My FB zip shows activity when the zip has been stationary on my desk

[TheJobDr]

My iPhone 6 ver 9.3.1 app shows Fitbit activity for several days when my zip was resting comfortably on my desk. This has happened several times. Does it get movement or gps data from movement of my phone somehow even if the zip is not around? Thanks, Roger

[MarreFitbit · Accepted solution]

Welcome to the Fitbit Community @TheJobDr ! What data are you seeing? Calories burned? Something else?

If you're seeing just calories for those previous days, the website uses your physical data (weight, height etc) to calculate your BMR calories.These are the minimum calories you'd need to burn every day to stay alive. It then populates your profile with this calorie burn back for six months or so to give you a sensible baseline against which to compare your future calorie burn once your tracker starts tracking your exercise and adding exercise calories to your BMR calories.

The short answer is that what you're seeing is correct behaviour and the calorie counts re individualised to you.

Let me know if you have something else for me!

[YEGMaddy]

The previous post mentioned activity - not calories ... and I have the same issue.  I set up my Fitbit ZIP last night.  This morning - after it was sitting on my table all night - it shows 1800+ steps - in a 15 minute time span.  No way to clear it.  Makes me wonder if this is defective.

[MarreFitbit]

Hey @YEGMaddy, thanks for stopping by! If you haven't already read our information and tips about improving accuracy, see here. Factors such as tracker placement, dominant or non-dominant wrist, and stride length can all affect the number of steps recorded. Note that if you're pushing a stroller or shopping cart, you might try putting your wrist-based tracker in your pocket.

If after taking these factors into account you still think your tracker is significantly undercounting or overcounting steps, try a step test:

1. Put your clip-on tracker on your hip or torso.
2. Walk 100 steps, making sure to count a step each time one of your feet hits the ground.
3. Pause, then check your tracker to see your step count.

By any chance, is there a fan or other source of vibration nearby? A fan on the nightstand with the Fitbit has been reported to cause phantom steps to be recorded by others.

Hope this helps!

[TheJobDr]

Thanks, but that's not the question…the FB Zip doesn't have a problem recording steps when there is activity, but the problem is it will show a days worth of steps when there has been no activity, like when the Zip has been sitting on my desk all day…and it might show 1800 steps. I'm still puzzled.

[MarreFitbit]

As I asked previously my friend @TheJobDr, Is there a fan or other source of vibration nearby? A fan on the nightstand with the Fitbit has been reported to cause phantom steps to be recorded by others.

Have you tried leaving your Zip at home and see if it picks steps too?

[TheJobDr]

Right, it's wasn't near a fan or other vibrations. It was sitting on the corner of my desk for several days. I always had my phone with me. When I synced it to the app, it showed lots of steps for each day when I wasn't carrying the FB zip. As if the data the movement of my phone device was somehow being transferred or interpreted as Fitbit activity. Has that ever happened?

[MarreFitbit]

Hmmmm.... strange my friend @TheJobDr. My best suggestion would be to get in touch with Customer Support directly so they can verify where the issue is coming from. When contacting them, just don't forget to mention that your tracker wasn't near to a fan and so on. 

And in regards to your question, this is the first time I see something like this . I've heard cases when the tracker picks up extra steps, but a fan is always the cause...

Let me know the outcome my friend!