Your Fitbit tracks thousands of steps, but they’re not showing up in your phone app. This sync failure means you’re missing out on tracking progress, challenges with friends, and accurate health data — let’s fix this right now.
Step-by-Step Fixes
Step 1: Force Close and Restart Both Apps
Start with the quickest fix that works surprisingly often. On your phone, swipe up to see all open apps. Find the Fitbit app and swipe it away to close completely. Now restart your phone — this clears temporary glitches that block syncing. Once your phone boots up, open the Fitbit app fresh. Pull down on the main dashboard screen until you see the spinning sync icon. Give it 30 seconds to complete.
Step 2: Check Bluetooth Connection Status
Your Fitbit needs Bluetooth to talk to your phone. Open your phone’s Settings, tap Bluetooth, and make sure it’s turned on. Look for your Fitbit device in the paired devices list. If you see it but it says “Not Connected,” tap it to reconnect. If your Fitbit isn’t listed at all, you’ll need to pair it again through the Fitbit app’s device settings.
Step 3: Toggle All-Day Sync Settings
The Fitbit app has a background sync feature that sometimes gets stuck. Open the Fitbit app, tap your profile picture, then tap your device name. Find “All-Day Sync” and turn it off. Wait 10 seconds, then turn it back on. This resets the sync connection and often fixes stubborn sync problems. While you’re there, check that “Always Connected” is also enabled for faster syncing.
Step 4: Clear App Cache (Android) or Reinstall (iPhone)
Android users: Go to Settings > Apps > Fitbit > Storage > Clear Cache. This removes corrupted temporary files without deleting your data. iPhone users don’t have a cache option, so you’ll need to delete and reinstall the app. Don’t worry — your data is saved to your Fitbit account, not the app itself. After reinstalling, log back in with your email and password.
Step 5: Remove and Re-add Your Fitbit Device
Sometimes the connection between your specific Fitbit and the app gets corrupted. In the Fitbit app, tap your profile picture, select your device, scroll down and tap “Remove This Device.” Confirm the removal. Now tap the plus icon to add a new device and follow the setup process. This creates a fresh connection and often solves persistent sync issues.
Step 6: Check for Fitbit Firmware Updates
Outdated Fitbit firmware causes compatibility problems with the 2025 app versions. Connect your Fitbit to its charger, open the app, and tap your device from the account screen. If you see “Update Available,” tap it and keep your Fitbit on the charger until complete. Updates can take 20 minutes, so be patient. The sync should work properly once your device runs the latest firmware.
Likely Causes
Cause #1: Phone Battery Optimization Blocking Background Sync
Modern phones aggressively limit background app activity to save battery. Your phone might be stopping the Fitbit app from syncing when it’s not actively open. To check this on Android, go to Settings > Battery > Battery Optimization, find Fitbit, and select “Don’t Optimize.” On iPhone, go to Settings > Fitbit and ensure Background App Refresh is turned on. This setting is ideal for continuous step tracking throughout your day.
Cause #2: Multiple Bluetooth Devices Creating Interference
Having too many active Bluetooth connections can overwhelm your phone’s Bluetooth chip. Check how many devices are actively connected — earbuds, smartwatches, car systems, and speakers all compete for bandwidth. Disconnect devices you’re not actively using. This issue is best identified when your Fitbit syncs fine in airplane mode with only Bluetooth enabled, but fails when everything else reconnects.
Cause #3: Account Sync Conflicts from Multiple Devices
If you’ve logged into your Fitbit account on multiple phones or tablets, they might be fighting over sync priority. The Fitbit system is not recommended when simultaneously connected to multiple devices. Sign out of the Fitbit app on devices you’re not actively using. Check this by going to fitbit.com, logging in, and clicking the gear icon to see all connected devices. Remove old phones or tablets you no longer use.
When to Call Expert Help
Contact Fitbit Support directly when you’ve tried all these steps and your device still won’t sync after 24 hours. Also reach out if your Fitbit screen shows error codes, won’t turn on at all, or if the app crashes immediately upon opening. Their support team has diagnostic tools to check if your specific device has a hardware fault. They can also check server-side issues affecting your account that you can’t fix yourself.
Copy-Paste Prompt for AI Help
“My Fitbit [insert model] is not syncing steps to the Fitbit app on my [iPhone/Android] phone running [iOS/Android version]. I’ve tried restarting both devices and checking Bluetooth. The last successful sync was [insert timeframe]. My Fitbit shows [number] steps but the app shows [number] steps. What specific troubleshooting steps should I try for this exact setup?”
Remember, sync issues are frustrating but almost always fixable. Most problems come from simple connection hiccups rather than serious hardware failures. Work through these steps methodically, and your steps should start syncing again within minutes.