Sense OS update (5.2.1)

[FitbitCommunity]

We’re excited to announce that a firmware update for Sense will be available soon!  Some of you may already have this update available - if you installed it, let us know what you think!

If you don’t see the update yet, that’s expected. Check the Fitbit app in a few days, and you’ll see a message when you can install the update. We expect everyone to receive the update in the coming weeks. We appreciate your patience while we get this update to all of our customers. 

Did you know that we gradually release our updates? We do this to make sure everything is working just right for you. Sometimes we find an issue and it might take a little longer than expected for everyone to get the update. While you might see suggestions on how to “force” an update, we ask that you don’t try any of these workarounds. Most of the time the update won’t be available and you can lose data or encounter other difficulties. The best way to get the update is to be patient and wait for the update banner to appear in the Fitbit app. 

WHAT’S NEW AND FIXED

You can find the release notes here.

HOW DO I UPDATE?

You can find step-by-step instructions for updating your Sense here.

If you run into difficulty updating please review these troubleshooting tips. 

We’re interested in hearing your feedback on this update! Let us know what you like! If you encounter unexpected behavior during or after your update, please post the details below.

[RoxyU]

No idea. It was very frustrating. 

[Darwin53]

Don't you think this is the first one would try?  I have the same issue and the only way sync will start is if I shutdown the device and restart,  This issue started after the most recent update.  Whether I have an active VPN or not or that there is a conflict with a firewall is irrelevant.  The same phone worked fine until 10 days ago.

Same issues with me.

Nope.  My phone was using a VPN connection all the time.  This issue presented itself after the latest firmware update.  Has nothing to do with VPN as was using it until 10 days ago.

Moderator edit: merged replies

[lablover55]

okay..okay..easy there. i feel ya..

[Darwin53]

Does not work after the last firmware update.

This does not work after the latest firmware update 10 days ago.  The only way I can sync is by shutting down the device and restarting it.  Never happened before the update.

Moderator edit: merged reply

[Shanionie]

As of today 8/1 I am getting zero notifications 

[Guy_]

@Darwin53  For your syncing problem, have you tried restarting your phone?

And what type of phone is it?

You can also try installing SimpleCheckUp app and see what it tells you.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi everyone. It's good seeing you around and welcome to our new members.

I've moved some of your posts to this thread as there are more chances to get related replies here. Thanks for your feedback about the new Sense firmware update, as well as every step tried on your own. Please know every comment shared in this thread won't be taken for granted and will be passed along to keep our team informed of your experience with this update.

@Sharz1 Thanks for bringing this to our attention. Because your Sense isn't able to sync correctly, this seems to be the reason why your stats and Health Metrics data isn't updating in the Fitbit app. Just to confirm, have you tried the steps described in this help article? If not, please give it a try and let me know how it goes.

In regards to your other question, please note the battery life will depend on how often certain features are used. I'd suggest reviewing the tips described here to maximize the battery life, fully charge your Sense with the charging cable that came in the box and monitor its behavior in the next days.

@Darwin53 Thanks for the details provided and for the steps tried prior to posting. I understand your point of view and I'm sorry you're having this experience with your Sense. Because your post didn't mention, could you confirm if you've exhausted the troubleshooting tips described in this help article? If you have, let me suggest reconnecting your watch to the Fitbit app:

1. Remove your Sense from the Bluetooth settings.
2. Turn off other Bluetooth connections nearby.
3. Force quit the Fitbit app and reboot your phone.
4. Open the Fitbit app, tap your profile picture > Set Up a Device.
5. Select your Sense, tap Replace Device and follow the on-screen instructions.

@Shanionie Because your Sense isn't receiving notifications, have you double check if the DND and Sleep Mode are turned off? If these settings are turned on, your watch won't turn on or vibrate for any type of notification. To check this, swipe right from the clock face on your watch to access the quick settings and tap on the icons to turn them off. Additionally, please give a try to the steps suggested in this help article.

[Sharz1]

Thank you for your response. 

My sense has not behaved well since purchase in April. Please see all my previous posts. 

It now now seems to be syncing but my battery is draining in less than 24 hrs. 

I have trouble shooted many many times and yesterday turned off any notifications, vibrating etc. This means I have very basic functions, I also powered off and back on again. 

I checked my battery before going to bed at 10.30 pm and it was at 45% and went flat at 3am. This Isco slightly longer than the previous week s it was going flat between 12-1.30am. 

I am really upset as we bought bought two so I  can see I have i have a lemon as my husband has not had the same extreme issues. His is however not showing some of the metrics since the update as well. 

When it it worked I thought worked well but only for about 6 weeks. 

What do do you suggest I do now now. @LizzyFitbit 

[Guy_]

Unfortunately it doesn't give any information of what the firmware version is being updated from and to.

