Versa 4 not working after firmware update

[woosh_wales]

Yesterday, I finally updated the Fitbit firmware after my phone had been persistently reminding me to do so for days.

This morning my Fitbit Versa 4 no longer works, has a black screen, when I press and hold to switch on, goes through the motions of a reset, flashing Fitbit logo, then a red X, and then a static Fitbit logo, then to black screen.  It is fully charged and no longer recognised by my phone.

I contacted Fitbit support, and they told me it's out of warranty and to buy a new one.  

Has anyone else encountered this? Is clear that the Fitbit firmware update has caused this.  Any suggestions on a way to reverse this, or has it killed my Fitbit?

Moderator edit: clarified subject.

[ManuFitbit]

Hi @woosh_wales. Welcome to the community forums. 

Thank you for sharing the information regarding this difficulty that you are experiencing with your Versa 4. Sorry to know the inconvenience. 

As you mentioned and while reviewing your information I've been informed that you already contacted the Support Team for further assistance with this. Our products are indeed designed and made to last (this goes for each product component) however, there is not an infallible way to ensure that no issues will be present in the long run. Because of this, our Warranty Policy is set into providing as much coverage as we can.

I apologize for the experience and for any inconvenience caused and again. Please note that our team is always working to enhance your experience and your feedback is a big part of that process.

[woosh_wales]

Thanks, i appreciate your products are designed to last, my Fitbit was working fine until the Firmware update, and hasnt worked since.  I just need to roll it back to its former version, but don't know how to do this.  

[ReneeLuvsSean]

Mine too! What's going on? My Fitbit Versa 4 is two years old as well but suddenly started to freak out (battery draining in less than a day and the sleep/heart monitors no longer work)!

[Koochhb]

Yep, Identical issues. Seems like a deliberate move on Fitbit's part to kill this device. Very convenient that this firmware 'update' came up just as my warranty ran out. @ManuFitbit Reddit and your own communities are full of people with the exact same issue. So this is clearly not on our individual devices failing, but something that's gone wrong at your end. Would appreciate some accountability here. 

[AndriiMazur]

It also stopped working for me after the update.

[ReneeLuvsSean]

An update... Last night I chatted with somebody online at Fitbit who told me that they would immediately send my information higher up the chain so that we could fix my Fitbit. I received the same cut and paste answer that most of the people here have, your warranty is up so you need to buy a new one, here's a special discount just for you, and they gave me a 35% off offer, which was followed by a mass mailing that offered the same discount from Google that everybody gets this week. Funny how I'm going to be offered a discount that is the same as a discount they had already planned to give everybody on the internet. Why can't somebody just help me fix what went wrong?

[Skylane]

Even if you get the firmware updated, there are issues. Again, very clear that there is no testing prior to releasing either the product firmware or the apps.

I had to reboot my Versa 4 multiple times and reboot my Android phone multiple times before I could get the two to sync. Then I saw a problem immediately. Anytime the Versa 4 is in the “Hourly Activity” mode, random steps are added and a different number of steps are deleted throughout the hour. When I look at the App on my phone, the steps there are different than what the Versa 4 is showing even after a sync. It usually takes two or three syncs for the two to match.

I also found that during the last 10 minutes of the hour, the Versa 4 will NOT count steps. If I get the alert, which is another issue, I go and walk my circuit which is 300 steps. When I look at the Versa 4, the steps counted will be between 4 and 200. Rarely does it record the 300. 

When on a “Walking Exercise” the steps counted is no where near what should have been recorded. Typically, the count is 80% of the actual based on a known count at specific landmarks on my course. The GPS tracking is not reliable either. My phone will track the course, but what the app has is entirely different.

I wish my older Versa series still worked. It was a lot more reliable for tracking exercise.

I know what I write here will be ignored. I have reported repeatable issues before with the behavior of the Android and IOS version apps that have not been fixed in four years. There is a reason that stores no longer carry Google or Fitbit trackers and watches. One of the largest is Kroger. None of their supermarkets in the NW have these products on their shelves since February of this year.

[CCM92]

Mine is doing the same thing too out of nowhere 

[Chell53]

I hear ya. My phone and watch are often not matching hourly steps. I have everything that Fitbit has told me to do to fix. Nothing works. I feel just the same. Every time you contact them, you get the same canned response or no response and the problem is never solved. So frustrating.

[Jfergus]

Same issue. Nothing  helpful has worked for me. 

[Feamow]

So basically I am screwed and have to fork out another $200 for another watch. Is that my overall consensus?  This is making me very angry and rethinking fitbit all together.  Which sucks because I have really enjoyed this device up to this point...

[SSmith126]

My Versa 4 no longer works after the update. It normally lasted 4 days or more battery life. Will a fix/repair be sent soon? It was activated 4/23/2023. 

[zib6272]

This is happening to everyone. Are you advising everyone that it’s unexpected and to buy a new device? 

this seems a bit naughty. 

do you have an updated answer 

[Kerppa]

I would also appreciate that some kind of fixing would be done. I checked my old phones app and there was also the Versa 4 (as I took an old Versa 3 to use now that 4 doesn't do anything) and was able to update the firmware (of what the app hadn' t even suggested to me earlier), but the clock stays black and silent no matter what else I am trying with it.

Very disappointed with this and if indeed Fitbit thinks this is ok, I am going to use my money on some other brand in the future.

[AxanaMoran]

Mine is doing the same thing. Can't factory reset so it cycles through a fitbit logo screen then a red X. Looks like I'm going to have to replace. Frustrating. 

[JoB73]

Same issue here - mine was purchased in Nov 2024 via flybuys points and the company has subsequently shut down so I can't follow up with them although would be under warranty as less than 12mths old. Screen going black, saying battery flat yet put it on charge and comes up as 60+ percent charge, have to put it on charge to resync to normal time at least 3 times a day. Glitching and coming  up with the big red cross when try to turn it off- issues started around a week ago. Battery also draining quicker than usual

[NikitaBansal]

Hi @ManuFitbit, I am experiencing the same issue myself. How its possible that so many folks are facing same exact problem after the software update.  Isn't something wrong her? I want to file an official complaint. Where to do that.

[JJG1971]

Mine did the same thing. Goes through battery power in hours and when you plug it in says it has more battery power. Sometimes it just turns off while Iam wearing it. Was fine before the update. Not very happy, loved my versa 4 but now its garbage and I dont want to get another one even though I have lots of bands because Iam afraid it will connect to this update when turned on and have the same problem.

[EJJ73]

This morning my Fitbit Versa 4 works, but similarly has intermittent black screen events followed by going through the motions of a reset, with flashing Fitbit logo, then a red X, and then a static Fitbit logo, then back to watch face screen.  Is there no testing of these updates prior to release anymore? I’m at version 61.20001.214.24.