Sense GPS isn't working correctly

[Bauer24]

Went on a slow walk with the kids. With both an Apple watch on and the new Sense. The Apple watche tracked my route perfectly even found a gps signal instantly. The Fitbit Sense on the other hand which is one year newer than my Apple Watch couldn’t find a gps till about 5mins after I started walking. Also according to Fitbits tracking I went through houses into other streets - like completely out.

Extremely disappointed considering this was a very slow walk. I’d expected the gps tracking to be bang on, like the Apple Watch. 

im starting to think apart from the Fitbit challenges Fitbit is useless for everything else!

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[WilsonFitbit]

Hello @Bauer24 It's nice to see you around! 

Please note that GPS activity recorded by a Fitbit device uses both a GPS signal and device data. Also note that if you haven't used GPS recently, your device may take some minutes to be able to connect. 

Additionally, there are some factors that could prevent the GPS to be working accordingly. And in order to avoid this, please make sure of the following before beginning a workout: 

• Confirm that the exercise type uses built-in GPS. For more information, see How do I start a workout with GPS on my Fitbit device?

• Make sure that you have a clear view of the sky when you start the exercise. Environmental factors, including tall buildings, dense forest, steep hills, and thick cloud cover, can interfere with your device’s ability to connect to GPS satellites. If the signal is blocked—either because you're indoors, underground, or due to another reason—GPS won't work.

• Check that GPS is turned on for the exercise. For more information, see How do I turn on GPS for an exercise on my Fitbit device?
• Make sure that your device is charged to at least 80%.
• Confirm that your device is syncing with the Fitbit app. The more you sync your device, the faster your device can connect to GPS.
• Avoid trying to start an exercise with GPS several times in a row, which can prevent your device from connecting to GPS

Keep me posted. 

[Bauer24]

That don’t make much sense. The Sense has a built in GPS. So why do I need to sync with the Fitbit app??? Or are you just copying and pasting the tips for the Fitbit charge 4? 

[WilsonFitbit]

@Bauer24 It is required that your device is syncing with the Fitbit App. This is also applicable for your Sense and you can confirm this here: How do I use GPS on my Fitbit device? under Why isn't GPS working on my Fitbit device? > Charge 4, Ionic, Sense and Versa 3.

The more you sync, allows your device to faster connect to GPS. 

Note that Charge 4 has 3 options to connect to GPS: 

Dynamic GPS

Built-in GPS

Phone GPS

Keep me posted. 

[Awfulhak]

It's a shame that the Fitbit Sense doesn't have these options to connect to my phone GPS.

I recently bought a Fitbit Sense and am seriously considering going back to using my Fitbit Blaze, as the Sense GPS is so dysfunctional.  My Sense is sync'd with the Fitbit app several times a day (I assume this is necessary to get the latest satellite positions?), but when I go for a run in the evening it fails to get a GPS signal for the first 1-2 kilometers of the run.  After that, it seems to sample so infrequently that it ends up guessing where I am half the time.  I see lots of straight lines on my run, and when I sync the results to Strava it can't identify some of the segments from the route.

IMHO Fitbit should provide options to configure the GPS source (per the Charge 4) and should allow built-in GPS configuration to record more datapoints.  Without improving behaviour or at lease providing such configuration options, the Fitbit Sense will end up with a reputation that will kill sales.

[deiG]

@WilsonFitbit , to make it simple: we desperately need 👇 these options in Versa 3 and Sense.

Note that Charge 4 has 3 options to connect to GPS: 

Dynamic GPS

Built-in GPS

Phone GPS

[Dranyam]

I agree with @Bauer24 . Why do you need to sync the Fitbit sense with with the app during the exercise? The Sense has a built in GPS….you only need to connect to the app if you use the GPS in the phone which the Sense is not even capable of doing.

[dennissmith732]

My fitbit sense routinely disconnects on runs, losing the map and pace. Just absolutely awful and not an issue I had with fitbit surge. I’m giving it another month but extremely frustrated that the watch so consistently drops the gps signal. 

My watch was fully charged today, and dropped the signal in a wide open park, right in the middle of a 22 miler. This watch should not be advertised as built in GPS.

[kushagraDesai]

Same issue with my Sense 
It has build-in GPS so it should not require any connection with mobile or app.

But GPS is not getting connected.

[Sirvim]

My NEW Sense met every criteria you mentioned; with the exception of the charge! I think it is absurd that the Fitbit sense needs to be at least 80% charged for the GPS to work! According to you "Make sure that your device is charged to at least 80%."

If that's a fact then this is a total waste of money! I never had that problem with my ionic!

And what is the reason for it needing to be 80% or better?

You don't have to respond to that it is rhetorical because nothing you say will make it logical, or acceptable!

With other difficulties that I've had with the ionic in the past, and this problem along with other problems with the sense I am past beginning being sorry that I bought another Fitbit! I just totally wasted money and I should have bought a Garmin or something else that works better!

After owning more than 8 Fitbits, and even after Google buying the company to make it better; it is not getting any better if anything it's getting worse!

[Awfulhak]

I eventually got sick of my Fitbit Sense and invested in a Garmin product.  I've had it for several months now and its GPS is as flawless as my phone's GPS.  It exhibits none of the issues I had with Fitbit Sense.

The GPS in the Fitbit Sense is just a terrible component for all of the reasons already mentioned in this thread.  As a consumer I would expect Fitbit to address this issue and at a minimum start producing watches with better GPS parts.  The fact that they haven't done this, combined with the unsatisfactory answers from Fitbit regarding how Aria scales cannot connect to some newer WiFi routers will just lose customers in large numbers.  I don't understand how they don't see this.

[PacemakerGuy]

Did all that. Tried all of it twice. Didn't work.

[Krocket]

So in other words, the on board GPS on my new sense is worthless.  With my Versa GPS I could get it to link tho the phone GPS and provide a map.  The Sense connects directly to HPL but produces no map.  And now you are telling me the GPS doesn’t function unless I carry my phone?? 

false advertising, I’d say…