Turn off “Enable location services” prompt

[rigilbert]

Every time I go to the Fitbit app on my iPhone, I get a prompt asking me to “Enable location services”. I’m quite capable of turning on location services for gps tracking of exercise when I wish to, thank you very much.

It only started happening with the most recent app update and I find this “pop-up” to be very annoying and intrusive. I most certainly don’t want to see it every flippin’ time I go to the app.

Is there a way to disable it?

[rayfl]

This has suddenly started happening for me in the last two weeks, and enabling location sharing to "While Using" did not fix it for me. However, I followed the advice in this thread - to set it to "Always", re-launch app, then go back and change it to "While Using", and it has resolved it for me - no more prompts (yet).

Clearly there's a bug in the software somewhere, and if this was unresolvable, then it would finally have made me abandon Fitbit, as I wouldn't be comfortable with always sharing my location even when the app isn't running

[Flynz]

Sorted the problem.  Partly. 

under settings on the watch I have set gps to inbuilt gps. 

then when you exit App you close it completely. On my IPhone that’s double  hit home and swipe up.  When you reopen the app the pop up does not appear. It will appear if you minimise.  Won’t if you close it each time. 

[WTFhowmanynames]

I’m watching the reply as I am having the same issues! 

[msrw]

"I have fixed the problem for myself. As it seems Fitbit is unwilling to fix it. My new Apple Watch arrives next week. After 5 years and 4 Fitbit products moving on due to the rude and unhelpful “help” with this issue. Goodbye Fitbit."

I am doing the same after 5 years and about 10 Fitbit products for my wife and myself.  That Fitbit has now required location services to always be on rather than allow the user to determine that; and that Fitbit is now placing large recipe ads on the calorie tracking page that users cannot remove even if they have no interest in recipes are really deal breakers.

[msrw]

Same here.  

[SunsetRunner]

This is VERY ANNOYING.  Apple Watch is looking more attractive every time I have to bypass this message.  

[Marmie127]

Thanks for the suggestion, rayfl. I'll try that.

I posted the same question on 11/14 (https://community.fitbit.com/t5/iOS-App/Turn-on-location-message-won-t-go-away/m-p/4579496#M144276) and got the generic canned answer that I have to turn on location services to always. NOPE. I came to the forum to see if there were better responses and found this old thread from 2019 on the first page.

[Sarahfcrist]

Me too! So annoying and my versa 2 won’t even sync anymore!! 

[Padster]

I have had  the same issue and have found that if I log in to the web dashboard (not the app) and switch GPS off in the device settings these incredibly intrusive and annoying requests stop.

I hope it works for you.

[msrw]

Padster posted:

"I have had  the same issue and have found that if I log in to the web dashboard (not the app) and switch GPS off in the device settings these incredibly intrusive and annoying requests stop."

Thanks for sharing this.  I followed your recommendation on turning off GPS in the web dashboard.  So far at least, I'm still getting the request to turn on location services always whenever I log onto the Fitbit app.

The message shared by Flynz earlier in this string did work for me with a Charge 4.  That is:

1. Go into Settings on your Fitbit device

2. Go to GPS Settings

3. Set GPS Mode to "Built-in GPS"

4. Open your Fitbit App and close it completely (don't just minimize it)  And when next you open your Fitbit App the location services message should not appear.

5. If you simply minimize the Fitbit App the location services message WILL still appear.  So you may just need to fully close the app whenever you access it.

Not a perfect solution, but better than always seeing the location services prompt.

[Jhayesuf]

@MarcoGFitbit @GraceGFitbit 

have we still not come up with an answer to this problem after two years?!?! I do not want my location set to always and I do not want to keep seeing these notifications every time I switch to the app. 

[NCFatBoy]

Based on the fact that Fitbit people were originally contributing to this thread and have stopped, it is clear they do not intend to correct this problem. They are intent on annoying their customers to the point of getting the customers to select "always" to enable Fitbit to access your location data. Location enablement has nothing to do with syncing. It does not matter where in the world you are when you sync. 

As for the pop up message, it is likely not generated by the app itself, but the FitBit server is checking the phone settings, seeing it is not set to "always" and issuing the message to the app to be displayed to the user. 

This sucks FitBit. Fix it.

[Padster]

Thanks. What I thought fixed it didn’t. I’ll try this. 

[jjjjames]

Honestly the solution is not to buy a fitbit.  Didn't realize I'll need to prioritize "no pop-ups" when researching my next watch.

[Jhayesuf]

I have talked 5 people out of getting a Fitbit because of it. Should be a very easy fix. 

[NCFatBoy]

It is an easy fit. Fitbit is trying to determine if they can use location
services to be a tracking agent for CovID 19. It's stupidly annoying.

--
John

[BradMCK]

This is ridiculous and irritating, I love  my Fitbit and the app using it for over 4 years ... but beginning to despise this irritating bug... pls fix it Fitbit 

[Bpatter49]

Looks like if you go to your Fitbit device and disable the gps on the exercise portion, it will stop asking you on the app

[Jhayesuf]

It does not.  I have had all gps services turned off on my fitbit for months and it still asks.