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.

[FitbitUser1006]

I did the whole 'reset' thing and ended up losing access to the screen!  It started randomly tracking less and less of my daily activities so I reset my fitbit, turned my phone off and on, turned my bluetooth off, turned it back on, plugged it in to the wall, plugged it in to the car, plugged it in to my laptop, unpaired it (AND NOW I CAN"T PAIR IT BECAUSE THE SCREEN DOESN"T STAY ON LONG ENOUGH FOR ME TO "SEE" THE 4 DIGIT CODE) and eventually ended up digging my old Blaze out of a box somewhere (that didn't work either).  I have spent the past week stressed about this stupid thing.  Funny part is THIS IS THE REPLACEMENT.  The original one I bought barely lasted a few months before it just stopped taking a charge at all.  Now, 9 months later, I am beyond frustrated.  I love my fitbit when it is working.  I read on some other places that they tell you to reset it so that you can't pair it again and have to purchase a new one.  That is ridiculous.  If I do not get this figured out and end up having to buy a new smart watch, I PROMISE you it will not be another Fitbit!!!  This is too much aggrevation and waste of life.  The battery is not dead and it is not that the screen 'doesn't work', because it has no problems brightly flashing the fitbit logo in my face a few times before it gives me the big old red X and turns itself back off.  Grrrr!  Prior to resetting it, it would randomly give me a line across the screen like it was updating something and then would just stop.  Was Fitbit recently bought out by Google AND Apple?? They are slyly trying to make me buy an apple watch to use with my iphone, or trying to make me buy a Google phone to work with my fitbit?..... IDK.  But what I do know is that this sucks and was the worst device 'update' I have ever had the unpleasure of receiving.  I really just someone would help me.  In this crap called our economy, alot of us are not able to just pull money out of thin air to replace what should be a perfectly functioning device.  I am so over it!!!!!!

[FitbitUser1006]

I too have been a dedicated Fitbit user for almost 10 years now.  I was so excited about my Versa 4.  It was a Christmas present to myself.  The first one started dying after 3 months, and then the 'replacement' (it was still under warranty) has lasted about a year. 

Moderator edit: Word choice. 

[CurtisG246]

I can no longer share my mapped runs. Having lots of issues syncing. And the clock changes timezones randomly.

---

I had a similar issue as well. Versa randomly stopped tracking in the middle of my run. 

[umbrellaman]

Same problem. Run tracking simply stops during my run. Sometimes within a mile, sometimes longer. I have restarted my Versa 4, uninstalled and reinstalled the app.  Tried “always on” with iPhone location and then “while using”.  

[motherofthings]

Same here

[mfarineli]

Just found out that when I start a treadmill exercise, my Versa 4 does not accrue my heartbeat any longer. For me, it looks like it is like so by design and Google being Google wanting to kill a product and force us into the pixel watch. 

[morkelbel23]

I was thinking the SAME thing!

[SteppinGurl]

I’ve been saying for ages that Google is doing it’s best to kill the Fitbit brand.  Every update of the app takes it a step backwards and the products just don’t perform like they used to.  I’m convinced Apple is giving them kickbacks to kill the brand.  No other explanation I can think of.

[FitbitUser1006]

Please help. How do I get my phone and watch to pair back up when I can’t see the numbers on my watch? There has got to be a work around for that. It is not that my screen doesn’t work because it shows the Fitbit symbol on it and vibrates every time. Any helpful suggestions from Fitbit? 

[Sammysj]

Absolutely hate the update. Don’t like anything about especially when it doesn’t track pace per km when running or being about to categorise workouts. The daily screen look terrible, not clear like it used to be. I will definitely not be buying a Fitbit when I need a new watch. Very disappointed. Be a big fan until now

[JaneShingler]

This new update has caused nothing but issues to my Versa 4.  I've been parted of the Fitbit community since July 2017 and had numerous fitbit's over that time, but this is making me think seriously about changing to a different smart watch.  This update has cause numerous problems and only getting worse each day;

• My fitbit is not registering my heartbeat probably when I'm doing a workout or cuts out halfway through a workout
• during my walks I keep losing my GPS so it stops recording my actual distance and then  I get promoted to end the activity randomly.
• randomly pops a YouTube music thing when swiping during my activities. Unsure how to disable it.
• Number of stair climbs during the day is not recording correct and is on the excessive side
• During my runs it keeps cutting out so I lose my work out
• And to top it off today after my walk it updated my distance & Active Zone minutes correctly but everything else is incorrect.  My steps are stuck on 6,380 and keeps defaulting back to that if I update and my Calories burned are completely out of sync.

Fitbit you have got to send out a fix URGENTLY!!!!

[NeilTB]

Surely the first step would be to acknowledge there is a problem, stop pushing people to move to Google until it is fixed, then publish a timeline for when corrective action is expected? 
Instead, they are acting as if everything is fine and refusing to talk about it publicly.

[jon.kimmel]

I jumped on the update hoping the GPS connectivity issues would improve...but it has gone from bad to absolutely awful.  Since the update I have tried factory resetting the fitbit twice and removing and reinstalling the app twice.  Nothing seems to help.  I don't know what fitbit did to the GPS, but please go back to what you had before the update...at least i could use the fitbit as a timer and heartrate monitor and use my bicycle computer for distance...now I can't use the fitbit for any workout information.

[jon.kimmel]

Lizzy;

Please tell us which model you own...and if the update screwed up GPS on that model.  Sometimes I wonder if anyone really tests these updates out before pushing them.

[T.M.]

(Maybe) after this update, app sends my heart rate data to google health connect with 15~16 minutes interval, though with every minute before. How do I set app or watch to send every minute?

My environments are: Fitbit Versa 4 (ver. 61.20001.210.26), Fitbit app (ver. 4.25.2), Japan

[SunsetRunner]

Is anyone going to respond to the issues everyone is having with their Fitbit versa 4’s? This is why I stopped paying for premium. Functions get lost or unrecorded all the time. Please respond to this issue as a lot of people are already looking for other brands. It’s terrible to spend so much on something that ends up not working and the lack of response is gross.

[Jigger5]

Hello @LizzyFitbit ,

Will there be some sort of official acknowledgement by FitBit of the bugs reported by users in this thread and other threads by the latest firmware updates and an ETA of the release of the next firmware (including the bug fixes, improvement and such)?

Regards

[Deedzzz88]

The update has made my fitbit unusable and after reaching out to fitbit for help and going through all the trouble shooting they basically said my fitbit is toast. 14 months old and worked fine until the update. Now it only had any functionality while connected to the charger. As soon as I remove it and put it on my arm it shuts down. All fitbit offered was a small discount on a new device. No thanks, I will not be purchasing another just to have it update and no longer work in a year or so. Very unhappy (now former) fitbit versa 4 user.

[TLP80]

About a week after I posted my last reply here, my fitbit went from needing to be charged every 2 days to needing to be charged twice a day. I contacted support again. They confirmed that they could see there's significant battery drain. If they can see there's significant battery drain then they can also see it started happening after the update. They only offered me a small discount to purchase a new device. No thanks. I'll go back to a Samsung watch. I only switched to fitbit for the longer battery life. 

[jhl326]

this update ruined my versa 4. first i noticed the insane change in battery usage, which i didnt really think much about. then it stopped being able to calculate my pace (always showing 0'0" no matter how fast i was running/walking), then stopped correctly tracking cals burnt. suddenly it stopped synching altogether and when i disconnected it from my app to try and hopefully fix that, it stopped being able to reconnect. i essentially now own an overly expensive pedometre, and barely functional on its own at that. thanks fitbit