Does your Fitbit or Pixel Watch keep disconnecting from your phone and Bluetooth?

A lot of Fitbit users are finding that their Fitbits or Google Pixel Watches are constantly disconnecting from Bluetooth on their Android and Apple phones. 

They find their devices sometimes disconnecting every few minutes, a few hours, or after connecting their phone to their car kit. 

Users must “re-pair” several times daily to receive notifications and access the notification menu.

If you’re having this problem, take a look at our checklist for fixes.

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Quick fixes for when your Fitbit or Pixel Watch keeps disconnecting from your phone Fitbit shows its not connected to phone keeps disconnecting

There are a lot of reasons why your Fitbit or Pixel Watch disconnects from your phone. Here are some quick troubleshooting steps to try first. If these don’t help, continue down our list of suggestions.

Turn on Bluetooth and turn off Airplane mode Google Pixel Watch airplane mode

Before anything, verify that your phone (and your Fitbit or Pixel Watch) has Bluetooth on and isn’t in Airplane mode (only the Pixel Watch offers Airplane mode.) 

If Bluetooth is turned off on either device, they cannot connect.

Check your phone’s Bluetooth or Airplane mode settings by opening Control Center or Quick Settings or going to your phone’s Settings app.

Reset network settings

If you suspect the problem is with your phone’s connections rather than the watch’s or the app’s, try resetting your phone’s network connections.

  • On iPhone, go to Settings > General > Transfer or Reset iPhone > Reset and choose Reset Network Settings. reset options on iPhone
  • On Android, go to Settings > System > Reset options > Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth. Make sure Erase downloaded SIMs is not checked. Android reset network settings

Charge your watchFitbit snaps on to its charger

Then, check if your Fitbit or Pixel Watch needs charging. If its battery is drained (nothing shows on its display) or the battery is very low (less than a few percent,) it won’t be able to connect to your phone, so place it on the charger for at least 30 minutes.

We recommend you connect it to a wall outlet rather than a computer port. 

Allow your phone to send notifications fitbit shows notification on Versa

Ensure you allow your phone to send some notifications to your Fitbit or Pixel Watch. for example, allow your Fitbit to show notifications for text messages, calls, or from your favorite apps.

At the very least, allow the Fitbit app to send notifications to your device. Allowing notifications help keep your device and phone connected.

Check your notification settings in the Fitbit app > your device > Notifications. For the Pixel Watch, open the Watch app and tap Notifications under Settings. 

Use the Find My Phone feature Fitbit Find my phone app

The Google Pixel Watch and many Fitbits offer a find phone app that helps you locate a missing or misplaced phone, but you can also use this feature to try and refresh your wearable’s connection to your phone.

Fitbits that support this feature include the Sense series, Versa series, Charge 5, Luxe, and Inspire 3. The Google Pixel Watch also includes this feature.

How to use Find My Phone on your Fitbit or Pixel Watch

  1. Open your device’s Quick Settings.
  2. Tap the Find my Phone app. For Fitbits, tap Find Phone.
  3. If it connects, your phone rings loudly. 

Reboot your phone and your device

Another quick tip that often fixes issues like occasionally disconnecting is restarting your phone and watch.

Many people find that the problem was just a temporary glitch, and rebooting helps.

Close and reopen the apps Fitbit app and Google Watch app close on Android

Sometimes, it’s the apps that are at fault. So relaunching them forces them to refresh their connection to your wearable.

For Fitbits, close the Fitbit app and then relaunch it. For Pixel Watches, close both the Fitbit app and the Google Watch app and then relaunch the Watch app first, followed by the Fitbit app.

To close apps on your phone, swipe up from the bottom until you see smaller app previews on your screen. Swipe through to locate the Fitbit app (and Google Watch app,) then swipe up on their app previews to close them.

Once closed, tap the app icon on your home screen to relaunch the apps.

Connect to one phone (or tablet) only! Fitbit Versa 3 paired with Fitbit app on iPhone

We frequently see this disconnecting issue when users try to sync their Fitbits or Pixel Watches to more than one phone or with a phone and a tablet, or if they have an old phone that used to connect to their Fitbit or Pixel Watch.

Disconnecting and syncing issues are common when you use the Fitbit app on multiple devices and sign in with the same Fitbit account.

If you used multiple phones or tablets or have an old phone that used to connect to your wearable, power off those devices or turn off Bluetooth and WiFi on all the other devices and see your Fitbit/Pixel Watch connects.

