How to reset your Fitbit: Tips on resetting or restarting your Fitbit

Fitbit fitness trackers are great devices and come in all shapes and sizes but sometimes they can be temperamental.

There might be a few different reasons you want to reset, restart or reconnect your Fitbit. Whether that’s because it’s not responding as it should, is showing the wrong time, won’t track or sync properly or you simply want to sell it on or gift it to a loved one.

Whatever your reasons, we’re here to help you reset your Fitbit, whether you have the latest Versa, Sense, Inspire, Charge or other device. So follow our guide to find out more.

• Fitbit tips and tricks: Get more from your Inspire, Luxe, Charge, Versa and Sense trackers

How to factory reset your Fitbit

If you’re looking to completely wipe your Fitbit of all its data and reset it back to its original form (as it was when you bought it) then you’ll want to turn to a factory reset.

Factory resetting your Fitbit is handy if you’re planning on selling your Fitbit or giving it to someone else and want to both clear your data off it and give them an easier time setting it up.

Luckily Fitbit makes it easy to reset your Fitbit this way, but it’s not the same as restarting your Fitbit and we’ll cover how to do that below.

To factory reset your Fitbit you can do it right from the fitness tracker itself:

1. On your Fitbit swipe across with your finger to access the options
2. In the settings section look for the about section and tap on it
3. Scroll through the options and look for either Factory Reset or Clear User Data
4. Press those options and follow the on-screen prompts
5. Tap confirm to reset your Fitbit

Once this process is done you should find your Fitbit goes through the factory reset process and then is back to its original state. It can then be set up and connected to another phone.

Reset Fitbit won’t connect to another phone?

If you’ve carried out the Fitbit factory reset steps above but then find that you cannot connect it to a new device then this might be because it’s still paired with your original phone.

Open up your phone and look for the Bluetooth settings. In there, you might find that your Fitbit is still listed as one of the available devices. If that’s the case then tap into those settings and select the option to forget the connection.

Remove your Fitbit from the Fitbit app

The other thing to do is to check inside the Fitbit app. In there, you’ll likely find that your Fitbit tracker is still listed in there too. It will pay to remove it to avoid any confusion if you’re adding a new Fitbit or just trying to make sure that everything runs smoothly.

1. Open the Fitbit app on your phone
2. Tap your profile icon on the top left
3. Find your device on the list
4. Tap the bin icon to delete it

How to restart your Fitbit

Sometimes resetting your Fitbit might be a bit too aggressive and you might just be trying to troubleshoot issues.

One of the best ways to solve Fitbit problems is just by restarting your Fitbit. As with other devices sometimes turning it off and on again can be enough to really help.

There are some things to keep in mind

Make sure your Fitbit is charged or charging

If you’re looking to restart (or reset) your Fitbit then it’s best to make sure it’s charged.

Often connecting the charger can help with restarting too if you’re having problems. If you’re having problems charging make sure the connect is attached properly. Sometimes when a Fitbit is completely depleted of battery it can take a while for it to power back on or recognise it is charging. So patience is required.

Power buttons in unexpected places

Some Fitbit trackers have buttons on the charging cable that you can press to restart them. The Fitbit Luxe and Fitbit Charge 5 both have this design.

So with your Fitbit properly connected to the charging cable find that button on the plug end and press it three times within eight seconds and press for a second at a time. Within 10 seconds you should then see the Fitbit logo appear on the device. If it doesn’t you might have to repeat these steps.

Don’t poke the holes on your Fitbit

If you’re trying to restart or reset your Fitbit then you might have considered the small holes on the edge of the device. On some other smart devices, these sorts of holes can double as a reset button and you just need to stick a pin, a paperclip or small object in there to reset them. That’s not the case with Fitbit trackers.

On a number of Fitbit devices, there are altimeters and microphones included so you can talk to your fitness tracker and get better data. Don’t be tempted to push anything in these holes as it won’t help you restart your Fitbit and it could actually lead to more damage.

How to restart Fitbit Sense trackers

If you’re trying to restart any of a Fitbit Sense tracker then you’re in luck as it should be straightforward enough. We’d recommend plugging in and connecting your Fitbit before you get started though. Then:

1. Pick up your Fitbit and press and hold the button (on the side) for at least 10 seconds
2. Wait until you see the Fitbit logo appear on the screen and then release the button
3. If you don’t see the logo it might be because the Fitbit is too low on battery. So wait for it to charge and then try again

Restart Fitbit Versa or Ionic trackers

On some Fitbit trackers there are extra buttons. So with the Fitbit Versa and Fitbit Ionic tracker you’ll need to follow these steps:

1. Press and hold the left and bottom right buttons for 10 seconds
2. Once the Fitbit logo appears on the screen you can release the buttons
3. If you don’t see the logo plug your Fitbit in and try again

How to restart Fitbit Charge devices

Whether you’ve got a new Fitbit Charge or an older model the steps for restarting it are basically the same. If you can access the settings on your Fitbit Charge then you can do it directly from there via the settings:

1. Swipe to open the settings
2. Navigate to the about section
3. Tap on reboot device
4. Wait for it to restart

If you cannot access the menu and your Fitbit Charge is unresponsive then do not worry as you can always use the buttons.

1. Firstly be sure to connect it to the charging cable and to the wall charger
2. Make sure it’s charging (you should feel it vibrate)
3. Press and hold the button on the side for around eight seconds
4. You should see a smile icon appear on the screen
5. Let go of the button

Restart Fitbit Inspire

Restarting a Fitbit Inspire is the same whether you have an older device or one of the more recent Inspire devices. However, with the Fitbit Inspire 3 it is possible to restart the device from the tracker itself:

1. Swipe to open the settings on your Inspire 3
2. Look for the option to restart
3. Tap on restart device
4. Wait for it to restart

If you cannot access the settings you can reset the Inspire in other ways:

1. As with other Fitbits make sure your Fitbit Inspire is charged and plugged in
2. Press and hold the button (or multiple buttons if there are some) for at least five seconds
3. You should see an icon appear on the screen and the Fitbit Inspire should vibrate as it restarts
4. You can then release the buttons

How to restart your Fitbit Ace

If you’re trying to restart a Fitbit Ace then follow these steps:

1. Make sure your Fitbit Ace is plugged in and connected to the charger correctly
2. Depending on the model you might find a button on the charging cable or on the device
3. If it’s on the cable press the button three times and wait for the Fitbit logo to appear
4. Alternatively, press and hold the buttons on the Fitbit Ace for at least five seconds and release when you see the smile icon or logo

Restart Fitbit Luxe

With the Fitbit Luxe it should be possible to restart the device from the tracker itself:

1. Swipe to open the settings on your Fitbit tracker
2. Tap on restart device and then confirm
3. Wait for it to restart and you should see the logo appear

If this doesn’t work then you might need to use the cable:

1. Plug your Fitbit Luxe into the wall charger
2. Press the button on the flat end of the charger (near the wall plug) three times waiting one second between presses
3. Wait for the Fitbit logo to appear
4. If it doesn’t restart it might be it needs charge first so wait a while