Versa 4 stops tracking during exercise

[Marlo2go]

The Versa 4 tracked a full run (~4mi) at first but now it stops and restarts the tracking, or it shows me an arrow to start the run it “detected.” At the end, my run appears on the app in sections. Some sections show heart rate data, some don’t, and sometimes it’s way off.
If I start tracking the run on the app, I get the full exercise, but Fitbit removed the display of heart rate data from the exercise results section years ago.
The heart rate tile of the app shows data as does the 2 hour heart rate tile on the device. 
The device also stopped tracking a yoga session after 10 min.
I’ve adjusted and readjusted the band. I even put a Versa 3 band on (it’s softer).  
And while I’ve finally gotten 3 nights of full sleep data, I still have gaps in the heart rate data on the app, even though a graph is on the 2-hour Versa 4 tile.

Sorry for the long complaint. This problem started with app version 4.03 and continues with 4.04. My Versa 4 is 2 months old.
I saw older complaints on the forum but they were closed for comments. 

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

Moderator edit: edited title to clarity

[CrisVillaFitbit · Accepted solution]

Hello, @Marlo2go I'm glad to see you in the community.

Thanks for letting me know this unexpected behavior when tracking your exercise on your Versa 4. I can imagine how difficult to track your workout would be.

My best recommendation for you would be to double check if you're wearing the Versa 4 correctly and also restarting the Fitbit before tracking an exercise.

Thanks for your comprehension and let me know how it goes after following these steps.

[Marlo2go]

@CrisVillaFitbit 

I accidentally checked the “best answer” box and can’t undo it. 

I’ve had Fitbits and tracked exercises for 6 years. This is my 5th (and last) device. My wrist hasn’t changed. I know how and where to wear the device.  Restarting the device every time I want to track an exercise is ridiculous. And when I have restarted it, I get a red X, so I’m not sure it restarts successfully anyway. 
I’m also still having gaps of one to several hours in night time heart rate and sleep data (noted in the forum elsewhere). I have  sleep scores, albeit inaccurate, but I stopped receiving a Readiness score.
I now have app 4.04 and last night allowed the new Versa 4 update to 194.86. 

[SteveButts]

I have the same thing, as documented in these two posts:

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Android-App/How-to-disable-Auto-Exercise-tracking/m-p/5500788#M17379...

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/Versa-4/Versa-4-stopped-tracking-my-rides/m-p/5488675#M10078

i've tried resetting everything and still have the issue. 

@Marlo2go, can you try something, turn off bluetooth for your exercise session and see if the watch still stops by itself, or if it tracks the whole session.

i know that's not a fix, but it allows me to capture my whole exercise.

steve

[Marlo2go]

Thanks. I might try the whole forget the device and Bluetooth and reconnect them first. I started tracking my yoga class today. The tracker quit and had to be restarted several times. I kept the 5 “sessions” totaling 42 minutes but manually added the 65min of yoga. 
This morning there’s a new layout to the exercise display. It’s awful. 

[SteveButts]

try the 'turn off bluetooth first' disconnecting and reconnecting it on bluetooth has made no difference for me.

yeah, I had that too with the 4 or 5 segments on my walk, rather annoying 

good luck.

[StevenMac88]

I too have the same issue with my Versa 4.  Disabled the auto tracking, because I start my exercise manually. (set the shortcut key for that).  The exercise will automatically stop within 15 minutes, every time.  Had read in the forums somewhere about disabling the blue tooth on my phone (or just leave it at home), then it tracks exercise perfectly.   So its an obvious bug in either the Android App (ver 4.04.2.11) or in watch firmware (61.20001.194.86).   All of this stopped working properly during the summer (2023) and I have submitted a few service tickets.  Having been a Fitbit user for almost 10 years, would hate to switch because of a simple bug which they seem to be ignoring.