Switching between devices causes a lot of problems. We highly recommend connecting your Fitbit or Pixel Watch to one device only and sticking with that device. That means deleting the Fitbit (and Google Watch app) from those other devices, so it no longer tries to connect to your wearable.

Turn off Low Power mode or Battery Saver mode

Check if your phone is in low power or battery saver mode and turn it off, if possible, or if not possible, due to low battery capacity, charge your phone.

When your phone is in low power/battery saver mode, it limits things like background data refresh for apps like Fitbit and Google Pixel Watch and can cause disconnection issues.

  • For Apple iPhones, open Settings > Battery and turn off Low Power Mode, or open Control Center and tap the battery icon to turn it off. low power mode off on iPhone
  • For Android phones, open Settings > Battery > Battery Saver and turn it off or open Quick Settings and turn Battery Saver off. turn off battery saver mode on Android

Android phones also feature app-based usage restrictions, so we need to check that you allowed the Fitbit and Google Pixel Watch apps (if applicable) unrestricted battery usage. 

Open Settings > Apps > Fitbit app > App battery usage and allow Unrestricted use. Repeat for the Google Pixel Watch app if you use a Pixel Watch. App battery usage options for Fitbit app on Android

Update your Fitbit’s software, including the device and the app

Users have reported that this issue often improves with each software and Fitbit app update.

So make sure you have no pending updates for your Fitbit or Pixel Watch, and check the App Store or Play Store app and check if they have any pending updates.

  • To update the Fitbit app, open the Apple App Store or Google Play Store and search for the Fitbit app. If an update is listed, tap it and follow the steps to update the app to its latest version. Fitbit app update for Android and Apple iOS
  • To update your Fitbit device, place it on its charger. Then open the Fitbit app on your phone and look for a notification that an update is available for your device. If one is available, ensure your device is connected to your phone and tap the update option. Fitbit app update tracker banner

If you don’t see an available update, you can also manually check for an update by going to the Help & Support section in the Settings options in the Fitbit app.

Not all Fitbit models offer this as an option in the Fitbit app. For example, my Versa 3 does but not my older Inspire HR.

  1. Open the Fitbit app and tap your profile picture or icon.
  2. Scroll down to the Settings section and tap Help & Support. Settings in Fitbit app
  3. Choose Check for (model name) update. Fitbit app check for update
  4. The app checks with Fitbit’s servers to see if an update is available. You’ll either get a message that your device is up-to-date or that there is an update. Fitbit is up to date in Fitbit app

How to update your Google Pixel Watchinstalling software update on Google Pixel watch

If you wear a Google Pixel Watch, there are some differences and additions. While you still update the Fitbit app, you must also update the Google Pixel Watch app. Update Pixel watch app and Fitbit app

You cannot update the Pixel Watch through either the Fitbit or Pixel Watch app. Instead, to update the Pixel Watch, place it on its charger and then open its Settings app and choose System > System updates. Google Pixel Watch update system software

Don’t forget to update your phone’s operating system! 

Finally, after updating your Fitbit or Pixel watch and the apps, there’s one more thing to check for an update, and that’s your phone!

Occasionally, a bug in the phone’s operating system (iOS or Android OS) causes problems with network connections like Bluetooth and WiFi. Updating the latest version usually solves these problems.

  • For iPhones, go to Settings > General > Software Update.
  • For Android, go to Settings > System > System Update.

Look at the Fitbit app and Watch app settings

There are a few settings on your phone that might cause these disconnection issues.

First, allow the Fitbit app to refresh its data in the background.

  • For iPhones, open Settings > Fitbit and toggle on Background App Refresh. If it’s already on, toggle it off, wait a few moments, then toggle it back on. Fitbit background app refresh on iPhone
  • For Android, open Settings > Apps > Fitbit > Mobile data & WiFi and toggle on Background data and Unrestricted data usage. If either or both are already on, toggle them off, then wait a few moments before toggling them back on. Background data and unrestricted usage settings for Fitbit app on Android
    • For Pixel Watches, repeat these steps for the Google Pixel Watch app and make sure you toggled on both Background data and Unrestricted data usage. Google Pixel Watch app unrestricted and background data settings

Check other app permissions

For the Fitbit app to work smoothly with your phone, it needs a lot of permissions to do things.

So it’s a good idea to look at the permissions you granted or have not yet granted to the app that impacts the app’s ability to talk with your device. 

