to track my heart rate, sleep and steps accurately. I put my Fitbit inspire HR back on and that has no issues!

[pEony0913]

Fitbit just needs to own up to the fact that it's product fails on many levels to perform accurately.  Too many complaints too ignore the reality. Honestly,  it's dangerous and legally irresponsible to have this on a cardiac patient with the HR reporting such erroneous results.

[CTrippe]

I have set my heart rate preferences to off and then on, I’ve taken a break from wearing my fit bit and I have done a factory reset. Heart rate is still wildly inaccurate. Is fitbit issuing a recall or free replacements?

[TheStarsThatFal]

I doubt it. They said the one I bought in the store was too old and out of warranty and offered a 20% off coupon I had to use up in a matter of days. Really cruddy support unfortunately when tech doesn’t work as it should.

[JFazz]

I am having the exact same problem as everyone lists above.  I will use a stair climber where my heart rate goes between 145 and 168 as it has always done.  Prior to using my Versa 3 for the first time on Sunday, the machine hand held heart rate readers and my Apple Watch were usually within 1-2 beats per minute...my first workout with my brand new Versa 3 and it didn't read over 120 for the entire workout, even though the machine hand held readers were between the 145 and 168 again.

Today I did a workout with a trainer and did a manual measure of my heart rate three times during the workout.  In all three I registered between 135 - 150, and at no time did the Versa 3 show more than 109.

Like everyone else is asking - is there a fix coming.  Because I am seriously considering returning this, as I utilize the HRM to regulate my workouts...and at this point the Versa 3 is not close to accurate.

John

[SomeWierdness]

Doesn't work 😕