Sense keeps unpairing from Bluetooth

[catnap]

My Sense keeps losing the Bluetooth connection. What's the difference between Sense Controls and Sense in Bluetooth? I used to be connected to both.

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject and updated label

[Rich_Laue]

With Android, we have 3 separate Bluetooth connections

BTLE - BT Classic - Sense Controls

With IOS we only have 2 connections. With no need for Classic since music controls connects through BTLE

Then on the watch itself, we can connect a BT Speaker, Headphone, or car radio. 

When you say it keeps disconnecting, it would be helpful to know which Bluetooth. 

As for un-pairing, this can only happen if the user has removed the item from the Bluetooth list. It will not um-pair on its own. 

[Vynie]

Hi, just wondering did you manage to resolve this issue with your fitbit sense? Mine had the same issue and I can't recalled how many times I had to repeat the same steps over and over again just to connect my Sense Controls in Bluetooth. Even if it was connected- the "Calls" wasn't enabled(turn on) as default. It always turn off and not allowing me to turn back on.

[Ianpar]

Yeah, I ended up returning the device for a new one. It's working just fine
now. If you can return it still I would.

[catnap]

I went through a reset with a fitbit tech. He tried to restore some features like receiving texts and calls. he only succeeded in restoring calls. Told me it was an android problem and someday there would be an update. Geeze thanks!!   It is NOT true that it can't unpair randomly. It happens frequently.  It has been better since the reset.

[Honeybee12]

I just received my new fitbit sense and have been trying to get everything synced.  It keeps disconnecting from bluetooth.  In 72 hours I've probably tried to reconnect 25 times.  I can return mine and will. I hope a new one works otherwise I'll try something different.

[Rich_Laue]

@Honeybee12 how are you trying to connect? 

What error messages are you seeing? 

[HMCWizard]

My Sense stops receiving notifications and the weather disappears from the watchface. Steps seem to keep syncing. Why is there no "reconnect" command on the Sense app?? Confusing.

[Honeybee12]

Mine was doing that too when I first got it and I contacted support and they couldn’t figure it out. I allowed it to run out of battery - recharged it and it’s worked since then.  

[Rich_Laue]

@HMCWizard go into your phones Bluetooth settings and remove the Sense as a trusted device. If notifications are setup, when opening the fitbit app, you will be asked to agree to connecting the sense. 

Other things that could affect weather and notifications are: 

The fitbit app not running in the background. 

The fitbit app was in the foreground when the phones screen turned off. 

Notifications not being displayed on the phone while the phone is locked. 

[HMCWizard]

I'm running Android 11 and there is no settings choice for running apps in the background. Am I missing something?

[Qlqlp]

This is still happening to so many (most?) people. It's all over the internet. Are you aware of any fix coz I e just got a new sense and already it's not con e ted/working after one night! WhatsApp (or any notifications) don't work and the "take calls on watch" doesn't work either. Both "sense" and "sense connect" say "saved" but won't connect (although I appreciate you say this is normal for low power BT in your answer so this may not be the source of the problem). I've also turned off any battery saver for fitbit app on my phone so it can't be this as some have suggested... At a loss... 

[AnastasiaPixelX]

Have you had any luck figuring it out?? I also have a Pixel 4 XL and it keeps unpairing with my Fitbit Sense but I don't know why... My old Fitbit, the og versa, stayed connected all the time.. however when I was using the Versa, the Fitbit app had (at the time) 2 kinds of setting to keep my watch connected and consistently checking for new notifications... And if I was working, I'd get email notifications on my watch faster than on my computer.. the Fitbit app no longer has those 2 settings (that I could find anyway) so I'm not sure if that's why or what... Sense doesn't need an update, nor the Fitbit app, not even my Pixel 4 XL so I don't know what the deal is

[Rich_Laue]

Staying connected and paired are two different things. 

To unpair the user would open the phones Bluetooth and tell it to forget the tracker. 

Next time the app is opened, the app should ask for permission to pair the tracker. 

Disconnected simply means that the tracker will not communicate with the fitbit app. Why? Don't know, but their are several different steps that may help. 

Try these steps. Another step, not mentioned, but found to be helpful is to clear the cache of the fitbit app. 

The fitbit app needs to have permission to run in the background, you may also need to turn power management off for the fitbit app. 

[Jason2755]

I understand what you are saying, and I don’t know if it is the Sense disconnecting itself or something kicking it off, but mine definitely is having routine issues. When I try to sync the Sense, there is a message there that tells me it has lost its Bluetooth pairing, and that I need to go to settings and forget the device (if it is already paired, which it always is), then reload the app and acknowledge that the device want to pair. This happens about three or four times a week. This has only happened in the past two weeks. Any ideas why or how to get it to stop doing it would be greatly appreciated. 

[Rich_Laue]

Not sure, but then do we know what type of phone being asked about? 

On my android, the tracker does not stay connected when not needed, but does connect when needed. 

[LisaLM]

You're right.

[Jason2755]

I’m using an iPhone 11. I have taken screen shots of some of the messages, which I have attached. The loss of pairing has only happened recently, along with the rectangle with a line through it flashing on the options screen. That is covered in a separate post. Both appear to be a result of a recent update.