Keep getting location service notifications

[xSynerGy]

Sorry guys I am so annoyed with the Fitbit app constantly asking for location service,  if I set it to never I get notifications on my iPhone saying it’s disabled or when I open the Fitbit app,  set It to when using app I get to track your exercises set location to always, and when it’s set to always I get notifications saying the app has been using always for x amount of days to save battery life save to only while using app.  It’s really silly and very annoying but please Fitbit admins don’t come back with troubleshooting suggestions as I have tried every trick from every forum and it does t resolve the issue.  If I could uninstall the app I would as I have never seen an app that has as many notifications or pop ups regarding location services as yours.

Moderator edit: updated subject for clarity

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @xSynerGy. Welcome to the Community Forums.

Thanks for letting me know that the Fitbit app keeps asking for location service, as well for the troubleshooting steps that you've tried on your own. Let me share that the Fitbit app will ask for your location services when using MobileRun or to update certain apps such as the weather on your Fitbit (if applicable). That said, since you keep getting those notifications even after disabling them, I'll need you to provide me with the following details:

• Your iPhone's model and OS version.
• Fitbit app version. You can find it within the App store.
• Screenshot of the messages that you're receiving. To attach them in your reply, check this post.
• Is the "Background App Refresh" option disabled for Fitbit under your phone's settings?

I'll look forward to your response.

[Sal04]

Same problem with inspire hr on iphone. Everything up to date.I’ve reinstalled app. I don’t want to set it to always. 
This just started a few days ago.

 I’m ready to pitch this thing, and look for a more reliable device.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @Sal04. Welcome to the forums.

Thanks for joining this thread and taking the time to share your feedback. As mentioned above, you're required to set the location services to "Always" only if you're tracking GPS data or to update certain apps, such as the Weather. Now, if you keep seeing a notification asking you to turn on the location services, please provide me with the information requested above so I can further investigate.

Keep me posted.

[adguy]

It is annoying to get frequent nudging to turn on location services for some feature I’ll never use. Can’t they make a setting to disallow location services altogether until you choose otherwise?

Sent from my iPhone

[xSynerGy]

iOS is 13.3.1

fitbit app version is 3.13
pic

and app refresh is enabled.

i get this notification constantly and I can’t turn off notifications in the Fitbit app as I won’t get any updates on remaining steps and the like  

 

[xSynerGy]

I have never known an app to put up as many  notifications as this app.  No matter if it’s set always or never a notification pops up every 15mins sometimes.  I don’t mind few times a month just to let you no location service is off or whatever but it’s beyond a joke done dats and only because I need the app to use with my versa 2 it would have been deleted months ago 

[123EW]

So far I found a solution

1-turn location setting to “ask next time”

2-then reopen Fitbit app  and set to “when using app” when it asks. 

This seemed to shut it up finally. 

[123EW]

Nope even worse. Now it randomly asks when the app is closed even though I have notifications off. Fix this FitBit. 

[123EW]

Yes it’s version 3.13. It didn’t do this until the latest update. I absolutely hate it. 

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @adguy. It's great to see you here and I'm sorry for the delayed response.

Thanks for sharing that you're getting a notification to turn on the location services. As mentioned above, the location services are required just when tracking GPS data or when using some features, such as Weather. If you're not going to use those features, you can leave the location services off and you shouldn't be asked to turn on the location services unless you go to the MobileRun screen in the Fitbit app.

That said, if you're asked to turn on the location in your phone while being in any other screen from the Fitbit app, please verify if the Fitbit app is updated and let me know your phone's model and iOS version to further investigate.

Keep me posted.

[JBDow]

The Pop-ups don't occur every time any more … Just when I start to walk, which is almost the same thing.  The app on my apple phone is 3.13.  Since there was a slight improvement , I assumed this is as good as it will get.

A while bake, some one from Fitbit posted that the "Always On" was "required".  I responded by asking what is the consequence of not turning it on?  Nobody answered that question.  I ca tell you after several months of saying no thanks, there does not seem to be any. So nobody has explained they can't simply remember my preference like it did prior to rev 3.12.

[adguy]

Here’s the info:
iPhone 5s 12.4.3
Fitbit app 3.13
Just now the app again reminded me to allow location services while I was just syncing.

Sent from my iPhone

[xSynerGy]

So no reply from customer service or support just shows how much you like your customers and why your losing customers left right and centre.  What bit of no thanks does t Fitbit understand on the app, or is this a ploy to monitor my activity and data for your own purposes 

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi everyone. I'm glad to see you here in the forums and I'm sorry for the delayed response.

Thanks for taking the time to share that you keep being prompt to turn on the location services. I totally understand how you're feeling about this matter and appreciate any step tried on your own to work on this. I've shared all your details to our team so they can further investigate. As soon as I receive details from our team, I'll update this thread.

@xSynerGy and @adguy, thanks for getting back with the screenshot and the requested details.

If you have any other question, feel free to let me know.

[xSynerGy]

No I am happy for you to put it in the hands of your team and hope to hear from you soon as this problem is very annoying and both my wife and son have the same issue to the point we’re my son has stopped using the app completely as he says it is spoiling the use of the app as the location service notifications constantly pop up to.

[LizzyFitbit]

Hi @xSynerGy. I'm glad to see you here again and I'm sorry for the delayed response.

Thanks for getting back and sharing your feedback about this matter. I know how you and your family are feeling about this constant prompt asking to turn on the location services. Be sure that our team is working hard on this matter so you can enjoy the experience with your Fitbit devices and the Fitbit app.

I'll be around if you need anything else.

[fourthirty]

Hi LizzyFitbit,

I'm a Charge 2 user running iOS 13.3.  In past versions of app, Fitbit was able to track my GPS exercise when I selected "While Using the App" in the iOS Location Settings.

However, Fitbit now requires this setting to be "Always".  Could you kindly clarify why this has changed?

I find this unacceptable and an invasion of my privacy.  My family and I invested heavily in the Fitbit ecosystem over the past several years.  However, if this is not changed we may need to find other solutions.  Like others mention above, I'm tired of the constant popup message daily when I walk/run.

Thank you,

Greg

[fourthirty]

Hi LizzyFitbit,

Are there any updates that you can share regarding the requirement to have iOS location services set to “Always” versus “While Using the App”?

Thank you,

Greg

[thenameless1]

@fourthirty  There was already an answer provided by @LizzyFitbit  in another thread available here. https://community.fitbit.com/t5/iOS-App/Background-App-Refresh-Affecting-GPS/td-p/3913933

If you would like to stop the pop ups you can set your location to never or while using the app, but then you also have to turn off all day sync and background app refresh.

The change from "while using the app" to "always" occurred right around the Google announcement. If you currently have background app refresh turned on i would suggest you go to settings->battery and check out the fitbit app usage.  It seems as though fitbit is using that "always" setting to track their users 24/7.