Issue with GPS Tracking on Fitbit iOS App

[user456w]

I wanted to bring up an issue I've been experiencing with the Fitbit iOS app recently, and I'm hoping someone here might have some insight or solutions.

It seems that the app is not marking all GPS points accurately during my activities, and at times, it's even skipping waypoints altogether (drawing lines over none pathways etc). This has made it impossible for me to trace and record my data accurately, which is incredibly frustrating as I rely on this information to track my progress and performance. mi pretty stable in my routes so I know what the data output should be.

I'm not sure if this is a widespread issue or if it's just affecting a few users like myself, but if anyone else has encountered similar problems or has any suggestions on how to fix it, I would greatly appreciate your input.

I've tried restarting my phone and reinstalling the app, disable/enable the location permission but unfortunately, the issue persists. If there are any troubleshooting steps I haven't tried yet, please let me know.

[noname1919]

No, it is not fixed. I just experienced the same problem I have had since early March (straight lines between point A and point B, going through houses) on my walk this afternoon, as well as earlier this week.

My app is updated to 4.21, and ios is 17.5.1. 

4 months seems like a whole lot of time for this to still not be fixed.

[Lisaa4]

I am also having this issue and have tried the tips suggested by Fitbit. It track better if I keep my phone unlocked but that’s very unrealistic. If I leave my phone unlocked whilst it tracks, it can pause or stop my tracking altogether. I’ve only had this problem since the new update that changed the sleep graph etc. any other suggestions? 

[Mavis57]

My GPS is unreliable, sometimes it tracks quite well, other times it darts
around and cuts off parts completely. It goes crazy if I take a phone call
or use another app while trying to track a walk.

[Jag52blue]

I’ve been having the same issue. After getting an Inspire3, I thought the issues were with the watch itself, so I started tracking through the app instead. There are entire sections of my walk that are missed with the GPS. I’ve attached a screenshot from this morning, where I traced my actual route in black over the top of what the app tracked. This is completely unreliable and needs to be fixed. 
I’m running iOS 17.6 and Fitbit version 4.23

 

[GeorgeScott]

I just got a Charge 6 after my Charge 5 died (my fault; I did a bad job of cleaning the sweat off of it and the rubber seal on the back failed), and immediately got bad tracks after pretty much having the problem knocked.  As I ended up doing with my 5, what fixes this is changing Location Services from Always On to While Using The App.  I also start walks from my phone and have my watch GPS set to Phone (haven't messed with those because it's working).  Before this issue, I left it on Always because the app would nag me about it--just have to ignore that.  You don't have to keep the app open -- my phone is locked and in my pocket for most of the time when I walk. 

[Cin74]

I have not had this issue until a few weeks ago when my app requested that I change it over to google. It used to map perfectly and now it just goes in lots of straight lines. I use my tracking for proof of my kms that I walk for charity walks, for money donations, so it has to be accurate. I have just updated to 4.24.1 and no fix. It’s very frustrating. 

[Mavis57]

I have the same issue 🫤

[Jag52blue]

Thanks! This seems to have fixed the issue - hopefully it lasts! 🤞🏼

[Vasco32]

This seems to be Fitbit advice to many issues but these fixes rarely work from my experience. 

[Vasco32]

This does not work. 
gps map shows spurious random lines, sometimes just doesn’t show any route despite phone being nearby. 
As I also use another app to cross check, it’s clear gps page shows elevation gain wildly different to actual. Typically 3 to 4 times more. On the same page, pace is shown as half actual pace and distance twice or more the actual. The heart rate zones on the same gps page are wildly different from those shown in the dashboard. 
Fitbit need to fix issues not just tell us to do the obvious such as reboot, reinstall etc etc   

[mcw53]

https://community.fitbit.com/t5/iOS-App/Elevation-Gain-on-the-iOS-app-is-Wrong/m-p/5555271/highlight...

[Vasco32]

Staggering incompetence of Fitbit if they can’t fix the issue. There’s been large number of app updates since the post. I also have an issue with the recording of route, pace & distance on the gps page. Essentially the gps is not worth having.
And I’m embarrassed as my partner bought the sense 2 as a wedding anniversary gift. So I’m having to apologise for suggesting buying one.
I can’t wait for the sense 2 to fail completely and I’ll buy something else that is reliable

[Vasco32]

This is still going on months later. We buy expensive devices on the basis that they are supposed to be technologically superior but their accuracy and reliability makes them highly ineffective and inconsistent. 
In my experience, Fitbit have the worst response rate to customer feedback and show little care or empathy with those who have given Fitbit their hard earned income. 
you may be a moderator but please get the message back to Fitbit that there’s a massively unhappy community of customers. 

[Vasco32]

No it isn’t. And app is now 4.25 !!

[Jag52blue]

This doesn’t fix the issue. Changing the location services from Always on to Only while Using the App seems to have fixed the issue.

[RosalineM]

I have the same/similar problem and I've tried this process twice with no luck. I start my walk tracking as suggested.  All during the walk it appears to be tracking my walk and when finished my exercise I end the walk/GPS tracking.  All looks fine but then when I sync all

the walk either shows up in segments but with no map or, like today, it doesn't show at all!!! Very frustrating 

[Vasco32]

Thanks.
Also when I do occasionally manage to get GPS to work, the fitness data associated is reported against distance related to step count not the actual GPS distance. So apart from the map, having GPS available is pretty pointless.

[Zoe645]

Hi - I am still having this issue. I have a fitbit versa4 on an iphone13.

I tracked my run today on the app, I ran just over 3.5 miles for about 30 minutes, I had the in-ear voice tracker telling me the distance, time etc. When I ended and saved the run, I refreshed my app to see the stats, and it had given the correct distance but said I was only running for 12 minutes, the map also stopped tracking after a mile, even though when I stopped the run I saw the whole loop. 

Extremely frustrating!

[mhouse]

GPS tracking was working ok until 4.26.1, now it’s flaking out again. The activity is still combining mile splits and making up a completely erroneous distance/pace. Zone minutes are also incorrect (fortunately correct in the zone min tile) These bug fixes and performance improvements continue to degrade the app and usefulness of the product.

 

[Kjogs]

I have been struggling off and one for quite some time with the GPS tracking failures. I used to be able to start an activity from my phone or from my device and it would track my location and distance perfectly.  Currently when I walk my neighborhood which is a 2 mile or so loop and the app continues to log it as a 1 mile walk in 36 minutes.    And the associated map is a bunch of straight lines crossing from all different location in my neighborhood, completely skipping side streets or jumping to the end of a curved street and tracking straight through a bunch of houses. This is the same experience as I see others have shared.

I thought it was my phone or the app so I followed the uninstall and reinstall update location services options and everything else regarding the phone, app and device connections.  That didn’t fix it. Then I thought it was an issue with my Charge 5 so I finally upgraded my device to a Charge 6 and that didn’t do anything to help either.  

What is going on here and why can’t FitBit get this to work like it used to!?  I am half tempted to just find another platform and device if this can’t be fixed.