Versa 4 Firmware Update 194.86

[LizzyFitbit]

11/29 Update: This update should now be available to all customers! If you have any difficulty updating, make sure you are following the directions in How do I update my Fitbit device? If you choose to post about your issue, provide as many specific details as possible in your post so that we can assist you.

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We’re excited to announce that a firmware update version 194.86 for Versa 4 will be available soon! Some of you might already have this update available. If you installed it, let us know what you think!

We release updates to customers in phases. If you don’t see it, check the Fitbit app in a few days, and you’ll see a message when you can install the update. We appreciate your patience while we get this update to all of our customers.

*Firmware releases are not distributed based on region or location and can reach anyone no matter where you reside. We do not recommend performing a factory reset to force the update to your device as your data will be lost and you may not get the update. Please be patient and wait until you see the update banner inside of the Fitbit app to begin the firmware download.

WHAT’S NEW AND FIXED

• View menstrual health tracking on your watch. For more information, see How do I use the Fitbit app to track my period?
• Swap between saved clock faces directly on your watch. For more information, see How do I change the clock face on my Fitbit device?
• View your daily readiness score on your watch (Premium feature only). For more information, see What’s my daily readiness score in the Fitbit app?
• Your watch now supports dynamic GPS. For more information, see How do I use GPS on my Fitbit device?
• Support for global characters and right-to-left text notifications:
  Arabic
  Hebrew
  Thai
  Hindi
  Vietnamese
• This release includes bug fixes and improvements.

Full release notes can be found here.

HOW DO I UPDATE?
See How do I update my Fitbit device? for step by step instructions for updating your Versa 4. If you run into difficulty updating, review these Why can't I update my Fitbit device?

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.

[Phoebe364]

After a couple shut downs of the fitbit, rebooting of my android the phone now recognizes my versa 4. All functionality has been restored 🙌

Sent from my T-Mobile 5G Device
Get Outlook for Android<>

[BBE55]

Really not enjoying the new graphics.  Everything loojs the same and hard to find.  Very “generic”.  Fitbit folks - you can do better!

[pcarter7]

Yesterday,
My Fitbit went from 10,000 steps to 20,000 steps and I was not even moving!
This is horrible! I will be able to get an accurate count! I did the
restart, numerous times and nothing is working! I am very frustrated and
disappointed!

Pamela

[Kdwhite]

Sleep data still not displaying since the update. When is this expected to be fixed?

[Graciela1973]

I don’t know what happened, my Fitbit stopped working, I cannot turn it on, my phone does not recognize it. Now it is a quite expensive piece of junk

[KVMum]

My Versa 4 will not update. As soon as the update begins, the screen says that the connection was lost. 

Can't be, since it's syncing in the app and showing updates for my battery %.

Fitbit support led me through the same diagnostic reboots and resets and still no luck.

My app works but my watch is effectively a piece of coal. The Versa screen won't go beyond the cannot connect screen. I can't find a way to fix this and am beyond frustrated. 

Bought it new 3 weeks ago. Should have stuck with my Inspire.

Any suggestions?

[Paulg123]

Yes it is 

[Joescope]

Sickening!  But, I've noticed my Verso 4 won't interact(syncing) with my Note 9 with a similar message unless I have WIFI connected or my data radio (mobile data) turned on.  Also, I like coal!

[pcarter7]

Are all fitbits experiencing these type of problems or is it just the versa
4?

Pamela

[Joescope]

Hi Pamela,

I'm a user just like you and don't have visibility of successes or
failures. I am new to using wrist monitors day and night so others may
have valued assessments.

Mine is furnished through "All of US" via a grant from HIH. I keep it
synced regularly. But I have found I can extend the between charge time by
selecting "do not disturb" during the day and "sleep" at night. It still
chops up my sleep patterns. I deleted a whole night of sleep data to see
if will come back whole.

Joe

[TonyInCali]

My Versa 4 hasn't had any issues like those being reported.

That said, I believe this thread is for Versa 4.

[pcarter7]

It is 7:00am and my device is showing I have walked 26,918 steps! I just got out of bed! I am truly angry! I may have to go a different route than Fitbit! Wow! Not a good way to start my day!
Pamela 🦋

[Joescope]

Dear Pamela,

I tend to believe you, but don't rule out somnambulism. I garner a couple
hundred steps every night because of a tiny bladder.

But the Versa4 as other Fitbit products are concocted by folks that can be
judged by the pithy built in messages. Not sure how peak events are
averaged out.

Maybe you could incorporate Google Maps or Waze and see where you have been.

Grin!

Joe

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi everyone and to our new members, welcome to the community forums.

Before anything else, let me clarify that this thread is to share your feedback and questions regarding the firmware update version 194.86 for Versa 4. If you have a different device or your comments are related to the Fitbit app, please create a separate thread as this will help us to keep the discussions organized and on-topic.

@Dster Thanks for your feedback and your efforts while working on this matter. I'm sorry for the difficulties you've had and to help you out, may I know if this happens when using a specific clock face? If so, let me recommend changing the clock face to one from Fitbit and keep an eye on its behavior.

@mrssaget Thanks for letting me know the steps that you've tried so far. I understand you've checked the DND, Sleep Mode and Focus Mode settings, but did you check if the sleep schedule was turned off? While you can manually turn on and off the Sleep Mode, your watch also has an option to schedule the hours you want this function to be enabled automatically. To check this, open the Settings app and tap Quiet modes. Under Sleep mode, tap Schedule mode and make sure the switch next to Off-hours is turned on .

