Fitbit Charge 5 Firmware Version

[Astryd Boschee]

Theupdate icon described in your messages about firmware updates for Charge 5 does not appear on my phone's Fitbit app, but there's apparently a newer version than the 188.58 currently installed. How do fix this?

Moderator Edit: Clarified subject

Hi there, @Mattklionsky. Thanks for stopping by in the Fitbit Community Forums and bringing this to my attention. I will be glad to help you to update your Charge 5.

As a first approach, I'd recommend trying the following steps in the order listed:

- Restart your Charge 5

- Log out of the Fitbit app

- Force quit the Fitbit app

- Make sure that your Fitbit app is up-to-date

- Log back in to the Fitbit app

Wait a couple of days to see if you receive the update. If you don't, please let me know so I can further assist you.

I have the same problem with my charge 5. I've never had any update icon since I bought it. I've tried to lot out, reinstall the app, reboot the watch, etc. I've tried everything I've read here, still no way to update my charge 5. I.m stuck at 188.58.

Another of my colleagues recently mentioned that he thinks this latest firmware update might have been paused. So for now, we're probably better off waiting until one of the Moderators mentions that the firmware update has started rolling out.

That being said. My charge 5 was updated to the latest version but immediately had battery drain issues, unresponsive screen, resets, etc. It was annoying. Contacted the store because I had warranty, the got me in contact with Fitbit and they send a new Charge 5. (So now I have two). This new one is still on 188.58 and no updates is available. It really looks like they stopped the rollout due to the issues.

A pinned post at the top of the official Charge 5 forum for the device's most recent firmware (version 194.91) now has over 400 comments, with many owners complaining that their updated tracker now loses charge overnight or is even "completely unresponsive".

We've asked Google, which has owned Fitbit since 2019, for an up-to-date response on the issues and what might be causing them. So far, Google has only issued a statement to the BBC denying that the Charge 5's firmware update is causing the problems.

In that statement, a Google spokesperson said: "We're still investigating this issue, but can confirm it is not due to the recent firmware update." The tech giant added that "users should continue to update their devices to the latest firmware and contact Fitbit Customer service at help.fitbit.com if they encounter any issues."

But this is unlikely to quash the growing frustration on Fitbit forums, where some users are understandably regretting updating their Charge 5 and have even (in the case of forum user 'Gevans1388') been offered a 35% discount off a new Fitbit when they reported the issues.

Some users have suggested restarting the Fitbit or doing a factory reset, which involves going to Settings > Device Info > Clear User Data, then pressing the 'Hold 3 Sec' button for three seconds and releasing. But this isn't something Google or Fitbit has recommended and it isn't an option if your device is unresponsive.

These Charge 5 issues are the latest in a long line of controversies and calamities that have taken place since Google acquired Fitbit in 2019. Most recently, Fitbit has had to extend a fig leaf to furious fans in the form of several highly-requested app fixes.

This followed some widely-reported issues in 2022 about the Charge disconnecting from Bluetooth, which wrecked many users' sleep-tracking graphs. Also, in October 2022, Fitbit ended the ability to download music files onto smartwatches like the Versa 3 and original Fitbit Sense. This led us to conclude that Google's slow destruction of Fitbit was everything that's wrong with modern tech.

It should be stated that not all Charge 5 owners are having issues following the 194.91 software update. For example, forum user 'bbunge' said they updated "without a hitch" and that battery life was actually "better by a couple of days" with the new firmware. Google's current stance is also that the firmware isn't causing any of the reported issues.

Yet the overwhelming consensus from the hundreds of Fitbit forum comments is that various issues, from battery drain to a completely unresponsive device, have arisen following that most recent firmware update. And while last year's app redesign was more of an inconvenience, these seemingly software-driven problems are understandably causing more anger.

