Allow import of GPX/CSV/TCX files to Fitbit account

[axemangraphics]

As many people continue to convert over to the FitBit community, they bring with them months and years of previous workouts stored in various other platforms. For example, I was an avid user of SportsTracker, however their lack of flexibility with AppleHealth importing had me switch to FitBit. I have several workouts from all over the world that I would want to keep.
It would be great if these workouts could be imported to FitBit, counting toward their overall journey.
Most platforms export to a GPX or similar file. It woudl not be too difficult to impliment an import page on the website for past workout data to be imported (bonus points awarded if we could import multiple files at once!)

Moderator edit: title and labels

[wood6814]

I have a basic spreadsheet of activity data I would like to import into to my fitbit dashboard.  It is in CSV format and is about 3+ years of workouts.  Just date, activity, distance and time.  Anyway I can get this data uploaded easily?

[normanzo]

I too would like to import/upload activities. In my case, uploading individual files (tcx, .fit or .gpx) is the goal.

[almejacaterina]

I would like to import weight loss data that is now in an excel file and in the app Calorie King.

[TrailsTrails]

Please allow us to import .gpx activities. Until I bought my Charge HR I was using Strava and have my Strava activities exported and ready to import into my FitBit account. 
The other option is to allow us to truly sync Strava and FitBit (including past activities).
Cheers.

[Bernie_K]

I prefer to use a Garmin Edge 800 to direct and also record my bike rides as it displays UK Ordnance Survey maps. 

I would like to be able to import the GPX or FIT file from the Edge into Fitbit (as I can with umpteen other mapping/route generation programmes).

[RobertoME]

I think it would be a very practical idea to import data into the Fitbit Dashboard. Hopefully this will be implemented in the future, so keep voting! Remember, the more votes - the more chances to have this implemented. Thanks to everyone that is voting and commenting on this.

[Carastian]

For people coming from other trackers, such as myself it would be great to be able to add data exports from those. Jawbone UP allows to export as csv and I would like to import this to Fitbit.

[SunsetRunner]

+1

[mathiasconradt]

Being able to import .tcx and .gpx files is a must-have for a fitness platform. Meanwhile all competitors (Strava, Runtastic, Garmin) offer that. IMHO it's a must-have. I am really looking forward to having that feature in Fitbit.

What's more: the API (https://dev.fitbit.com/docs/activity/#activity-logging) does not even allow to write your own importer. While you can export activies as .tcx (https://dev.fitbit.com/docs/activity/#get-activity-tcx), there is no option to POST .tcx data. That's not very consistent. Since the get-activity-tcx API is still beta, I hope they will also add a POST method to it.

[Bernie_K]

I honestly don't understand why Fitbit are dragging their feet on this one.  Does Fitbit plan to become the "Friends Re-united" of the fitness world? 

Fitbit started off as the leader in the field, just as FR did in the social connection and communications field but by adopting a tortoise, staid approach to development allowed others to make the running. FR is dead and buried now, distant memory of the bright, cutting edge thing it was.

Fitbit is going the same way - I just noticed that in the previous para, I used the past tense "started off" - very telling!

If you want to be in the centre of things, you have to have paths everywhere leading to your door.... make it easy to get everybody involved rather than trying to ring-fence your product by restricting its reach. You shouldn't be debating this sort of suggestion or even needing your customers to point out this glaring shortfall in the Fitbit website's facilities.  Fitbit should be over this like a rash and implemented it ages ago.

In my humble opinion, the lethargic responses from Fitbit to the host of suggestions posted on the forums demonstrate that Fitbit is already making itself a backwater, evolutionary dead-end - becoming a relic in the fitness accessory field.....

Wake up Fitbit!!!

[mathiasconradt]

I totally agree with you, Bernie_K. I am a software engineer and product manager in the field myself (not in the fitness industry though). I know what it takes to write such an importer, and it's not a big deal really. Actually I was already looking into it when I discovered that the API does not even offer that! In my opinion the reason is mainly to keep users using Fitbit as the main platform and not others. Does not work for me though. I just had in mind to use Fitbit as a secondary platform, but since it lacks such basic features, I will stick to Strava/Runtastic for the moment.

[Bernie_K]

Mathias,

Thanks for the supporting comment. The wife and I are both retired (recently) so walk and cycle a lot - pretty active for people in their sixties we think.  We really like the Fitbit platform, for the comparisons with friends, watching the resting heart-rate fall from over 60 to now averaging 53 (was only 55 when I was a regular jogger and in the UK military).  We wear our his 'n her Fitbit Surges 24/7, constantly tracking our stuff (but cannot be bothered with the food and water bits).

However, Strava beats Fitbit hands down when it comes to cycling with its segments, comparisons with other riders (known and unknown) and personal records/milestones. 

We use a Garmin Edge when cycling and a Garmin Montana when geo-caching (which can be by bike or on foot).  Both these Garmin units have hi-definition mapping to guide our travel - as well as recording time/location/speed/cadence/heart rate data.  This is the data we want to get included into our Fitbit data - currently a recent 32 (UK) mile bike ride has been recorded as 8600 steps on the Fitbit!