May be a more informative message would be useful so the user could know what was happening?

It would be nice if the firmware version were specified when there is a new announcement, instead of referencing a page that shows the old version.

Could the announcement and the reference pages be updated at the same time, for greater clarity and to avoid confusions?

Moderator edit: merged reply

[Howaboutthat]

I have an iPhone. It is updated and currently running IOS 14.7.1. I have a Fitbit sense, it is updated and currently running 44.128.5.49. I am able to receive text and call notifications and notifications from a few apps. I cannot 1: get any cards to load to wallet even from those places listed on accepting list. 2: i can’t get it to use the find my phone function. 3: I cannot receive teams notifications. All Permissions are on run in background for both apps, all are set to receive/send notifications, both apps have been deleted and added again, both devices turned off and on again, I have paired and unpaired, and syncing has happened so many times. Yes com.microsoft_skype.teams is selected. Yes there is literally no reason this should not be working. All the simple steps in the forums have been followed. Help this work! Because right now I feel this is a device I need to return and replace with something more apple friendly. 

[SunsetRunner]

@Guy_ 

It would also be great if specific bug fixes were included in the firmware update. 

Unless there is fear of accountability on the specific fixes.

Otherwise, it'll probably only say "improved performance and bug fixes"

A broad brushstroke...

[Sharz1]

After fitbit firmware updated my battery was draining in 18 hrs. Also it was not syncing and health metrics not showing all stat's. Hrv shows as over 100, wt#. 

Spent half day over fitbit chat to be told because I had ios 12.5 my app would no longer work proper and drain my sense battery.. if running on Android it needs 8 or higher, for the moment anyway.

My ipad doesn't have ability to run ios13 but thankfully I had a reasonably new Android pH with v11 otherwise I would have a very expensive useless piece of junk.

After a lot of mucking around and now using a different device my battery has lasted so far 24hrs however only has about 40% left. This could be due to the high use troubleshooting. 

Health matrix is still not working nor is sleep stages which I will watch over next couple days. 

I suggested fitbit are very open about the required device versions which should be advertised at point of sale. 

[Guy_]

Don't know if your saw the proposal to have a proper dashboard of problems and resolutions for users to consult.

Add a Notice board of known issues under development and issues resolved  [btw, you may notice the proposal was immediately blocked for comments]

It would add a level of professionalism to the Fitbit world and be a place where users could check if their problem was already known, or already resolved by a subsequent release or any provisional workarounds in the interim, and would avoid lots of posts of already identified problems, which in many instances makes things worse as the issues tend to get muddled up.

[MartinNWales]

Running version 44.128.5.49 on the sense, and battery life has dropped dramatically to a day or less.

Running latest version of the fitbit app, on a Samsung S20 Ultra with sync and call answering enabled. This will all fine before update (around 4 days between charges). Now barely lasts the day?

[JT_sense_user]

It did not fix the issue on my OnePlus 9 phone.  The sense does not sync with Android app, I uninstalled the app a couple of time and then reinstalled it.  Shutdown and restarted Sense a few times and followed the instruction of this guy:

https://help.fitbit.com/articles/en_US/Help_article/1866.htm?Highlight=Sync

Still have same issue and Sense would not sync with my phone.  It is so anoying and hopefully I don't toss off this $300.00 tracker.  I'm probably going to sell this **ahem** since fitbit and google do not give a **ahem**.

[LokeAa]

I got the update a week ago. What I think, honestly I haven't noticed any new features if that's what you mean. It is one thing; We had Norwegian for a short period. Now, we are back to English. Why?

[AlanBlue]

Firmware has broken almost everything that worked on my Sense. Now the side button does not work if the Sense turns off, either manually or timed out, it will not turn on without attaching it to the charger. The side button is broken and does not register most touches, but the sot important one it fails with is turning on, going back to the main screen, and be able to use the functions of the watch.

 I have factory reset 3 times, it still fails, if you click on certain screen like firmware version, it stays there and will not time out to the clock screen. The side button does nothing here. This is a failure and people need the option roll back to previous version.

Fitbit need to acknowledge the problem and roll out an immediate fix and quit trying to make the firmware fit all the watches, each watch had different features so it should have its own firmware that works specifically for it. I do not recommend this product at all!

[SunsetRunner]

@AlanBlue is this happening after this latest firmware update announced on this thread, or the previous one, about one or two months ago?

I'm still waiting for this latest update and getting more and more worried about what is coming ahead...

[AlanBlue]

It is happening with the last, latest update of fimware. App also says I have the latest firmware and no update is available

[SunsetRunner]

Thanks, @AlanBlue. Not very reassuring, but it is what it is.