Sense 2 Undercounting steps

[Red333]

Just got a Sense 2 last week. I noticed my step count has been unusually low compared to my previous fitbit (Sense). I tested this by counting out 200 steps and my Sense 2 only registered 140. It is missing 30% of my steps!! How do I get the fitbit Sense 2 to more accurately track my steps? (I already tried manually changing my stride length and it did not change the accuracy at all.)

[Guy_]

Hi @Red333 - try holding the watch button for 10 seconds till it blanks or vibrates and wait for the logo to appear and for it to start.

The only immediate thing that can affect overall step count is the dominant wrist setting. On dominant setting it will filter out more false step hand movements but it it stride length doesn't affect a walking test.

For the walk test swing your arms freely, for example pushing a trolley won't count steps properly.

[Red333]

Thanks @Guy_ . I tried the restart and it only slightly helped (now missing about 15% instead of 30%). I tested the step count while freely swinging my arm and also while holding a glass of water in my watch hand. Strangely, when I was holding the glass of water and not swinging my arm freely, the count was much more accurate. When holding the glass of water, it was only off by 2 steps (out of 100). When swinging freely it missed 14 (out of the same 100). I have it set to "non-dominant" but it seems to be reducing the step count with the arm movement. Will it keep getting more accurate with each restart? Or maybe I'll just start walking with my arm in a sling. Haha! 

[Guy_]

@Red333- thanks - the issue can also be related to two other things but most likely won't improve further from multiple restarts.

Try your tests with the phone Bluetooth switched off.

Sometimes the watch can restart all on it's own and if unnoticed will cause it to not count steps [or even lose time] during the process. Try changing clock face which can be a cause for this to happen.

The real place to see steps is with a swipe left, this is what the watch detects as opposed to what the clock face shows.