Auto-recognized exercises ignore settings

[Arne2]

Coming from Versa 3 to 4 I'm mostly happy with the new version except for strange problems with auto-recognized exercises:

It often recognize my walks as running (Versa 3 did not).

It does this even if I have turned OFF autorecognizing runs, and walks.

It does in fact completely ignore what I set in the app on settings for Auto recognized excercises -- both the time before recognizing something, and whether the auto-recognize is on or off.

Regardless of settings it is very quick to start an exercise activity when I'm out walking. So I need to constantly manually delete erroneous "exercises" or my log/dashboard become meaningless.

Anyone else experienced this and/or have any tips to things to try to fix it?

[LZeeW]

@Arne2   I'm not sure why your Versa 4 sees your walks as runs.  I apologize if I'm misreading the rest of your post, but I might have some insight on the rest of what you are describing.

Fitbit put a specific setting in the Run shortcut called Run Detect in the original Versa and kept it in the Versa 2 and 3.  If it detects a run, your Fitbit vibrates and asks you if you want to start the Exercise app.  It is on by default.  Fitbit added Walk and Bike Detect to the Versa 4.  Also on by default.  This is different from the auto recognized exercises (SmartTrack).  You can turn it off in the specific settings in the Walk and Bike exercise shortcuts.

I hope this helps.

[Arne2]

Hi, thanks for the reply! When I in the Fitbit app go into Exercise, click settings (top cogwheel), I see and can set my Stride length and Weekly exercise goal and I see the following "Auto Recognized Exercises": Walk, Run, Outdoor Bike, Elliptical, Sport, Aerobic, Swimming. Here I can turn each on/off and set a time interval before activating. Is this where you mean or is there another setting somewhere?

On Versa 3 I had all of these on with a suitable time interval (fx 30 min for walk detection), but on Versa 4 I have turned all off because it keeps autodetecting exercises wrongly and too quickly, but it still does 😄

[LZeeW · Accepted solution]

@Arne2   I'm writing about a different feature, not SmartTrack, the path you are describing.  I don't own a Versa 4, but I know the navigation is a little different from the Versa 3.  When you select Run on the Versa 3 exercise app, you see a tiny "^" at the bottom.  Swipe up on that and you get to the Run shortcut settings.  Keep swiping and there is a Run Detect option.  It's on by default.  Fitbit added this toggle to the Walk and Bike shortcuts on the Versa 4.  I know that the path to these settings is different on the Versa 4.  I think you push the button to go to your Apps, choose Exercise, then select a Walk, then I think you get the tiny "^" so you can turn Walk Detect off.  Here is the page from the Versa 4 manual.  It's possible that the tracking starts without the vibration that I experienced with my other Fitbits.  I suspect you want to toggle this off in the Run shortcut and Bike, if you bike.

[Arne2]

@LZee Thank you very much!! I found it now and that was the issue indeed! You helped me to finally get rid of a very irritating problem, much appreciated.

"Interesting" choice by Fitbit to have exercise-autorecognition settings in two completely different places overriding each other.....