Announcing Sense Update OS 5.3 (44.128.6.12)

[FitbitCommunity]

This update should now be available to all customers! If you have any difficulty updating, make sure you are following the directions in this article, and then provide as many specific details as possible in your post so that we can assist.

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Update 11/7

We are continuing to roll out this firmware for the Fitbit Sense, and expect more users will see it as available. This is a progressive rollout, and all customers can expect to have it within a few weeks. We roll out releases in phases as a cautionary measure so that we can monitor performance closely and make adjustments if needed. If you don't see the option to update, don't worry - you'll have it soon!

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Update 10/27

We’re excited to announce that a firmware update for Sense will be available soon!  Some of you may already have this update available - if you installed it, let us know what you think!

If you don’t see the update yet, that’s expected. Check the Fitbit app in a few days, and you’ll see a message when you can install the update. We expect everyone to receive the update in the coming weeks. We appreciate your patience while we get this update to all of our customers. 

Did you know that we gradually release our updates? We do this to make sure everything is working just right for you. Sometimes we find an issue and it might take a little longer than expected for everyone to get the update. While you might see suggestions on how to “force” an update, we ask that you don’t try any of these workarounds. Most of the time the update won’t be available and you can lose data or encounter other difficulties. The best way to get the update is to be patient and wait for the update banner to appear in the Fitbit app.  

WHAT’S NEW AND FIXED

You can find release notes here.

HOW DO I UPDATE?

You can find step-by-step instructions for updating your Sense here. 

We recommend updating your Sense over a home Wi-Fi network as this can greatly reduce the time it can take to get set up. For more information on connecting your Sense to Wi-Fi, check out this article. 

If you run into difficulty updating please review these troubleshooting tips. 

We’re interested in hearing your feedback on this update! Let us know what you like! If you encounter unexpected behavior during or after your update, please post the details below.

[Guy_]

@UnguruBulan, @Clove6060 - Optimal charging an interesting topic - Some ideas

I use Macrodroid to automatically control charging my phone between 60 and 90% overnight.

When it reaches 90% it turns off the power, and when it falls below 60% it turns it on, so it can be left connected all night, and is connected to a slow charger in order to not stress the battery.

What we don't know is what is the usable portion of the battery made available to the Fitbit user. EG 100% may only be 80% of the real total capacity of the battery.

When charging a Fitbit battery, the current is reduced to 1ma by the time it has reached 99%.

So what are the best practices that @UnguruBulan is looking for?

Probably only Fitbit can tell us and they don't answer posts in the Forum.

@LZeeWproposed a good place to learn about batteries is Battery University.

[Clove6060]

@Guy_ That is some good information indeed!

I did not see your previous post on the matter.

Thank You as always!

[UnguruBulan]

Thank you @Guy_  and @Clove6060  - what I was looking for is precisely an answer to the question from Guy's Some ideas post (the question at the very bottom of that post)

Pretty much a set of rules when it comes to charging the Sense.

[Clove6060]

@UnguruBulan @Guy_  

I hope there is not an exam at the end……😉

[UnguruBulan]

@Clove6060 haha... I'm just trying to figure out some basic things, such as when to start charging and when to stop charging. I only charged it 2 times so far, first when I got the device one week ago, it came pre-charged at 50% and I topped it up to 100%; and the second time was last night, when it was at 10% after 6 days of usage, and topped it up again to 100%.
I want to figure out a better charging pattern, so my device's battery will not show significant signs of weakness 2 years from now.

[sdphilli]

I bought my Sense after the last upgrade problem that drained the battery, but that is exactly what is happening to me since I ran this upgrade.  My Sense's battery used to last 3 days, it now doesn't make it through 1.  I don't see others complaining about this so I am a little surprised.

Also - since the upgrade it stopped tracking my sleeping, so maybe there is something more going on.  I tried restoring my Sense - did not solve either problem

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi everyone, and welcome to our new members.

I wanted to let you know that I've moved some of your posts to this thread. Thanks for the details provided, and the time taken while troubleshooting your Sense. Your feedback is also appreciated and it'll be passed along to keep our team informed of your experience with this update.

@JChaney I understand where you're coming from and let me share that this issue has been reported to our team. I'm sorry for this inconvenience and while there isn't a time frame for the fix, please know our team is currently working to get it resolved.

@adriano72, @eddasig, @Misssss and @sdphilli I'm sorry for the difficulties experienced with your Sense. As some of our members mentioned, the battery life will depend on how frequent certain features are used. If you're tracking GPS or SpO2 data, or if the Snore Detect function is enabled, you may have to charge your watch more often. If the issue persists after trying the tips described in this help article, I'd recommend contacting our Support team via chat or phone so they can provide you with further assistance. Please click here to get connected with them.

@SababaBenji Thanks for joining this thread. I'm not sure to whom you're replying to, but if you have a question or tips, you're more than welcome to share them. You can use the @ sign if you want to address different members in your post.

@Allan00 Thanks for your efforts while working on this matter. I went to review your details and I noticed you already have a case created with our Support team. It seems they're providing you with assistance so please keep an open communication with them.

See you around.

[sdphilli]

Nothing changed except I accepted your update and I ended my free fitbit premium trial.  I do not use SpO2 data or snore detect.  Charge went from lasting 3 days to 1 overnight and it stopped being able to measure my heartbeat.

I am going back to using my Charge 3 because the Sense is now unusable.  If you issue an update, I may try again - very frustrating.

[kisung]

I updated my sense firmware yesterday. After that, it keeps rebooting.

I tried shutdown and even factory reset. I also reinstalled fitbit app on my phone.

But nothing helps.

When I turn off Bluetooth on my phone, it doesn't reboot.

But once I turn it on, it starts rebooting.

Can anyone have similar experience?

[cipri_matasaru]

Today, my problem regarding Sense was solved. Thanks a lot for support, @LizzyFitbit and all the team!

Great costumer support from all the team! Now, I'm happy to be back on track!

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @sdphilli and @cipri_matasaru. @kisung Welcome on board.

@sdphilli Thanks for getting back and sharing those details. I understand where you're coming from and I'm sorry for this inconvenience. If the tips described in this help article don't work, please try getting in touch with our Support team. That way, they can investigate your watch's behavior and provide you with further assistance. Please click here to get connected with them via chat or phone.

@kisung Thanks for troubleshooting your Sense on your own. While this is odd, may I know if you have also tried performing a regular restart? If you have but the issue persists, contact our Support team whenever you can so they can see what can be done to bring you back on track. Just click here to get connected with them.

@cipri_matasaru You're very welcome. Thanks for keeping me posted and I'm glad you're back on track with your watch. I hope you can keep crushing your goals! 😎

See you around.

[LizzyFitbit · Accepted solution]

Hey everyone!

First off, I wanted to thank you all for your participation in this thread. Secondly, since the majority of Sense users have reported successfully updating to OS 5.3 (44.128.6.12), I am closing this thread. If you still have not updated your Sense to OS 5.3, check out this post for some best practices on how to update your tracker.

If you are experiencing an issue with your Sense unrelated to the firmware-up process, I invite you to start a new topic on the community or find a related topic. Thanks again for all feedback on this release.

Have a good day.