[Marlo2go]

On the afternoon of 11/24, I tried the steps of forgetting the device, close the app, restart the phone, and re-add the Versa 4. The device was fully charged. By bedtime the battery was 70% and in the morning the battery was almost dead. I called Fitbit (disgusted) and was walked through the whole procedure again. A miracle! Exercise tracking has stayed on and the battery is back to its normal life of 4-5 days depending on use. 
Regarding my other issue noted above and elsewhere of nighttime gaps in heart rate and sleep data, I found that if I close the Fitbit app on my phone at night and reopen it in the morning, I get the full night of data. I also have app 4.06 now. 

[SteveButts]

That's an interesting test. Did that u close the app through the app sorted type thing, or from the settings page?

[Marlo2go]

I just swipe the app up and off the screen. In the morning, I tap the Fitbit icon to reopen it and sync. 

[SteveButts]

Hi, that didn't work for me. it just did the same thing.

someone else suggested that you try and pause the workout on the watch, then un-pause the workout on the watch. i'm going to test this tonight.

[StevenMac88]

Would hope you could outline the steps taken if it is now working as expected.  Last night I tried this and today it tracked my exercise without the seemingly random stopping.  Really hoping it is not a one time wonder.

• Removed device from account on Fitbit App, then restarted my phone.
• On device when into settings, About, Factory Reset.
• Waited until it came up asking what language, selected my language.
• Then on Phone added the device, it asked to do a firmware, attached device it to power, and let the firmware go.

[Marlo2go]

I wish I could list the steps. When I tried the whole restart, reset, reload thing in Nov, my battery drained in less than a day. I was so aggravated I called Fitbit support.  The rep walked me through it all yet again. I was doubtful it would do anything but somehow it did work. Everything is tracking now. 

[SteveButts]

ok, further testing has happened, and i also got in touch with the support team. they advised that I should disconnect the phone from the connected devices page and this should help the issue. After applying the firmware update, i needed to reset the settings for the auto-stop exercise, which was enabled again as a default.

testing however suggests that it's still the same. i've pushed some more details back to the support team and i believe that they are inspecting the 1's and 0's to see if any of them are out of alignment (I don't know, not a programmer)  🙂

[hikeon70]

If I look at my watch at just the right time during a walk, it might have a screen that asks if I want to quit. The YES button is bright and large as if it is the default. The NO button is unlit and smaller. I get the idea that if I don't tell it NO--which of course I can't do so if I don't look at it at just the right time--then it automatically stops recording.  It is extremely irritating to get to the end of my activity only to find that there is no data. I read someplace in the manual something about the watch asking if you want to stop when you are halfway to the day's goal and to avoid that I would have to remove my daily goal. However, I cannot find where I read it.

But why is this even programmed into the device?? It is just stupid. It should not ask if you want to stop. If a person wants to stop, they can initiate that action on the watch. This feature needs to be eliminated from the programming!

[KateLJM]

I agree whole-heartedly.  The Fitbit app has been neutered, and with it the reliable tracking.  I have been a loyal Fitbit owner for years, but for my Versa 4, when I reached the end of my Premium trial, I chose not to renew because I wasn't getting accurate tracking and the removal of friend challenges removed the FUN of Fitbit.  My Fitbit is up-to-date, but I can count on it to stop tracking my walking even though my dog and I maintain a 3.3 mph pace for 50+ minutes.

[SteveButts]

it's since the new app has been released, there's something in there that is causing the activity to stop, but it isn't something i've been able to identify, like a common factor. support guys have been really good, but they (i think) still don't know. i've been escalated twice (i think the CEO the only guy left  😄 ) but haven't got anywhere. like i said above, if I turn off my Bluetooth, the watch works perfectly, there's something about the app that's causing it to drop the activity.

I was asked to wait until the new update was released (to 1.0.9) and this has made no difference. but the support team did ask me to wait until 1.0.8 was released too, so i'm guessing that they don't know what this is. and if it's only a small subset of people then it is likely to be low down their schedule.

i will keep plugging away and hopefully get an answer.

[hikeon70]

Thanks for your efforts and feedback. It seems to me that a lot of people would be affected (isn't this what they have the device for--tracking their exercise?). But maybe they are interested in other data.