How to Factory Reset Fitbit Charge 3?

Updated on


We use affiliate links and may receive a small commission on purchases. Read more about us

Home » Fitbit » How to Factory Reset Fitbit Charge 3?
Photo of author
Written By Dinu Sri

Dr H. T. D. S. Madusanka is an electronic expert with 10 years of experience, involved in the research and development of SMART HOME systems.

You want to perform a Factory reset on your Fitbit Charge 3 and you don’t know how to. Well, that’s awesome.

Factory reset on your Fitbit Charge 3

Why? Because it means you’re in the right place.

As an experienced Fitbit user for more than 3 years, I spend lots of hours reading and conducting my own research to solve day-to-day problems I had with my Fitbit devices.

Most of the time, doing the reset is the best cure for all the common problems with Fitbit.

Alright, without further ado, let’s see how we can do the factory reset for Fitbit charge 3 in 2023.

How to perform a factory reset on Fitbit Charge 3?

How to perform a factory reset on Fitbit Charge 3

Time needed: 5 minutes

We’ve written an easy-to-follow step-by-step process for performing a factory reset on the Fitbit Charge 3. The whole process will take around 5 minutes for the first time.

  1. Take the charging cable

    Grab a charging cable. Attach one end to the device and the other one to the USB port.

  2. press the button

    Press and hold the button for two seconds (no more, no less). Now, without letting the button go, remove the charging cable from your tracker. Then, wait for 9 seconds before releasing the button.

  3. Repeat the step 2

    Press and hold the button again. Soon you’ll see “ALT” and a white flash appear on your screen. Take your hand off the button and press and hold again.

  4. Release the button after the vibration

    Soon you’ll feel the device vibrate. As soon as it does, take your hand off the button. Now, you must be getting kind of sick of the constant taking the hand off the button and then pressing the button.
    Well, there is good news. You don’t have to do it much longer. But, as you might have already guessed, you do have to do it again. So, again press and hold the button.

  5. The device will be reset after the msg of “ERROR”

    Hold it for a few seconds. Maybe 8 seconds. But, in case you see some changes made to your device sooner, then don’t hold it for 8 seconds, or even a second longer.
    Here is the sign that you should let go of the button. The word ERROR will appear on your screen.

How to do a factory reset of Fitbit Charge 3

Additional tips for resetting your Fitbit charge 2

  • UL-certified USB wall chargers are the ones you need to have for the resetting process.
  • Remember, the Fitbit charge 3 reset process and the Fitbit charge and charge HR reset process are different. Use the correct steps.

Fitbit Charge 3 not resetting: Why & What to do?

These are a few reasons why your Fitbit Charge 3 may not be resetting properly:

Fitbit Charge 3 not resetting:
  1. Incorrect reset steps: If you are not following the correct steps to reset the Fitbit Charge 3, the device may not reset properly. It is important to follow the steps provided in the Fitbit user manual or above in the article in order to reset the device correctly.
  2. Power issues: If the Fitbit Charge 3 does not have enough power, it may not reset properly. Make sure that the device is fully charged before attempting to reset it.
  3. Software issues: If there are issues with the software on the Fitbit Charge 3, it may prevent the device from resetting properly. In this case, you may need to contact Fitbit customer support for assistance.
  4. Hardware issues: If there are issues with the hardware of the Fitbit Charge 3, it may prevent the device from resetting properly too. This could be due to a malfunctioning component or damage to the device. If you think this is the case, you may need to contact Fitbit customer support for assistance.

Why do you want to reset your Fitbit Charge 3?

There are 4 major problems that can be fixed through a reset.

  • Not syncing data issue
  • Not responding to button presses, taps, or swipes issue
  • Charged but doesn’t turn on the issue
  • Not tracking your steps or other statistics issue

When to perform a factory reset on Fitbit Charge 3?

Factory reset on Fitbit Charge 3
  1. Troubleshooting issues: If you are experiencing issues with your Fitbit Charge 3, such as unexpected behavior or errors, a factory reset may be able to resolve the problem.
  2. Before selling or giving away the device: If you are selling or giving away your Fitbit Charge 3, it is a good idea to perform a factory reset to erase all of your personal data and settings from the device. This will ensure that the new user is able to set up the device as a new device.
  3. Updating the device: If you are updating the software on your Fitbit Charge 3 and are experiencing issues, a factory reset may be necessary to resolve the problem.

Pros and Cons of Resetting your Fitbit Charge 3

Performing a factory reset on a Fitbit Charge 3 has both pros and cons, and the decision to do so should be based on the user’s specific needs.

Pros:

  • Troubleshooting: A factory reset can be used to troubleshoot issues with the device. It can help to fix any software bugs or issues that may be causing the device to malfunction or behave in unexpected ways.
  • Preparation for Sale: If the user intends to sell or give away their Fitbit Charge 3, performing a factory reset is recommended. This ensures that all user data and settings are deleted from the device and prevent them from falling into the wrong hands.

Cons:

  • Data and Settings Loss: Performing a factory reset will erase all data and settings from the device, including workout logs, custom settings, and data on progress toward goals. If the user has not backed up their data, they may lose valuable information that cannot be retrieved once the reset is complete.
  • Reconfiguration: After a factory reset, the user will need to reconfigure the device and set it up again from scratch. This can be a time-consuming process, especially if the user has customized their settings and preferences.

Helpful Communities and official forums you can ask for help

I know, there can be different cases when it comes to resetting your Fitbit device.

Your device can act very differently compared with the other devices. In such cases, it’s better to ask about it in an official community where a Fitbit company employee can answer.

This Reset guide thread on the Fitbit community page is one of the best places I’ve found.

Other than this, you can ask about your problem directly through a support ticket too.

On Reddit, there is a group with more than 95K members who love Fitbit devices. There did talk about the reset process in detail as well. You can always ask for help there too.

Conclusion

By following the steps we’ve mentioned, your problem should be solved easily. As you can see, we’ve explained the process in a quite simple and easy-to-understand manner.