We rarely use our Fitbits to record bike rides as you need to charge the Surge fully to be able to record long trips - our rides are not usually pre-planned enough to ensure both Surges are fully charged... and it's another piece of kit to remember to switch on and start recording - the Edge starts up when it detects movement and asks if it should start recording.

WAKE UP FITBIT and join in with the rest of us....

[mathiasconradt]

I have a Runtastic GPS watch and heart-rate belt but export/import the data to other platforms such as Strava or Garmin basically for the comparison or competitions you can create with friends. Since Fitbit is also quite popular (my gf just got a Fitbit wrist band this week) I also wanted to import the data here as well, which is basically the reason why I joined this community today.

[Jojoflojo]

Yes that's me too! I've got years of stuff on endomondo!

[TrailsTrails]

I concur. This is a no-brainer.

[TrailsTrails]

Yes please I have .gpx files from another platform that I want to bring across to fitbit.

[FormerBasis]

I just sync'd my Basis watch for the last time.  Enjoyed their simple straightforward user interfaces for years.  I've exported the data.  Seems like this is a great (or at least good - don't know the market size of the Basis users) opportunity for FitBit to make it easy for us to convert over.  Bought my new Blaze assuming I could import by Basis data (even if I had to reformat and use the API).  Disappointed that we are working with a closed system.  Are they worried about people cheating on social?  Why not make this feature available?

[pdxscully]

I also sync'd my Basis for the last time, and exported all my data into a csv file. I was considering getting the Blaze or Surge since my Basis B1 band is broke and the Basis Peak is officially recalled with no future plans announced atm. I'm trying to figure out if there is any possible way to import my csv data into Fitbit, but it looks like it's currently not officially supported; is there any clever way to get around this? I'm willing to modify my csv data in any way possible; do any specific one of these compatible partnership apps support importing data with the option to then export/sync that data to Fitbit? http://fitbit.com/partnership

Fitbit should officially support data migration from other services simply because it makes sense and attracts customers from other devices and services. Given that data migration has been a requested feature for a long while now, Fitbit's lackadaisical approach of wait for people to support this type of feature suggestion ends up misleading your company that it's not something worth doing yet; most people are not going to take the time to request such a feature, and will likely look at other options from other companies before going out of their way to register a Fitbit account and similarly post something like this.

In short, you're losing customers and you don't even know or care because you're what; still waiting for more people to click +1 vote on similar feature suggestions rather than realizing it makes sense and is worth doing regardless if people go out of their way to ask for it? Silly devs..

I have seen Fitbit continue to mention partnership apps in similar threads about importing data, but I have yet to see any specific app mentioned that might help. Does such an app exist, and if so which specific app exists that allows data-migration, or is this currently 100% impossible with all apps listed under your compatible partnership apps? If so, be upfront about that rather than just referencing your compatible apps with no detail or direction of which ones support a required feature for a particular task. As an aside, here are a few other sites that might also be useful in this process of data-migration between devices and services:

http://fitnesssyncer.com
http://openmhealth.org
http://getshimmer.co
http://zenobase.com
http://dcrainmaker.com/tools
http://blog.zenobase.com/post/109414013667

[Chris_Cycles]

I continue to cycle using all of the ddata capture devices available.

This data accurate data should be available in Fitbit via a manual or automatice file load.

It loads from Garmin into Strava, and zwift and trainer road into strava, can we git the cycling exercise session loaded into Fitbit.

As the exact time and duration of the cycling session is recorded in the file this data should replace the Fitbit data which is not accurate for cycling.  (my fitbit said my hr average was 92, my garmin hr said 152, I know which one was accurate and which wasnt)

Regards,

Chris_Cycles

[SunsetRunner]

It would be nice if we could import these files into Fitbit, not just export.

[VanAlan]

The recent demise of Microsoft Band would make this useful for me - I've got a couple of years of MS Band plus several years before that of Endomondo tracks... MSBand readily exports to a CSV file or excel spreadsheet - an import tool would be so welcome - because when my Band finally dies one day, fitbit is the most likely device I'll switch too.

Thanks for your consideration

[BlackSheriff84]

Hi all I have managed to import my data from Microsoft Health to Fitbit this will also work with a heap of other devices. See Data import for more info.

[Sammy-Fade]

This would help us avoid the torturous task of manually entering hundreds of past activities. PLEASE VOTE FOR THIS REQUEST, so Fitbit adds it to their system. I think this is a great selling point for Fitbit—ensuring consumers coming from other ecosystems the ability to just import or upload their activity data into their Fitbit account.

[ajhawkes]

This seems like a very obvious feature to me and would surely encourage more people to switch to Fitbit from other providers. Why is it not already part of the tool?

It seems to me that the Fitbit activity trackers are very good, their website is well designed, but some of the features (such as this one, or being able to edit steps) are missing.

Please improve things Fitbit!

[CP5]

As a recent Jawbone Up3 convert, I agree with all of the comments above -- this is a no-brainer and doesn't seem particularly difficult. I don't think it's too much to ask to be able to see my 3+ years of fitness tracker data in one app, and I would prefer for it to be the Fitbit app.