Inaccurate heart rate

[Gsh19382]

In cardiac rehab , so I’m wearing a heart monitor while using the exercise equipment. Heart monitor and equipment monitors track within 1 bpm during exercise. Sense is off by 35+ Bpm. Resting heart rate is closer, but still off by 3-5 bpm. Watch resets and cleaning don’t fix. Fact that Sense tracks resting heart rate closer indicates hardware works and implies software is the issue. Wasn’t a problem with the Charge 3. Any ideas?  Fitbit silence is deafening. 

[t.parker · Accepted solution]

I'm afraid there is no known solution. The Sense HR (especially during exercise) is just garbage.

[Laxana]

I’m having the same problems during exercise with mine as well, and the answer that the watch is garbage doesn’t cut it, it’s often spot on when I exercise 

[Sensenotasgood]

Same problem here. It’s absolutely way off, very inconsistent, I can be showing 120 when driving yet true HR is 70. It can show 80 on brisk walk when true HR is 115. Reported issue several times and they have agreed to replace watch. Let’s see if it improves things. Overall not impressed. 

[PeteSignoretti]

I have the same issue. I have ordered new bands, tried adjusting watch on various locations on wrist / arm, and can not get a consistent HR reading. Very frustrating.

[Laxana]

I actually found out how to make it work after reading an article “you’re
wearing your sports watch wrong. You’re supposed to wear it about 2 finger
widths above your wrist bone and fairly tight, it can’t measure correctly
thru the bone. I’ve started doing that when I workout and now it works. I
don’t generally wear it that way all the time but I couldn’t believe how
much better it is. Hope that helps


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____________________________
Kristin A. Hummel, MA, LMHC

[PeteSignoretti]

Thanks Kristin. I saw the same article and did not see any improvement. My Sense is likely malfunctioning.

[Laxana]

Call them and have it replaced…I bet if you mention that article and it’s
still not working they might--
____________________________
Kristin A. Hummel, MA, LMHC

[szurfluh]

Hi, this also effects me. I am sitting in a chair right now and have been for 30 minutes. I turn and look at my Fitbit Sense and my heart rate is 135. Completely inaccurate. I have measured this against my own manual testing, which comes out at about 60. My resting heart rate is 47, which I also think is off, as my apple watch indicated to me last week that it was 41. So disappointed with Fitbit. I just sold my apple watch and now I wish I had not. I cannot believe that they are not addressing this issue. Very disappointed with this product. I was excited to switch back to fitbit after my brief apple watch usage of 7 months, but now I am questioning my decision. 

[Sensenotasgood]

Sorry to say but don’t think you will get what you want from the sense. 
returned mine as defective and they sent a replacement. 
NOT A NEW ONE BUT A REFURBISHED ONE. 

WHAT A JOKE. 

I will be selling it ASAP and getting a Garmin fitness tracker. 

[ChrisSwim]

Seems this is is not limited to the new Sense, I am seeing this between my old Ionic and brand new Versa3 and there are many other threads about this on here, most just have the same old canned responses from Fitbit.

I have each one on separate phones and separate accounts with my details for testing, if I wear on device on one wrist and the other on my other wrist they rarely agree, most of the time the Versa3 reads 10 to 25% higher. During exercise it was the other way around, I found the Versa3 showing 131 bpm and my Ionic showing 164 bpm at the same time, but at other times it would be reversed and the Versa3 would sometimes show a higher reading during exercise, rarely did they both show even similar readings.

My general feeling was the the Ionic was more correctly tracking peak and troughs in my heart rate as I sprinted and then slowed to walk over slippy mud etc. The Versa3 seemed to be out of whack.

I plan on checking them both against accurate benchmarks such as chest strap / finger pulse sensor / ECG device.

[BITFITBART]

They will replace it - at least they did for me.  The issue is it will be replaced with the same **ahem** as before.  The issue isn't placement, it's that the sensors and/or the software are unable to acheieve their most basic fundamental requirement. 

And it isn't that it can't be done.   My Versa does it nearly flawlessly still, 4 years after purchase.  

[Carlos1787]

I'm sending mine back as well. At least the Garmin line admits that heart rate from the wrist may not be accurate and they allow the addition of a chest strap or armband to get accurate readings.  The primary reason I purchased a fitbit was to monitor my heart rate while biking so I don't need to have my phone with me.

What a complete disappointment.

[emily-trailrun]

Thanks for this post. I'm really disappointed because I really wanted the smart wake functionality and a few other features. But with HRM inaccuracy along with lack of chest strap support, Fitbit will not get my business, Garmin will. 

[Steveparadox]

I just got my sense yesterday and have been using it to track my HIIT workouts over the last couple of days. It sure seems like garbage to me. I do advanced/intense HIIT workouts, usually 30/10 or 40/10 and do 10 hours of sessions a week. The heart rate tracking is very low and not at all accurate. 

I bought the Sense specifically to track workouts. What an absolute waste of money when it isn't even capable of performing basic functions. 

[MtnBuoy]

I have the same issue.  I just turned in my Ionic and got the Sense.  While resting heart rate is very similar my whole workout looks different according the Sense.  Checking against the equipment hand-held monitors the Sense will never be close - it is always always reading low by 7 to 35 bpm.  The Ionic varied but it would be spot on at times (in agreement with the equipment I mean).  My calorie burn during the same workout will be 50 to 60% of what Ionic calculated.  I will have NO peak rates (or perhaps a very very brief excursion into peak) because the Sense read so low.  I don't know what Fitbit has done but they sure goofed it up.  Some days when I haven't had a dedicated workout but and physically active I will have a higher caloric burn than I expect (based on Ionic for 2 + years).  It is just 'off' in my experience.