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Versa inaccurate GPS tracking

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‎10-01-2019 16:31 - last edited on ‎03-09-2021 11:29 by Fitbit Moderator

‎10-01-2019 16:31 - last edited on ‎03-09-2021 11:29 by Fitbit Moderator

I have used my versa for 2 years now and in the last three months, the gps tracking is not showing an accurate distance. I have used a different fitbit and it's doing the same. I have checked the distance with google maps and it's definitely off and I use the same track every day. How do I reslove this please as it's very annoying!

 

 

Moderator edit: Labels and format

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93 REPLIES 93

‎10-11-2019 05:36

In response to Jackos

‎10-11-2019 05:36

I've just reinstalled.  Will test tomorrow.

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‎10-11-2019 09:05

In response to nicholasBhu

‎10-11-2019 09:05

Reinstalling, removing the fitbit and adding it again, etc did not help me but I hope it helps you!

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‎10-11-2019 10:16

In response to mortie5k

‎10-11-2019 10:16

Mine is off too, though mine is less than Google Fit.  I ran 2.2 miles and fitbit said 1.8.   I have been making the same run for years and it just changed.  This is very frustrating.

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‎10-11-2019 17:52 - last edited on ‎10-27-2019 17:42 by

In response to dryheatwriter

‎10-11-2019 17:52 - last edited on ‎10-27-2019 17:42 by

But if you look at the GPS map up close, it's very jagged, like you are
zigzagging on much of the route. It doesn't seem to handle curves for me at
all, though straight paths are better.

--

Moderator edit: personal info removed

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‎10-12-2019 12:29

In response to KHorvath56

‎10-12-2019 12:29

Welp.  5 mile run today using the workaround that seemed to be sorta working for me (setting it up as a walk instead of a run) and it was off - but not as much as before.

 

Annnd it shut down 3 times during my run.

 

I am going to instal the update now because really nothing could be worse than this stupid thing not working and doing what I need...next step is going to be a Garmin.

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‎10-13-2019 06:05

In response to dryheatwriter

‎10-13-2019 06:05

The over measure got worse. I did my 2.2 mile twice on Friday and both came in at 2.6. I immediately ordered a refurb Garmin Vivosport on Amazon ($68, on board GPS, and same day delivery! ) because I couldn't stand doing another long training run with bad telemetry. 

Yesterday's 10.6 run measured 11.8 on Fitbit, and 10.59 on Garmin! This was well worth the investment because I could watch my pace, rely on it,  and plan my run accordingly! 

I'll keep my versa and just wait for Fitbit to get their stuff together

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‎10-13-2019 09:46

In response to dryheatwriter

‎10-13-2019 09:46

Yeah I'm probably going to go with a forerunner 235 

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‎10-13-2019 11:59

In response to mortie5k

‎10-13-2019 11:59

Omg this is me!!!! I've had mine since last Christmas. I have walked 4 miles at a 14.45 min pace for YEARS. It was accurate until a few months ago. Now its showing my pace anywhere from 18 to 20 min miles and obviously my distance walked is WAY off. I did every fix they recommended and nothing. My friend who walks with me has the apple watch and of course hers is dead on..fitbit already replaced my versa thinking that it was an issue now my new one does the SAME THING. What is the point of an exercise tracking watch that doesnt track exercise correctly?? I am beyond frustrated and wish I could return it and get something else. What a huge let down . I will never recommend this watch to anyone. Im.eo angry and now im.stuck with it. If one more Fitbit rep mentions stride length I'm going to lose it! Ughhh I am going to look into the samsung watch.  What a huge waste!! I also teach a cardio hip hop class..it seems to be recording that ok, just distances and pace are way off when I walk/jog...

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‎10-19-2019 17:51

‎10-19-2019 17:51

I've been having the same problem for about 2 weeks, around the time there was a firmware update pushed to my Versa. It's super frustrating because I've been training for months for my first half marathon, ran it today on an official course, and my Versa says I ran 11.5 miles, thus calculating my pace and splits all wrong. The map of my run in the app is 100% correct, no cut corners or anything. So the GPS is clearly working. How is the measurement off when the map clearly shows the correct distance? 

 

I had had issues after a firmware update getting my text messages in the past, but that was solved by uninstalling and reinstalling the Fitbit app on my android. I'd tried that last week for this problem but that did not solve this problem. 

 

Like a few other voices here, it has me near concluding Fitbit is just bad tech and I need to switch to Garmin. How can Fitbit explain this? 

