Versa 4 Firmware Update 210.26

[LizzyFitbit]

We’re excited to announce that a firmware update version 210.26 for Versa 4 has been released to all our members. 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

• YouTube Music controls are now available on Versa 4. For more information, see How do I control music with my Fitbit device?
• Use screen magnification to zoom in/out directly on your watch. For more information, see How do I navigate my Fitbit device?
• We changed the names of the heart-rate zones for clarity. For more information, see How do I track heart rate with my Fitbit device?
• Thanks to advanced Google ML, heart rate tracking accuracy during exercise has been improved to provide you with more precise info on important metrics.
• Your device can now auto-recognize 3 new workout types: elliptical, rowing, and spinning.
• GPS accuracy has been improved by better switching between on-board and connected GPS during a workout.
• 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.

[LindakB]

So far, the “update” seems to have caused all kinds of issues with my Versa 4!  I’ve never experienced anything like this and I’m on my 3rd Fitbit. Currently, every one of the settings for exercise, steps, zone minutes, calories, heart rate etc. has frozen many times and is very erratic. I have to manually refresh and even then only one or so stats will actual update. There’s no option to update in real time. Nothing seems to be working nearly as well as it did prior to the update (seems to be more of a downgrade as far as I’m concerned). I’m not at all happy with my Fitbit at this point and I’m seriously considering updating to a different brand of tracker. 

[TLP80]

The update ruined my battery life. Before the update, it lasted 6 days and immediately after the update it didn't even last 2 full days. It also gets stuck in reboot mode if I restart it. Sometimes it flashes the logo multiple times and then shows a red X. I've tried all of the suggestions and factory reset it and it still has issues.

8 of the 10 people in my family own a fitbit. Some of the fitbits are 3-4 years old. They still work like a charm. I was a loyal fitbit user until now. My Versa 4 is only 16 months old and the update ruined it. Fitbit doesn't care because it's not within the time frame for the warranty. It was absolutely the update that ruined the battery and not just normal wear and tear. Do better Fitbit.

[Mpitts]

This so called “update” has my Fitbit doing crazy things like auto recognizing exercise several times a day when I’m not doing anything, Recording 100+ floors every day when I used to get 15, not allowing me to edit any of my logged exercise, randomly trying to start the u-tube music that I have no interest in, freezing which won’t allow me to move from screen to screen and intermittently running through all of my screens. I have had 5 fitbits and have been a loyal customer for years but this is driving me to look elsewhere for a better product. My sister has had several issues and hers is only 5 month old … well within the year warranty, after many chats and wasted conversations, they replaced hers (after she paid to ship it to them) with a REFURBISHED one. The Fitbit brand no longer stands for what it did. Very disappointing.

[Altoid4ever]

I noticed the same thing re the battery life.

Moderator Edit: Formatting.

[ligrstl]

It looks like the issue of Versa 4 watch synching with the app was not fixed?  I've spent 2 hours this morning trying everything suggested in the Fitbit community and contemplating becoming a Fitbit giver upper now.  Watch works great.  The app does not.  The app isn't tracking any of my history except calories and the calories are the same every day so that's not working either.  I'm really only interested in tracking steps historically.

[SunsetRunner]

I’m not sure when my watch updated but I know this last week has been a real challenge. I’m not sure my calorie burn is the same as before. Also my steps in the app and on my watch don’t match. I’ve looked every reason up and they don’t apply and non of the trouble shooting works. Since I’ve owned my versa 4 my steps on the app have always matched my watch. I’m also charging more frequently. I’ve tried uninstalling the app and such. Nothing helps. Please fix this.

[wendireimer]

Since the update, my battery life has been erratic. Also, whenever my active zone minutes and flights of stairs climbed end in certain digits, the display cuts them off! I have to restart the watch completely once a day. The restart works until midnight, at which point everything resets and I have to do it again. The tracker is just under a year old and did not do this until the update. 

