A growing number of Fitbit Charge 5 owners are complaining that a recent software update caused their fitness tracker to stop working, but Fitbit is currently denying that the issue is related to the firmware.
A pinned post at the top of the official Charge 5 forum about the device’s latest firmware (version 194.91) currently has over 400 comments, with many owners wondering if their updated tracker will stop charging overnight? , and even complain that it “becomes completely unresponsive.”
We reached out to Google, which has owned Fitbit since 2019, for an updated answer on the issue and its causes. So far, Google has only issued a statement to the BBC denying that a Charge 5 firmware update is the cause of the issue.
“We are still investigating this issue, but we can confirm that a recent firmware update is not the cause,” a Google spokesperson said in a statement. The tech giant added, “Users should continue to update their devices to the latest firmware and contact Fitbit Customer Service (help.fitbit.com) if they experience any issues.”
But this is unlikely to quell the growing frustration on the Fitbit forums. Some users understandably regret updating their Charge 5, and when they report (in the case of user “Gevans1388” on the forum) that the new one was even offered his 35% discount on Fitbit. problem.
Some users suggest restarting your Fitbit or resetting it to factory settings. Settings > Device Information > Clear User Data, press and release the “Hold 3 Sec” button for 3 seconds. However, this is not recommended by Google or Fitbit, and is not an option if your device is unresponsive.
We’ll update this article as soon as we hear from Fitbit.
Fitbit’s new commotion
These Charge 5 issues are the latest in a long line of controversies and disasters that have occurred since Google acquired Fitbit in 2019. Just recently, Fitbit had to offer a fig leaf to its irate fans in the form of some much-requested app fixes. .
This followed a widely reported issue in 2022 that caused the Charge to disconnect from Bluetooth, destroying many users’ sleep tracking graphs. Fitbit also ended the ability to download music files to smartwatches such as the Versa 3 and the original Fitbit Sense in October 2022. This leads me to the conclusion that Google’s slow destruction of Fitbit is everything that’s wrong with modern technology.
Please note that not all Charge 5 owners are having issues after the 194.91 software update. For example, forum user “bbunge” said he was able to update “without a problem” and that the new firmware actually improved his battery life by “a few days.” Google’s current position is also that the firmware is not the cause of the reported issue.
But the overwhelming consensus from hundreds of comments on the Fitbit forums is that people are experiencing a variety of issues after the latest firmware update, ranging from battery drain to completely unresponsive devices. And while last year’s app redesign was rather inconvenient, it’s no wonder these seemingly software-driven issues are causing even more outrage.
We’ll be following up with Google and Fitbit again soon and will update this article as soon as we receive further advice on what to do if you run into any of the Charge 5 issues.