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".

[Vallarieastman]

Many in the community have said that there are instances they would like to pause step-counting in order to improve accuracy for reasons from horse back riding to motorcycle riding to the “double” count that continues while on an elliptical or treadmill.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @Vallarieastman, thanks for taking the time to share this product feedback about being able to pause the step counting function from your Fitbit device with us. There are two similar ideas already requested on this board and you can see them here:

• Pausing step counter or a way to pause entire device from collecting information
• Option to turn off step count (or add "Driving Mode") to avoid erroneous steps/floors

Please support these ideas by adding your vote as this helps our developers to keep tracking its popularity and demand over time. To learn more about how Fitbit decides what product feedback is developed, visit our FAQs.

[Stopsteps]

My Versa 2 tracks steps while I am driving. I would like to have a way to stop steps from tracking.

[Pealion]

Bumping this as an (yet another!) example of how Fitbit don't really care about their customers. We've been asking for a driving shortcut since 2014. 

Such an easy fix that they have ignored/refused to implement. 

[Boogie007]

Greed in its highest form runs FitBit.

Sent from Mail<> for Windows

[SunsetRunner]

I received a Fitbit sense from my mother in law and wanted to use it to count my steps, but after figuring out I can't stop it from counting driving as steps, I'm not going to use it at all. I have a long drive to get anywhere so it's completely useless for counting the actual steps I take. Back in it's box in the closet it goes, guess you won't get to track my whereabouts Fitbit. If you ever add driving or pause steps maybe I'll try again, but after everyone asking for 10 years I doubt it'll happen.

[Vegn]

I simply want a button on my watch to stop counting steps whenever I want. Your algorithms and your product infuriates thousands and thousands of people due to a simple lack of foresight.

There are thousands of comments of people frustrated beyond belief cuz they have thousands of more steps and they should have because of unrealistic activities.

[Boogie007]

I wonder why Fitbit continues to ignore their customers. Programming to do this update is easy. Why all the frustration for us users. New item I can’t get fixed is my Inspire 2 turns itself off every two days, and I have to get the app and restart, another frustration.

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[Dmr0_7]

An option to set device so that it does not record steps for when you are, for example, sat at a sporting event and clapping but all other functionality would work.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @Vegn, thanks for taking the time to share this product feedback about being able to turn off the step tracking from a Fitbit devices 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 by adding your vote, this helps our developers to keep tracking its popularity and demand over time.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @Stopsteps, thanks for sharing this product feedback about being able to stop the step tracking function while driving with us. Because this idea was already requested in this board, I’ve moved your post here. This will help us to make sure the product feedback shared here doesn't get confused, or split a popular vote. Please click on the thumbs-up to show your support.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @Dmr0_7, thanks for sharing this product feedback about being able to turn off the step tracking function with us. Because this idea was already requested in this board, I’ve moved your post here. This will help us to make sure the product feedback shared here doesn't get confused, or split a popular vote. Please click on the thumbs-up to show your support.

[Pealion]

Here's a neat example showing how many steps my Fitbit regularly records when I'm driving - 25 minute drive and nearly 1000 additional steps. 

[Chrispy0530]

" Because this idea was already requested in this board, I’ve moved your post here."

Yep. AKA - You moved the post here to die because you guys refuse to do anything about it. Why not try putting some effort to have a change made for once?

I love how I keep getting all these email advertisements regarding the Pixel Watch 2. Big NOPE lol. Issue even still persists on that device. Lazy FitBit team isn't getting a penny more from me.

[Boogie007]

Agreed no more FitBit.

Sent from Mail<> for Windows

[Boogie007]

Makes one wonder after all these years, all the posts on the subject that Fitbit would not at least there is a problem and they are working on it, or not. It used to be the Customer was right, when did it change to the Company is always right, take that you downtrodden vermin.

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[D33go]

3914 upvotes I think is a pretty representative sample of your customer base, Fitbit. Been an open issue since 2014. May want to get the ball rolling on this. It's incredibly annoying to NOT be able to pause step counting/tracking. I'm also fairly certain it's not a huge engineering lift to implement. Should we ask BARD to write the code? 

[MM1772]

I had my Fitbit for 5 years, but it died over the summer. (It wouldn't charge.) I was considering getting a new one, but I read comments elsewhere that the newer ones still had the problem with steps being counted properly. I decided to try a Garmin Venu Sq 2, which doesn't seem to have that problem.

I haven't given up on Fitbit completely, but for now the Garmin is doing well. Next time I need a new watch, I'll check the Fitbit offerings.

[Boogie007]

My latest Fitbit will not stay on for than 5 minutes before it reverts to the screen that says something pair with the APP on your Phone, which I have done multiple times, no luck it always turns itself off. Bad Step count, won’t stay on, Fitbit does not care. No solutions offered, not even send it back.

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[Lilbiddy]

Why, after 10 YEARS are we still waiting for this? Also why doesn't it appear in the top requested list?

There is also another request thread for the same thing. Are they being kept separate so as to avoid amalgamating the request numbers so that they look lower than they are? 

Is there a concerted effort to hide some requests so that people won't vote for them? But when they see we've been waiting 10 YEARS, would they bother anyway. 

[w20000]

It's quite ridiculous that this hasn't been added yet. We just need the driving shortcut added to the watch. It's annoying going to the app every time that I need to negate steps.

[Tt11]

Agree with you completely! Even if I add a “driving activity” it is a pain
in the butt and doesn’t even work half the time!