How to fix Fitbit Alta HR that won’t update its firmware

Fixes and new features are added to your Fitbit Alta HR through the firmware update and normally these updates can be easily downloaded and installed once rolled out. However, there are instances wherein firmware updates won’t go smoothly and some owners of this tracker have been complaining about it.

The thing is, firmware-related issues are often easy to fix. So, in this post, I will guide you in troubleshooting your Alta HR that won’t update its firmware. I will share with you the solution that some owners used to fix the problem and get their trackers updated. If you’re one of the users who have this problem, continue reading as this article may help you.

For those who are looking for a solution to a different problem, drop in on our Fitbit Alta HR troubleshooting page for we have already addressed some of the most common issues with this phone. Browse through the page to find issues that are similar with yours and use the solutions we suggested. If they don’t work for you or if you still need our help, contact us anytime through our questionnaire.

Going back to our troubleshooting, here are the things you need to do if your your Alta HR won’t update…

  1. Restart your Alta HR and your phone.
  2. Reset connection between phone and your tracker.
  3. Update Alta HR through Fitbit.com Dashboard.

First of all, since we don’t know the reason why your Alta HR won’t update its firmware, we have to refresh both the memories of your phone and your tracker. Most of the time we update our trackers through the Fitbit app on our phone. That said, turn off your Android device first, or any smartphone for that matter, and then restart your Alta HR. The purpose is so that your tracker’s memory will be refresh first before it tries to reconnect to the phone. Once the phone is powered off, follow these steps to restart your Alta HR:

  1. Plug your charging cable into a USB port on your computer or any UL-certified USB wall charger.
  2. Clip the other end of the charging cable to the port on the back of the tracker. The pins on the charging cable must lock securely with the port. You’ll know the connection is secure when the tracker vibrates and you see a battery icon on your tracker’s display. Your tracker will begin charging.
  3. Press the button on your charging cable 3 times within a few seconds, briefly pausing between presses. The button is on the end of the charging cable that is plugged into your computer. When you see the Fitbit logo and the tracker vibrates, this means the tracker has restarted.
  4. Unplug your tracker from the charging cable.

Once both devices are active, initiate the update one again through the app. Here’s how…

  1. Verify that the latest version of the Fitbit app is installed on your phone or tablet.
  2. With your charged watch or tracker nearby, open the Fitbit app.
  3. Tap or click the Account icon > your device image.
  4. Tap or click the pink Update button. You’ll only see an option to update your device if an update is available.
  5. Follow the on-screen instructions and keep the device close to your phone, tablet, or computer during the update. Note that updates may take up to an hour to complete. If the update is slow, don’t remove your device from your account as a troubleshooting measure.

After this and the update still won’t go through, delete the connection of the tracker on your phone and then allow your smartphone to scan for available devices and pair both again. Once properly paired and connected, initiate the update process again. If it still won’t go through, then update through fitbit.com dashboard:

  1. Find and click “Check for device update.”
  2. When prompted, log in to your Fitbit account. Fitbit Connect syncs your watch or tracker and then looks for an update. If an update is found, Fitbit Connect displays a progress bar until the update finishes. If your device has a screen, you’ll also see a progress bar there.
  3. Keep your device close to the computer during the update. When the update is done you’ll see a confirmation message and your device will restart. Note that updates may take up to an hour to complete.
  4. If the update fails to complete, try again.

If everything else fails, then call tech support or bring the tracker back to the store.

I hope that we’ve been able to help you fix the problem with your device. We would appreciate it if you helped us spread the word so please share this post if you found it helpful. Thank you so much for reading!

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