Bluetooth Lost Pairing to Charge 3

[djshield]

After the Fitbit iOS 3.24.1 update, my Charge 3, version 20001.63.5, will constantly lose pairing to my iPhone 7, 13.5.1. Once the Charge 3 is removed from the paired device list and re-paired, it will stay paired until the Fitbit app is closed. Upon relaunching the Fitbit app the Charge 3 will need to be paired to the phone again. 

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @djshield. Welcome to the Community Forums.

Thanks for the information provided and let me help you with your Charge 3 not staying paired. Just to confirm, have you synced your tracker with other devices? Please note that if there are multiple Bluetooth connections next to you when trying to sync, your Charge 3 might get confused and be unable to connect. Since the Fitbit app and your tracker are updated, I'd recommend to try the following steps:

1. Go to the Bluetooth settings in your phone, tap on the icon next to your Charge 3 and press Forget this device.
2. Turn off any other Bluetooth connections nearby.
3. Reboot your phone and restart your tracker.
4. Open the Fitbit app and pull down on the screen to force a manual sync.This will re-establish the Bluetooth connection between your Charge 3 and the Fitbit app.
5. A Bluetooth pair authorization should appear, tap pair. 

Give it a try and keep me posted.

[Rich_Laue]

@LizzyFitbit here is the message they see some see this up to 5-6 times a day

 

[djshield]

@LizzyFitbit The message Rich_Laue posted is the pop-up error message the app displays for the Charge 3 as well. The behavior got better with the 3.25 update pushed on July 10th, however it still occurs, just slightly less frequently.

The steps you posted to both restart the Fitbit and remove and re-pair the device to the phone work, but only for a short while. The Charge 3 has been previously paired to my laptop, however the symptoms are present even when the laptop is not in Bluetooth range.  

[SqueakHartley]

I’m having the same issue. Be good to see a solution! 

[Maltie]

Have had to delete the app, reboot the Charge 3 firmware at least 3 times a week now.  This seems just so wrong.  Also the app seems to want to replace rather than allow you to add a second fitbit.  I was going to purchase another fitbit to see if either a newer one or another model would work with less issues but since it wont allow for that there is really no point in purchasing another fitbit.  That seems like a foolish business decision and does not encourage one to try an upgrade at all? 

Why would fitbit do that?

[GiglioJ]

Your fix is something I've done repeatedly.  I have no other devices close by. my phone and Charge 3 are fully charged (read somewhere that might be an issue - NOT).  Sometimes when I'm trying to reconnect the Charge 3 it says can't locate your device - make sure Bluetooth is turned on, your device is close by - all of which has always been the case - my Charge 3 is either on my wrist of the hand I'm holding my iPhone in trying to reconnect, or right next to me on the desk being charged - is it close by - YES!  Losing the pairing connection many, many times a day is most annoying - Seeing as this is a common issue - I'd suggest a fix you can add to your next app upgrade.

[Rich_Laue]

If the tracker has lost BT connection, you will have to wait for the app to ask to pair/connect. This Bluetooth connection is managed by the fitbit app. The user can not pair/connect a tracker. 

@GiglioJ when you say reconnect, I think you are referring to the Add Device and setting the tracker up to your fitbit account. This step doed not directly connect the tracker to your Bluetooth. After the tracker is connected to your account, the app will request permission to connect the tracker to your Bluetooth. 

[GiglioJ]

Ok - so I'm obviously using incorrect terminology - I have had to set up
from scratch the fitbit app. But what I was referencing is - clicking on
the Bluetooth tab - choose forget this device - click it to connect to the
device again. Then click bluetooth again - sorry - I'm doing everything it
tells me to do multiple times and it continues to lose "pairing connecting"
- - it says pairing lost - go to bluetooth, forget this device and start
again! Why must I do this multiple times a day??? This was never an issue
prior to the last app upgrade.

[Rich_Laue]

Yes removing the the tracker from Bluetooth often works, but trying to pair a tracker through the same Bluetooth screen, will never work. 

After removing the tracker from the phones Bluetooth, open the fitbit app and wait for the app to ask permission to connect. 

[GiglioJ]

That is what I've done, multiple times over the last 2-months.  It is still losing the pairing connection frequently.  Now I'm having additional issues - when I hit "forget this device" and then reload the fitbit app - go into Bluetooth, my fitbit isn't being found - and under "other devices" the icon is just going around in circles and my fitbit isn't popping up.  I have the fitbit fully charged, it's on my wrist that I'm holding the iphone with.  Don't understand this.  Then after hours of the search icon going around in circles it will randomly appear.  A couple of other issues that started in the last 3 weeks are my heart rate is showing large gaps in the graph.  Also my sleep numbers have been showing 22+ times of being restless every night for 3 weeks - this is definitely not the case.  I thought the first night it was a possibility, although I still found it strange.  Now after 3-weeks of the same data weird - I know it's definitely wrong.  I haven't changed how I sleep, my fitbit is still on the same wrist.  I don't understand these issues just starting out of the blue.  I'd appreciate some resolution to these problems.  I've done everything suggested on-line as well as through these chats??

[Rich_Laue]

Hi @GiglioJ are you seeing the, "lost pairing message above"? If so, remove the tracker from your Bluetooth device. 

Open the fitbit app, the tracker dies not need to be paired to the phone to sync, and you will not be able to pair through the phones Bluetooth. 

Relax, give it time, the Fitbit app will eventually ask for permission to pair. 

When the fitbit app requests permission to pair. The user will give permission and the fitbit app will pair the tracker. 

There really is nothing else a user can do to pair the tracker because the fitbit app manages the Bluetooth connection. 

As for your sleep issue, I would say to please start a new thread. We don't want to hijack this subject. 

[madeirak]

This issue also affects me. 
- Fitbit Charge 3

- iPhone 11 Pro (iOS 15)

I have already removed the device from my account, reset it into factory defaults, removed it from the Bluetooth settings, rebooted the phone and Fitbit several times. And I still get the same result.

I have to remove “forget” the device and add again several times per day.

It became unusable.

Any solutions?

[Rich_Laue]

Yes, stop removing the tracker from your account. 

Remove the tracker from your phones Bluetooth. 

You might also want to clear the fitbit apps phone cache. 

Start up the fitbit app and follow the directions to pair the tracker. 

[madeirak]

“07-14-2020 11:04 @LizzyFitbit here is the message they see some see this up to 5-6 times a day”

@Rich_Laue I was not removing from my account several times.
I was unpairing or “forgetting “ from the Bluetooth settings as per in App Fitbit notification saying that the device lost its pairing. 
You first mentioned that this was happening to several people on 07/14/2020 as per you message above. Thank you.

[madeirak]

@Rich_Laue I was not removing from my account several times.
I was unpairing or “forgetting “ from the Bluetooth settings as per in App Fitbit notification saying that the device lost its pairing. 
You first mentioned that this was happening to several people on 07/14/2020 as per you message above. Thank you.