Wondering why your Fitbit Charge 5 not recording sleep? Well, this is the correct guide!
Having a Fitbit Charge 5 is a great way to keep track of your sleeping habits. Well, sometimes the Fitbit tracker won’t record the sleep insights.
So, if you’re sharing the same issue, we will walk you through this guide to help you quickly start recording your sleep.
The Fitbit Charge 5 will not record sleep when the sleep mode is disabled, the battery level is low, or the sleep schedule is incorrect. There are other factors as well that can impact the sleep records, such as bad sleeping position and wrong sleep sensitivity.
So, without any further delay, let’s dive in!
How to Fix When Fitbit Charge 5 Not Tracking Sleep Stages?
Note: Try each of the methods below to effectively troubleshoot Fitbit Charge 5!
1. Check the Charge 5 Battery Level
If your tracker’s battery level is less than 20% or 30% then it could restrict your device from correctly tracking and recording your heart rate and sleep insights.
Some users have also reported that their Charge 5 won’t record sleep with less than 50% battery level.
Here is how to check the Fitbit Charge 5 battery level:
- First, hold your Fitbit Charge 5.
- Turn on your Fitbit tracker device.
- Swipe up on your Charge 5 device.
- Check the current battery level.
- Tip: The level is shown on the top.
If your Fitbit tracker battery level is less than 50% charged, charge it for 2 hours!
Important Note!
The Fitbit Charge 5 cannot record sleep if you sleep for less than 3 hours since the tracker is recording your sleep by detecting your heart rate.
That’s why it is crucial to get at least 6 hours or more sleep to get accurate sleeping insights from your Fitbit Charge 5.
2. Power Cycle the Fitbit Charge 5
Sometimes simply restarting Fitbit Charge 5 can resolve all temporary glitches and issues.
This is a universal solution that always works wonders in resolving smart device issues so test it out!
Method #1 Restart Fitbit Charge 5:
- Double-tap on the watch screen.
- Swipe down on the device screen.
- Next, locate and tap on Settings.
- Choose the Restart Device option.
- Tap on the Restart button to start.
Method #2 Hard-Reset the Charge 5:
- Connect your Fitbit watch to the charging cable.
- Continuously press the Fitbit side button 3 times.
- Wait for 10 seconds until the Fitbit logo appears.
Tip: It’s hard to test whether the sleep tracker works now, so also apply the following steps!
3. Check the Sleep Mode Settings
When your Fitbit Charge 5 is not recording sleep, one of the things to check is the device’s sleep mode settings.
There is a chance that you’ve accidentally turned off the permissions for sleep mode and that is why your Fitbit Charge 5 is not recording your sleep insights.
Here is how to check the Fitbit Charge 5 sleep mode settings:
How to Check Sleep Mode Permission?
- Double-tap on your Fitbit Charge 5 screen.
- Swipe down and locate the Sleep Mode tile.
- Verify that the Sleep Mode option is enabled.
How to Check the Sleep Mode Schedule?
- First, swipe down on the Fitbit screen.
- Secondly, locate and tap on Settings.
- Swipe down and tap on Quiet Mode.
- Scroll down and tap on Sleep Mode.
- Tap on the Sleep Mode to enable it.
- Check the schedule interval settings.
About Fitbit Charge 5 Schedules?
If you have set the schedules for your sleep recording, check to see if the start and end times are correctly configured; if not, tap on the interval to edit them. Also, continue reading further!
4. Inspect the Sleep Sensitivity Settings
The Fitbit Charge 5 device has a sleep sensitivity feature that enables users to select the mode under their sleeping patterns.
It offers Normal and Sensitive modes.
- Use Normal Mode only if you are a person who moves a lot while sleeping.
- Use Sensitive Mode only if you are a person who doesn’t move a lot while sleeping.
Keep in mind that selecting the incorrect sensitivity mode will cause your Fitbit tracker to record your sleep insights incorrectly.
Therefore, simply check to see if the correct mode is chosen.
How to Inspect the Fitbit Charge 5 Sensitivity?
- Launch the Fitbit mobile app.
- Next, tap on the profile icon.
- Press on “Advanced Settings.”
- Then, tap on “Sleep Sensitivity.”
- Select “Normal” or “Sensitive mode”.
When the sleep mode, schedule, and sensitivity settings are all correct, test!