  • For iPhones, open Settings > Fitbit. Please verify that you allowed the app access to your location (we recommend the always option and toggle on precise location.) Make sure you toggle on Bluetooth and Cellular Data, along with Background App Refresh. Fitbit app Settings for iPhones
  • For Android, open Settings > Apps > Fitbit and choose Permissions. Ensure you allow location (we recommend Allow all the time and you toggle on Use precise location.) Also, make sure you allow Nearby devices. Fitbit app Android allowed permissions
  • For those with a Google Pixel Watch, open the Google Pixel Watch app and make sure you allow Nearby devices and Location.

These steps focus on permissions that impact your Fitbit’s or Google Watch’s ability to communicate with your phone.

For your device to work, it also needs permissions for features like Calendar, Motion & Fitness/Physical activity, Notifications, and others. So we recommend leaving all other settings as is–don’t disallow any of those other features.

Clear the app cache

If you use an Android phone, you can try a couple of additional things in your Fitbit app and Watch app settings. In particular, try clearing the app’s cache.

The cache holds temporary files to help the app run smoother and reduce how much data needs processing before you can interact with the app. Sometimes, these temporary files get corrupted and cause all sorts of problems. By removing them, you force the app to re-create them.

  • On your phone, open Settings > Apps and choose the Fitbit app.
  • Select Storage & cache. Tap Clear cache. Fitbit app Android clear cache or clear storage
  • For Google Pixel Watch, repeat these steps for the Watch app. Google Pixel Watch app clear cache or clear storage

Make sure you choose Clear cache and not Clear storage. Clearing the storage returns the app to its factory default state and removes all your data, including your Fitbit account log in and any devices you added to the app.

Look at your phone’s and device’s Bluetooth settings

Sometimes, refreshing your phone’s (or device’s) Bluetooth connection does the trick. And it’s pretty easy to do.

While every phone, Android or Apple, allows you to toggle Bluetooth off and on, only the Google Pixel Watch has an option for toggling Bluetooth on and off in its Settings menu. You won’t find this option on any current Fitbit watch or tracker.

When you turn Bluetooth off and on, it resets its connection and hopefully allows your Fitbit or Pixel Watch to connect to your phone.

  • To toggle Bluetooth off and on for an iPhone, go to Settings > Bluetooth. Toggle it off, then wait 30 seconds before you toggle it back on. Hopefully, you’ll see your Fitbit listed as connected.Bluetooth settings on iPhone with Versa 3
  • On Android, open Settings > Connected devices > Connection preferences > Bluetooth. Toggle off Use Bluetooth then wait 30 seconds or so before you toggle it back on. Then check if your Fitbit or Pixel shows up as a connected device. Android toggle Bluetooth settings off and on
  • For your Pixel Watch, open the Settings app on your watch. Choose Connectivity > Bluetooth. Toggle it off, then wait 30 seconds before you toggle it back on. Check if your phone shows up as connected.Google Pixel Watch Bluetooth settings

Re-pair your Fitbit or Pixel Watch to your phone

Now, if refreshing those Bluetooth settings didn’t do the trick, let’s take it one step further and re-pair your devices by removing your Fitbit or Pixel Watch from the list of devices, then add it back.

Follow these steps to re-pair Bluetooth on iPhones

  1. Open Settings > Bluetooth and tap the name of your Fitbit.
  2. Choose to Forget This Device to remove it, and press Forget Device to confirm. Bluetooth settings forget Fitbit
  3. Tap Allow on the message to receive iPhone notifications. iPhone allow Fitbit to receive iPhone notifications
  4. Next, open the Fitbit app and wait for the pairing request. Tap Pair to re-pair your Fitbit with your iPhone. Bluetooth pairing request in the Fitbit app for iPhone

Follow these instructions for re-connecting and re-pairing on Android

Now Android phones offer a couple of options for disconnecting your phone’s Bluetooth from your Fitbit or Pixel Watch.

First, try the option to disconnect and reconnect. If that doesn’t work, follow the steps to re-pair.

