Bring back Fitbit Connect and Fitbit app for laptop/desktop

[lchitnis]

This is what will keep Fitbit separated from other smart watches. It's SO much easier to log food from the desktop app; the mobile food-add situation is a mess -- it's crowded and hard to decipher, and I smash all the wrong buttons, and can barely tell which day I'm on. Please keep the desktop app going.

Moderator edit: Clarified subject

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @EGC128, thanks for taking the time to share this suggestion about bringing back the Windows app to transfer your music with us. This idea was already requested in the Feature Suggestion board, so I’ve moved your post here. Please support this idea by adding your vote, this helps our developers to keep tracking its popularity and demand over time.

[Suzanne_M]

I only have a landline and do not want a smart phone. Not only due to the expense but also I'm already online too much. 😞

Windows is such a widespread system, the compatibility should continue. We're not asking for something new.

[Suzanne_M]

One of the suggestions in the comments here was to go to fitbit.com instead of using the app. I just tried that. There is no way to sync on the website. I could not find a way to sync. A web search says there is no way to sync on the website. So that was a useless suggestion.

We didn't even get a warning about this. I only recently upgraded to Windows 11. It may be a revert to Win 10 will help, but that is only a temporary solution.

Fitbit needs to realize many people have not gone to Windows 11, yet, so have not yet discovered this problem. Many will revert to Windows 10 without commenting here. The problem is bigger than it seems with only 68 votes at the current time.

I agree with other comments here. Don't remove a capability. Many don't have (or want) a smart phone. Now have a worse impression of the company, going forward.

[NJHe]

Hi

This is not just a windows thing - I am on Mac.  It a is general DESKTOP issue i.e. they are no longer developing or supporting the interface for any desktops.  Just moving to the smart watch app only

Although my desktop has bluetooth, I'm not sure my Fitbit is talking to the desktop, but if I log in to my account on the desktop, daily data is there.  Either it is via the desktop blue tooth (but I don't think so) or my Fitbit is talking to the cloud by some other means.  Sorry I'm not very technical so can't offer any other info.

[Suzanne_M]

I mentioned reverting to Windows 10 as a possible short-term solution. Now, in preparing to do that, I looked for where fitbit is installed and cannot find it. The Windows 11 install created entire directories of stuff from the old windows but fitbit is nowhere to be found. So if I were to revert, I would have to reinstall, but looking around online for a download that will actually do something, I come up with nothing.

Not nice at all making people feel abandoned: Microsoft, Google, and fitbit (which is owned by Google). When and if I buy a new fitness tracker, it will not be fitbit or Google.

[katrad]

You can't upload to the app on window's 10 either.. I really want to
keep my fitbit but if you can't use the windows app I will consider other
trackers.

[mel155]

I'm very disappointed there is no laptop dashboard!  I am recovering from a TBF and wanted to use my 2017 fit bit to track my steps. Now learning there is no Laptop access! What a shame! - Where i Live there is NO cell service- so no phone.. A shame tech companies don't realize there are still parts of US that have ZERO cell service.  To think this will make me buy a new fit bit that still won't work where I live- is a shame. Why buy a new device when it won't work?

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi everyone, and thanks so much for sharing this suggestion! While we don’t currently have plans to release this feature, we always appreciate the passion and creativity that comes out of this Community. Since we know this idea is important to many of you, we have left voting open to continue tracking interest and will post another update if anything changes. To learn more about how Fitbit decides which suggestions get developed, visit our FAQs.

We're always striving to enhance Fitbit products and services, and your input is a big part of that process. We truly thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us.

[peacesign444]

"Don't currently have plans to release this feature" As if it's some brand new idea and not us wanting BACK the service that provides us with bare minimum functionality of your product that we've been using for literal years? It would cost nothing to even just make it open source if Fitbit don't want to maintain it, literally nothing. I barely use my watch now and it's directly because of this, and have been watching friends move on to competitors like Garmin because they too literally can't use Fitbit without the desktop app. Honestly...

[Runner61]

Well said my sentiments exactly I believe google are planning to bring out their own version of watch surprise surprise . I am another that will be changing to Garmin when either the app or watch become unusable 

[NJHe]

Hi

Just for clarity – we are asking that the original feature that we all used and loved and was always available, is re-instated. We’re not asking you to release a new feature!

Kind regards

Nicky Hellard

[Suzanne_M]

Excellent point by peacesign444 about providing as open source the code for the application. Someone would then be able to post it on a downloads site like tucows used to be.

Or is there a way to install an android emulator and then install the fitbit "app" on their laptop that way? How about fitbit sharing that information with us?

