Fitbit Sense won't charge

[Razorgirl88]

So I see some other people have posted on this problem.  I ordered my Fitbit Sense on January 7, 2021, directly from Fitbit.  There were some shipping issues and I finally got it at the end of January.  Since receiving it, I have had intermittent charging issues.  Sometimes this is resolved by cleaning the connections, other times I've had to resolve it by resetting the Sense by holding down the button for 10 seconds until the Fitbit symbol shows on the face of the watch.  On a few occasions I just had to keep trying plugging it in to different sockets on my computer.  However, this time it flashed "0%" the first time I plugged it in but then never charged.  It won't reset using the button, nor will it work after cleaning the contacts or plugging it into different sockets.  I haven't even owned this 4 months yet and I'm really frustrated with this problem. I keep my software up to date and don't know what else to do.

Moderator edit: subject for clarity

[Gr4ndp4]

Hi, @Razorgirl88 , welcome. I do not know if you have seen this Why isn't my Fitbit device's battery charging?  . If the battery is depleted your sense needs to be on charge for an hour or so before it shows signs of life. If you continue to have difficulty contact "Customer Support" here as advise in the article. I suggest you use the chat facility or phone for a prompt response.

Good luck.

Cheers

[Razorgirl88]

Thank you @Gr4ndp4 .  Since I have left the Sense connected to my computer's USB now for over 3 days, changing ports every day and re-checking the connection, the extended charging time doesn't seem to be the problem here waiting for it to show signs of life.  I will follow your advice and try to chat with the customer support team.

[WilsonFitbit]

Hello @Razorgirl88. Welcome to the community forums. @Gr4ndp4 It's nice to see you around and thanks for your input. 

I'm very sorry for the inconvenience and thank you very much for the detailed information and for the troubleshooting steps you've followed prior to posting. I was able to see that you reached out to our Support Team yesterday and the provided information and assistance. If you still have any questions or inquiries about the outcome of your case, I suggest replying back to your case and our team will be glad to continue assisting you. 

See you around. 

[Kenw_66]

Hello..

Can I ask what the fix for this was?  I seem to be having the same problem

Thanks.

[primortal]

Make sure that all the pins are raised on the connector for the charging cable.

[negrogato]

How do you get the prong to come out.  One of mine lower than the rest and it won't charge at all no matter how long I keep it plugged in.

[AllBoymom]

I have tried with tweezers but can't get the prong to come out. How do I get it to come out? I've also put it on my charger stand, and still nothing. I've cleaned prongs, I've cleaned holes, nothing. I've only had this watch since March!

[Gr4ndp4]

Hi, @AllBoymom , try wiggling the prong with your finger, they appear to be spring-loaded. If the prong will not come out then I recommend that you talk to "Customer Support" here, use the chat facility or phone for a prompt response.

[hauhl]

I have the same problem.  It looks to me that one of the prongs of the charging cable is retracted. I can't get it out.  Truly bad design.  I am ordering a new cable now and hope it will do the trick.  It really is amazing that Why isn't my Fitbit device's battery charging? isn't even mentioning this -- from the comments here, it appears to be the number one reason for why it is not charging.  Check it!  

[AllBoymom]

I contacted fitbit and they sent me a new charger cord, free of charge. Do that before you buy one!


Sent from my Galaxy

[negrogato]

yes. I got a new charger from Amazon. Now it works without a problem.

Moderator Edit: Formatting

[Hellcatpekes]

I have literally to a TEE your same problem. I think the charging design on this thing is total crap. Sad I paid the money for this thing...I have 3 different charging cables and none of them work after being on them for hours. I'll be able to sometimes get the 0% to show up but nothing. Days leading up to this it warned me it was charging slowly and this is on multiple outlets. 

Software is up to date, well taken care of and only 6 months old. 

[negrogato]

Thanks. Already bought one. The charger flaked out the day after the one year warranty was up. I didn't want a hassle so I just bought one on Amazon.
Kathy

Moderator Edit: Formatting

[Hellcatpekes]

I contacted chat support and upon further inspection all 3 of my chargers had one of the pins retracted into the charger. 2 were Amazon replacements and one from Fitbit. 
Fitbit is sending a new charger for free. 
Kind a crappy charge design if ya ask me. 

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi everyone.

Thanks for letting me know about your Sense and the steps tried on your own. I'm sorry you've gone through this experience with the charging cable. Every feedback shared in the forums is always appreciated as it helps us to work on our products and improve them, your comments won't be the exception.

Please note the steps described in this help article are suggested for issues with the battery. Because the issue you're experiencing is related to the charging cable, my best advice is to get in touch with our Support team so they can evaluate what can be done to help you out. They're available via chat or phone, just click here to get connected with them. If you already have a case created, you can keep the communication with them to receive further details about their resolution.

See you around.

[Bubbabighatt]

Same problem.  Mine is only 3 months old.  Off we go to Costco!!  At least it happened a month before Christmas so the return lines won't be too long. I might buy it again down the road if they fix this; I liked most of the features. 

[LauraB1]

Lizzy,

If you aren't aware that the reason your Fitbit isn't charging is that you have a faulty cable it's really easy to be confused for a bad battery, etc. This is the first time I've been made aware that the pins on the charger are spring loaded. Until now, I too have been frustrated that my Sense sometimes doesn't charge and other times it does. It's been a veritable black box. If this is really the reason many of these trackers won't charge, you need to stop wasting people's time with restarts and and other software options and just tell them to check the charger cable! I bought my first Fitbit in 2011 and wore one almost daily for a decade. The Sense totally disgusts me in how poorly designed it is, especially considering the expense.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @Bubbabighatt. Welcome on board. @Bubbabighatt It's good to see you around.

Thanks for joining this thread, I'm sorry for the difficulties experienced with your Sense. The steps posted above were shared to make sure the recommended troubleshooting was exhausted since it has worked for some other members. However, I understand your point of view and appreciate your feedback. Our team constantly works on our devices to improve their performance, and the comments shared in the forums is a big part of the process. Please know your comments won't be the exception.

If you need further assistance with your watch, you can always click here to get connected with our Support team via chat or phone.

See you around.

[APNarine]

I absolutely agree! Straight out of the box it has been nightmarish! Not to mention a return policy that unfairly inconveniences customers even further!