Like the Fitbit Versa, I’ve had my share of quirky moments with the Fitbit Charge 3. These tips address Bluetooth connections, connected GPS, and receiving notifications.
With the Versa, I had syncing issues, as several others did but the Charge 3 has synced reliably for me. The issues I was having was not receiving notifications and not being able to use connected GPS. All of this stemmed from the fact that the Charge 3 and my iPhone were not paired correctly.
They were paired enough to sync over my steps and workouts but not to receive notifications and use connected GPS for outdoor workouts such as biking, hiking, walking, etc.,
Well, here is what I did and so far it’s working. Knock on wood.
When setting up a Fitbit device you want to make sure that no other Bluetooth devices are connected to the phone. The only other device that was connected was the Apple Watch Series 4. So I turned the Apple Watch off.
If you have any other Fitbit devices already connected through the Fitbit app, it would probably be a good idea to remove them through the app before setting up a new Fitbit device.
These are instructions for use with an iPhone but much of it is applicable to Android phones as well, especially making sure no other Bluetooth devices are connected when setting up, or repairing Bluetooth connections.
Not Able to Receive Notifications
When trying to enable notifications on the Charge 3 through the Fitbit app the menu selection for notification would endlessly try to load. This made it impossible to set up notifications and this is a telltale sign that the Charge 3 and the phone it is connected to is not communicating correctly. If connected GPS isn’t working. That’s another sign.
So I checked my Bluetooth settings on my iPhone and noticed that the Charge 3 was not listed as being connected. The only other device that was connected was the Apple Watch.
If your Charge 3 isn’t connected, you’ll want to click on the “i” symbol next to the Charge 3 in the list and choose to “Forget This Device”. This doesn’t remove the Charge 3 from the Fitbit app. It just removes it from the Bluetooth settings so that when we try to set it back up again, the connection won’t be corrupted.
After removing the device through the phone’s Bluetooth settings, go back to the Fitbit app and select notifications from the menu again. This time you should see a dialogue box appear asking if you want to approve the “Bluetooth Pairing Request”. Choose “Pair”.
The Charge 3 should now be connected to your phone through Bluetooth and when you click on Notifications again in the app you’ll be able to select which notifications you would like to receive.
Connected GPS
For connected GPS to work correctly, the Fitbit app has to able to run in the background. This notification (see below) should pop up after you’ve set up your notifications. Click “Continue” to allow notification data to run in the background.
I hope this helps and I’ll be finally testing out the connected GPS soon and seeing how accurate it is compared to several other fitness trackers and smartwatches. Look for those tests soon!
