Sense Controls dont stay connected to Samsung S21

[HBlood]

Hi there.

I just switched from a Pixel 3a to a Samsung S21 and am having a ton of issues receiving call and text notifications  on my Sense. After factory resetting my Sense, reinstalling the Fitbit app, clearing app data, clearing all Bluetooth pairings, disabling battery saver mode, and releasing all devices on my router, I was finally able to get calls to work. The next morning text notifications could be received by my Sense. A day later my Sense's battery went dead. After recharging, notifications are no longer coming through and I am once again getting the Sense Controls connection error when attempting to set up on wrist calls. What else can I try to ensure Sense Controls stays connected to my S21? I had no issues with the Pixel 3a as it was the first device my Sense was paired to. I believe residual pairing data was responsible, in part, for my initial issues with the Sense. However, now that I've performed a factory reset and the other data clearing steps mentioned before, I'm at a loss for what to try next. I would be grateful for some advice here.

Thanks!

Heather

[Guy_]

Make sure there are no other Bluetooth devices, notably the Pixel, upsetting the connections with the S21.

[HBlood]

Hey Guy_ , thanks for your relply. All other Bluetooth pairings were deleted prior to repairing and connecting the Sense and Sense Controls. The issue is with pairing retention of the Sense Controls on the secondary device (Samsung S21). Repeatedly terminating all other Bluetooth connections for the sake of one unreliable one is not a practical workaround as I use several other reliable Bluetooth devices. The Pixel and Sense were factory reset and the Pixel has not been turned on since pairing the Sense initially to the S21

[Rich_Laue]

@HBlood your title mentions that Spence controls do not stay connected. This is very true, since sense controls are not suppose to stay connected. Even when pairing the controls do not connect. 

The controls will only connect during the period of time when needed to be connected. 

Then I see something about pair retention. Are you saying when looking at the settings on the Sense, does is say not comb text? 

[HBlood]

Thanks for your reply Rich. Call and text notifications will stop hitting the Sense device for long periods of time. I noticed after my watch battery died that I no longer received call and text notifications.  Upon checking the On Wrist Call setting in Fitbit's General Device Settings, I simply received a "Can't connect to Sense Controls" error. I experienced this same issue upon first pairing the Sense to the S21 and after the initial factory reset of the Sense. I had to delete the Sense Controls pairing through my S21's Bluetooth settings before I could move past the connection error in the app and receive notifications again. I am familiar with the Sense's expected functionality,  having successfully used it with my Pixel 3a for several months. Apologies, it sounds like I'm incorrect in assuming Sense Controls should remain connected, but, regardless, notifications are not being successfully passed to the watch with consistency and these periods of failures seem correlated to the in-app "Can't Connect to Sense Controls" error I receive. Perhaps it's that it isn't reconnecting  successfully when necessary (after recharge, re-pair, etc)?

[Guy_]

"Upon checking the On Wrist Call setting in Fitbit's General Device Settings, I simply received a "Can't connect to Sense Controls" error. ".

The remedy to this problem seems to be to initiate playing music on the phone from the watch.

Having done that the error message disappears when checking the On Wrist Call setting - [in Fitbit App 3.37.1 on Android].

[corissa.bowman]

I'm having the exact same problems with my Pixel 3a. I've paired and unpaired and reset the device several times. It will work for a day and then quit. So frustrating. And of course the return period just passed.

[Guy_]

@corissa.bowmanHi, in all likelihood its not a watch issue but a phone setting that's not right.

Try this battery optimisation change just in case the phone is pulling the rug out from under the Fitbit App making it difficult for it to reconnect..

On the phone check battery optimizations

[the options may be different in your version]

• First go to Settings > Apps & Notification > Special app access
• Click on Battery optimization
• Now press the drop down menu [...] and select “All Apps”
• Click on Bluetooth and then select “Don’t optimize”
• Same with Fitbit
• Next go to Settings > Apps  > Fitbit > Storage
• Clear cache [not data]
• Force stop the Fitbit app

[corissa.bowman]

I appreciate the reply, but that wasn't the problem. The Fitbit app was
already set to not optimize. I changed the settings and force closed the
app, and then re-opened. I'm still not getting notifications.

[HBlood]

Hi @corissa.bowman  

It may not work for you, but I have found, on my S21, notifications only work while in the Battery Saver setting state upon which my Sense was most recently paired (regardless of the aforementioned battery optimization setting). I didn't have this issue on my 3a, but it's been the only setting that seems to affect notification behavior consistently. If my Sense was most recently paired while Battery Saver mode was enabled,  notifications will not hit the watch if I disable Battery Saver mode on my phone. The inverse is true if I paired my Sense with Battery Saver mode disabled. It will then only receive notifications if Battery Saver is disabled on my phone. I hope this helps. None of the troubleshooting steps I've seen on these forums seem to affect my notification behavior in any lasting way.

[Guy_]

Hi @corissa.bowman  please verify by a swipe left edge to the right on the watch to see Quick Settings and make sure Sleep or Do not disturb mode hasn't accidentally been engaged.

@HBloodInteresting observation.

One thing you could try is to remove the Sense Bluetooth entry.

• Shutdown the watch and restart the phone, making sure its not in battery saving mode.
• Place the watch on the charger to restart it.
• Connect to the Fitbit App and logout, then login again and start a pull down refresh.
• Return to the phone home screen without closing the Fitbit App.
• A pop up sync notification should appear, click on it and it should pair and relink

This will make a new Bluetooth entry which may no longer have an issue, and as you are not in battery saving mode the Fitbit App will run in background to ensure you receive notifications consistently.

[Rich_Laue]

Sounds like you are setting up notifications, this has not much to do with Sense controls. 

[corissa.bowman]

No, it's not in Sleep or Do Not Disturb mode.  The above re-start process seems to have worked for now.  Crossing my fingers that it'll hold.

[corissa.bowman]

😕  It worked for less than an hour.  My phone is not on battery saver mode, the watch is not on dnd or sleep mode.  Emails and texts are not creating a notification on the watch but notifications on the phone are fine.  So frustrating.

[Guy_]

@corissa.bowman  it would seem to indicate that the Fitbit app or Bluetooth are battery optimized, which means they aren't running in background all the time but need to be for notifications to work.

Check the earlier post explaining this.

If already done then please ignore this suggestion.