Versa won't sync with iPhone app

[colt4]

I had my Versa working perfectly until I decided to deregister it from the PC I use to transfer music and register it with another Windows 10 PC.

Now my Versa won't sync with my iPhone. I removed the device from the iPhone app and tried to add it again. Now the app now won't find the Versa.

Uninstalling the app and restarting the device won't help: I've had this problem before and the only way to fix it is to reset the Versa to factory defaults and set it up from scratch.

This is annoying and the developers should look at this (I'm pretty sure this is a repeatable problem).

[MarcoGFitbit]

Hello @colt4, I hope you're doing well, it's nice to see you around. 

Thanks for bringing this to my attention and for letting me know the troubleshooting steps you've tried so far. If your Versa is still having trouble setting up, please try the following steps in order:

1. Turn off Bluetooth on your phone; wait 10 seconds, and then turn it back on.
2. Make sure you have a strong WiFi signal and that there are no other Bluetooth devices around that might interfere with the setup process.
3. Restart your Versa once again.
4. If you can't set up after a restart, reboot your phone or tablet and try to set up again.
5. If you can't set up after the reboot, remove all other Fitbit devices from your account and from the list of connected Bluetooth devices on your phone or tablet and try to set up the Versa one more time. 

I hope this can be helpful, give it a try and keep me posted!

[colt4]

Thanks

I tried all of these steps last time so I just went straight to the solution that I know worked and reset the Versa to factory defaults.

I did still have one major problem: it wouldn't pair with the phone during the set up. I put in the pair code into the app and nothing happened. I ended up restarting then reinstalling the app and the same thing happened. When I gave up and restarted the app again it sync'd with the Versa so I thought it had paired even though I just got the spinning wheel (or whatever the icon is). This was a mistake because later, I found notifications weren't working and when I tried to fix it in the app it said it wasn't paired with the phone.

The solution was to go to my phone's bluetooth settings and forget the Versa then re-add it.

It's a pretty flaky process and if I didn't do tech for a living there are several points where I would have thought the device was defective (e.g taking minutes to connect with the phone rather than seconds) and returned it.

[SunsetRunner]

A comment, if I may, @colt4. As someone in the tech field (as I am), you can recognize that sometimes it is not enough to perform the right tasks. Often, when multiple devices are involved, it is necessary to perform the steps in the right order to get the proper handshaking completed and everything in sync. That is why @MarcoGFitbit and many of us will list steps in numbered order. 

Sorry if I’m lecturing. You probably know all this. (As evidenced by the excellent trouble shooting you did.) I’m glad you persevered without giving up. But I just wanted to make a point for others reading these posts. 

[colt4]

Hi

Thanks for your reply. I went straight to the solution I know works and factory reset the Versa.

I had still had problems: the phone app took minutes to find the Versa, nothing happened when I entered the pair code, I restarted Versa and the app, reinstalled the app) and tried several times. Eventually I thought it had paired because the versa synced with the app. This was a mistake because later, notifications weren't working and when I checked in the app it said the versa wasn't paired.

The solution (and a potential missing step  in your reply) was to go to my phone's bluetooth settings, forget the Versa connection, then re-add it.

I accept that when the process works, it works well. However, when it goes wrong, it's pretty unforgiving and if I didn't work for a tech company there are several points where I would have assumed the device was defective and sent it back.

UPDATE:

It's a good point. I and accept that some of these problems are likely to be beyond Fitbit's control.

[MarcoGFitbit]

Hello @colt4, I hope you're doing well, thanks for taking the time to reply. It's nice to see you around too @SunsetRunner, thanks for all your help. 

@colt4, we really appreciate our members's input and feedback and I would like to thank you for yours. Our team is always looking to improve the Fitbit experience and I appreciate you have shared your experience and the troubleshooting steps you've performed in order to resolve this issue. 

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 and if there's anything else I can do for you, please keep me posted!