[Colin81859]

Hey just got my 10-year badge, and I am done with Google.  Google has gutted the Fitbit smartwatch product in order to sell the Pixel watch. At twice the price. After going through Versa 3 I finally had to upgrade to the Versa 4. To my surprise it has less functionality, No ability for 3rd party apps. I had 40 min of music on my Versa 3. I could go on a run or swim without having my dang phone. Not anymore.  All my barcodes for work and the gym, gone.

[LucaL79]

Hi,

I noticed two problems with the settings and one with alarm:

• In the quick setting menu clicking whatever setting a tooltip appears explaining the functionality, clicking on the check button the tooltip disappears as expected but going out and in again in the quick menu the tooltips are shown again.
• In the setting -> display the brightness is not selected even though it selectable, it will not stay on.
• Randomly the alarms are not working, showing like the alarm has been delayed and this can go for days without any vibration. The only way to workaround this it is change the face to another one and coming back to the original one.

[NeilTB]

Have lost all my exercise data since the update, it’s not logging anymore. When I view historical data, it deletes in front of my eyes. I hope it’s not lost forever?

[Mpitts]

I just went back to look at my past duration times under exercise and
instead of eight hours, 30 minutes, etc. I am getting ridiculous amounts
like 340 months , 268 months, etc… this only seems to be for the weeks in
July. And once again this morning somehow I have completed 4 floors even
though all I have done is walked from my bedroom to the bathroom!,
literally … awake for a few minutes !

[Jigger5]

Problems observed since update

• battery life is lowered by almost half.
• HR monitoring precision was off before, now it’s basically useless. Can’t reach active minute walking. Jogging barely makes it in moderate sometimes.
• during activities, I get promoted to end the activity randomly.
• randomly pops a YouTube music thing when swiping during my activities. I don’t care about yt music. Unsure how to disable it.
• update does make me want to buy a garmin or apple.

[wendireimer]

I’m at 7 years. And I was wondering if that was what they were doing. Strangely, I was excited when Google bought Fitbit, since the app has always been flaky. I figured a company like Google would fix things like that. Guess this will be my last Fitbit. 

[Qtheuniverse]

I am not pleased to announce that your updates seem to be messing up the device more than they are fixing it. You guys have some serious issues and are not addressing them OR giving your customers an effective workaround. From reading through the forums I can also see that your customer service is also ineffective.

Go back to basics and make sure the main features are working accurately. These are the only reasons most of us are here. They worked fine before. The issue cannot be thousands of individual user errors. This is on your end.

I went on a 20.3 mile bike ride using GPS and data, and my device told me I went 4.1 miles in total all day. Perhaps it only tracks distance for walking? But why would I buy a device that only tracks my walks (these are also wildly inaccurate).

I enabled data and GPS on my device so that the issue with walking distance accuracy could be fixed and have tried restarting and all of the other "fixes" suggested. I can see no way to add data or to correct your inaccuracies manually. Delete, yes, fix your errors, no. 

If I'm reading the answers in your forums correctly, you aren't using GPS to track distance on the app OR as a check to verify that your non-GPS tracking is effective. 

This device is a hot mess.

[umbrellaman]

Everything is a hot mess. The Versa 4 tracker simply stops mid-run. The GPS looks like a seismic reading, and neither the watch or the app come close to accurate miles. Fixing problems from the updates earlier this year took months.  And now we’re back to minimal functionality.

[sascha23123]

heart rate seems better but the battery life cant even handle a short run anymore??? i started a run with 67% and after 46min it is down to 18%... what if i want to run 2 or 3 hours ?

[KarenIk]

This update is horrible. it changed my timezone GMT +8 for Singapore into GMT. i have tried selecting other time zones Kuala Lumpur but it doesnt work as well. my only choice now is to select for Taiwan, China and have the stupid tracker in a totally different language. can you fix my time zone back? 

[mfarineli]

After the update, my versa 4 does not take my timezone in considetarion, showing always GMT time. Is there any QA people over there anymore?

[KarenIk]

i set it to time zone GMT +8 Australia Perth to solve this issue.