Can You Replace a Fitbit Battery? (What You Should Know)

Fitbit has established itself as the smart piece of tech that helps you take charge of your health, fitness, and social life.

But the device can become toast if the battery dies out completely.

Now the question is, can you replace a Fitbit battery or will you have to buy a new tracker or smartwatch?

You can replace the battery of some Fitbit. Open the back of the device, remove the old battery, fix in the new one, and close the back up. By replacing the battery, you void the device’s warranty if you still have one. Also, note that you can’t replace Fitbit Versa batteries.

Fitbit battery replacement isn’t something to worry about nearly as much.

From what I understand, the battery that powers your model will work optimally over a year and a half before slugging in performance.

And for what it’s worth, you might want to consider buying a new Fitbit after 24 months of use rather than trying to switch the battery. 

Does a Fitbit Have Battery?

Fitbit smartwatches and fitness trackers have rechargeable lithium-ion batteries.

The batteries equipped in Fitbit devices are some of the best in the making, with the ability to run up to 10 days under normal use on a single charge.

But after you’ve used your device for at least one and half years, and you notice that your Fitbit battery drains faster without a good explanation for it, it’s likely an indication that you need to consider a replacement.

Can a Fitbit Battery Be Replaced?  

You can have the lithium-ion battery of your Fitbit replaced if the current one is sluggish in performance or completely died out.

But there are warnings! 

First, I need you to understand that, at the hardware level, a Fitbit has a fixed lifespan beyond which the device can’t work optimally.

Each component, from the battery to the sensor, won’t be any more useful when the lifespan elapses.

So when it comes to replacing the Fitbit battery, understand the following:

1. Replacing the Battery Won’t Guarantee Performance

I’m not sure how extreme temptation to replace your Fitbit battery might be for you. And while such a decision maybe theoretically sound, it’s not practically reasonable.

Of course, you can get the battery replaced at a fair price. But there’s no guarantee that your Fitbit will turn on or work optimally as intended for the long haul.

If you ask for my opinion, going through all the trouble of changing the battery without guarantee is nothing more than a waste of time and money. 

2. Replacing the Battery Voids the Warranty

Even if you were to replace the battery of your Fitbit device just fine, you’ll end up voiding the device’s warranty.

So if your device is still under the one-year warranty, and you’ve noticed that there’s a problem with the battery under normal use, you can contact Fitbit and have the smartwatch or fitness tracker replaced under the warranty.

Note that getting a new Fitbit for replacement doesn’t get you a new warranty for the device.

3. You Can’t Replace Fitbit Versa Batteries

And to be abundantly clear, not all Fitbit batteries are replaceable.

If you own a Fitbit Versa model, you won’t be able to replace its battery because it’ fully built-in. So if the Versa battery dies out, your only option is to buy a new fitness tracker or smartwatch. 

How Long Does Fitbit Battery Last Before Replacement?

I believe this is a question without a definite answer. Ask anyone who has owned a Fitbit for more than two years and he or she will tell you that it depends.

My educated guess is that your Fitbit’s battery will go bad overtime. And right in the moment when you notice that the battery isn’t lasting longer as it used to, it’s a strong indication that you need to get a new battery for the device – or get a new Fitbit all together.

Fitbit never designed its smartwatches and fitness trackers to last for a lifetime, and the batteries aren’t an exception.

If you’re someone who wears Fitbit all the time, expect the battery to degrade naturally over time.

You may notice that you need a new battery once your device hits the 18th months mark, maybe even earlier depending on the frequency of use.

If you live in an arctic environment, expect the cold temperature to affect the lifespan of your Fitbit battery by shortening it.

Some people have their Fitbit working well for more than two years because they don’t use it every day.

It may be that they only wear it during workouts and turn the device off until the next time they’re ready for some exercise. Or it may be that they only use the Fitbit to track sleep and turn it off during the day.

These are just a few examples, but you get the idea.

In other words, how long a Fitbit battery lasts before replacement depends on the frequency of use as well as how well you take care of the device.

How to Change Fitbit Battery

Fitbit warns that you shouldn’t try to replace the battery of your device with whatever option you think is an equivalent.

And if you do decide that you want to proceed, you void the warranty if your device is less than a year older – and there’s no guarantee that the Fitbit tracker or smartwatch will perform optimally thereafter.

With that said, here’s how you can replace a Fitbit battery:

• Get a pair of tweezers and a mini screwdriver set if you don’t have them yet 
• Turn off your Fitbit
• Flip the device over and use the screwdriver to unfasten the screws  holding the device in place
• Use the tweezers to remove the casing

Inside the build is a small circular battery that powers the device, usually for an average of 5 days of regular use on a single charge.   

• Again, use the tweezers to pull out the battery
• Fix in the new battery
• Put the back cover to its place and fasten back the screws

That’s it.

You’ve successfully changed the battery of your Fitbit device.

Calibrating the Replacement Battery

One last important thing you need to do is to calibrate you’re the battery for optimal performance.

To do this:

• Charge the new battery to 100%, and then keep it charging for an additional 2 hours maximum.
• Use the Fitbit until it shuts down.
• Then, charge the battery again until 100%.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Can You Change the Battery on Fitbit Versa Models?

You cannot change the battery on any Fitbit Versa model.

The batteries in these devices are fully built-in, and therefore trying to remove and replace them will damage the watch.

Your option is to get the Fitbit Versa replaced if it’s still under warranty, or getting a new one altogether if it isn’t performing optimally.

2. Can You Replace the Battery in a Fitbit Charge 3 and 4?

You can replace the battery in Fitbit Charge 3 and 4. Still, do keep in mind that there’s no guarantee that the replacement will work.

Also, note that Fitbit doesn’t sell replacement batteries for its devices.

3. How Much Does It Cost to Replace a Fitbit Battery?

It costs as little as $15 to replace a Fitbit battery.

Remember, Fitbit doesn’t make or sell replacement batteries. So you’ll have to find a compatible battery from third-party vendors online or locally.

Final Thoughts

The battery that comes equipped in your Fitbit’s smartwatch or fitness wristband is eventually going to degrade. If you wish to extend your device’s lifespan, you might want to consider getting a new battery for replacement.

Do keep in mind that replacing the battery yourself can boost the device’s performance or cause it to fail altogether.

So proceed with caution, making sure you know exactly what you’re doing, as neither Fitbit nor I will be responsible for the damage of your Fitness tracker or smartwatch.