How do I use the Sense button?

[Mike_Croy]

It's been driving me crazy trying to understand how to best 'press the button'. In the manual there is just reference to a button (Sense has a color AMOLED touchscreen display and 1 button) but further no picture or instructions. Furthermore the button is not a moveable button as some of us are used to but rather an indent on the left side of the case.

I am not getting any consistent results so I would like to know what is the prescribed way to 'press' this button? Cover the whole indent with you finger? Push a fingernail into the indent? 

Once I know then I can practise what is actually required instead of continually trying different things.

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[Heather-S]

@Mike_Croy I wear my watch on my left wrist and use the length of my thumb to press it. It’s an inductive button, so it does need a press. 

[Julia_G]

Hi, @Mike_Croy I was confused too when I first heard that called a “button”!

I find the best way of making the “button” work is to place a finger or thumb on either side of the watch, covering the button and pressing gently.

I wear mine on the right hand so I place my forefinger over the button and my thumb on the opposite side of the watch and press. If you wear it on the left hand it would be the thumb over the button and forefinger on the opposite side.  It also works just using the finger or just the thumb on the button, but with just one finger or thumb I find it is more difficult to get the press just right.  (I either press too gently and nothing happens, or too long and bring up the chosen shortcut)

You should also be able to tap to bring up the clock face, or lift and twist your wrist to wake it up (that setting can be turned on or off in the settings menu on the watch itself).

[Mike_Croy]

@Julia_G thanks. Tapping the screen does not seem to work (setting selected is motion & button) very often. Twisting my wrist works often but certainly not all of the time. In both case when they work they will take you back to the last screen but the button is required to 'exit the menu'. 

Even if these worked consistently, i prefer to use the button for push and hold to immediately to to the wallet so thay I can make payments.

Good now that I know that I have to cover the indent I can try and improve my success rate. 

[_pauls]

I saw a few reviews complaining about this "button" but I find it fine, although I find it only really works using my thumb - maybe just because my finger tip doesn't cover the button as well as my thumb does.

[SunsetRunner]

I wear it on my right wrist. I find that using my thumb fingernail to "press" this "button" seems to provide some result. Works for the most part.

Except when I bend my wrist during a workout, I seem to trigger this **ahem** "button" and launching the **ahem** shortcut. 

This is getting annoying for sure. Lol

[SunsetRunner203]

Yeah, so I've found the best way to press the "button" is actually when you don't want to press the "button". You get the highest success rate by bending your wrist ("down", away from the watch, so that you give the watch a push from below), OR if you wear it on your right wrist, then also by bending your wrist "upwards" -- towards the watch.

So basically if you don't want to press the button accidentally -- do not bend your wrist at all. Wear the watch on the middle of your forearm. Wear it on your leg. Wear it as an arm band. But DO NOT BEND YOUR WRIST.

That's a joke.

As is this design.

[SunsetRunner]

Lol! Worth the hassle to log into the forum just to reply:

The button design is terrible. Lol

[flagrant99]

OMG thank you for this picture. Who ever wrote the help manual should be fired. https://help.fitbit.com/manuals/manual_sense_en_US.pdf.

Basic navigation keeps referring to a button and I could not find any button. At least add a picture to the "recessed dash shaped dimple". That's not a normal button.