Experiencing problems with your Fitbit? Where to get help.
As good as Fitbit fitness trackers are, sometimes you’ll run into problems. It’s part of the territory. Buy a device from any wearable manufacturer and sooner or later you will need some help.
In this article we provide an overview on what to do – everything from troubleshooting to Fitbit customer help options. Want go get some help but not sure where to turn to? Read on.
Jump to
Solving most common Fitbit problems
Is your Fitbit still under warranty?
Contact Fitbit Customer Support – your options
The Fitbit Community is a great source of info
Solving most common Fitbit problems
The most common solution to any problem is restarting your fitness tracker or smartwatch. It is always the first port of call as this will often fix internal problems the wearable might be having. Think of it like restarting a computer – this usually solves issues you might be experiencing with your laptop or PC.
Don’t equate this to a factory reset. With a factory reset all your data will be wiped from your device. A restart simply switches the device off an re-boots it. All you data will still be safely there.
Restarting your wearable is very easy. On the Charge range you are meant to hold the button on the left until you see the smiley icon and the tracker vibrates. This typically takes about 8 seconds. Your Fitbit will restart and hopefully the problems will be a thing of the past.
If you have a smartwatch, the procedure is pretty much the same. On Versa, Sense or Ionic, press and hold the button until you see the Fitbit logo on the screen. Let go of the button.
This may or may not resolve your issue. It really depends on what the problem is. To help we have a ‘how to‘ archive. Articles here go into very much detail on specific issues. Below is a selection but you can find more by clicking on the above link.
How do I update my Fitbit?
Choosing the right Fitbit strap size to buy, measuring your wrist
How to factory reset your Fitbit fitness tracker or smartwatch
What to do if your Fitbit activity tracker or smartwatch is not charging
Troubleshooting Fitbit and Strava connection issues
What to do if GPS keeps dropping on your Fitbit Charge 4
How to update time on a Fitbit smartwatch or fitness tracker
Blank screen on Charge 4 or problems setting up? Here’s what to do.
Fitbit Versa battery not lasting? Try this.
Fitbit floors climbed not accurate? This is the fix.
How to fix text/call vibrating notifications on a Fitbit
Is your Fitbit still under warranty?
Hopefully one of these solutions will have resolved any issue you might be experiencing. If not there’s always the odd chance your wearable might be faulty. What you should do first is check if your device is still under warranty. If it is you should be able to exchange it for a new one – free of charge.
The typical warranty on Fitbit products is one year from the date of purchase for those living in the US and 2 years for EU customers. You can find warranty info on this page.
This is, of course, if you purchased from Fitbit or one of its authorized sellers. Get your device from someone on eBay and the warranty option might not be available to you. Individual retailers also have options for returning items. For example, Amazon operates a one month return policy on most of its purchases.
Fitbit also offers a 45-day money back guarantee. But this is only for fitbit.com purchases. A good reason to consider buying from their website.
Where to find the serial number on your Fitbit
You should make a note of the serial number of your wearable before attempting to return it. Unfortunately this information cannot be found in the Fitbit smartphone app. Nor can it be found engraved on the device itself.
Instead you’ll need to find it on the box your tracker came when you purchased it. It should be on the side or bottom of the packaging. You’ll notice a label with two long bar codes. Next to the second one you’ll see the serial number – it is usually a 12 digit number.
If you don’t have the box there is another solution – but only if you have a Fitbit smartwatch. Power up your device, go to the Settings screen and choose Regulatory Information. Your serial number should be there.
This last solution doesn’t work for fitness trackers such as the Charge range or Inspire. But you can try and locate the serial number is to go through any purchase receipts or email order confirmations. Or you could contact Fitbit Support as they are likely to have the serial number of the device associated with your Fitbit account.
Contact Fitbit Customer Support
You’ve tried everything and are still having problems with your Fitbit. Now it’s time to contact Customer Support to evaluate your situation with their internal tools. There are a few options here to choose from.
You can find details on some of them in the Fitbit smartphone app. Open it up, click on your picture to access your account page – and select the “Help & Support” option.
Call them
If you’d like to speak to soon on the phone, Fitbit operates a calling service in the US between Monday – Friday, 4:00 AM – 9:00 PM – the telephone number is: (877) 623-4997. The Fitbit Customer Support number in the UK is 0800 069 8505.
Live Chat
It might be easier, however, to go via the Live Chat route. You can find the link here. Fill in a few details about yourself, about the problems with your Fitbit, provide details on the product – and you’re set to go.
There might be a queue. If there is you’ll see a countdown, i.e. how many people are in front of you. The good thing about this option is that once you are connected, you are speaking to in real-time to a support person.
Another good thing is that in some countries such as the US, the chat operates around the clock. Got a problem at 3 in the morning – no problem. Someone will be there to help you.
At the end of your conversation you’ll have an option to download a transcript of the whole conversation. Useful, particularly when dealing with technical issues.
Email them
This one is another easy solution. Fire off an email detailing your issue to support@fitbit.com or fitbit-support@fitbit.com. It might take up to 2 days to get a response but someone will come back to you.
Twitter support
Fitbit also offers a Twitter option. Choose @FitbitSupport via the app and you can fire away a tweet about your issue. The company says someone should come back to you within 6 hours. You can also upload supporting photos to your tweet.
The Fitbit Community forum is a great source of info
This one is our favorite. The Fitbit Community forum has thousands and thousands of posts from people on pretty much every Fitbit topic. Most of these are written by regular users, but the forums are moderated and you will find answers to most of your questions.
Information on new software updates can also be found here. Sometimes it’s good to wait a while before refreshing your firmware as there might be issues. Have a look to see what others are posting. If many of them are experiencing a problem, you might want to hold off on installing that flashy new firmware update.
You can search the forum for your particular issue, access threads for particular devices and open new threads detailing the problems with your Fitbit. Others who’ve dealt with similar issues are very likely to jump in and reply, along with Fitbit moderators.
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After the update last week on my versa Fitbit it will not connect or sync to phone. I see on all of the reviews in the google app store that no one can use their fitbit. Is there any update on this issue? I work in the medical field and my watch and texts are vital for me to receive.