Charge HR NOT accurately measuring steps or distance

[NJA753]

I've noticed that my Charge HR is NOT accurately recording steps or distance.

It's recording different stats even if same path is walked.

Tonights walk:

Fitbit recorded 3.92 miles and 8867 steps
iPhone Health App recorded 4.6 miles and 10,492 steps
App called Steps recorded 4.6 miles.10,492 steps
Friends walking app recorded 4.6 miles and 10,478 steps
Drove the car afterwards and it's 4.6 miles!

So, what can be done?   I have Version 122.  I've started and restarted the fitbit.  I've entered my correct stride and physical stats.   

Help!

[MarcoGFitbit]

Hello @NJA753, thanks for joining us, it's great to have you on board! 

If you've noticed discrepancies in the accuracy of your Charge HR I would like to suggest performing an accuracy test:

1. Restart your tracker one more time.
2. Put your tracker on your wrist and check the amount of steps you currently have
3. Walk 100 steps, making sure to count a step each time one of your feet hits the ground.
4. Pause, then check your tracker to see your step count.

If you notice a big discrepancy between the steps you counted and the amount shown on the tracker, please let me know so I can check this further. 

I hope this can be helpful, give it a try and let me know the outcome! 

[NJA753]

I will do this tomorrow as I am out of town right now.

Thank you for the suggestion!

Nancy

[MarcoGFitbit]

Hello @NJA753, I hope you're doing well, thanks for taking the time to reply! 

I was curious to know the results of the accuracy test performed on your Charge HR. If your tracker is still inaccurate, please let me know so I can investigate this further.

Additionally, in case you have some spare time, I would like to invite you to visit our Discussions board where you will find great tips and encouragement from other members.

I'll be waiting for your reply! 

[NJA753]

Hi!

Sorry for the delay.  We had unexpected overnight guests so couldn't walk yesterday.

I walked 3.4 miles today.  1.7 miles each way.    I did a screen shot of my Fitbit app, the Steps App and the Apple Health App. every 100 steps going one direction.   There are 37 100 step screenshots of each app.

I had driven the path and my car registered 1.7 miles.  I drew the path on Google Earth and it was 1.74 miles though my tracing the path was probably not exactly accurate but close enouth.

I have everything on an Excel spreadsheet.

Summary:

Average Steps per 100 steps
Fitbit	80
Steps	98
Apple Health	98

Total Steps Walked
Fitbit	5260
Steps	7229
Apple Health	7236

Average Distance per 100 steps
Fitbit	0.035
Steps	0.049
Apple Health	0.048

Total Distance Walked
Fitbit	2.33
Steps	3.55
Apple Health	3.59

[NJA753]

I have all the screenshots but not posting all of them!  I can dropbox or imgur if Fitbit wants to see them.

Here is the data that the summaries were based on:

Fitbit			Steps			Apple Health
Steps	Recorded		Steps	Recorded		Steps	Steps
447			231			224
528	81		326	95		259	35
612	84		421	95		421	162
702	90		522	101		513	92
780	78		612	90		576	63
871	91		706	94		706	130
960	89		802	96		784	78
1050	90		900	98		850	66
1139	89		993	93		993	143
1236	97		1086	93		1062	69
1311	75		1172	86		1172	110
1387	76		1271	99		1258	86
1469	82		1372	101		1327	69
1551	82		1476	104		1398	71
1641	90		1571	95		1571	173
1719	78		1671	100		1655	84
1781	62		1773	102		1671	16
1839	58		1877	104		1877	206
1899	60		1980	103		1971	94
1949	50		2076	96		2036	65
2015	66		2178	102		2114	78
2103	88		2281	103		2281	167
2166	63		2381	100		2381	100
2231	65		2478	97		2453	72
2294	63		2569	91		2516	63
2369	75		2668	99		2668	152
2460	91		2768	100		2748	80
2562	102		2866	98		2852	104
2643	81		2968	102		2904	52
2715	72		3064	96		2968	64
2800	85		3163	99		3163	195
2892	92		3264	101		3233	70
2974	82		3367	103		3298	65
3072	98		3471	104		3471	173
3170	98		3573	102		3539	68
3257	87		3671	98		3611	72
3336	79		3767	96		3767	156
3404	68		3864	97		3864	97

[DerrickS]

@NJA753 I can't speak to Apple Health or the other step app you are using, but the following tips should help improve your Charge HR's step accuracy:

• Double check to see that your personal information (such as height, weight, and age) was inputted correctly into your Fitbit account. These pieces of information are factors in how Fitbit tracks your exercise stats.
• Verify that you have your stride length configured to "Set Automatically" or that you have inputted your custom stride length correctly.
• Verify that your tracker's wrist settings are configured to match the wrist you wear your tracker on. Click here for more information.
• Keep in mind that for activities where your arms aren't moving (ie pushing a stroller, holding the arm rails on the treadmill, pushing a shopping cart, etc) that your Charge HR will count your steps, but the total may be lower than usual. 

Hope this helps.

[NJA753]

Derrick.,

Thank you for the information.   My height, weight and age IS correct.  

I entered my stride length after measuring several times when I got the Charge HR.    All of the stats are from just walking.   I'm not holding anything in my hand, pushing anything or using a piece of equipment.

I respect that you can't speak for Steps App or the Apple app, but the point is THEY are correctly measuring the distance and steps.  My car and Google earth measured the distance correctly.    Fitbit does not.   I would like for Fitbit to be correct and not even use the other apps!   That's the whole point of this.

To double check, I measured my stride walking inside along a tape measure which came out to 28".  This is what has been entered in my profile.   I just took the distance walked on the other apps and divided by steps walked in the other apps and got a different number: 31".    I just changed my stride to 31".   I will check to see if that makes a difference.    There is no setting that I can see to set stride automatically.

I'll report back if changing the stride works.

[NJA753]

I changed my stride from 28" to 31".

I walked 4 miles today.

Fitbit gave me credit for 2.92 miles.

Steps walked were off by 2150 steps.

I give up.    I'm tired of stressing about Fitbit being incorrect.  I will just add an activity of walking to make up the difference of what I know I walked.

I just don't get it how Fitbit can be so incorrect when all the data proves it is.

Thanks for all your input and help.  It just didn't work.

Have a great weekend!

[NJA753]

I got tired of not having an accurate tracker.  I purchased a Garmin the other day. I've been wearing both at the same time on the same wrist.   The Garmin is spot on accurate and the Fitbit continues to not be accurate.   With the Garmin, 100 steps walked is 100 steps recorded.   Fitbit records between 45-60 steps.    Stride length is the same on both devices.   

On 6/12, I walked 4.75 miles.   Garmin tracked it at 4.75 miles.  Fitbit tracked it at 3.75 miles.  

Sorry Fitbit.   Sad to say that you lost out to Garmin.  

[davidcv5]

Hi, I'm having the same issues you had with Fitbit, and also considering Garmin, do you mind sharing which Garmin device you picked? Thank you so much!

[NJA753]

David,

Just sent you a private message.

[Skywalker304]

If Fitbit knows that there is an issue of measuring distance accurately, why don't you publicize it or make potential buyers aware of it before we purchase a device that isn't accurate???????