Steps change after sync with iPhone app

[gvanzant1]

I recently got a Charge 2 and since I don't trust it's step count accuracy, I've also been wearing my Zip.  I wear my Charge 2 on my non-dominant left wrist and my Zip in my left pocket.  I've noticed after syncing these with my iPhone app, the app will show a step count that is different from my two Fitbits, and it's usually higher.  For example, yesterday, I looked at my Charge 2 and it read 5,085 steps.  I tapped it several times and it kept showing 5,085.  I then checked my Zip and it showed 5,825 steps.  I then opened the Fitbit app on my iPhone and let it sync (I have All-Day Sync disabled).  For a few seconds the app showed 5,825, and then it went to 6,412.  I then looked at my Charge 2 and sure enough, it read 6,412.  What causes this change?

[MarcoGFitbit]

Hello @gvanzant1, I hope you're having a great day, it's nice to see you around! 

Have you updated the Fitbit app and restarted your trackers recently? Also, do you have MobileTrack set up on your phone? If so, it's possible that MobileTrack is adding steps that are being recorded by the phone itself, when the app syncs all 3 it will take the highest count and show the total on the app, your Zip and your Charge 2. 

If you're not using MobileTrack, let's try performing an accuracy test with each of your devices to verify that the accuracy is working fine. Please remember to perform this test with each tracker individually. 

To perform an accuracy test:

1. Restart your tracker
2. Put your wrist-based tracker on your wrist or put your clip-on tracker on your hip or torso.
3. Check your current step count
4. Walk 100 steps, making sure to count a step each time one of your feet hits the ground.
5. Pause, then check your tracker to see your step count.

If the step count shows a very large discrepancy, please let me know. Additionally, I would like to suggest that as a test, please use only one tracker at a time for 1 or 2 days and check if the step count is still off. 

I hope this can be helpful, give it a try and keep me posted in case you need anything else! 

[Julia_G]

Hi, @gvanzant1, this is almost certainly caused by wearing two Fitbits at the same time linked to the same account, which Fitbit does not recommend because it can cause discrepancies in the data.

If you would like to compare your Zip and your Charge 2 you might want to temporarily set one of them up on a different account and then "friend" each other.

[ezra802]

I'm having a similar problem. My fitbit zip says I have 4285 steps, then i sync it with my phone and the step count drops to 3923. Then the fitbit itself pulls in that info from the phone, and now only displays 3923. 

I took the battery out, waited 10 seconds and restarted it but it's still happening. 

[MarcoGFitbit]

Hello @ezra802, thanks for joining us, it's a pleasure for me to welcome you to the Fitbit Community. 

I appreciate you have shared your experience with us and for letting us know you have already restarted your Zip by taking out the battery for 10 seconds. Tell me, do you have any other tracker linked to your account or MobileTrack set up? If so, I would like to suggest you to remove them from the account and use your Zip for 24 hours and monitor it. If this happens again, please let me know so I can check this further. 

Lastly, please update the Fitbit app to its latest version as we have just released a new update. 

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