The Fitbit Community is a gathering place for real people who wish to exchange ideas, solutions, tips, techniques, and insight about the Fitbit products and services they love. By joining our Community, you agree to uphold these guidelines, so please take a moment to look them over.
After reading @epef and @ARockStar's comments, I sent an email to customer support, hoping for a response or some sort of update. Not totally sure that it will do anything but I figured it was worth a shot since no one from their side seems to be looking at this forum.
Here is a copy of my email:
Hello, I have a concern on a particular topic. I found a community forum that ended up in the Idea Exchange Dashboard, yet after 2 years since the original post, a year of it being added to the "under consideration" status, 9+ pages of comments and questions asking about an update on the idea, nothing has been done. No reply, no update, nothing.
This is actually a very great idea and looking at all the comments A LOT of people are requesting this and it would benefit them. Especially those without smart phones (yes, so people are old school) or those that work at a computer all day like myself and can not have our phones out.
I am no developer but I feel like this is a simple request and could be completed or at least given some feed back to the customers. That is just poor on Fitbit's behalf.
Can this forum be updated with a status of where this stands???
This is absolutely well said and perfectly stated @flpmomi! Thank you for helping out in any way that you could. I feel that any little bit adds up. Hugs*
I know that I'm going to sound like a broken record, but I think part of the reason why Fitbit has yet to implement it on the web dashboard is because the Windows Fitbit App (it's been available since Windows 8, and it's got really cool features on Windows 10) allows you to participate in challenges. I do it all the time.
So effectively, you can't even buy a new PC where you can't participate in challenges. Yes, this means that folks running Windows 7 (or earlier versions) or a Mac are still unable to participate in challenges.
Additionally, I believe that Windows 10 is still a free upgrade from Windows 7.
@PureEvil as you stated making an "app" for Windows 8+ is not a solution for Mac or Windows 7 users. It makes so much more sense to just update the web application, then it's platform independent (and easier for Fitbit to maintain... one web application codebase rather than multiple "PC" platforms with various OS versions). Why exclude anyone?
In my case I don't control the OS (Windows 7) for my primary PC... and if I did, I doubt I would update it to Windows 10 anyway.
I was just pointing it out to the folks reading the comments who were not aware. For better or worse, there are many folks who are reading this thread who did not know they could already participate in challenges.
@PureEvil agree there are options for Winblows users. There are no options for Mac users who do not have specfic smartphones.
I think the challenge here (pun intesned) is that FitBit is working very hard to be sure it's customers are not loyal by their actions.
Think of MySpace. They owned Social networking but refused to listen and grow. The result was customers moved to platforms that worked better for them when newer options came out.
I added my first Fitbit friend today, the first thing she did was invite me to a challenge. I clicked to accept in email and nothing seemed to happen. After some hunting, I found out I can't participate because I do not have a phone, nor do I have windows 8.1 or 10. I am very disappointed. I paid just as much money for my Fitbit as everyone else, I should be able to use all features.
Please can you add challenges to the dashboard. My friends persuaded me to get a fit bit so that we could compete and train together, but I can't access the challenges.
Surely you want us to integrate the Fitbit into our routine as much as possible, and also to utilise the Fitbit community to build on this.
I cant see why the challenge status cannot be added onto the dashboard, as going by the commentary, there are hundreds of other users in the same position
It seems strange that challenges can be accepted and viewed on mobile and tablet, but cannot be accessed at all from the desktop. Please consider changing this in the next revision of the desktop software.
I have been following this thread for months. I LOVE my fitbit. It is the best tool ever. But when someone comes out with a product that works better (as in has this functionality) I will be gone in a heartbeat (pun intended).
Since you're jumping into this thread, I'd like to point out that if you're running a version of Windows above Windows 8, you can install the Fitbit App, and yes, you can use it on your desktop and yes, it has access to challenges. To illustrate the point, here's a screenshot of the Fitbit App in the challenge screen (I'm not currrently in any challenges), and notepad running (just to illustrate the point that I am indeed running on a desktop):
Yes, I'm aware that this doesn't cover folks running Windows 7 or earlier (or using a Mac); this is intended for the new folks who are listening on this thread who may not be aware. Any new (Windows) PC that you'd get will be able to participate in challenges.
Are you part of Fitbit or just a contributor like the rest of us? If the former, could you please comment on why this thread appears to be being ignored. Almost a thousand comments running for over a year and no feedback whatsoever from Fitbit. Shocking customer service!
Oh, I do not work for Fitbit; I do not have any influence on what features they work on. I'm just active in the forums. Fitbit folks will have the word 'Fitbit' on the tail end of their screennames.
I'm a Windows Phone user and for a long time was unable to participate in challenges. When I found that the Fitbit App for Windows (desktop/laptops/tablets) supported challenges I was delighted. Also, Fitbit was a bit slow in updating their website to reflect that they supported Windows devices, even months later.
The reason why I'm vocal on this thread is because I believe that many (most?) people who believe that they can't access the challenges are actually perfectly able to do so.
Allow me to frame it differently...
Initially most new Fitbit users expect to be able to do a "Sync Now" from the web dashboard, after doing some digging they discover that they have to click on an icon on their taskbar to do a "Sync Now". It's just part of the quirkiness of Fitbit. Most of us don't even think about it anymore; we just know to look for it on the taskbar... Even if that's where you first looked for it, do you still need a "Sync Now" option on the web dashboard? I bet most folks would say "no".
Similarly, you can think of participating on challenges the same way. You may initially expect to access the challenges from the web dashboard. Once you discover that you can participate from your desktop (or laptop) by running the Fitbit App, do you still need it to be available on the online dashboard?
Like the "Sync Now from dashboard" option above, it may end up being a "would be nice" instead of a "I need this" request.
So wish we could see the challenges on our computers, I don't use a smart phone so therefore no apps. And I don't have windows 10! I see my friends inviting me to challenges yet.. I can't participate, bummer.
It has been over a year that users have been requesting the ability to see challenges on desktop dashboards. I have had to tell more than one family member that they won't be able to join challenges if they buy a Fitbit.
Is anyone addressing this issue? How about an update on your progress, seeing that over a year ago, Fitbit was "looking into it".
I heard from someone last week and it said that they would forward my email to technical support. And I still haven't heard anything. I plan to send another email or maybe even call. Because this is ridiculous. Seems like an easy fix. Even just an update that it's escalated would be nice.
I love my Fitbit & the challenges are very motivating but not if I can't join them because my cell phone isn't compatible. Would be a huge help if you added challenges to the dashboard. Thanks!
This is totally ridiculous that this functionality isn't available on the online dashboard. That's infuriating. This request has been on your functionality roadmap and the response has been "we're working on it" since 2014???
FitBit needs to “step-up” (pun intended) and provide a Challenge Widget for their website dashboard. This would definitely be the most highly valued widget in their dashboard portfolio. Customers are inspired by friendly competitions and challenges. Providing a FitBit Dashboard Challenge Widget would without a doubt inspire consumer loyalty and future product purchases. It would also prevent customers from seeking alternative solutions for facilitating fitness networking (i.e. challenges) with others. Please Fitbit, listen to your customers. There are 244 requests here for this extremely basic functionality that has almost no cost and extremely high returns.
I would really like to participate on challenges, but don't have a data plan on my android and I can't seem to accept challenges by email nor on my MAC. Why not? Is this a product development in the works?
Join us on the Community Forums!
Community Guidelines
Learn the Basics
Join the Community!
Not finding your answer on the Community Forums?
Go to the Help Site
Contact Support