The other day, my Fitbit Versa 3 randomly stopped counting stairs climbed without any obvious reason. After researching I found some quick solutions to troubleshoot my Fitbit not counting floors climbed problem.
I also found out that many user’s Fitbit Luxe, Inspire, Sense, & Charge 5 is not counting floors as well. And, some users had the unique issue of their Fitbit not tracking floors correctly. Meaning Fitbit would count 2 floors but users have actually climbed 3 floors.
The solution to fixing this problem is easy in some cases & impossible in others, yes impossible! So let’s discuss why that’s the case. You can jump to the part that interests you using the links below.
Quick Navigation
- Quick Takeaway
- What Are Floors On Fitbit?
- Why Is My Fitbit Not Counting Floors?
- Commonly Asked Questions & How To Fix The Issues In Individual Models
- FAQs
Quick Takeaway
Your Fitbit might not be counting floors correctly because floors might not be of the correct height. This issue can also be because of improper posture, dust accumulation at the back of your Fitbit, or software glitches. Some newer models also don’t support the floors climbed feature which results in floors not being counted at all.
What Are Floors On Fitbit?
Floors on Fitbit signify the numbers of storeys or floors you have climbed using stairs. You can also earn Fitbit badges which motivate you to take stairs instead of the lift or escalator.
Why Is My Fitbit Not Counting Floors?
Believe me, there are plenty of reasons that might be causing Fitbit’s wrong stairs tracking issue. So let’s discuss the first reason why Fitbit is not counting floors correctly & how to fix it.
Height Of The Each Floor
The first factor that can cause Fitbit to not count the floors correctly is the height of each floor. If the height of each floor is less than 10 feet then Fitbit will not be able to count the floor. Fitbit only considers a floor has been climbed when the height of the floor is 10 feet or above.
In case the average height of the floor is 9 feet & you climb 4 floors then chances are Fitbit will only register 3. It is because the total height climbed is 36 feet & Fitbit requires you to complete 40 feet to register 4 floors.
So this can be one of the reasons why your Fitbit Sense is tracking floors incorrectly. This rule is applicable to the other Fitbit models like Charge, Versa, & Inspire series as well.
Accumulated Dust Or Moisture On The Back Of The Watch
Another reason why Fitbit might not be counting your floors can be because of the accumulation of dust, dirt, or moisture.
Most if not all smartwatches have their altimeter port behind the watch. It can start acting erratic if the watch is not clean or the altimeter port is blocked by dust.
Given the Fitbit water resistance rating today, it should not be difficult to clean them. Just take a wet cloth & wipe the watch’s back. Try again & see whether this fixes the issue or not.
Try Changing Stairs Climbing Posture
Some users have found that their stair climbing posture also results in their Fitbit Charge not counting stairs correctly. The quickest way to fix the issue according to some users is by not placing hands on the handrail while climbing.
Fitbit needs to be able to recognize that you are on the move and not in a stationary position inside a lift.
Restart Your Watch & Fitness Tracker
I know it’s cliche but have you tried powering it on & off? This usually fixes the issue in the majority of cases. And, if it still doesn’t fix the issue for you then I would recommend considering factory resetting your Fitbit. Also, some users have found that restarting their Fitbit before climbing the stairs fixes the issue.
If that doesn’t fix the issue as well then it’s worth reaching out to the Fitbit Support team. You can check out this thread on the Fitbit forum as they sometimes offer a free replacement if the hardware is having any issues.
Watch Face/Fitbit Companion App Problem
Sometimes issues can be because of the watch face you have selected. For instance, a third-party watch face might not be able to show Floors count on the face due to bugs or any other issue. However, Fitbit might still be tracking your number of floors climbed & syncing it to the companion app.
If that’s not the case, you can also consider reinstalling the Fitbit app or clearing the cache to see if it fixes the issue.
In my opinion, if all prior mentioned tips haven’t fixed the issue already, you should get the watch looked at by Fitbit support.
Commonly Asked Questions & How To Fix The Issues In Individual Models
Sometimes app corruption on smartwatches & trackers can cause unintended bugs as well. In that case, a soft reset(reboot) or a hard reset (factory reset) makes sense.
Fix Fitbit Versa 3 & Sense Not Counting Floors
I would recommend considering resetting your Fitbit Versa 3 if it continues to not measure your floors. You can watch my tutorial video below to know how to easily soft reset or hard reset your Fitbit Versa 3.
Fix: Why Is My Fitbit Charge 5 Not Counting Floors
Fitbit Charge 5 lacks a built-in altimeter hence it cannot track floor climbed by the users. This is a common complaint of Charge Series fans on the Fitbit Forum as well.
Unfortunately, I don’t think Fitbit can enable the feature through software updates if the hardware is not there. So I won’t be counting on Fitbit to roll out the feature through software updates in the future as well. If it’s an important feature for you then I would advise returning the watch.
Fix Fitbit Charge 2, 3, & 4 Not Counting Floors
If you tried all the methods mentioned above then I would recommend restarting your Charge before you begin climbing stairs.
To restart your Fitbit Charge 3 & 4:
- Open Settings
- Scroll below & Open About
- Scroll & Tap on the “Reboot Device” option
- On the next screen, it will ask you to confirm the reboot process, tap on the tick icon.
You Might Also Like To Read:
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- How To Turn Off All Day Sync On Fitbit?
- Will Fitbit Work Without The Internet?
- How Many Fitbit Fitbit Badges Are There?
- What Are The Advantages Of Fitbit Premium?
- How To Tell If Your Fitbit Is Dying
- Do Fitbits Check Blood Pressure?
- How To Change Your Email On The Fitbit App?
- Which Fitbits Have Fall Detection?
FAQs
How Do I Get Fitbit To Track My Floors?
Fitbit trackers & smartwatches automatically track your floor climb. If yours doesn't then maybe that particular model doesn’t support the feature. In case it does then floor height, posture, moisture, or app corruption might be causing the issue.
Why Does Fitbit Charge 5 Not Track Floors?
Fitbit Charge 5 does not have a built-in altimeter like its previous generation models that’s why it cannot track floor climbing.
Can You Manually Add Floors In Fitbit App?
No, you cannot manually add floor count in the Fitbit app.