[LouisaD]

This exact thing happened to me. It was like customer service didn't believe me. I am returning the watch. I was initially thinking I got a lemon, but not I'm wondering if Apple is making it hard to use the Versa because it is competition to the iWatch.

[colt4]

I don't think Apple are doing it deliberately but they don't design their products to be open.

One thing I think is confusing is that even if your Versa looks like it's syncing with your iPhone, it doesn't necessarily mean everything is fine with the Bluetooth connection. Next time I have a problem (God help me I'm thinking of buying a new laptop), I'm going to try deleting the Bluetooth connection first, or at least try the troubleshooting steps above.

[pkramer]

It is very frustrating, after less than 4 months my Versa won't sync. I have to reset it and my iphone everyday just to get it to sync.  I've very disappointed..

[SunsetRunner]

Thanks for the reply, @colt4. I appreciate it. 

[MarcoGFitbit]

Hello @pkramer and @LouisaD, thanks for joining the conversation, it's a pleasure for me to welcome you to the Fitbit Community. It's nice to see you too @SunsetRunner and @colt4, I hope you're doing well.

@LouisaD, thanks for sharing your experience and for letting us know you've already contacted our Support Team. I was able to check with them and it seems they had provided some options as you mentioned you'd like to return your Versa. If you'd like to keep troubleshooting this issue, please reply to them as they will be handling your case form now on. 

@pkramer, if your Versa is not syncing correctly, I would like to suggest you the following:

• Make sure the latest version of the Fitbit app is installed on your phone.
• The software on your mobile device is up to date. To check, tap Settings > General > Software Update.
• Make sure there are no other Bluetooth devices around as they might interfere with the syncing process
• Check that your Fitbit device's battery isn't critically low.

If your device still won't sync, try these steps:

1. Force quit the Fitbit app. 
2. Go to Settings > Bluetooth and turn Bluetooth off and back on.
3. Open the Fitbit app.
4. If your Fitbit device didn't sync, restart your phone again.
5. Open the Fitbit app.
6. If your Fitbit device didn't sync, restart it one more time.
7. If your Fitbit device won't sync after the restart, log in to your Fitbit account on a different phone, tablet, or computer and try to sync.
8. If your Fitbit device still doesn’t sync, remove all other Fitbit devices from your account and from the list of connected Bluetooth devices on your mobile device and try to sync.

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

[Rick_87]

I am having similar sync issues.  The versa connected flawlessly for a couple months then wouldn’t hold sync with my phone.  While in the bluetooth settings on my phone I could see the watch pick up then lose connection with my phone over and over again.  I have gone through all of the trouble shooting steps listed multiple times.  Fitbit then sent me a replacement (refurbished) versa and it is worse then the original.  In the app you can see the versa saying syncing...looking....connected over and over again and notifications are intermittent,  I assume because the connection is intermittent.  Again have gone through all of these steps to reset multiple times with the new watch same results as before.  I have 2 iphone 6s one for work one for personal use.  I wear bluetooth headphones at work and have never had bluetooth issues and my personal phone connects to my car and various bluetooth speakers without any issues.  Not sure if this is an issue the versa has with iphone 6 but I am highly frustrated with this and am on the verge of returning the watch and starting to look into a more reliable product. 

[Katie765]

I have restarted, rebooted, reloaded etc, etc multiple times and still cannot download the software to my iphone 6 - it goes to about 5% and stays there.  Besides giving up and getting an apple watch, what is the solution to this problem!  I am super frustrated over the 10+ hours I have spent on this problem since Christmas and am just exactly where I started - without a working watch!!!  No excuse for this poor performance!

[Katie765]

And by the way, it does the same thing with my Mom's android phone - the "update" doesn't get past the first tiny bit.

[Rick_87]

Are you doing the update over wifi or bluetooth?  I found the bluetooth option rarely works and when it does it takes forever. 

[DAldrich1]

@Rick_87, I am having similar issues right now and I followed the instructions given above. My understanding is that following those instructions would be doing so over bluetooth. Is there a different way?