Sense battery draining after iOS app update

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi there,

Our team has released the new Fitbit iOS App 3.43 version and it should be available for all of you. Please make sure to download it from the App store as this will resolve the battery short life issues experienced on your Sense. Take in mind that this and future Fitbit app versions will require iOS 13.4+.

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Hi everyone. Thanks for your continued reports.

Our team is aware of the Sense not holding charge when syncing with iOS devices and they're working to bring a fix as soon as possible. In the meantime, we recommend force quitting the Fitbit app on your iOS devices to prevent the battery from draining when syncing.

I've moved your posts to this thread so we can keep our team informed of this situation. Your patience is truly appreciated and please know your feedback hasn't gone unnoticed.

See you around.

[lablover55]

I contacted fitbit support as well, the support dude wanted me to send the watch to CA. I asked for the replacement first and was told 'no'. I read in another thread that it has to do with bluetooth, turn it off and the battery life should be back to normal. We shall see..

[rfjouben]

Turing off the Bluetooth worked for me until I turned the Bluetooth back on and it went right back to killing the battery in about five hours from a full change.

[Roel_kokonut]

Today I did a factory reset, thanks to the advice of JCBish.

Seems like i solved the battery drain. Only 8% battry drop since this afternoon. Next couple of days will proof I the reset worked.

Why do Í have to resolve this problem myself and not the Fitbit team???

[lablover55]

I am doing the factory reset and hopefully no more battery issues. 😂

[SharonBPM]

Received my new (refurbished) Fitbit today. No battery issues so far. Did think it was an iOS issue, now not sure what to think, apart from I won’t be buying another FitBit when this one is out of warranty as both Ionic and Sense have been so glitchy 😞

[Teecher]

Thanks for your reply Lizzy. My Fitbit device is a Sense and my phone is an iPhone XR. 

Since leaving my previous message I disconnected from the Fitbit app on my iPhone and the Sense battery has kept it’s charge for over 5 days. This would indicate that the battery issue was with the Fitbit app.

As for connecting to a computer, it looks like Fitbit/Google would like to steer clear of Windows computers. Until the situation improves it would seem that my best course would be to connect once a week to the iPhone app to upload data. This is a painful experience and entices me to look for an alternative device to the Sense.

Have a nice day.

Allan

[Ronnie1234]

Same here!

Kept Bluetooth switched off last night & it saved the battery unlike night before 

however it’s very frustrating these issues 

[Ronnie1234]

How do I do factory re set please? 
I had the syncing issue on wkend updated etc then the battery draining issued

turned off Bluetooth last night & battery was fine this morning synced fine exercises now won’t sync again! 

[lablover55]

Do you have to send your fitbit back first before they would send you a replacement? 

[Mistamz92]

I have too

[lablover55]

Go to Settings on your watch>About Sense>Factory reset.

[lablover55]

I didn't remove the fitbit app off the phone.

[lablover55]

I didn't. I just did a factory reset and turned off bluetooth. So far, the battery life is back to normal. I refuse to send mine back without a replacement first. Never had to with other fitbits.

[Roel_kokonut]

After resetting to factory settings the Sense only drained about 20% in 24 hours.

Seems like the drainingproblem is solved.

But why couldn’t the Fitbit team come with this solution????

[peted666]

Factory reset has worked for me, only lost 5% all day...

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi everyone. I'm glad to see you around.

Thanks for your continued reports about your Sense and for the steps tried on your own. I'm sorry for the difficulties you've gone through due to the battery life. Because you mentioned the battery improved after turning off the Bluetooth, may I know the model of your phone? Do you recall since when this started to happen? Were you tracking GPS or SpO2 data when the battery was draining? These details will help me to further investigate.

@JCBish, @Roel_kokonut and @peted666 Thanks for your efforts, as well as sharing the steps that worked for you.

See you around.

[lyn14]

This is now happening with me too - I usually get 7 days use between charges - now going down in hours.......

Great, unable to contact customer services as they are too busy - I am beginning to think this is more than just a few Fitbits having battery issues.

[Reckline]

Hey,

if you raise your complaint through support and it’s within warranty! They will send you a new one without sending back the faulty one! Mine is on the way. Support are so supportive 

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @Teecher. I hope you're doing well.

You're welcome. Thanks to you for sharing your thoughts about this situation and for the steps tried on your own. Your feedback hasn't gone unnoticed and I'm sure our team will take your comments into consideration to improve the Fitbit experience with our products and services.

About your other question, while I'm glad the battery is lasting more after removing your watch from the Fitbit app, I'd like to investigate more about this matter. Do you recall since when this started to happen? Also, is the Fitbit app on your iPhone updated? In the meantime, please log out from the Fitbit app, force quit the Fitbit app, restart your watch, open the Fitbit app, log back into your account and monitor your watch's behavior in the next days.

Hope this helps.

[Teecher]

Lizzy,

Thanks for your suggestions. I have performed all the tasks as suggested. 

Firstly, the Fitbit app version on my iPhone is 3.41.1(1050). The issue of battery drain began a couple of weeks ago. Having that issue is what prompted me to look at using a PC to sync instead of the phone app.

Since restarting and reconnecting with the phone app at 6:48 this morning, the battery has drained from 94% to 84%. It’s now 7:40 a.m. If the battery continues to drain at that rate it will be lucky to last for the rest of this morning.

Any assistance or advice would be appreciated.