Option to turn off step count (or add "Driving Mode") to avoid erroneous steps/floors

[MacWade]

I just got home yesterday from a driving 6 hours in my car and I checked my Fitbit. I was really suprised to see it had given me almost 8,000 steps, 3.24 miles, 134 floors, & way more calories thank I burned while I was sitting in my car.  I looked on the forum to see how to easily delete the steps, miles, floors, and calories so my data would be accurate.  The only way people are fixing it is by manually logging the activity "Automobile or light truck (not a semi) driving" and entering in the duration.  I think that is a cumbersome way to fix the issue everytime I drive because I have to make sure I write down what time I get into and out of my car so I know the start time and duration.  And how does it automatically know the calories burned when everyone burns calories when they are sedentary at different rates.

I think they should add a "Drive Mode" feature that when turned on it won't add steps, distance, floors, & will only add calories burned equal to you sitting in a chair.

You could access the "Drive Mode" either on your Fitbit One or on your phone app to turn it on/off.  If you have a Fitbit One you could press the button till the "Drive Mode" icon appears then hold the button down for 2 seconds to turn it on or off.

On the phone apps you would just go to your device under "Account" and there you could turn it on or off.

You could also have the option to give you an alert when you unlock the phone that reminds you that it is in "Drive Mode" so you don't forget to turn it off when you get to your destination.  It would also be cool if you could use Siri to turn it on by saying "Turn on Fitbit Drive Mode" or "Turn off Fitbit Drive Mode".

[MysticAura]

Exactly this. It would solve so many of the 'over counting' issues if we had the ability to suspend/resume step counting. Preferably with a quick and easy way to toggle it.

With how many people are upset about activities falsely triggering steps, I'd have thought this suggestion to be #1 upvoted

[Jmwatte]

Really would appreciate a start/stop switch. Drive a motorbike. Too many steps and way to much work to get the steps right. Renders the charge 2 useless. 

[SunsetRunner]

The step counter is a joke,  The fact is Fitbit doesn't like other Bluetooth devices when I paired my speaker I ended up with a very expensive watch for two weeks so I had to unsink my speaker what a joke won't be buying another one! See if this post gets out one of my earlier critical posts didn't mmmm

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@digfoot wrote:

When I'm playing the piano or riding on a bus, my fitbit is counting steps, even though I'm not moving and it's quite a bit of work to remove those wrong steps. I'd like to have a function right on the device that can turn the step counter off and on (or for a certain time) while you are doing stuff that the fitbit sees as steps. It could also remind you to turn it back on after a few Minutes or so. That would be greatly appreciated 

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[Emkivi]

I take it this didn't go anywhere because it's like a 3 year old post?

[2Paps]

Yep! ☹

[CDERMODY]

Could there be an APP that shuts down the step count when the Fitbit is moving at a speed of over 20 mph?

[niallist]

Just was given a Charge 2 for my birthday and would have returned it if I'd known about this flaw.

Surely there must be a way of sticking it on standby, not perfect but that can't be hard?

[B.Wagoner]

I turn mine off when driving more then 5 minutes.
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Bradley T. Wagoner
713-737-5773

[LizFitbit]

Hi all, thanks for your comments. I understand you are interested in automatic driving mode recognition and in the short term, if you haven't already seen it, you can negate steps and floors by using the 'driving' activity setting. More in this help article here, copied below:

HOW DO I DELETE STEPS AND FLOORS?

It's not possible to delete steps and floors, but you can achieve the same result by negating them:

1. Log into your fitbit.com dashboard.
2. At the top of the screen click Log.
3. Click the Activities tab.
4. Under Log Activities, type in Driving and enter the date, duration, and start time.
5. Click Log. Your steps, floors, and calories burned will decrease for the time period you specified.

[Jen11]

Liz you aren’t missing the point. We do not want or have time to have to log into a website every time we want to delete steps which for me would be about 6-10 times a day. We want a pause function added to the fitbit devise we can press within seconds.

[CDERMODY]

I want something that is sensitive to speed. Have it set for when the car goes over a certain speed (like 20mph) it shuts down. The GPS in my car tells me the speed that car is moving so it must be possible 

[Tgrinste]

I am thinking of the Apple Watch. Unfortunately, it too suffers from counting steps/activity when you are on a motorcycle. 

Sigh...

So I guess I will have to continue to delete steps twice a day. So frustrating...

Pretty much which ever company can fix this will be my next purchase. Fitbit is really stupid not to incorporate into their app. 

[Ton]

Just today I got one more promo about the Ionic.It's evident it's supposed to be a good imitation of the Apple watch. I had a more thorough look at the features and specs but still I can't see any reference to the false step problem we've been  debating here... £300 cost not justified, I'm afraid. I feel sorry about the (still numerous I would bet) people who will fall for it...

[PureEvil]

As @Tgrinste noted yesterday...  The Apple Watch suffers from counting steps while driving (a motorcycle, at least).

And I think you mean Apple Watch is a good imitation of a fitness tracker...  after all, Fitbit was here first.

[Ton]

Ok, but I was referring more to all the whistles and bells the Apple watch shows off. Not my cup of tea anyway, both Apple and Fitbit watches. I'd rather have my simple Charge 2 working more reliably as a tracker or with an even simpler on/off switch. Asking too much? I suppose so... (sad laugh)

[Cocheese]

I have requested this as well. A simple pause mode would work too. Can't believe this is so difficult to resolve.

[Rich_Laue]

duplicate

[Rich_Laue]

I'm not sure what your asking?

Are you saying that adding a driving activity doesnt work?

Make sure you click on the popup.

[Snowman2k]

I've tried maybe I'm doing something wrong can you please provide step by step instructions?

[SunsetRunner]

So that your tracker dose not track your steps. I just I personally feel like I am cheating at trying to my steps for the day. Thank you for your time.

[SunsetRunner]

Please add option to STOP or PAUSE counting steps. 

[draletna]

as many people seem to find ghost steps while driving, would you be able to include driving as an activity actually on the fitbit watch. at the moment I use a 3rd party app and often forget to stop logging my drive. I'm always wearing my fitbit and would find it more helpful to log as I drive and stop, instead of having to remember all my drive times and use the dashboard

[JerryPattison]

Like many others in forums have complained, my Fitbit Blaze registers steps while I'm driving. Can you please create a feature on the next update so that the user can swipe, tap, or whatever, to easily turn the tracking off to prevent the Fitbit from registering false steps?

Consider it similar to "airplane mode" on a phone. The user can quickly/easily turn on "driving mode" on the Fitbit and it will stop registering steps until the driver turns "driving mode" off. This would be an invaluable feature. 

Thank you. 

[Nickhughes]

I know that there has been some studies as to calorie burn increases due to riding Motorcycle, Dirt bikes, and the like.  Increase in heart rate and core muscle use also play into calorie burn.  Something that tells it to stop tracking steps and floors during that duration would be nice also.

[Jen11]

Please fit bit we all need a pause step button, I need it for horse riding, when on a lawnmower, driving down bumpy roads, when at my desk and reaching around, painting many reasons I would use it