@UserVer4 I appreciate you for troubleshooting your watch. I understand where you're coming from and I'm sorry for this situation. I went ahead to look into your details and I noticed you have a case with our Support team. Rest assured your case is in good hands, so please keep an open communication with them.

@My1xT Thanks for your question and as our friends mentioned, instead of seeing an additional app, just press and hold on your current clock face to switch between saved clocks.

@doellg Thanks for the details and I'm sorry for this inconvenience. Because your post didn't mention, let me recommend wearing your watch on your other wrist making sure it's about 2-3 finger widths above your wrist bone. Then, go to sleep one night and sync with the Fitbit app once you're awake to check your details.

@Elijah.W I'm sorry this happened to you and so I can look into this, may I know what error message is displayed? Have you tried the steps described here? Please give them a try and make sure the Fitbit app on your phone is also updated.

@toni497 While this is odd, could you check if your personal information is correct? Let me share that, aside from your heart rate data, Fitbit will also use your demographics to calculate your calories burned for the day. To check this, please review this help article and follow the instructions described in there.

@Valfal Just to confirm, do you mean the display of your Versa 4 isn't working? Or is the issue with the clock face not updating your data? If you haven't done so, try restarting your watch and changing the clock face to see if that helps.

@pcarter7 Thanks for sharing what you've done so far and to make sure everything has been exhausted, could you confirm if the suggestions shared before were also tried? If not, please give it a try and monitor your watch's behavior after removing MobileTrack to see how it goes.

@Kdwhite Before anything else, may I know if the issue is with your watch not showing your sleep data? Or is your sleep not being recorded at all? Let me If the latter one, I'd recommend reviewing this help article which explains what factors prevent your device from tracking sleep stages.

@Graciela1973 I'm sorry this happened to your Versa 4 and so we can get it to work again, let me recommend the troubleshooting from this help article. Make sure to charge it for 1 or 2 hours, and then try using it as you normally do.

@KVMum Thanks for sharing these details with me, and I'm sorry you've gone through this experience. Given this situation, let's try setting up your watch as a new device to get it reconnected with your account. To do this:

1. Forget your Versa 4 from the Bluetooth settings
2. Make sure other Bluetooth connections are turned off
3. Force quit the Fitbit app, check if the Fitbit app is updated and then open it.
4. Tap Device at the upper left corner > Add More Devices > Versa 4 > Replace device and follow the on-screen instructions.
5. Once this is done, you'll be prompted to complete the firmware update.

[infinidim]

@LizzyFitbit thanks for this update.

Have a wonderful Christmas and all the best for the New Year. 

[KVMum]

Thank you for your reply. I have done all the above, two sessions with Fibit Support. 

The problem is not with the prompt to complete the firmware update - the watch does connect with the app successfully and the app does tell me that I need to update. When updating the firmware, the process stops after one second:

The app connects successfully with the watch, app displays "downloading" and watch displays same update - BUT - for only one second.

As soon as the updating notice is shown on the Versa 4 screen, it switches to "Trying to connect..." (Triangle with exclamation point) "Make sure your phone is near your Fitbit device and Bluetooth is turned on."

The app continues to try to update the firmware and eventually comes back with a "update failed" message. I have to reboot the Versa 4 and try the same setup/diagnostic steps as before.

This has been an issue for quite some time. I want to return the Versa if this cannot be fixed. 

Thank you.

Moderator Edit: Personal info removed

[KVMum]

@LizzyFitbit Sorry I didn't tag you on my last post.

The problem is not with the prompt to complete the firmware update - the watch does connect with the app successfully and the app does tell me that I need to update. When updating the firmware, the process stops after one second:

The app connects successfully with the watch, app displays "downloading" and watch displays same update - BUT - for only one second.

Note - just ran through the same process again in a different wifi location. Same results.

[My1xT]

thanks for the info I can also see the docs were updated later on, when I read it back then it only listed the app, I myself randomly stumbled upon the feature.

[dini77]

Has anyone done the device firmware update, who has not updated the phone app to the unpopular v4 one? Because I am scared to do the firmware update on my Versa 4, unless someone else has done this and all is well with the older (pre v4, pre-November troubles) version of the phone app. I do not have autopmatic updates on any of my devices so I still have the nicer phone app 🙂  .  It would be nice to have the dynamic GPS and to be able to store clock faces on my watch, which I think are the main (visible) benefits of the firmware update. But I will do without those advantages if the firmware update is meant to work with the newer version of the phone app. Because for obvious reasons I do not want to update to the new app. 

Things are working fine with my Versa 4. I'm actually very happy and content with it. And as they say, if it ain't broke....  But if there are users who are still on the older app and who have updated the watch firmware, and all is well, then probably I will update the firmware.

As an aside, some of us (including me) received this watch as part of a research program. So it's not just that I'm chicken. I also feel responsible to keep my watch in good working order and not mess with things unnecessarily. 

[Guy_]

For anyone with problems recording sleep, try logout of the Fitbit App before bed, this can also improve watch battery life.

One of the issues is on a successful sync the watch can wake which can use more watch battery and disturb current recording.

For people with "can't connect" this can be related to the new V4 Fitbit App which has many issues. It doesn't help that Fitbit won't make available the older V3 Fitbit App which doesn't have these sync and other problems.

If your watch is working fine on an older firmware and app version there is no need to make any changes or continue trying to install the update.