  1. For Android devices, open Settings > Connected devices > and tap the name of your Fitbit or Pixel Watch. 
    1. Choose Disconnect and wait for it to disconnect. Android Bluetooth settings disconnect Google Pixel Watch
    2. Then tap Connect to re-connect it. Connect Google Pixel Watch to phone using Bluetooth settings on Android
    3. Open the Fitbit or Watch app and see if your Fitbit or Pixel Watch is now connected to your phone. If not, go to the next option. Google Pixel Watch connected via Bluetooth in Pixel Watch app

For Fitbits (not Pixel Watch), follow these steps to re-pair:

  1. Place your Fitbit on its charger and open the Fitbit app.
  2. Select your profile picture or icon and choose your Fitbit device from the list.
  3. Tap the trash can icon at the top and choose Unpair. Fitbit app for Android remove Fitbit from app
  4. Once unpaired, open your phone’s Bluetooth settings and confirm that the Fitbit is no longer listed as a connected device or previously connected device. If it is still listed after unpairing, tap it and choose to Forget it. Forget Fitbit from Bluetooth settings on Android
  5. Go back to the Fitbit app and choose the option to set up a device. Follow the steps to add and pair your Fitbit to the Fitbit app and Android phone. Fitbit app Set Up a Device

For Google Pixel Watch, follow these steps to re-pair to the Fitbit app:

  1. Place your Pixel Watch on its charger and open the Watch app.
  2. Scroll down to the Settings section and choose Fitbit. Settings for Fitbit and others in Google Pixel Watch app
  3. Select Unpair this watch from your Fitbit account and confirm by tapping Remove. Pixel Watch app remove Pixel Watch from Fitbit app
  4. Once unpaired, select Open Fitbit app and follow the steps to set up and re-pair your Pixel Watch with the Fitbit app.

If your Pixel Watch continues to disconnect from your phone, you’ll need to factory reset it. Factory resetting your watch removes all data and customizations, including apps, watch faces, settings, and user data.

Since Google currently does not offer a way to back up your watch, we recommend factory resetting it ONLY if all else fails to correct the disconnecting problem.

How to reset your Pixel Watch

  1. Place your Pixel Watch on its charger.
  2. Open the Google Pixel Watch app on your phone or the Settings app on your Pixel Watch.
  3. Google recommends using the Watch app on your phone rather than resetting the watch itself via its Settings app—on the phone, tap System > Reset and unpair watch. On your Pixel Watch, tap System > Disconnect and reset.Google Pixel Watch app reset and unpair
  4. Confirm you wish to reset the watch. Google Pixel Watch app confirm reset watch
  5. Once reset, open your phone’s Bluetooth settings and verify that your Pixel Watch isn’t listed as a connected or previously connected device. If it is still listed after unpairing, tap it and choose to Forget it. Google Pixel Watch forget from Bluetooth settings on phone
  6. Return to the Watch app and follow the instructions to pair your watch. 

Since your Pixel Watch is back to its factory state, you’ll need to reinstall all your watch faces and apps and reconfigure all your personalized custom settings and everything else to the way it was before the reset.

To update your Google Pixel Watch this quickly, follow these steps

  1. Turn on Airplane mode on the watch and then connect your watch to WiFi via Settings > Connectivity > Airplane mode and toggle it on. Turn on Airplane mode for Google Pixel Watch
  2. Go back to Settings > Connectivity > WiFi and toggle on WiFi. Google Pixel Watch WiFi settings
  3. Once in Airplane mode with WiFi on, open Settings > System and check for System Updates. system updates on Google Pixel Watch
  4. Once the system updates, open the Play Store app and scroll down to Manage apps. Google Pixel Watch manage apps in Play Store app
  5. Choose Update all to get the most up-to-date versions of all your watch apps.

Final thoughts

Well, I hope your Fitbit or Pixel Watch stays connected to your phone.

If not, we suggest you reach out to Fitbit or Google Pixel Watch support and have them look into the issue with you. It could be hardware-related, which is something you cannot fix on your own.

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A. Beth Whittenberger
I started my love affair with computers way back in elementary school with the Apple II. Since then, I've worked with technology in my career as a media educator and videomaker. I have an MFA in media making from Temple University, where I also taught undergrads as an adjunct faculty member. Additionally, I was a writer, content producer, and editor on the popular tech blog AppleToolBox. So I know a thing or two about teaching others and creating how-to guides! After a cancer diagnosis, I turned to mobile technology like my Apple Watch to help me monitor my health throughout my chemotherapy treatment and later, to regain my wellness once in remission. I love sharing how to understand and use mobile tech, like smartwatches and phones, as a tool for empowerment to live our best and healthiest lives! Connect with me on LinkedIn!

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