Mark is TechRadar's Senior news editor. Having worked in tech journalism for a ludicrous 17 years, Mark is now attempting to break the world record for the number of camera bags hoarded by one person. He was previously Cameras Editor at both TechRadar and Trusted Reviews, Acting editor on Stuff.tv, as well as Features editor and Reviews editor on Stuff magazine. As a freelancer, he's contributed to titles including The Sunday Times, FourFourTwo and Arena. And in a former life, he also won The Daily Telegraph's Young Sportswriter of the Year. But that was before he discovered the strange joys of getting up at 4am for a photo shoot in London's Square Mile. "}), " -0-10/js/authorBio.js"); } else console.error('%c FTE ','background: #9306F9; color: #ffffff','no lazy slice hydration function available'); Mark WilsonSocial Links NavigationSenior news editorMark is TechRadar's Senior news editor. Having worked in tech journalism for a ludicrous 17 years, Mark is now attempting to break the world record for the number of camera bags hoarded by one person. He was previously Cameras Editor at both TechRadar and Trusted Reviews, Acting editor on Stuff.tv, as well as Features editor and Reviews editor on Stuff magazine. As a freelancer, he's contributed to titles including The Sunday Times, FourFourTwo and Arena. And in a former life, he also won The Daily Telegraph's Young Sportswriter of the Year. But that was before he discovered the strange joys of getting up at 4am for a photo shoot in London's Square Mile.

HOW DO I UPDATE?

See How do I update my Fitbit device? for step by step instructions for updating your Charge 5. If you run into difficulty updating, review these Why can't I update my Fitbit device?

Will there be a Weather app/page added anytime soon? This is my first ever smart watch and I was disappointed to see that the charge 5 does not have weather capabilities and that there was a highly liked post from 2021 asking for this feature that has yet to be added.

My current version is 149.11. There are two previous versions between 194.61 and my version. How do I know with which version will the update bring to? I don't really want my Charge 5 update to any of the previous ones, they are terrible. Any comment?

My Charge 5 has had exceptional battery life since I set the GPS to Phone. I either bike, walk or spin so I have the phone with me when I am out and spinning I do not need GPS. I have not gotten this new firmware, yet.

I wouldn't update yet. Not everyone has the new update available and not many have tried it out. I would wait until it's been in the wild a little bit and see if people are fussing. I doubt you would even be on the new one yet if you did anyway. It's not available to me yet either, still 188.58 without issue tho.

There is no reason to wait. Upgrades usually have been fully tested and are intended to increase reliability, performance and security. Consumers who wait often forget and continue to complain that things do not work. Better to upgrade and then complain!

I also want you to answer why the Fitbit Hass to be replaced approximately every year to year and a half, especially when a new model is being released, because it all of a sudden stops working correctly. Do we all have to switch to Apple watches to get reliable functioning?

Hi everyone, and welcome to our new members.

Thanks for taking the time to troubleshoot your tracker, and sharing more details about this issue. I'm sorry you're going through this experience and given this situation, could you go to the Fitbit app, tap your profile picture > Charge 5 and verify if it shows 194.61 as the firmware version to make sure it was fully installed? This will help me to further investigate on my end and forward this feedback about the battery and display issues to our team.

@adamweiss Thanks for confirming the changes you're seeing on your watch. Given that the clock faces aren't visible, if you haven't done so, let's try force quitting the Fitbit app, rebooting your phone, opening the Fitbit app, pulling down on the screen to force a manual sync and try checking if the new clock faces appear.

My warranty ends TODAY. FitBit will not offer a discount. They want me to mail it back to them, and after inspection, will replace it with another Charge 5. I am so frustrated right now. I have been buying FitBit's since 2015. CUSTOMER SERVICE. They seem to think I'm trying to rip them off by wanting this fixed, when thousands of customers have the problem. Why would I want another Charge 5? They need to get a better Firmware team and test the product before release.

It seems that most users haven't actually received the latest firmware version 194.61, and instead they're having some of these issues (mostly with the display and battery draining) with older version 188.58. To check your current version, you can go to your Fitbit app > Tap on your profile picture > Charge 5 > You'll see the firmware number at the top of the screen.

If you still have the older version, please check this thread and share as many details as possible to receive the appropriate assistance, and if you already tried all the troubleshooting steps mentioned here earlier, please get in touch with the Customer Support team so they can provide you with the next steps.

Same thing for many Charge 5 users. Many folks in the firmware thread are talking about it, but the community managers keep referring us to Customer Support. It's frustrating if you're out of warranty (like me) and don't want to spend another $100+ on a year-old device.

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