Can’t sync without Internet

[Podunk]

I am still receiving the message that I cannot sync without Internet. I commented on this back in November 2023. Distill occurs randomly and has not been addressed by the software developers. I am using an iPhone SE third generation running 17.1.4 and Fitbit version, 4.14. I do not have Wi-Fi in my home and I have never had Wi-Fi in my home. Most of the time this has not been a problem with the Fitbit iOS app, but randomly the message shows up stating that I cannot sync without Wi-Fi. it is annoying to have to get out of Fitbit, close the app and then reopen in order to refresh the home screen values. I am a blind user and I have dictated this on my iPhone and I hope that you will be able to understand my ramblings. 

[Walkmore29]

I keep getting this error also. My internet is working for every other app. Cellular data is enabled. Still get this error 

Moderator Edit: Formatting.

[Guy_]

Hi @Podunk @Walkmore29 - this should not be an issue for syncing but might have a bearing No internet connection even though you are connected.

see also Why won't my Fitbit device sync? 

[Podunk]

I reviewed the links and did not find the information helpful. It appeared to be more closely related to the Google pixel watch and I am using an iPhone in the iOS portion of the forum. VPN is shut off. This is an intermittent problem that appears to be related to the improvements in the four-point XX versions of the Fitbit app. I am a blind user and have dictated this on my iPhone. I hope you will be able to understand my ramblings. I am using an iPhone to see third generation running 17.4.1 version 414 I may have gotten the version of the iOS incorrectly, but it is the most current version that I am using. Along with the most current version of the Fitbit app . 

[CaptainThanos]

Atleast you only see it randomly. It is a permanent fixture on my app on iPhone13 regardless of connectivity, be it cellular or wifi. All while syncs are happening successfully. 

[Podunk]

It appears that Fitbit/Google is more interested in changing the appearance of the app than addressing the problems beneath. My impression is it is like an old car with a new paint job that needs work on its engine and its brakes. At first glance, the new paint job Changes the appearance, but it does not fix the underlying issues and on further review the paint job does not hide the fact that it is an old car. 

[CaptainThanos]

I don’t even like the UI changes to be honest. Maybe i am old but the old UI was fine and functional. As an example, when looking at sleep, i was able to look at last night’s data and all recent nights’ data on one screen. Now i have to click on headings at top to look at previous data.

[Podunk]

I downloaded Fitbit current version 4.16 today. I am still getting the message that I cannot sync without Internet. I still have to close Fitbit and reopen in order to see my most current information.

[Podunk]

I downloaded version 4.17 today and within a few hours I received the message that I could not update without Internet. I am still using an iPhone SE third generation running Fitbit version 4.17 and iOS version 17.5. I have dictated this on my iPhone and hope you will be able to understand my ramblings. 

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Recently, I upgraded to Fitbit version 4.18. This morning I received the message that I could not sync without Internet. I am still using my iPhone SE third generation running iOS version 17.5.1 and as stated above Fitbit version 4.18. I have dictated this on my iPhone and I am using Apple‘s voiceover screen reading software to get information from the Fitbit app on my iPhone. 

[mikey_pdx]

It'll complain about Bluetooth sometimes as well. For example, if I turn off bluetooth on my phone with the app running in the background, then turn bluetooth back on and go into the app, it complains about not being able to sync without bluetooth. I just tap on the message and it goes away, and I can still sync my device.

I notice I get the "can't sync without internet" message if I have the app running in the background and go out of range of my home WiFi. Even though it switches over to cellular data (I have that enabled for the FitBit app), it still complains. Again, just tapping the message makes it go away and the app still syncs. 

Just a hunch, but I think the app is just bad at dealing with any kind of connection changes. Since your original post says you've never had home WiFi, maybe it's not handling any variations or interruptions in your cellular connection very well.

[Podunk]

Sent from my iPhone this problem did not exist in versions prior to Fitbit version 4.XX. I never had this problem with my charge to Fitbit, my charge for Fitbit and the charge five I am currently using prior to the introduction of version 4.XX. Others with wi-Fi availability have also experienced this denial due to Wi-Fi availability. We are all frustrated with having to close out of Fitbit and then reopen so that our Fitbit will update and the information become accessible. I appreciate your observations and maybe it will be a clue that the Fitbit developers can use to correct what is an obvious intermittent problem of connectivity. I have dictated this on my iPhone and hope you will be able to understand my ramblings.

[Noramar1531]

I'm getting this message too. My app is version 4.18 on an iPhone 13 Pro IOS 17.4.1. At first it was just once in a while and was merely a mild annoyance, but now it's happening several times a day and sometimes makes the Fitbit app crash. What's going on and when will this be fixed? For the record, every time this happens I make sure I really do have Internet, which I always do. I always see several bars on my cell data and a strong WiFi connection. They need to fix this ASAP!

[Guy_]

Hi @Noramar1531 - did you try with just cellular or just WiFi to see if there is a difference?

[Noramar1531]

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@Guy_ wrote:

Hi @Noramar1531 - did you try with just cellular or just WiFi to see if there is a difference?

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If mine was the only report of this problem, then I would first and foremost assume this is a problem having to do somehow with my setup. But based on all of the reports here with the same problem, and assuming there are many more who haven't bothered to report it (I've been having this problem for a while and only just yesterday was annoyed enough to report it). So no, I have not tried it with just one or the other and I don't see why I should try that. The app should be stable enough to use whatever type of connectivity it can find. I have no problem whatsoever with any other app. I've had other problems with the app, but this is the only one that has persisted and still isn't fixed.

[Guy_]

@Noramar1531 - I had the same problem and changing cellular connection resolved it for me, hence the suggestion to try different routes to the internet.

Not all internet connections are the same and certain configurations may cause problems, even if other apps are working, they may not need or use certain access routes or protocols.

It can also be a phone problem, especially after firmware updates and a reboot may cure it also. 

The Fitbit App also can have problems but not all conditions have the same cause.

[Podunk]

The problem continues to exist in Fitbit version 4.19.

[Podunk]

This problem continues to exist with the most recent update 4.19.1. I was hoping with this update that the problem would be corrected.

[Podunk]

This week I upgraded to Fitbit version 4.20. So far I have not been getting the message that I cannot sync without Internet. Something new is happening and that is sometimes when I open Fitbit it provides me with the list of nearby locations with Wi-Fi. I do not have Wi-Fi and I do not have the passwords to my neighbors Wi-Fi. Now, at least I do not have to back out of Fitbit and reopen to get rid of the Wi-Fi message. I can just cancel using the button at the bottom of the screen. I am blind and have dictated this on my iPhone SE third generation , running the most current version of iOS. I hope you will be able to understand my ramblings. 

[Podunk]

Last night I received the message that I could not update without Wi-Fi. As stated above, I am using Fitbit version 4.20 and running the most current version of Apple iOS. This update did not fix the problem.

[Noramar1531]

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@Podunk wrote:

Last night I received the message that I could not update without Wi-Fi. As stated above, I am using Fitbit version 4.20 and running the most current version of Apple iOS. This update did not fix the problem.

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I've been updating every time there's an update (both Fitbit and Apple IOS), and the problem isn't going away. It morphs sometimes, but it doesn't go away. After the 4.19 update, it not only still gave me the useless message about not syncing without internet, but as it turned out, it now would only sync if I closed the app and then reopened it. Obviously, this is not a fix, but at least it worked. Nothing new or helpful with v4.20 either. Maybe by v5.0?