Fitbit Charge 5 Not Vibrating? – (Fix In Minutes!)

If your Fitbit Charge 5 not vibrating, you’re going to want to find out what’s causing it. In this guide, we’ll detail all the steps you need to take to fix this particular issue. 

As a wearable device, you depend on some of its features, especially notifications. You can have a hard time using it if you won’t be able to feel if you’re getting a call or text.

Let’s find out!

To fix your Fitbit Charge 5 that’s not vibrating, you need to check if it’s in Do Not Disturb or Sleep mode.

You also want to ensure that your device has permission to access notifications from your phone so your Fitbit can act on them and alert you.

Now that you have a good idea of the steps you need to take, let’s look at some of the causes of this error.

What Causes Fitbit Charge 5 Not Vibrating for Notifications

Usually, an error with your Fitbit occurs whenever you pair your tracker and phone together or after a huge update.

You may not have set the permissions and settings correctly. Check your Bluetooth connection and make sure it is strong.

• Do not disturb mode is enabled on your fitness tracker
• Connection issues with your internet provider
• Your Charge 5 is too far away from your phone
• Fitbit app does not have access to your notifications
• Malfunction with the vibration motors on your phone

We can now look at the best ways to troubleshoot the issue so you can get your watch to vibrate again.

Complete Steps How to Fix Fitbit Charge 5 Not Vibrating Issue

The issue of Fitbit Charge 5 not vibrating can be due to incorrect settings configuration. We listed some troubleshooting methods.

But first, try staying closer to your phone. The Bluetooth connection between your devices may be weak, causing the problem. 

If this doesn’t fix the issue, there’s a possibility you are dealing with a software glitch.

To fix this, simply restart your Fitbit Charge 5, and it will refresh your tracker’s operating system while ensuring you don’t erase any data. 

Here’s how to restart your Charge 5:

• Swipe down from the clock screen.
• Swipe to find the Settings app.
• Tap the Settings icon to open it.
• Scroll down to the bottom to find Restart Device.
• Tap on Restart Device and click Restart.  

Once your Fitbit has fully started, text-test your device to see if the issue still occurs. 

Solution #1: Disable Your Fitbit Charge 5 Sleep Mode

When the Sleep Mode setting is on, notifications are muted.

It’s a setting you generally use when you’re asleep, so you do not get up in the middle of the night because someone tagged you on Facebook. That would be extremely annoying.

However, if you expect messages and calls, you want your Fitbit to be awake and out of Sleep Mode. You might have forgotten to switch it off when you woke up, so you’ll have to do that now.

Check your Fitbit, and when the screen stays dark when you move your wrist, you need to wake it up.

Here how to turn off Sleep Mode on your Fitbit Charge 5:

1. Swipe down from the top on your Fitbit’s display.
2. Swipe down again to see the crescent moon symbol for Sleep Mode.
3. Tap on the symbol to deactivate it.

Pro Tip: You can also disable Sleep Mode using the Fitbit app by going to the My Device section, then selecting Exit Sleep Mode. 

Solution #2: Turn Off Do Not Disturb on Your Fitness Tracker

If you have set your Fitbit’s Sleep Mode correctly, it should automatically switch without any issues.

There’s also another mode that blocks your notifications from coming through to your fitness tracker, and that’s the Do No Disturb mode.

While Sleep Mode can be set to automatic and activates depending on the time of day, Do Not Disturb is more deliberate.

It’s possible that you have turned on Do Not Disturb and forgot to switch it back off, preventing you from receiving any type of notification.

Here’s how to turn off Do Not Disturb on your Fitbit Charge 5:

1. Press the back button on your fitness tracker to wake it up.
2. Perform a swipe down gesture from the top of the screen.
3. Select the Quick Settings icon.
4. Look for the Do Not Disturb icon.
5. Tap on it to deactivate the mode.

Note: You will not be able to turn on Sleep and Do Not Disturb modes at the same time as they offer a similar function.

Solution #3: Grant Your Fitbit App Notification Access

Sometimes, the settings on the device paired with your Fitbit can change. When they do, the ability of your Charge 5 to notify you can turn off.

You want to ensure that the Fitbit app is granted full notification access to forward it to your tracker and alert you properly. 

Look at the notification settings on the app to see if it’s enabled, and then you’ll figure out why your Charge 5 isn’t working as intended.

Here’s how to grant notification access to the Fitbit app on your phone:

iPhone:

1. Open the Settings app on your iPhone.
2. Select the Notifications menu.
3. Scroll down and find the Fitbit app from the list.
4. Tap on the toggle next to Allow Notifications.

Android:

1. Go to the Settings app on your Android phone.
2. Select the Apps and Notifications menu.
3. Tap on the See All Apps option.
4. Choose the Fitbit app from the list.
5. Select App Notifications, and toggle the Allow Notifications switch.

Note: While changing this, you want to keep your Charge 5 near the phone with the Fitbit app to get feedback on your settings changes.

Solution #4: Reboot Your Fitbit and Phone’s WiFi and Bluetooth

Almost all notifications from your Fitbit are received due to a strong Bluetooth and WiFi connection with your phone.

When these connections malfunction or stop working, your Fitbit Charge 5 won’t let you know about a text, call, or reminder. 

To fix the issue, reboot the WiFi and Bluetooth on your devices. Here’s how:

1. Force quit the Fitbit app on your phone.
2. Swipe down to open your phone’s Control Center or Quick Settings.
3. Find the Bluetooth icon and tap on it to toggle it Off.
4. Wait 2 minutes, and tap on it again to toggle it back On.
5. Repeat these steps for your phone’s WiFi.

Solution #5: Enable Notifications on Your Fitbit App

You’ve now realized that the notifications that make your Fitbit vibrate come from your phone.

Now that we know it’s not a connection issue, let’s look at your app settings.

If notifications are disabled for the Fitbit app, it cannot transmit them to your tracker. You’re going to need to check if the notification settings on the app are enabled.

Here’s how to enable notifications on the Fitbit app:

1. Open the Fitbit app on your phone.
2. Tap on your profile at the top left of your screen.
3. Select the Notifications menu.
4. Choose App Notifications.
5. Select the notifications that you want to see on your tracker.

Tip: If your phone is unlocked, your Fitbit will assume that you’re using your phone and won’t receive any notifications.  

Solution #6: Set Your Fitbit’s Vibrations to Strong

Even when you have notifications enabled on your Fitbit, but your watch’s vibration motor is not set correctly, you will still miss those notifications.

Unless the motor is defective or stops working, you can adjust the vibration to a comfortable level.

Here’s how you can do it: 

1. Go to the Fitbit app on your phone.
2. Tap on your profile at the top left of the screen.
3. Select your active tracker, the Charge 5.
4. Tap on Vibrations.
5. Select the Strong option.

Note: If the strong setting does not change anything, you’re likely dealing with a motor malfunction issue.

These should get your Fitbit Charge 5 vibrating in no time.

Now, there are a few more troubleshooting steps that you can try if none of these work, like updating your tracker’s software or resetting it back to factory settings.

You can also contact Fitbit customer support for technical assistance, especially when it comes to repairing or replacing your hardware.

Bottom Line:

Now that you know the causes and fixes to your Fitbit Charge 5 not vibrating, you can stop guessing and perform the correct steps. It’s going to save you a lot of time and money as you won’t need to bring it to a service center for an unnecessary repair.

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