Can I use a Fitbit device without an account?

[obiguuns]

Why do we need an account to use the app on our phone?  Most people don't need to sync their data with a web service.  Sure, it's handy- but it shouldn't be required.  Please, Devs, add a "I don't want an account" or a "I'll set up my account later" button to the splash screen.  Heck, if it's that important to you, feel free to bug me about it every couple of days or so.  Pop up a window asking me to sign up.  Make it big and flashy.  Do your best to convince me how bright and beautiful my future will be if I only had a fitbit account.  But don't MAKE me get one. 

IRONY * ELEVEN: I had to set up a fake gmail account and a fake fitbit account to post this question.  Don't reply to my new fake gmail account.  I've already forgotten what the name was.

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

[MarcoGFitbit]

Hello @SunsetRunner, I hope you're doing well, it's nice to see you around the Fitbit Community. 

I appreciate you have joined the conversation and provided your feedback about this situation. I understand you would like to use your Facebook or Gmail credentials to create a new account, however at this moment this is not possible. Please note that our team is always looking forward to improve the Fitbit experience and I would like to encourage you to submit your insight as a suggested idea, where members of the Community can comment and vote for it so it can be implemented in the future.

Feel free to share your suggestion with your friends and family to add more votes and comments, this is the best way to make your voice heard and get the attention from our development team.

I hope this can be helpful, if there's anything else I can do for you, please feel free to reply.

[cvilleEA]

I've been enjoying my Fitbit Ionic and reviewing my tracker data on my i phone for a year or so. However, I recently went to the app on my i phone and instead of seeing all my data I have a screen for "Join Fiitbit" Why do I need to "Join Fitbit" to see my tracker data?

[MarcoGFitbit]

Hello @cvilleEA thanks for joining the conversation, have a warm welcome to the Fitbit Community. 

First of all, I would like to apologize for the delay in the response. I appreciate your participation in the Forums and for bringing this to our attention. Tell me, have you updated the app recently? If so, it's possible you were logged out from the Fitbit app, in which case I would like to ask you to tap on "Log in", instead of "Join Fitbit". Then enter your email address and password and you will be back on your Dashboard with all your information from your account. 

Give this a try and in case you need anything else, please feel free to reply. 

[Rich_Laue]

Underneath the join Fitbit is a button that says Log into your Fitbit account. @cvilleEA I notice that you already have a Fitbit account and have to agree with @MarcoGFitbit in that you just need to choose three log in option. 

[noyfb]

I returned the FITBIT.  Being forced to create an account in order to use it was too instrusive. 

[Rich_Laue]

Most people by an internet connected device realize that they will need to create an account. What I find strange is that a user needs to create a Fitbit account before they can post in the community. 

[FloydCountyBoy]

The reason to not want an account is security.  I'm tired of having accounts hacked, trying to create new passwords I can remember, having to have a code go to my cell phone so I can regurgitate it back to you.  For what this thing does, I should be able to run an app on my own PC or home server and never have ANY of my personal information on the internet.  I don't need to participate in a community (same root word as communism) and I don't need for you to make it convenient for me.

For years I've done the internet.  I had gone paperless.  Now I'm migrating back to paper, not because I want to, but because companies like fitbit would rather put the burden of security and proof on the innocent rather than pursuing the criminals.  Until the internet punishes the criminals instead of the innocent, it is just a toy for entertainment.

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@Rich_Laue wrote:
I don't really understand your stement, "I had to setup a fake email and fitbit account to post".
First thing that confuses me that when setting up an account, fitbit sends a confirmation email to confirm that it is valid, so in what way is it invalid. Your statement should read "I had to setup a second email and fitbit account, so that this forum won't know what my main Fitbit account ID is".
As for the Fake Gmail, no it is not fake but it is a second email address associated with you, it is just one that nobody knows.

Now the way Fitbit works is that nobody here, including the moderators have access to your email. So your safe.
I assume your tracker is also connected to this second email, since any fitbit user that knows the email that has a fitbit associated with it will be able with a simple search see this.
Second thought is that while the forum login is associated with your fitbit account, they are different. throug the forum name we can find out the fitbit account name, but kno img the Fitbit name does not allow anybody access to you forum account.
If your looking for privacy just turn everything to only me in your fitbit account.

So why is a fitbit account needed?
Your tracker is an online connected device
On the tracker. Our only able to see what you have done up to now slurring the day
Yesterday's dates is lost on the tracker
No sleep will be able to be anylized
Same with any activity such as a run/walk.

