Why is My Fitbit Not Charging? (6 Problems and Fixes)

You know the drill, don’t you? You’ll use your Fitbit until the battery drains, and then you have to charge it to full capacity to continue getting the most out of it. But if your Fitbit is not charging, it won’t be of any use.

The question is:

Why won’t your Fitbit charge and what can you do to fix the problem?

If your Fitbit is not charging, it’s possible that the charging contacts are dirty, the charger’s pins are misaligned, or the device has a system error. Also, it’s possible that the charger broke, your Fitbit is wet, or there’s no power in your house.

Clearly, these are minor issues that you can fix and get your Fitbit to charge properly again. And in this guide, I show you exactly how to fix each issue in under 10 minutes.

Why is My Fitbit Smartwatch or Fitness Tracker not Charging?

The following table is a summary on why your Fitbit won’t charge, as well as what you can do to fix the problem:

Note that these fixes apply to all the available models, which are Fitbit Sense, Versa, Charge, and Luxe.

6 Ways to Fix Your Fitbit That Won’t Charge

To keep using your Fitbit to make wrist payments, monitor your heart rate, track sleep, and so much more, you need ensure the battery has enough power.

So if your model is not charging, try any or all of the following six fixes:

1. Clean Your Fitbit’s Charging Contact

Look:

Your Fitbit will collect sweat, dirt, and dust as you continue to use it.

You may notice that the display has patches of dry dirt from your fingers’ taps and swipes. And if you look at the back of the watch, you may notice dirt build up on the charging contacts caused by dust, dirt, and sweat.

If you don’t clean your Fitbit often, dirt and sweat will continue to build up on the magnetic charging contacts and make it difficult for the device to charge.

I suggest that you start by cleaning the Fitbit charging contacts first to see if that solves the problem.

You will need:

• A cotton swab or a soft bristled brush
• Rubbing alcohol

As for how to use these items:

• Detach the bands from your Fitbit device.
• Pour a drop or two of the rubbing alcohol on the cotton swab or the soft bristled brush.
• Scrub the charging contacts gently until you restore its original color.
• Use a clean, dry piece of cloth to dry the charging contacts.

That’s it.

If your Fitbit wasn’t charging because of dirt, this should be sufficient to fix the problem.

2. Align the Charging Plates

If you’ve cleaned the charging contacts on your Fitbit but you still can’t get it to charge, check if the charging pins are misaligned.

Just to be clear, the charging pins (or plates) are at the end where the USB cable plugs into a charging adapter or your computer’s USB port. 

You might have bent a plate or two without knowing by using unnecessary force to plug the charging cable into an adapter or USB port.

There are two solutions for this:

• Use a strong pin to realign the misaligned plates. Then, connect the cable to a computer or charging adapter and then secure the charging head with a clip.
• Get a new charger if the first solution doesn’t work. Ensure the new charger is compatible with your Fitbit smartwatch or fitness tracker before spending money on it.

Note that compatible replacement chargers for Fitbit Sense, Inspire, Charge, Versa series are readily available at fair prices.

3. Restart Your Fitbit to Fix System Glitches

I’ve had instances when my Fitbit Versa 2 couldn’t charge after dying simply because of a system glitch.

And one thing that has become clearly apparent to me is that system glitches are normal. Which is to say you’ll have to deal with them once or multiple times.

Fortunately, a system glitch isn’t difficult to fix at all. 

Therefore, if you have a Fitbit Sense 2, Inspire HR, Versa 2, Charge 5, or a different model that won’t charge, restart the device to fix the problem.

To restart most of the Fitbit devices, simply press and hold down the power button until the Fitbit logo appears on the screen.

As I’ve mentioned before, restarting the device solves many problems. Additionally, it closes conflicting apps that run in the background, clears stored caches, and optimizes the memory for better performance.

If the device still doesn’t charge after the restart, do a complete reset. Note that this deletes all your personal information, apps, and performance data. So be sure to back up your data in your Fitbit account first.

To reset the device:

• Open the Settings screen.
• Scroll up until you see the “About” option.
• Choose Factory Reset.
• Follow the instructions on the screen to factory reset your Fitbit.

4. Use a Separate Adapter or Your Computer

Something that I can think of as to why your Fitbit won’t charger is that your adapter isn’t working anymore.

And this is a no-brainer to fix.

You just have to get a separate adapter. You can ask a friend or family member to help you with one. Or you can buy another adapter for replacement.

Another viable option is to charge your Fitbit without a charger. That means using your laptop or desktop computer. However, keep in mind that it will take a little longer for the battery to charge to full capacity.

5. Dry Your Fitbit

If your Fitbit smartwatch or tracker won’t charge immediately after shower, a sweaty exercise, or a swim workout, it’s likely that the charging contact is wet or moist.

Fixing this issue is a no brainer.

All you have to is to wipe the charging contact with a clean and dry piece of cloth to remove all the moist.

Then try charging the device again.

6. Use an Alternative Power Source to Charge Your Fitbit

Sometimes your Fitbit won’t charge because you don’t have power at home. And the reasons are obvious.

The fuse may have blown, the circuit breaker may have tripped, or you may be experiencing a blackout.

But what’s the solution?

Well, you can:

• Fix the power issue. Install a new fuse, adjust the circuit breaker, or wait for power to come back if you’re dealing with an outage.
• Use a portable source of energy. You can get the mophie PowerStation XXL Power Bank if you don’t have one already.
• Use your laptop. Attach the watch to the magnetic charging pins and plug the USB cable to the port. 

You should allow the smartwatch or fitness tracker 120 to 180 minutes to fully charge.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Why is My Fitbit Not Charging to 100%?

There are two possible reasons as to why your Fitbit won’t charge to 100%.

• The smartwatch or tracker may have a system glitch.
• Fitbit Operating System may not be up to date.

Again, these aren’t difficult to fix at all. If you believe there is a system glitch, restart the watch to fix the error. And if there’s a firmware update pending installation, download it so that the Fitbit OS is current.

2. How Can I Tell If My Fitbit Is Charging?

When you connect your Fitbit to a charger, you should see a battery icon on the top left corner of the screen to indicate that the smartwatch or tracker is charging.

Also, the battery icon will show you how much your Fitbit battery has charged in percentage. The same icon also tells you how much battery you have left after disconnecting the watch or tracker from the charger.