Fitbit Not Syncing? 12 Ways to Fix It

When your Fitbit is not syncing, the most common causes are a stalled Bluetooth connection, missing phone permissions, an outdated app, low tracker battery, another phone attempting to connect, or a temporary service problem.

Start by placing the Fitbit next to your phone, opening the health app and triggering a manual sync. If that fails, turn Bluetooth off and back on, restart both devices and confirm that the app has Bluetooth, nearby-device, location and background permissions.

Important: The Fitbit app is now Google Health

Google renamed and redesigned the Fitbit app as the Google Health app in May 2026. Existing users received the change as an app update, so you may no longer see an app labeled “Fitbit” on your phone. Your Fitbit wearable, account data and syncing controls should now appear inside Google Health.

If you previously used a legacy Fitbit account, make sure the account migration has been completed and that you are signed in with the correct Google Account. Using the wrong account can make an already paired Fitbit appear missing.

Why is my Fitbit not syncing?

Symptom	Likely cause	Best first fix
Steps or sleep data are outdated	Sync session stalled	Trigger a manual sync
Fitbit is missing from the app	Wrong account or pairing removed	Check the signed-in Google Account
“Device not found” appears	Bluetooth or permission problem	Toggle Bluetooth and review permissions
Sync starts but never completes	Weak connection or another nearby phone	Move devices together and disable Bluetooth on the other phone
Notifications work but health data does not update	App or internet problem	Restart the app and test the connection
Sync stopped after a phone update	Permission or battery settings changed	Re-enable background and nearby-device access
Fitbit shows the wrong time	Device has not completed a full sync	Manually sync after checking the time zone

1. Start a manual Fitbit sync

Keep the Fitbit within a few feet of your phone. Open Google Health, locate the connected-device area and pull down or select the available sync control.

Leave the app open until the progress indicator finishes. Do not repeatedly close the app while the sync is underway.

When the first attempt fails, wait about 30 seconds before trying again. Repeatedly starting new sync sessions can keep the original connection from completing.

2. Make sure another phone is not taking over the connection

A Fitbit can have trouble syncing when more than one nearby phone or tablet is signed in to the same account or still paired with the wearable.

Temporarily turn off Bluetooth on old phones, tablets and work devices that previously connected to the Fitbit. Then reopen Google Health on the phone you currently use.

Google’s troubleshooting guidance notes that multiple nearby devices can interfere with Fitbit synchronization and that a Fitbit should generally sync through one phone at a time.

3. Reset the Bluetooth connection

Turn Bluetooth off on your phone, wait at least a few seconds and turn it back on.

Do not immediately remove the Fitbit from the phone’s Bluetooth menu. Forgetting the device too early can turn a simple connection problem into a complete pairing problem.

Also check that Airplane Mode is off and that Bluetooth has not been disabled by a battery-saving mode.

4. Confirm that your phone has internet access

Fitbit synchronization uses Bluetooth to communicate with the wearable, but the app also needs internet access to update account information and cloud-based health data.

Open another app or website to verify the connection. Then switch between Wi-Fi and cellular data.

A Fitbit may connect over Bluetooth but still appear stuck when Google Health cannot reach its online services.

5. Restart the Fitbit and your phone

Restart the phone completely rather than only locking its screen.

Then restart the Fitbit using the procedure for your model. The restart method differs among Charge, Inspire, Luxe, Sense, Versa and other devices, so avoid using a random button sequence intended for another model.

A restart does not normally delete activity history stored on the Fitbit. It simply reloads its operating system and wireless connection.

6. Update Google Health, your phone and Fitbit firmware

Open the App Store or Google Play and install any available Google Health update. Then check for an iOS or Android system update.

Afterward, open the app and look for a Fitbit firmware update. Keep the wearable charged, close to the phone and connected to a stable network during installation.

Do not remove the device or force-close the app while firmware is being installed.

7. Fix Fitbit permissions on Android

On Android, open:

Settings → Apps → Google Health → Permissions

Depending on the Android version, enable:

• Nearby devices
• Bluetooth access
• Location
• Physical activity
• Notifications, when wanted

Also allow Google Health to run in the background. On some phones, aggressive battery-management settings stop the app shortly after the screen turns off.

