Longer Screen Time for Charge Trackers

[SunsetRunner]

I purchased my charge 3 after seeing it would have a Screen Time out Option.  It shipped without one.  Moderator Kate says it’s not available at this time.  The manual is now being changed to reflect that.

I really, really want/need that option.  It was the reason I chose the Charge.  That and my 50’s year old eyes.  The current screen only stays on for 3-4 seconds.  That is a very short amount of time.  I have to repeated tap the screen to read a text that comes in.  IF we are going to have the ability to get notifications, we need the ability to read them.

Please Fitbit, give us the option that was originally in the manual to change the screen time out.  The Versa has it, so I know it can be done.

Moderator edit: Title

[NoKneed]

There is no indication that Fitbit will be fixing it. This forum has been
asking for 2 years.

[Naonak]

2 years and nothing done for a simple request like this. 

Now that Google bought Fitbit, and seeing what Google did to the Nest line... Fitbit is dead. Time to move on to another company.

[Marc222222]

I’m brand new to fitbit. This problem is the first thing I noticed in the first 5 minutes of using my charge 3. How could this be missed ? 

[KamSingh]

Can we change how many seconds the display stays on on the Charge 3

[Le-mur]

I would love to see the option to extend the screen time on the Charge 4. The current 3-4 seconds is fine to quickly check the time, but an option to extend the screen time, for example to 15 seconds, would allow people to track passing seconds when trying to use their watch to time vitals on patients in a healthcare setting.

[whybenorm]

I finally gave up hoping that the Google buyout would make a difference.  I gave mine back, got my refund, and went with the new Timex R300.  The battery lasts forever (which is over a week, I don't use the GPS at all), gives comparable step counts, and the best thing:  the screen is ALWAYS on.  There is a light button you can hit if you need it in the dark but during the day I can see the screen fine without it.  I can do my exercise and loot at my heart rate continuously.  Finally, a company who understands.  I wish you all the best of luck and hope you can find a device that works the way YOU want it to.

[Kopitar11]

Yes please give options to increase the screen time out! How is this NOT an option???

[Marc222222]

Yep I’ve returned it as well. I’ll get a Garmin vivoactive 3. I’m a
beginner runner but I quickly found out that the fitbit charge 3 is basic
at best. It’s probably more for people interested in step counts only.

[Ehershey92]

When scrolling through the menu and looking at an "app", once I put my hand down to make the screen black to "reset" (like on the charge 2) I wake the screen up and it is still on the last app, instead of the home screen/clock face. This feature was removed on the charge 3. Can this be re-added.

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @Ehershey92, thanks for explaining why you would like to have the option to see longer screen time for Charge 3. I've moved it into a similar suggestion which has been updated as "Under Consideration". You can learn more about it here. Keep adding these suggestions.

[Ehershey92]

That is not what I was suggesting. Can I be removed from this thread

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @Le-mur, thanks for explaining why you would like to have the option to increase screen time for Charge 4. Thanks for sharing your feedback. I've moved it into a similar request.  A lot of users are asking for this option, I hope we receive updates soon.

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @KamSingh, thanks for explaining why you would like to have the option to have longer screen time for Charge 3. I've moved it into a similar suggestion which has been updated as "Under Consideration". You can learn more about it here. Keep adding these suggestions.

[Master10]

It is interesting
Can you send it to my mail ?

[Pop-Pop-Moose]

I keep getting the message that I have exceeded the number of messages that I can send and to try again later. Been getting this message for weeks.

[Pop-Pop-Moose]

The word, as I have received it from Fitbit, is that this option "will not be implemented". 

Master10, I'm sorry but I can't PM. I don't have the permissions.

[Pop-Pop-Moose]

Master10,

I think I finally got it to send, by removing the link back to this post.

[TW373]

I totally agree that increasing screen time would be a major improvement. 
If I knew the screen time was so limited I would not have bought this product. 

[TGWJ]

Charge 4 owner - lack of 'always on' during workout is one of the worst product feature omissions I have ever seen. Truly awful.

[Yarpy]

I threw my Charge 3 back in the drawer months ago and haven’t worn it since. Enjoying my “dumb” analog watches, that give me the time, ALL the time.

[whybenorm1]

Fitbit, I've been reading the boards thinking about getting a charge 4, but it appears the screen time is too little to be of use. I found boards on here that say the same problem exists for the charge 3, with over 2000 people saying the screen time needs to be extended, or at least have the option to, and you've put another model out without listening to your customers.  Give the option to prolong the screen time. It would be the owner's choice to do it.  According to the boards, you did it to the versa and ionic with a firmware update. If you will do it to the Charge 4, I would consider buying it.  With a 3-4 second screen time, there are too many other devices out there that will serve my needs if I'm going to be spending $150 for a watch! Please fix this!

[druez]

I just bought the charge 4 today.  When biking, it is way to hard to keep the screen up when checking the tracker.  The screen goes dark very quickly.  This needs to be addressed, maybe a 20 to 30 second timeout.  Right now it is way to quick to be of much use.

[druez]

I just bought a Charge 4. While biking today, i could not interact with the watch quick enough before the screen went away. I had to stop biking and come to a complete stop. Then I had to use the watch to navigate through the screens and stop and start my ride. You need a 20 to 30 s timeout on that screen.

[YojanaFitbit]

Hi @druez, thanks for explaining why you would like to have the option to increase screen time on Charge 4. Thanks for sharing your feedback. I've moved it into a similar request.  A lot of users are asking for this option, I hope we receive updates soon.

[whybenorm1]

@druez: I would not get your hopes up.  I did some research and the charge 3 had the same problem and apparently they didn't learn from it.  They had over 2000 people on these boards saying they needed to increase the screen timeout on the charge 3, more specifically give the option to set it yourself.  The responses always kept saying it's "under consideration". They had 2000 people and couldn't get it fixed.  The count for the charge 4 is now up to 10. Good luck with that.  I was keeping an eye on things hoping that they had learned their lesson from the charge 3 (they told the charge 3 owners a longer screen time would be included with future models) but I've seen nothing that would let me purchase one. I'd trade battery life for it to be more useful to me but they still don't have that option.