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Are you a regular Fitbit user? If so, you may have come across the message Fitbit device not found.
Sounds strange? After all, your Fitbit is right there on your wrist and switched on. So let’s take a look at why this may be happening.
Fitbit Device Not Found – What Is Happening?
Fortunately, there are a couple of quick fixes to this problem.
It does happen from time to time. However, it seems to happen to new Fitbit users more frequently.
When you are a new Fitbit wearer, it is easy to think that something is wrong with your Fitbit. Most of the time, there is nothing wrong with your Fitbit. However, there are a few things that you need to check.
Check Your Bluetooth Connection
Is your Fitbit picking up your Bluetooth connection? One of the most common problems is that your Fitbit does not pick up your Bluetooth connection or the proper Bluetooth connection.
Check that you have a Bluetooth connection with your Fitbit on your tablet, laptop, or phone. Can you find it on the list of Bluetooth devices? If you can’t, it is a pretty easy fix.
The first thing you should do is check that your Fitbit tracker is close enough to your phone. Remember that this only applies if you use the App on your phone. When using the App on another device, you need to check that.
When too far apart, your two devices can’t reach each other. The two devices should be within 10 meters of each other. If they are further away, they may not be able to “see each other.”
The same thing goes for your other Bluetooth devices. If they are not in range, they can’t see each other.
The best thing to do is place your two devices within easy sight of each other. Switch your Fitbit tracker off, leave it off for a few minutes and then switch it again.
Can it see your other Bluetooth Device now? Good – that is perfect.
I Still Can’t Find My Fitbit in the App?
Okay, don’t panic.
There could be another problem when you are sitting there with your Fitbit tracker and phone and still not picking up your Fitbit.
How many Bluetooth devices do you have switched on? Don’t forget that it probably has Bluetooth if you have your TV on. The earbuds you have not put back in their case also have Bluetooth.
On your phone, check how many active Bluetooth connections you have. If you find that you have more than three, it could be that you are not picking up your Fitbit tracker because you have too many Bluetooth connections switched on within range.
Don’t forget that if you have your TV connected to a soundbar, it counts as another Bluetooth connection.
The best thing you can do is to remove them from the list. Once you have removed them from the list, switch them off and leave them switched off.
You may have to restart your Fitbit tracker and your App. Your Fitbit Bluetooth connection should pop up once you have restarted your tracker and App.
This is a surprisingly common problem. We have many Bluetooth connections in our homes. Unfortunately, too many switched-on Bluetooth connections will interfere with most devices.
A top tip is to write down your Bluetooth connections. That will make you more aware of them.
Check Fitbit App For Updates
Are you guilty of not installing your updates? Unfortunately, not all of us automatically allow our apps to change information on our phones and other devices.
If you have been ignoring the message “Updates Available” for a while, it is about time you tap on it and allow the relevant updates to install. Don’t forget that all apps rely on regular updates.
A mismatch in updates can cause running problems for Fitbit and other apps. So make sure that you install and check your updates regularly. If there are updates that you feel you don’t want, you can always remove them later.
However, it has to be said that you should not remove Fitbit updates. In a worst-case scenario, not installing updates can cause a Fitbit device not to be found. Therefore, make sure that you install all of your Fitbit-related updates.
When you suspect you have a problem with updates, you should install any available updates. Once you have done that, turn off your Fitbit tracker and close down the App.
If the problem persists, you can visit the App Store to ensure that you have not missed any updates. It should work now. To be safe, restart both your phone and Fitbit when you have updated the App from the App store.
What About Forget This Device?
Once when I got off a long flight, I noticed my Fitbit device did not want to talk to the App on my phone. Interestingly enough, the friend I was traveling with had the same problem with her fitness tracker.
At first, we panicked and thought it had something to do with going through airport security. But then, my friend said she thought something had “fried the wires.”
This is very unlikely to happen unless you have been exposed to severe gamma radiation. Anyway, to cut a long story short, even though we had different fitness trackers, we both solved the problem in the same way.
I went into settings on the phone, then Bluetooth, and found my Fitbit under devices. I clicked on “Forget this device” and then switched off my phone.
After a few minutes, I switched on my phone, went back into settings, and paired my Fitbit tracker again. Again, it worked – my Fitbit was back. This method is very effective but keep in mind that it will delete all of the data previously recorded.
Unpairing the device should be seen as a method of last resort but it definitely works.
Will My New Phone Pick Up My Fitbit Automatically?
Have you bought a new phone? You would have thought with all of this great tech around. So your new phone would pick up your Fitbit automatically? That would be nice, but it is not always the case.
First of all, we need to point out that you need to install the App. With so many things to check on a new phone, it is easy to forget to install an app. So keep a list of all of the apps you need to ensure that life runs smoothly.
Once you have downloaded the latest version of the App and logged in, go into the settings on your phone and pair the two devices. It should work.
No personal data should be lost, and all tracking information should be available. If it is not, come out of the App and switch off your phone and Device. Make sure that they are in range and restart them.
This is not usually a problem on phones such as iPhone and Samsung. But, for some reason, it does seem to affect other makes, including Xiaomi.
Is Your Old Phone Turned Off?
From personal experience, I know that the old phone must be turned off. A friend of mine was desperately trying to pair her Fitbit tracker to her new phone.
When I came around to her house, she was more or less pulling her hair out.
Two heads are often better than one. So, we sat down and saw if we could make her new Poco and Fitbit tracker to pair.
Patiently, we went through every step mentioned. It did not work. We poured ourselves a couple of glasses of wine and did it again.
It dawned on us that the old phone was still turned on. We switched it off, tried pairing the tracker to the new phone again, and it worked.
Lesson learned! It would help if you made sure that your old phone is switched off before you go ahead and pair it with your new phone.
Remember that there may be more issues with brands apart from Samsung and iPhone. So if you have a Poco, Xiaomi, Redmi, or another brand, you may have to be more patient. Above all, don’t forget to switch off your old phone.
Incidentally, if you have a Xiaomi fitness tracker and a Fitbit, you will need to choose between the two. Never have them on simultaneously, as it seems that your Xiaomi phone may prefer its owner’s fitness tracker.
Share Your Location
On your new phone, if you have a Poco, Redmi, or Xiaomi, you also want to make sure that you share your location. This is another common issue that Fitbit users have found affecting their pairing ability. Many worry about sharing their phone’s location. There is a small risk, but you may have to do it on some phones to get your Fitbit tracker to work.
It has also been reported that new iPhones and iPads have the same issue. Just check this in case you are experiencing a problem.
In Conclusion
Fitbit trackers are great. Like everything else, it is best to accept that your tracker will “misbehave” from time to time.
If you do get the message that Fitbit Device is Not Found, take your time and go through all the steps. If you have a new phone, it seems that it is super important for your old phone to be switched off.
