Ability to control which tracker syncs when using multiple trackers

[slquiroz]

I am using multiple trackers and while I appreciated being able to turn each individual tracker off when I am not using it, I would like the ability to turn off sync for that particular tracker within the mobile app as well. As it stands now, when I bring up the mobile app to sync whichever tracker I am wearing the mobile app tries to sync each and every tracker to my account. Not only does this drain my battery but it also causes a delay in the syncing process.

I would like to be able to choose which tracker I want to sync from within the mobile app and then only sync one tracker at a time.

Moderator Edit: Labels

[DustyBoots]

I like being able to have multiple trackers, but I would really like to be able to wear more than one at the same time.

Consider the scenario where I am using a treadmill desk.  My hands are stationary so I can't get a step reading.  I could switch to a One, but I would lose the heart rate from my Surge.

Please allow the ability to use more than one tracker, and just grab whichever metric is higher on each of the devices.

[Michael]

Better yet give us the ability to choose where each metrics comes from when more than one is active at the same time. So for example that steps come from the One, calories from the Surge, Floors from the Charge HR, etc.

[DustyBoots]

Also dont forget the Surge has GPS.  If you use a jogging stroller, you'd want the GPS and HR from the Surge, but you'd need a One or Mobile App to grab the steps.  I'd want it to be smart enough to do this even when using the Surge running app.  I get that it would hard to have the devices sync up in real time, but I'd accept it just doing the work when I got home so I could review it after the fact.

I'd love to be able to select exactly where stuff comes from, but would be happy to let fitbit select the "best" source of data for me and merge it into a complete picture.

[Julia_G]

Perfect! I want to grab steps from the One but not lose Heart Rate data from HR.

[jimoinj]

I use two Fitbit trackers at different times and would like the ability to turn off one of the tracker's auto sync in the WP app without it also turning off auto sync for the other tracker. That way the app would stop searching for the other tracker when I'm not using it and its nowhere near, greatly speeding up sync with the tracker I'm wearing.

[tomwalsh77]

I would love to be able to toggle trackers on and off in the fitbit app. The reason for this is that I don't wear my fitbit to work but I do take my phone which has the fitbit app installed. So to track my steps at work I have to use MobileTrack and then when I get home I have to remove MobileTrack when I wear my fitbit. It would be great to be able to have them both added to my account with toggles to enable or disable trackers depending on which one I am using at the time.

[Michael]

You just have to have both added to your account, and Fitbit should do all the work and figure out where to get the steps from automatically. You don't have to remove either of them.

[tomwalsh77]

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@tomwalsh77 wrote:

I would love to be able to toggle trackers on and off in the fitbit app. The reason for this is that I don't wear my fitbit to work but I do take my phone which has the fitbit app installed. So to track my steps at work I have to use MobileTrack and then when I get home I have to remove MobileTrack when I wear my fitbit. It would be great to be able to have them both added to my account with toggles to enable or disable trackers depending on which one I am using at the time.

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I think there's a bug then, because I had them both enable on my account yesterday and when it synced my dashboard on the iOS app showed my steps had been totalled up which was around 17,000 steps and then after a moment it went back down to approximately 500 steps. My total for yesterday now shows 2053 steps which is way off the mark.

[slquiroz]

I also use multiple trackers and would like the ability to turn off the sync of the trackers I am not using from the app. I am able to turn the trackers themselves off but when I bring up the app, it continues to search for them. This drains my phone's battery and causes a long delay in the tracker I am using to sync.

[Rich_Laue]

@slquiroz which trackers do you have that you can turn them off? The Surge has an off setting, you can pull the battery from the Zip, the one is possable but not easy to turn off. I've been told the Flex can be turned off, do a restart but don't polling in the power. The Charge and Charge HR can be turned off, but the unit gets a factory reset?

Yes it would be nice to say which one to Sync, or even turn off the auto Sync when bringing up the app.

[slquiroz]

I have the One, Charge HR and Surge. For the most part, I use the Charge HR daily and switch to the Surge for workouts and sleeping. So I don't usually turn off the Charge HR since the only way to do so involves plugging it in to the charger. I do however turn it off if I know I won't be using it for any length of time, same as I do with my One. It'd be nice to turn them off without resetting them but I always sync them before turning them off and it doesn't bother me. I'd just REALLY like the ability to chose which one syncs!

[LarryLM]

I would like to be able to toggle my fitbit on or off either from the unit or the app.  I cycle to and from work nearly every day.  The fitbit adds about 3,000 steps each way when it is carried in my backpack (and the same if I wear it).

Yet it is ridiculously cumbersome to have to connect it to the computer to turn it off before and after I go to work.  I'd have to carry the connection with me both ways.