My employer told us, whether at home using personal devices or at work, to turn Bluetooth off. People can find your phone or laptop, etc, and potentially get information off it. It could be only a matter of time before someone has a security breach because they cannot use all the fitbit functionality without their phone.

The way I used the fitbit desktop app was I turned on Bluetooth before syncing and then turned Bluetooth off when fitbit was done syncing. Syncing one day in mid-January, I forgot to turn Bluetooth off. A day or two later, I tried to sync. That is when I learned the desktop app had been discontinued months earlier. I was still able to sync my fitbit for months after the desktop app was discontinued. That means the desktop app WOULD work if fitbit would just make it available again.

Finally, my watch is currently 5 minutes behind time. That slide is just from about one month. So in another month, it'll be 10 minutes behind. When we turn the clocks forward on March 12th, my watch will be ridiculous for telling me the time of day. I cannot find a way to set the watch's time on the website or on the watch itself (Charge 3).

It was particularly disappointing that we were given no notice of this change before it happened.

[Suzanne_M]

Don't forget to vote. I forgot until now (doh!). Upper left corner by the original idea at the top of the page.

[ValBC]

Even my watch is useless to me, let alone all the functionality of the tracker . It is currently 11 minutes slow because I cannot sync the fitbit without the app on my laptop. What's the point of the fitbit that can't tell you anything about your health progress, and it cannot keep time! I'll have to buy another tracker, so you've lost a customer. Fitbit has a very poor approach to customer service, taking functions away rather than trying to stay competitive with all the options available to customers out there.

[Sandrapocalypse]

Everyone, I think we can all agree, Google doesn't care. They've taken over Fitbit and they are going to slowly dismantle Fitbit until it doesn't exist anymore. They've already taken away communities, they've taken away ways of logging in. They don't care when people ask for more features for basic human health (hello menstrual app) Google doesn't care at this point, I think we should all just throw our Fitbits away and just switch to a different company, they're not going to update any of the apps they're not going to bring in new features, they're definitely not going to bring back the features that we enjoyed. Google is done with Fitbit because because they have their own baby now, and that's what they're going to focus on. 

Sent from Yahoo Mail on Android

[Runner61]

Very well said I am waiting for some money to come in then i`m off to Garmin. Such a shame that google has won and a great fitness system has now gone to the wall.

[mel155]

I ALMOST bought a new Fitbit- but will never do that! Thanks to you all on her for all the insight as to what google has done to disenfranchise customers and how difficult and useless a new fitbit would be for me.    Garmin here I come! 

[Boomer36]

This is my case number. Fact is, after three decades of reading and grading student writing as an English teacher, my eyes are shot. Trying to manage Fitbit on my iphone is nearly impossible. I need the PC screen. This can't be too difficult to reinstate. I bought the Versa 4 because I was told it was compatible with Windows on a PC. Please.

Moderator Edit: Personal info removed

[Boomer36]

It looks like I'll switching over to Garmin in the near future if this is not resolved soon. How hard is it to just reopen an app you already created???

[SunsetRunner]

Fitbit needs to be available for and compatible with Windows devices.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @SunsetRunner, thanks for taking the time to share this suggestion about bringing back the Fitbit app for Windows devices with us. I noticed this idea was already requested in the Feature Suggestion board, so I’ve moved your post here. Please support this idea by adding your vote, this helps our developers to keep tracking its popularity and demand over time.

[pelouffe]

My mom has a charge 4 but she doesn't have a cell phone to download the app. She is elderly and her cell phone is just a basic one to make and accept calls only. She does not want to upgrade the phone just to get the Fitbit app. She has the Windows version of the dashboard but the device won't connect to it.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @pelouffe, thanks for taking the time to share this suggestion about bringing back the Fitbit app for Windows devices with us. I noticed this idea was already requested in the Feature Suggestion board, so I’ve moved your post here. Your feedback is truly appreciated and we'd encourage you to support this idea by adding your vote. This will help our developers to keep tracking its popularity and demand over time.

[human0]

I bought a fitbit to be part of its OWN ecosystem. That I could log with it and not be tied to any phone or computer. Maybe occasionally I would pair with the computer but only just so. The goal was to not be tied to needing a paired phone.

Maintaining and Mac OS and Windows app isnt that hard. Let users choose to pair how they want to.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @human0, thanks for taking the time to share this product feedback about bringing back the Fitbit Connect and Fitbit app for Windows and Mac computers with us. I noticed this product feedback was already requested in this board, so I’ve moved your post here. Please support this product feedback idea by adding your vote, this helps our developers to keep tracking its popularity and demand over time.