Versa not longer connecting

[Allan1941]

Hi All,

I have a Versa, and it's really giving me some issues.

Ever since the last firmware update, I have had issues syncing the device, with it often coming up 'Looking for device', and then 'Device not found'. As annoying as this was, most times it would sync later on, or if I rebooted the phone it would sync more reliably.

Yesterday, I was hit by the losing time issue. An utterly idiotic issue for a modern watch to have, but there it is.

I decided to try some things, so factory reset the device, and removed it from the fitbit app, and then went to add it back. It found the watch, and displayed the 4 digit number, and after entering this number into the app, the watch displays a tick, and the app just sits there 'Connecting' before failing.

Upon trying again, it would tell me it found the device, and, again, would just sit there saying 'Connecting'. After a few retries, it again displayed the 4 digit code, but then just gave me to 'Connecting' thing until it failed.

I then decided to remove it (and everything) from bluetooth, uninstalled/re-installed the app, and now it won't do anything. Just searches for the device and continually fails.

I then decided to try and pair my old Charge 2, which also failed miserable.

Being the optimist, I once again tried to pair the Versa, and this time it went further. It got to the WiFi screen, but despite WiFi being turned on, and available to the phone, this failed, so I skipped this.

It's now been sitting at the 'Setting up Versa' Steo 1 of 3 screen for about 20 minutes, which has given me the time to look at non Fitbit alternatives. After some time, this failed, and asked to switch to WiFi. It failed again, and then would give me the option to switch to WiFi/Bluetooth, and try again, but trying again failed instantly.

Because there was no way to get out of this, I killed the app, and ran it again. Upon restarting the app, it tells me there is a new update for the phone, but then the 'Connecting to your Fitbit Versa' screen comes up, and fails after some time. The Versa is still telling me I need to run the app for setup.

Removing the device, and trying to re-add now gets me stuck at the 'Searching for device' page.

Thinking it might be the recent update to my phone, I tried my old phone, and it also gives me the 'Found it' screen, but doesn't get past it before failing.

At the moment, my Versa is useless. Time to look for the receipt and return it perhaps.

Any further tips for getting this thing to work properly?

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[Pat05]

That worked for me! Thanks

[DaughterofMaat]

Sweet! I did have to connect my versa to the laptop the next day as well, but since then I've had no issues. In fact the connection seems to be better now than it has been for the past year! 

So glad it worked for you!

[tortugita718]

After reading this worked for a couple of people, I plugged my Versa into my Mac desktop. I unplugged and restarted the Versa, and finally got the message on my phone (iPhone 😎 “Versa wants to pair with your iPhone using Bluetooth. Pair?”

Thank you so much for sharing this tip!

Sent from my iPhone

[Allan1941]

@DaughterofMaatI tried hooking up to my laptop, but when trying to download the Fitbit app from the Window app store, it told me it wasn't compatible with my laptop.

Sadly, all the desktop PC's still run Windows 7, and Fitbit shafted us a long time ago ...

[AZ04132]

I am having the same issue and i am getting very frustrated! I tried all of the suggested ways to help and fix my notifications but nothing is working. I reloaded the Fitbit app and made sure everything was connected and i updated my phone and Fitbit. Nothing is working! My text notifications will be in the bar when you hold the top right button (i have a versa) but it wont “notify” me when I receive them! I hope they resolve this soon.

[DaughterofMaat]

@Allan1941 what OS do you have on your laptop? Is it also Windows 7? 

The other thing that worked for me before I tried the laptop, was connecting my phone to another bluetooth device, specifically my car. It seemed to force a connection between the phone and the Versa. I would get in my car to go to work in the am, and shortly after my car connected to my phone, I saw the Fitbit app actually sync instead of say no device found. However, this was only a temporary solution. Every night it would go back to no device found. 

Not sure that helps you though. I'm sorry!

[DaughterofMaat]

@AZ04132 did you try connecting it to your laptop and syncing that way, then reconnecting to your phone?

[ChiLady]

I am very disappointed with Fitbit. I am also having this same issue. While I am glad it's not just me, I feel like Fitbit has taken advantage of us by selling us a product that doesn't work as advertised.

I DO NOT have a laptop and my car is older and doesn't have Bluetooth.

How am I suppose to get my Fitbit to sink?

Fitbit has known about this problem for some time, and has said nothing about a fix for it? This is unacceptable. I paid a good amount of money for my Versa and now feel like I was deliberately ripped off.

[DaughterofMaat]

Have you tried contacting customer service directly? I contacted them shortly after I bought my versa because it just wouldn't work (programming issue they said?) So they replaced it with a new one free of charge. It doesn't hurt to ask. 🙂

[AZ04132]

I will try this thank you for trying!

[Pat05]

Thanks for the information


Sent from my iPad

[tortugita718]

Aaaaaaaaahahahahaha

Yes, contacted them twice and got the same party line we get here in the forums.

“We hope to have a fix soon.”

In the past, they sent me a replacement, but the issue wasn’t a widespread problem, and the problem wasn’t related to connectivity. The Fitbit had simply stopped counting my steps. Getting a replacement fixed the issue. I suspect that is not the case here. I don’t think it’s a hardware issue but rather a software issue, and until Fitbit fixes that issue, a replacement will do nothing.

Sent from my iPhone

[Allan1941]

@DaughterofMaatThe laptop is running Windows 10, but a very early version. I should update to the latest version and try.

It's a pretty old Dell laptop, and the built-in bluetooth wasn't working, so I tried a standard bluetooth dongle. I might have to ferret out my old ZIP dongle and see if that works any better.

@ChiLadyIt does seem odd that fitbit go quiet once the basic stuff doesn't work.

[Dbrowne88]

I've had the same response from Fitbit for the same issue, so it seems to be something they are aware of and most likely to be some sort of software issue rather than the device itself.

[DaughterofMaat]

@Allan1941 I have found the Bluetooth to be rather finicky on the Versa, so if your laptop will support a bluetooth dongle that might be the way to go. 

I actually just bought a Garmin venu because I refuse to be part of Google's ecosystem anymore than I have to, despite my love for Fitbit. And sadly every small company Google buys goes down the drain. It's only a matter of time for Fitbit I'm afraid. 

[Pheonix63]

New Versa 2 will not connect to fit bit app on phone.

Fully charged, took 3 days to pair with bluetooth shows up as Versa 2 (classic) on phone now but still will not pair with Fitbit app.

3 rd day trying.