Why is my Sense or other Fitbit not connecting to Bluetooth?
Why is my Sense, Versa, Charge or other Fitbit not connecting to Bluetooth? If you’re having that issue, the solution is sometimes quite simple. It is applicable to other Fitbits, too.
A Bluetooth connection is important. Without it the fitness tracker or smartwatch on your wrist is unable to communicate with the smartphone app. This is the feature that allows you to share your health and fitness data.
There have been quite a few posts on Fitbit forums of people not being able to connect their wearable to the smartphone’s Bluetooth. Recently it seems to be a particular problem for those with a Sense smartwatch.
Everything is okay for a while, but suddenly the connection just drops. The Bluetooth has disconnected and will not reconnect. A few have said that they are able to link Sense to the smartphone, but not the Sense controls. Some have even gone as far as returning their device.
Here’s what to do if you’re experiencing the issue.
Why is my Fitbit not connecting to Bluetooth?
Some basics
Let’s get the basics out of the way first. Have you received an error message? If yes, it might provide a clue into the problem. You might, for example, get a message such as “Go to app and pair Sence.”
When trying to sync it is a good idea to have as few Bluetooth devices connected to your smartphone as possible. Fitbit says that having more than one device might interfere with the connection. Bluetooth can get confused with multiple pairings.
Typically a Fitbit can communicate with your smartphone within a 20-30 foot range. Anything above that and it will struggle. It might even need to be closer depending on where you are. Walls, certain materials can effect the signal.
The final basic is to make sure you’ve updated your software. Both the smartphone app and wearable. This is important as new software brings with it bug fixes. Instructions on how to install firmware updates can be found in this article.
You’re not receiving any error message, you are next to your phone, your software is up to date, as far as you can tell nothing is interfering with the signal. What now?
It could be a connection issue
Perhaps it’s a connection issue. In many cases you should be able to resolve this quite easily.
Start off by switching the Bluetooth on your phone to off. This can be found in the settings. Do the same with any devices that might be nearby.
Now, force quit the Fitbit app, and restart your phone. Reboot your Fitbit wearable as well. Explanation on how to do this can be found here. Don’t worry – this is only a restart not a factory reset. All your data will still be there.
The next step is to go to the settings on your phone and switch Bluetooth back on. Open the Fitbit app.
If the connection is still not there, try restarting your phone again and opening the app. Do the same with the Fitbit device.
Still no joy?
In the app choose your profile picture. Go to Set Up a Device, choose your wearable and then tap on Replace Device. This will attempt to repair your watch or fitness tracker with the phone. Simply follow the instructions provided. Depending on the device that you have, you may be prompted to enter a 4 digit number to approve the connection.
You can even try a factory reset on the wearable and go through the re-installation and pairing process once agin. But know that this will delete any unsynced data on your fitness tracker or smartwatch.
A few more things to try
If it still doesn’t work, you can try logging into your Fitbit device on another phone, tablet or computer. If this solves the problem then there could be an issue with your smartphone.
Another solution is to remove all other Fitbit devices from your account and from the list of connected Bluetooth devices on your mobile devices. Then try to sync.
The final solution
Fitbit offers different avenues for help. You can contact customer support via phone, email, Twitter or Live Chat.
My favorite is this last option as it works 24/7 and you can access it through the Fitbit smartphone app. The support staff will walk you through troubleshooting steps.
Who knows, your Fitbit might be faulty. They’ll be able to tell. If it’s still under warranty you might be able to exchange it for a new one free of charge.
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