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‎10-19-2019 18:00

In response to Brierv

‎10-19-2019 18:00

Today's 12 mile run (calculated exactly by my Garmin) came out as 14.49 on Fitbit. 

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‎10-20-2019 06:35

‎10-20-2019 06:35

I'm having similar problems too, my versa lately registers less distance than it should.

The GPS data is accurate, when I export the workout to Strava I have an option to correct the distance using the GPS data instead of the distance reported bit the device and I get an accurate number.

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‎10-20-2019 08:11

In response to jpcubo

‎10-20-2019 08:11

Well, I solved my problem.

 

Bought a garmin forerunner 235.  The music controls on it actually work!  The distance and pace calculations are actually correct!  CRAZY!

 

It doesn't have as pretty of a screen as my versa, and it's not a touch screen which took a little getting used to but it actually does what it's supposed to do.

 

If you want a nice looking piece to count your steps and tell time and maybe give your notifications (when it wants to) keep the versa, it's not a bad watch for that.  

 

If you are looking for something that will accurately give pace/distance info when you're running...plus give you 100x more useful information than the fit bit does, get a garmin.  $200 on amazon and my problems are over.

 

They both have their place, but if you're in any way serious about your running, skip the fitbit.

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‎10-20-2019 14:56

In response to mortie5k

‎10-20-2019 14:56

A quick question are you running on Apple IOS or Android if android what phone. Perhaps if we can narrow it down it may help. 

 

I have exactly the same problem since the last firmware update. 

I have a Samsung Galaxy S9 plus. 

 

My wife has a versa connected to an IPhone 8 and hers is spot on every time she will record 3.45 miles on our run mine will be anywhere from 2.5 to 3.45 and as with you the GPS trace on the map is perfect capturing almost every twist and turn but one day the mileage is correct the next run the mile markers on the map are in different places and it tells me I have a pace of 13mins/m I can walk faster than that. Very annoying I have spent a lot of money on Fitbit 5x Versa me the wife both kids and the mother in law. Only me and the wife run but hers is always spot on as was mine before the upgrade.

 

It would seem to me its doing something stupid like using stride length to calculate distance and GPS for the map. 

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‎10-20-2019 15:20

In response to Andyn1970

‎10-20-2019 15:20

I have samsung galaxy s10+ and am having the same issues. 

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‎10-20-2019 15:20

In response to Andyn1970

‎10-20-2019 15:20

If it helps I'm using a Huawei P10 lite phone.

Some other things I noticed are that when running on a threadmill the distance is mostly accurate, the problem for some reason is tied to GPS tracked running.

Also the speed/pace is way off.

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‎10-20-2019 15:44 - edited ‎10-20-2019 15:46

In response to jpcubo

‎10-20-2019 15:44 - edited ‎10-20-2019 15:46

Same. Versa 2 and distance/pace for running very inaccurate. You even get two different outcomes in your timeline for the same run using the device and auto detection! Wtf?

 

Had a Charge 3 before the Versa: same problem. I also tested a Garmin Forerunner 245 and Samsung Active 2 and they both worked great. Will return the Versa. Too bad, because I prefer it's design and battery life. But what's the point of a tracker that doesn't track right?

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‎10-20-2019 22:08

In response to jpcubo

‎10-20-2019 22:08

Samsung Galaxy S8

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‎10-20-2019 23:40

In response to Jackos

‎10-20-2019 23:40

Only a very small sample size but so far that's all Android. 

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‎10-21-2019 13:38

In response to Andyn1970

‎10-21-2019 13:38

Just out of interest Have a look at my post before I found this one.

 

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Versa-Smartwatches/Distance-recorded-nothing-like-it-should-be/m-p/3...

 

Export the files tcx files from your workout then load them into MapMyRun and the GPS distance is accurate its just the figures Fitbit comes up with that seem to be wrong.

I have emailed this to support,, will see what happens.

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‎11-04-2019 08:15

‎11-04-2019 08:15

I have now given up Fitbit, product accuracy and most importantly Fitbit support have failed me.

Again I was very happy with my Charge 2, accurate step, distance, mapping, activity time and heart rate - and then suddenly it lost accuracy, massively, Approximately 30% under distance. Tried manual stride length, automatic distance, resetting, everything.

Sent support several e-mails demonstrating the difference between Fitbit and just about every other mapping solution - their response, when it eventually looked like they may have read my message,  was that I should only use Fitbit, believe Fitbit and ignore everything else.

I now use a Samsung watch on Mapmyrun - perfect every time. My wife still uses Fitbit and when we go out together I cover half as much distance again more than her when we're side by side.

Come on Fitbit, lets see if Google will sort out this mess

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