Android 12 and later use a separate Nearby Devices permission for Bluetooth scanning and connections. Google’s current Fitbit guidance also identifies Location and Nearby Devices access as important synchronization checks.

8. Fix Fitbit permissions on iPhone

On an iPhone, check:

Settings → Privacy & Security → Bluetooth → Google Health

Then review:

Settings → General → Background App Refresh

Make sure Google Health is allowed to refresh in the background. Also confirm that cellular-data access is enabled when you expect syncing to work away from Wi-Fi.

Google’s iPhone troubleshooting guidance specifically includes Bluetooth, Background App Refresh and cellular-data permissions among the settings to review.

9. Turn off battery restrictions

Battery Saver, Low Power Mode and manufacturer-specific optimization features can suspend Bluetooth scanning or stop Google Health from running.

Temporarily disable power-saving mode and test another sync.

On Android, set Google Health’s battery setting to Unrestricted or Not optimized while troubleshooting. Menu wording varies by phone manufacturer.

On iPhone, temporarily turn off Low Power Mode and keep Google Health open during the test.

10. Charge the Fitbit

Connect the Fitbit to its charger and wait until it has a reasonable battery level before syncing again.

A nearly empty tracker may limit background communication, disconnect repeatedly or refuse a firmware update.

Clean the charging contacts carefully if the Fitbit does not appear to be charging.

11. Forget and re-pair the Fitbit carefully

Use this only after the simpler fixes fail.

First remove or disconnect the Fitbit from inside Google Health. If instructed, forget the wearable in the phone’s Bluetooth settings. Restart the phone and then add the Fitbit again through Google Health.

Do not pair the Fitbit directly from the phone’s Bluetooth menu before opening the app. Google’s setup guidance directs users to complete pairing through the health app.

Removing a device can affect unsynced data, so try to complete one final sync before disconnecting it.

12. Reinstall Google Health

Reinstalling can repair corrupted app files or a failed upgrade from the former Fitbit app.

Before deleting the app, confirm that you know which Google Account contains your Fitbit history. After reinstalling:

1. Sign in with that same account.
2. Approve Bluetooth and background permissions.
3. Keep the Fitbit close to the phone.
4. Allow the first sync several minutes to finish.

Fitbit is syncing, but steps are still wrong

A completed sync does not guarantee that every metric will match another device.

Check whether:

• Your phone is also counting steps.
• Health Connect or Apple Health is importing duplicate activity.
• The Fitbit was worn tightly enough.
• The exercise was logged under a different date or time zone.
• The app is displaying a different dashboard or date range.

When only one type of data is missing, the underlying issue may be sensor collection rather than synchronization.

When to contact Fitbit support

Contact support when the Fitbit is fully charged but cannot be detected by any compatible phone, repeatedly disappears after pairing, cannot complete a firmware update, or shows a hardware error.

Include the Fitbit model, phone model, operating-system version, Google Health version and the exact message shown during syncing.

Frequently asked questions

Why did the Fitbit app disappear?

The Fitbit app became the Google Health app in May 2026. Existing users received the new app through an update rather than a separate download.

How do I force my Fitbit to sync?

Open Google Health, keep the Fitbit close to your phone and use the manual sync control in the connected-device area. Leave the app open until the process finishes.

Why does my Fitbit sync only when the app is open?

Background App Refresh, Nearby Devices access or battery optimization may be preventing the app from operating when the screen is off.

Will restarting my Fitbit erase my data?

A normal restart should not erase stored activity. A factory reset is different and should be reserved for model-specific troubleshooting.

Why is my Fitbit connected but not updating?

Bluetooth may be connected while internet access, account authentication or cloud synchronization is failing. Test another network and verify the Google Account in the app.

Should I factory-reset a Fitbit that will not sync?

Not initially. A reset may remove unsynced data and requires the device to be configured again. Try permissions, updates, restarts and re-pairing first.