Versa 4 keeps vibrating during my runs

[Jaxrunner]

At the beginning of every run, my Fitbit buzzes about 4-6 times. It's super annoying because there's a few seconds between each and you don't know when it'll stop. I have notifications off (so no texts or calls), every time I look down, it's not giving me any sort of notification. I am using the GPS function. I've tried to turn off everything possible. It's annoying but I get over it. But the other day I had been running for about 4 miles when it started buzzing, distracting me and showed nothing new on the screen beside my workout. 

Any suggestions? I'm about ready to take it off because it's so annoying to be distracting when I need it - during a run. 

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[MarreFitbit]

Hi there, @Jaxrunner. It's nice to see you around the Fitbit Community Forums. Thanks for bringing this to my attention and for the troubleshooting steps you've tried. I'm sorry to hear that your Versa 4 keeps vibrating during your runs. I understand your concern, I will do my best to help you with this!

Have you checked if this vibration comes from your active zone minutes? When using the Exercise app, your watch notifies you a few moments after you enter a different heart-rate zone. The number of times your device buzzes indicates which zone you’re in:

Number of Buzzes	Heart-Rate Zone
1 buzz	Fat burn zone
2 buzzes	Cardio zone
3 buzzes	Peak zone

To turn notifications on or off, please follow the steps below:

1. On your watch, open the Exercise app and tap an exercise.
2. Swipe up, and tap the switch icon under Heart zone notifications.

For your weekly active zone minutes notifications:

1. On your watch, open the Settings app > Goal reminders.
2. Tap Active Zone Minutes goal.

[LZeeW · Accepted solution]

@Jaxrunner   This issue seems to be related to the dynamic GPS.  I never had this buzzing when my Sense 2 only had built in GPS.  I noticed it when dynamic GPS got added.  Fitbit just started rolling out a firmware update , but I haven't received it yet.  The notes say this update is supposed to fix an issue with the GPS connection.  I have my fingers crossed, because I gave up on GPS tracking and went old school, just using steps x stride length.

[Jaxrunner]

Hi there! 

Yes, I have confirmed that heart rate zones is turned off so this is not the root cause. Goal reminders is also turned off. 

[Jaxrunner]

This checks out. I had a Versa 2 for several years and it never buzzed like this. 

[pocketpenguin]

I'm having this too, and it's SO frustrating! I have zone notifications turned off (for every type of exercise) and I even set a "custom heart rate zone" because I saw that if you have a custom zone, you won't get notifications when you change between zones during exercise. I get a bunch of notifications at the start of my run as well, and then also periodically get them throughout - sometimes a bunch all at once, and sometimes just at random. I have no other notifications set up but am also using GPS. I really hope there's a solution, I have started just wearing my fitbit in my pocket when I run because it's so distracting.

[LZeeW]

@MarreFitbit   I can assure you that these vibrations have nothing to do with active zone minutes.  All of those notifications are off.

[SJP625]

I am having the same issue! It appears to be from the GPS connection in my opinion. The Versa 3 had an option to get vibrations when the GPS connected and when the connection dropped, however, I could find the feature and turned it off with no problems. I walk in an area where the GPS connection comes and goes more on some days than others. I end up getting dozens of vibrations, if not more during my walk many days, and it is beyond frustrating. Even when I turn all notifications off, I still get the vibrations. I can't turn notifications off because then when it sends the "Do you want to end this exercise off?" If you don't respond no, it stops tracking the exercise. 

[Jochster]

Turning the GPS off indeed stops it from vibrating uncontrollably, but that's not a solution. Product developers need to address this.

[JeffRunner]

I have the same exact problem.. Turned off all notifications in the Run app, but still get the random buzzing the whole time. The only way to stop it is to turn of GPS tracking, but I want the tracking on so I can map my run. FitBit needs to fix this ASAP, allow an option to turn off GPS connection notifications, or allow the watch to use the attached phone's GPS.

[pocketpenguin]

Hi, any other updates or solutions to this? I also can confirm all of my heart rate notifications are turned off and I am still experiencing this issue. It’s getting to the point that GPS is making my fitbit unusable for runs, and that kind of defeats the purpose of having one. 

[Twowaystairs]

This question has an answer but no solution. Any updates from Fitbit?

[Allyson135]

I have the same issue with the sporadic vibrating when using GPS on the Versa 4. All notifications are turned off. It’s extremely distracting and frustrating. This is my 4th Fitbit and I’ve never encountered this before. 

[zspitsnogle]

Is there a way to turn off the "Do you want to end this exercise?" Prompt? It comes on in the middle of an exercise, such as walking or running, and because I don't always see it  will just end my exercise and I'm left with no data.

[zspitsnogle]

Is there a specific notification that I can turn on so I don't receive the "Do you want to end this exercise" message?

[Allyson135]

I gave up on the Versa 4/Fitbit and just got an Apple watch this week. I
ended up with the Versa 4 because my most recent Fitbit smart watch stopped
working after I went swimming in four feet of water (it was supposed to be
waterproof up to 50 feet).

The "do you want to end this exercise" was actually not a problem I had
with the Versa 4. I believe the constant vibrating I experienced was from
the watch losing and then trying to find GPS throughout a run or walk.

I got my Versa 4 in mid-August and was never able to get the GPS to work
properly (I would run or walk a route I knew the mileage of and my watch
would only track a fraction of it). The heart rate was also inaccurate. I
tried every troubleshooting method I knew of, including the factory reset.
Nothing worked.

I contacted Google/Fitbit via chat and over the course of 30 minutes, they
managed to collect my contact info (I bought the watch directly from them),
send me an email that said "thank you for contacting us" and then asked me
what I had done to troubleshoot the issues. The lack of customer service
and their inability to solve the problems in their own products was too
frustrating for me, especially on the heels of my last watch dying when it
shouldn't have.

[Jaxrunner]

A new all time low for Fitbit. FORTY SEVEN BUZZES in a 25 minute timeframe. Sometimes groups of 6, groups 3, individual. Incredibly distracting and dangerous when I’m trying to run. I’ll be asking for a full refund on this product. Trash. 

[pocketpenguin]

Fitbit could we get an update on this? I am having the same issues, 35+ vibrations during a 2.5 mile run last week. I had been SO excited for Versa to get GPS and it's basically unusable. I live in a city and there shouldn't be issues with GPS connection like this. I also don't understand why there's not an option to turn this off when it's an incessant vibration that you can't do anything about.