5. Sync Fitbit to Track Sleep Data!
Have you synced your Fitbit tracker with the Fitbit app? If not, this is why your previous night’s sleep record data is missing.
It is crucial to sync the Charge 5 in the app every morning to keep track of and view the recorded data of your sleep.
Here is how to sync the Fitbit Charge 5:
- First, place the Fitbit Charge 5 tracker nearby.
- Ensure the Bluetooth is enabled on both devices.
- Launch the Fitbit mobile app and tap on “Today”.
- Then, press and hold on to the application screen.
- Lastly, pull the app screen down to sync the tracker.
Within a few minutes, your Fitbit tracker will sync to the app and store your sleep data.
In case the app doesn’t sync, then turn off/on the Bluetooth connection and then restart the mobile!
6. Check Fitbit Wrist Placement
If you move a lot while sleeping and change positions then it is possible that your many sleeping gestures are preventing the tracker from getting your heart rate readings.
That’s why your Fitbit Charge 5 not recording sleep but there is a way to overcome this…
Verify that you wear your tracker properly on your wrist, not too loosely or tightly!
Also, make sure the heart rate sensors are clean and in contact with the back of your skin.
7. Reinstall the Fitbit Application
Another possibility is that maybe your Fitbit app’s software is out of date.
In case of an outdated app version, you may be facing functionality issues with the syncing.
In that set of thoughts, the issue might not be on the tracker’s side, perhaps it’s the app’s fault there are no sleep records…
Here is how to reinstall the Fitbit app:
- Open the App Store on your device.
- Search the Fitbit app in the search bar.
- Tap on the Fitbit app when it appears.
- Then, press the Uninstall button.
- Wait a few seconds to delete the app.
- Then press the Install button to get it.
Note: Once the Fitbit app’s downloading process ends log in to the app using your Fitbit user account details and check the sleep mode settings!
8. Unpair and Re-pair Your Charge 5
If your Fitbit Charge 5 is still not recording sleep after trying all of the above steps, unpair your device and re-pair it into the app.
This process will help the devices clear all conflicts and set up a fresh connection, and hopefully, the sleep tracker will start working normally.
Here is how to unpair and re-pair the Fitbit Charge 5:
How to Unpair the Fitbit Charge 5?
- First, launch the Fitbit mobile application.
- Tap on your profile icon from the top left.
- Then, locate and tap on Charge 5 device.
- Finally, unpair your Fitbit Charge 5 tracker:
- In Android: Tap on the bin icon from the top right corner.
- In iPhone: Scroll up and tap on “Remove this Charge 5”.
How to Re-pair the Fitbit Charge 5?
- Tap “+ Set up a Device”, then select “Charge 5”.
- Press on the Setup button and accept the policy.
- Place the Fitbit tracker nearby and let the app scan.
- Next, enter the “four-digit PIN code” in the Fitbit app.
- Wait for a few 60 seconds and tap on the Pair button.
- Follow the further on-screen instructions completely.
Once your Fitbit tracker is set up in the app, configure your sleep mode settings to get a seamless experience and keep track of your sleep record…
9. Factory Reset the Fitbit Charge 5
If your Fitbit tracker is still not recording sleep then proceed with performing a factory reset as a final resort solution.
This process deletes all stored data on your Fitbit and restores it to its factory default settings, which you can later set up from scratch.
Here’s how to factory reset the Fitbit Charge 5 in easy steps:
- First, scroll down on the Fitbit Charge 5 screen.
- Secondly, locate and tap on the “Settings” icon.
- Press ”Device Info” and then “Clear User Data”.
- Swipe up and press “Hold 3 Sec” for 3 seconds.
- Wait until the Fitbit logo appears on the screen.
Tip: In case the same issue persists, contact Fitbit Support for further assistance!
Quick Recap:
If your Fitbit Charge 5 not recording sleep, fully charge the device, check the unit’s sleep mode, and sensitivity settings, and then sync the tracker in the app.
In case the issue is still there, reinstall the Fitbit app, unpair, and re-pair the tracker, or perform a factory reset.
Finn Wheatley holds a Master’s Degree in Computer Science from UCL, London. He helped small data science consultancy firms, helping large corporations to grow their data capabilities, deploy advanced machine learning-based analytics and troubleshoot tech-related issues. Check out more about him here.