Won't sync without wifi

[LaurenEM]

I have been trying to sync my tracker with my app and it won't sync unless there is wifi. It also hasnt logged any steps without me having wifi or since I've updated. It keeps saying I have less steps then I have take. I don't know what to do?! Help!!!

[Michael_Flores]

I’ve read this entire thread and I’m having this issue repeatedly and it is very frustrating.  The app doesn’t recognize an internet connection over cellular. Period. End of story. I’m typing this message in the forum using a cellular internet connection. Yet the app doesn’t think I’m logged in. There is no wifi available yet I’m on the internet.  I’ve done all the steps outlined by Marco.  Now I can’t log back into the app because the app thinks there is no internet connection. I couldn’t be typing this if I didn’t have an internet connection.  What a horrible user experience and will cause me to find another non-fitbit product next time I’m in the market. 

[Zayin_451]

I am having the same very frustrating experience with the app.

It bothers me that this thread is marked as "Solved" when there are identical complaints dating back several years and the issue still exists.  None of the "Solutions" here solve the problem.  None of the explanations for why it is happening make any sense.

I am a recent Charge 2 owner.  My app worked fine for a week and a half or so and then suddenly stopped syncing.  It turns out that the issues was that the app did not realize that I was logged in when I am not on Wifi (note that it claims I AM logged in, but I actually have to manually log off and then log back in for it to register me and let me sync over bluetooth).  That solution only works over WIFI.  If I happen to not be on wifi and only on a data connection, the app claims my username and password are incorrect (They are not.  They work perfectly fine on the website, and as soon as I'm on WIFI my credentials work again)

You can't say that this is working as advertised.  It's clearly broken.  And beyond that, it's a terrible concept to require the data to be uploaded to the internet at the same time as it is synced to our device (Are you selling our statistics and data?  Because that's the only reason I could see for this to be happening.)

I'm using an Android phone.  OnePlus 6 running Android 9, OxygenOS 9.0.4.  All permissions for the Fitbit app are turned on.  The app is fully updated to the most recent version (released March 5th, 2019).

According to the colossal wall of one star Google Reviews for the app, I'm not alone in this.

[Dicampok]

My husband and I heartily agree with you!!!

[Outrigger999]

This isn't a solved solution for those of us who use the the Fitbit as a watch as well. I was recently on a cruise with very little internet connectivity and a number of timezone changes. In this use case, I cannot change the time on the watch since it requires a sync with an internet connection. The argument that the watch stores data goes both ways. Allow a sync with no internet connection and where there is one there, you can have your precious data!

[Lee-5386]

For sale Fitbit Versa, near useless for people that like hikes that aren't in built up areas

Remote areas without internet access watch is next to useless, not updated time or syncing with phone app

I feel very robbed by this purchase which does not work for me

[Magooo]

Yes finally someone with the same thought process. Why do we need WiFi AND Bluetooth? Doesn’t make much sense 

[Jag98]

This is a very frustrating feature of Fitbit. While traveling I rarely have mobile data or wifi and the watch doesn't even sync to show the right time, keeps showing the wrong time zone. Please try and get this fixed - if I were to pick one reason to dump Fitbit this would be it!

[SunsetRunner]

Obviously it's designed like this on purpose ... Lots of product strategy thoughts go into choosing features like this , and often you would A/B test the idea for highest client retention, etc... It would be very easy to make the phone a buffer , to push to cloud only when there's internet connection but still read ahead from the tracker and display it at all times. But that would be bad for business... 

[SunsetRunner]

Most likely not a bug but a strategic decision... 

[Lee-5386]

a decision which means

- I can't compete with friends and then re sync after finished workout

- means the "watch / time" feature renders totally useless as not able to update timezone without connection

- basically are not within your country, hiking, camping, long flights, or semi built up areas the Fitbit is useless and a waste of money

Fitbit - #not Fit for purpose other than Urban use

[SunsetRunner]

Agreed... For hard core nature lovers, garmin seems a much better choice.
I for one play lots of squash and Fitbit was one of the very few with tennis exercise.
Most people live and work out in urban areas...
The only problem i have with Fitbit products is that they look and feel a bit cheap. My charge 3 comes with a terrible plastic strap instead of standard silicone . Also, very little thought or effort has been put into designing the clock faces ( or even the icons for that matter). Lots of people complaining on forums about that.





Sent from my Samsung Galaxy smartphone.

[Terface52]

This is NOT okay! I have Internet access through my cellular service for everything else, so why can’t Fitbit use my cell service? 

[JacenHorn]

Please push up that many of us would like to be able to sync our tracker via BLE w/o being connected to the internet [Wi-Fi or Cellular], saving w/i [device] app and sending it on when reconnected.

-From a sailor who deploys at sea for months at a time

[TheDaveBit]

Thank you so much for posting this I was just on the Fitbit customer service and their smug **ahem** representative kept telling me I was basically an idiot because the device Hass to have Wi-Fi and update and I kept telling him no it doesnt my old device never needed that. Needless to say he could care less and he was a complete **ahem** so I googled it and sure enough it’s a problem other people have had thank you again. Really appreciate the time it took you to post this

[l0ta]

Hi! What about android? I don't have those options. And I am only able to connect to internet via wifi... 😞

[Micsb]

Bluetooth actually uses wifi at higher bandwith transmissions, this is done in the background as a point to point communication between the two devices. It might be some mobiles, when deactivating wifi, also disables the option for Bluetooth to utilize the wifi protocol for data transfer between the Fitbit watch and the mobile phone. It works fine with my mobile using cellular internet connection and synchronizing with the fitbit. I never disable wifi.

[ChrisF-Alta]

I totally agree with Bryan. It is ridiculous that one needs wifi in order to keep one’s Versa 3 in sync with the Fitbit app. On a cruise, I don’t necessarily get a wifi package as they are quite expensive. The fact that my Fitbit Verse 3 cannot keep the proper time because I can’t sync it to my Fitbit app without wifi is more than annoying. It can mean missing a tour if I am relying that the time on my Versa is correct. And since the cruises I take can be from a week to two weeks, it means my Versa 3 is providing incorrect information for all that time. Since bluetooth does not require wifi, I don’t understand why the app can’t simply work off of bluetooth.