Sense battery drains in a few hours

[Ron2021]

(I posted this in another thread but I might as well start my own as well...)

My wife and I both got the Sense for Christmas. We both have the iPhone 8.

We've been using the Sense mostly without issue. (Twice in the last month or so my wife's would not sync and I had to remove the Sense from the FitBit app and re-add it.)

Anyway, 2 days ago my wife's Sense's battery started draining in less than a few hours -- not a day, a few hours. She has literally *not* changed anything. We don't have the GPS on, etc.

She had been using a clock face that wasn't one of the pre-installed ones. She has been using that clock face for months without issue.

I had her try restarting the watch, but that didn't fix anything.

Our apps are all up to date.

As a test, I had just go back to the default clock face and she's now charging the phone again. I suspect though that this won't fix anything (because as I was saying she's been using that clock face from the beginning).

Anything else to try?

We ordered the Sense directly from FitBit so hopefully a return won't be a problem.

On a related note, my Sense stopped receiving text messages a couple of weeks ago and I can't get it working again. I tried the tips I've seen suggested in these forums: swiping right and turning notifications off and on, etc. But nothing. I can see when I get a calendar notification or a phone call. But no text messages. Actually, now that I think about it, it doesn't get some other app notifications as well. Hmm...

Help?

[Guy_]

For the notifications, you need to setup both Notifications AND App Notifications, and make sure your watch is syncing. If it isn't there will be no communications between phone and watch.

For the battery issue it sounds like a faulty device [possibly related to a Fitbit update], it needs replacing.

Probably best to contact Fitbit Support directly. They may be able to help you.

[Turtle69]

Hi ron, 

my sense started having the same issues with the battery the same day, I’ve changed the clock face and made sure nothing is running...my other option is to contact Fitbit, I also bought it from them, they should be able to replace without issue if they can’t fix it.

[Guy_]

@Turtle69  probably faulty watch too. You should get it replaced and support will help you with that.

[Evanford]

Contact customer support.  My Sense had the same issue.  Once all the things Fitbit recommends (factory reset, charge from an electrical outlet, etc) are tried they will gladly send you a replacement.  I just got my replacement yesterday.  It was shipped in less than a week.  

[carriewetzel6]

I started having the same problem around the same time, same IOS, contacted FitBit support over the weekend and they told me to force close the Fitbit app on my iPhone and keep it closed. As long as I close it and make sure it does not stay open in the background on my iPhone it doesn’t drain the battery in the watch. Something must have recently changed because it wasn’t a problem until just the last week or so.