How to Reset Your Fitbit Watch

In this post, we are going to show you how to reset your Fitbit watch. Regardless of how good any device is, there may be times when it doesn’t work quite how we want it. If you have any issues like the ones below, then you could reset your Fitbit watch to see if this resolves the situation:

• will not sync
• does not respond when you tap, press buttons or swipe it
• will not track steps or any other activities
• will not show notifications or reminders

We will also cover how to factory reset your Fitbit watch; however, please ensure you read the warning carefully before you do this.

To get started, find your device in the list below and you will see the full instructions on how to reset your Fitbit watch:

Reset your Fitbit watch – Ace and Alta Series

1. Plug the charging cable into a USB port on your computer.
2. Clip the other end of the charging cable to the port on the back of the tracker. The pins on the charging cable must lock securely with the port. You’ll know the connection is secure when the tracker vibrates, and you see a battery icon on your tracker’s display. Your tracker will begin charging.
3. Press the button on your charging cable 3 times within a few seconds, briefly pausing between presses. The button is at the end of the charging cable that is plugged into your computer. When you see the Fitbit logo, and the tracker vibrates, this means the tracker has restarted.
4. Unplug your tracker from the charging cable.

Reset your Fitbit Watch – Ace 2, Ace 3 and Inspire Series

1. Plug the charging cable into the USB port on your computer or any UL-certified USB wall charger.
2. Connect your device to the charging cable.
3. Press and hold the button or buttons on your tracker for 5 seconds.
4. Release the button. When you see a smile icon, and the tracker vibrates, the tracker restarted.

Reset your Fitbit Watch – Charge and Charge HR

1. Plug your charging cable into the USB port on your computer or any UL-certified USB wall charger.
2. Insert the other end into the port on the back of your Fitbit Charge or Fitbit Charge HR. Your tracker will begin charging.
3. Press and hold the button for 10 to 12 seconds until you see the Fitbit icon and a version number (e.g. “V30”).
4. Let go of the button.
5. Unplug your tracker from the charging cable.

Reset your Fitbit Watch – Charge 2, 3 and 4

On the Charge 3, Charge 4, and Charge 5 you can restart your tracker from your wrist.

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Tap About > Reboot Device.

If your Charge series tracker is unresponsive:

1. Plug the charging cable into the USB port on your computer or any UL-certified USB wall charger.
2. Clip the other end of the charging cable to the port on the back of the tracker.
3. Make sure the button on your tracker is aligned with the button opening on the charging cable. You’ll know the connection is secure when the tracker vibrates, and you see a battery icon on your tracker’s display.
4. Press and hold the button to restart your tracker:
   1. Charge 2—press and hold the button on your tracker for 4 seconds. When you see the Fitbit logo, and the tracker vibrates, the tracker restarted.
   2. Charge 3 & Charge 4—press and hold the button on your tracker for 8 seconds. Release the button. When you see a smile icon, and the tracker vibrates, the tracker restarted.
5. Disconnect your tracker from the charging cable.

Reset your Fitbit Watch – Ionic, Sense and Versa Series

1. Press and hold the button* for 10 seconds until you see the Fitbit logo on the screen, and then release the button.

*For Fitbit Versa and Fitbit Ionic, press and hold the back and bottom buttons.

Factory Resets

At times, a factory reset may be necessary; if you have issues with your Fitbit, you should only perform a factory reset if a member of Fitbit’s Customer Support Team has advised you to. However, if you are no longer using your Fitbit or giving it to someone else, you may want to perform a factory reset to remove your data.

WARNING: A factory reset deletes any stored data, including all data that hasn’t synced to your Fitbit account and your alarms, goals, and notifications. After a factory reset, you must set up your tracker again.

To factory reset your tracker:

1. Attach the charging cable to your tracker and plug the other end into a USB port.
2. Press and hold the button for approximately two seconds and without letting go of the button:
   1. Remove the charging cable from your tracker.
   2. Wait about seven to nine more seconds after removing the charging cable.
3. Let go of the button and hold it down again.
4. After “ALT” and a white screen flash, let go of the button and hold it down again.
5. When you feel a vibration, let go of the button and hold it down again.
6. After you see “ERROR,” let go of the button and hold it down again.
7. After you see “ERASE,” let go of the button. The tracker will turn off.
8. To turn your tracker back on, press the button or attach the charging cable (make sure to plug in the other end of the cable). If the time on your tracker reads 0:00, the reset was successful.
9. Set up your tracker as a new device.

Conclusion

As always, if you are concerned your tracker is not working correctly, it is best to speak to Fitbit’s Customer Support Team. We hope you have found this guide helpful; if you would like to see other guides, please let us know in the comments. 

If you are considering a new Fitbit device, check out our full comparison here to decide which is best for you.

Last Updated on February 8, 2022

Emma Morris( Editor and Social Media Manager )

Emma brings over a decade of freelance copy and content writing experience and is our Editor, Social Media Manager, and regular contributor. Specializing in long-form content such as blogs, articles, lead magnets, and white papers, Emma also provides businesses with email marketing, website copy, and landing pages.