Please, Fitbit, make it easier to turn the ONE on and off as needed.

Larry LM

[RogerH]

I have a Surge and Charge HR. I use the Charge for sleep monitoring and the Surge during the day. I use my iPad to sync when I get up and iPhone during the day and it grabs both sets of data and keeps them both synced which is what I was hoping for but did not expect. So I find using both works a treat.

[Rich_Laue]

This is all ready am option for all day sunc, but starting the app up does search for all trackers on the account

[SilviaFitbit]

Good idea! This could save some battery for your tracker and mobile device. Thank you for visiting the Feature Request board. 

[Niall_R]

Please make it easier to turn the fitbit on and off. Shouldn't be too hard, but would make life a lot easier and would involve much less use of drive-bit.

[LarryLM]

Totally agree! Sent from my iPhone

[divinekittycat]

This so much!

I live in a tiny house and the guideline of "keep the tracker you're not using 10 feet away" just doesn't work. Case in point, I had my Charge HR charging on my computer downstairs in my living room and when I went upstairs with my One (and my phone - I don't have the dongle plugged in on the computer anymore) my phone would still only sync realtime to the Charge! 

If I'm switching between them and I'm home, I have to do the whole plug-in-to-turn-off ritual to make sure it doesn't get confused. If I could just disable one of them in the app it would make it so much simpler. I really don't want to remove either of them from my account because then I have to go through the whole setup thing again. 

I don't think it would be that difficult programmatically to just add another on-off toggle to the settings screen where you set the sync options and all that. 

[Rich_Laue]

Since BT is designed to work within 30 feet, and I find I can sync at 50... Well

But I'm confused at the problem with keeping the trackers in sync with your current step totals

[PHealy]

I bought a Blaze, but kept my Charge HR for a backup/use when the Blaze is charging.  My phone syncs with both when I'm in the house, even when the one I'm not wearing is on the other side of the house.

I would like a switch or other method to tell the app that I don't want it to sync with both of my trackers even if both are in range.  The only way I can figure out to do this currently is to remove a tracker, which seems like more work than should be required.

[Gozzi]

i use a Fitbit One when out in public and a Charge HR when active for the HR monitor.   However in the house and I am using the One it will not sync without syncing both.    Also if I am in the house it will do kive steps for the HR but that the One and tech support says the app automatically mke the HR the main tracker.    I don't need live steps with the HR as it is on my wrist but the One is in my pocket.   Bad design.   If I was abe to pick the tracker I am using at the time or better yet have the tracker figure out whick one is in use, (might not work if you are sleeping)  it would make it so much better.    I use to love Fitbit but now that I have two, it is a pain.

[aMyth]

This came up because of the problems I have been having with an Alta and a One connected to my account. I am aware of the Multi-tracker option, but the way it works today is confusing and not really helpful. Showing the summary/average between the connected trackers doesn't make much sense. If we use 1 tracker the whole day while the other was at home on the desk, and the app still syncs with the two trackers once the trackers are close to the device (within the 10ft recommended) and just shows the average of the 2, how do we meet the daily goals?!

Instead, if the app had the option to connect multiple trackers but have only one tracker active at a time and sync with the app - like an option to turn off the other trackers, maybe, I think that would make it much easier than having to disconnect and reconnect the trackers all the time or having different accounts for each tracker.

Moderator edit: format

[Medatc]

I agree. I researched to see if I could have 2 trackers for same account, thinking it would actually sync the 1 that has more steps as clearly that is 1 I'm wearing. I lover having watch & tracker in 1 but needed waterproof Flex 2 for pool. After 10 days of losing steps when synced, had to open separate account for flex 2 & then manually enter data for pool into charge account (pretty sure additional purchase wasn't necessary since I'm still manually entering data).

Contacted help several times. Twice got told not to wear both at once (wasn't). Even had help articles on multiple trackers sent to me twice. Tried all suggestions & now I see that it's taking average of steps not steps from active tracker.

Looking forward to software issue being solved so I can go back to 1 account & not have to maually enter data. 

Or you can make a waterproof tracker with watch

[boyddl]

I have multiple trackers and it seems like I get taxed by lack of ability to sync when I add a new one. This round robin sync is a PITA. I don't want the app to do anything until I tell it to so it will hopefully be a faster sync if it is only doing one thing at a time.

[SunsetRunner]

Given the issue with the Flex 2 not working correctly with the multi-device sync (see "Losing steps when syncing multiple trackers." community thread showing the problem is ongoing and not solved in any release), as far as I can tell this is the only way I can actually switch between my Alta for normal use and Flex 2 for waterproof use, without having the Alta negate all of my Flex steps, I would like this improvement to make up for the money I wasted on a Flex 2 that I can't use.