If you really don't want the tracker connected to an account, then go into the app or dashboard - log into the account associated with your tracker and remove it.. Your tracker basically i will function like a $5.00 tracker from Five Below.. I just thought about it, even the Five Below tracker has an online account, but requires the user to manually enter the data, this could easily be entered into a spreadsheet.

Give it a try and let us know how it works out.

Or just connect your tracker to a second email address and never give this address to anybody,

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[Rich_Laue]

By opening the box the Fitbit came,  and when creating a Fitbit account, the user, by default, is agreeing with and signing that they accept the Terms of Service

As Microsoft puts it, by breaking this seal you are agreeing, if you disagree then return the product without breaking the seal. BTW I hope you do not use Win 10 on your PC or a cell phone with both being extremely nosy when it comes to the users affairs on their devices. 

One of the many reasons I refuse to run a computer with a windows OS or a MAC

[FloydCountyBoy]

Yes, but as a customer I can ask for something different.  And in the end, my fitbit is likely to end up on ebay.  Besides, anyone with there nose up in the air over OS's generally is not helpful.

[Rich_Laue]

My nose is not up in the air about Microsofts desire to monitor everything that the user does in windows,  I just don't want them to do it. I personally don't care what MS does. 

Yes the customer can ask for something,  and they have,  but does that mean Fitbit has to rewrite their app and cloud server for the very few that have asked. Why not add your vote to the suggestion?

Your asking the Fitbit users, not Fitbit, a question,  and Fitbit users have answered with their opinions,  we as Fitbit users ar unable to make decisions for Fitbit

[ZaksMimi]

Within the last two weeks or so, it appears I must sign in to my Fitbit account thru Facebook or Google.  Why is this happening?  I don't want my Fitbit information shared thru either one of these accounts!

[Rich_Laue]

You never have sign in through Facebook or Google, for ease some like this option. You may alwayssign in using the registered email address 

[MukYJ]

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@ZaksMimi wrote:

Within the last two weeks or so, it appears I must sign in to my Fitbit account thru Facebook or Google.  Why is this happening?  I don't want my Fitbit information shared thru either one of these accounts!

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This is too funny - just in this thread alone, we've gone from someone complaining that they can't log in to their Fitbit account through Facebook or Google to someone complaining that they can log in through Facebook or Google. Just goes to show that you can't please everybody all of the time!

The Facebook or Google login is simply a convenience. You don't have to use it. Even if you do use it, it is just for authentication purposes, so no Fitbit information beyond what is needed to authenticate you is shared with Facebook or Google, and it tells you exactly what info is being shared. Just like any other company that uses Facebook or Google for 3rd party authentication.

[Rich_Laue]

Having the ability to log in through Google, technically this is not a login but a connection allowing the user to have an additional way to recover access to their Fitbit account. 

The user still needs to log into their Fitbit account with their Fitbit login details

[Shutterbug5]

If you have a problem with their "pages and pages" then you shouldn't have checked the box that you read it. They have full disclosure there. Too many people just check the box. Almost all social media platforms provide information to third parties, this is not a new thing. Ironically, you're complaining about them having information like your height and weight. These days I can Google someone get their address and phone number as well as their family's addresses and numbers if I wanted to. If you can't handle what little personal information Fitbit asks, you need to stay offline period. Become a ghost. 

[Youn35]

Even worse now google has bought Fitbit!

[Rich_Laue]

Actually Google has agreed to acquire Fitbit, the Federal requlators still need to approve.. 

[privateprivate]

I just unpacked my fitbit and ran into this issue, and found this thread. The account is way too intrusive. I don't trust any company, the least of which is google, with the kind of data they are asking for. This is all I will remember of fitbit.

[Rich_Laue]

Sorry @privateprivate a little tiny bit of research would show that Fitbit, like Facebook and Twitter is all about the community. 

Since the only specific info, fitbit knows about and can point to a specific person is their email address and I phone number. The phone number can be left off. 

[iwantprivacy]

I agree. My parents just gave me a fitbit. I stopped in my tracks when I realized I could not use it without signing up and sending in all my data. It's offensive and wrong. 

It's fine to offer an online account as an option, but it should not be required. You have no right to my data. I should be able to look at my fitbit and simply see how many steps I have taken over the past few days or weeks. I should not be forced to sign up for an account and send my data about my walking, exercise or anything else to strangers. And no offense, I like FitBit as a company, but you're all strangers to me, and I don't like sending you my data.