Edit 11/02/2013 – Included tips from Hedy and Brad in the comments, thanks folks! 🙂
Edit 14/02/2013 – Included another tip from Denise in the comments – top stuff! 🙂
If there’s a feature missing from the Fitbit and Fitbit Ultra it’s the ability to easily locate one that has been lost. I found this out myself when I was at the gym and somehow managed to lose my Fitbit while on the treadmill.
Building in GPS functionality into the Fitbit would probably not be an option given the power and space requirements in such a tiny device. However, I reckon some sort of beeper, speaker or maybe even a vibrating motor that you could activate when within proximity could perhaps be something small enough to fit inside the device. Anyway, this will be something I suggest to Fibit.
In the meantime, how can you find a lost Fitbit?
Firstly, you need to try and narrow down where it became lost. You may need to retrace your steps, remember when you last knew you had the Fitbit on you, etc. This might be very difficult if you have been out for a ten kilometre run though but, if you manage to narrow the general area in which the Fitbit was lost then there’s hope.
If you have access to a laptop and a mobile broadband connection then take your laptop and your Fitibt base station to the area where you believe you lost your Fitbit. When you are in the area, do the following:
- Fire up your laptop, tether it to the mobile broadband connection but leave your Fitbit base station disconnected,
- Login to your Fitbit dashboard online and take note of the last sync time and date,
- Connect your Fitibt base station and wander around,
- Refresh the webpage with your Fitbit dashboard on it and see if the date and time of last sync updates. If it does, you’re near your Fibit so search more thoroughly in the general area!
I was lucky enough to fit my Fitbit in the narrow gap between the belt on the treadmill I had used and the sidestep using this technique after it had fallen out of its belt clip. I contacted Fitbit about my tale and asked them if they could spare me a couple of belt clips given that my current one had cracked after daily use for around eighteen months and, fortunately for me, they are shipping two complimentary belt clips to my USA mail forwarding address – thanks Fitbit!
However, if you have a Fitbit One you have another option as outlined by Hedy in the comments below where you can attempt to setup your Fitbit as a new device with an iPhone and walk around until it says “Fitbit found.” Otherwise, Brad recommends using the BTLExplorer app and walking around until you see the Fitbit One appear in the list as “One” with a signal strength of -60dB to -40dB indicating that it is close by.
Another suggestion, kindly put forth by Denise in the comments below, was to set a silent alarm on your Fitbit One via your Fitbit dashboard which should help you pinpoint the location of your Fitbit if you’re still stumped using the above approach.
Ideally, we all want to get the most out of the Fitbit before the battery eventually dies and we have to get a new one so I was quite relieved that I managed to find mine fairly easily. I can only hope others have as much luck as I did.
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I also broke a belt clip but can’t seem to get in contact w FitBit. I have sent multiple emails Any suggestions?
Author
Did you try using the web form instead of e-mail? All of my e-mails went unanswered but my query via the web form was answered fairly quickly.
Did you have to wait an entire 15 minutes (I.e. for the device to automatically sync), or did refreshing the web page trigger a sync from the device? I hope that makes sense. There is a good chance mine fell of in my car, but I can’t see it anywhere. This part is for Ed too:I did contact fit bit via the web form on Saturday simply to ask if there was a way to locate it based on wifi connection (as I know it has no gps). They replied to me this morning (Sunday) with news that they will send me a complimentary replacement device in exchange for some feedback. Very nice of them to do so, so I thought I would give it one last go at trying to locate he darn thing.
Author
It was pretty quick (within about twenty seconds I would estimate) – I just had to keep refreshing the page for the prior day’s results on my laptop to see if anything had gone through.
Good news on your replacement though! Awesome news 🙂
I lost my Fitbit at a restaurant last night and went back today to find out that someone had turn in the holder and kept my Fitbit. I did register my Fitbit on line and I linked it up to my I phone 4s. Can you tell me if there is any way possible for the person that found it to use it? I still have all of the accessories and the original box since I just received it for Christmas. Can you tell me where I get a web form in order to contact Fitbit?
Thank you so much,
Linda
Author
Hi Linda,
Given that you linked your Fitbit to your iPhone 4S I am going to assume you are using one of the more recent Fitbit devices as the Fitbit classic couldn’t pair with a smartphone. If another person had a compatible smartphone then I believe they could pair the device to their Fitbit account but they would not be able to recharge it unless they had the right cable. If they don’t have the cable then they would end up with a Fitbit that is essentially useless to them in about ten days time from a full charge (unless they buy a charger). I can only hope that they return the Fitbit as well if this happens.
If you need to contact Fitbit support you can use the form @ http://help.fitbit.com/customer/portal/emails/new – not sure if they will help track down a missing Fitbit if someone else has picked it up and started using it but worth a shot!
Mr Chan,
Thank you for getting back to me so quickly and for your helpful information. I wanted to let you know I did receive an e-mail from Fitbit telling me they were sorry to hear about my loosing my Fitbit and that if I was able to provide them with some information and the was able to return the belt clip (holder) to them they would send me a prepaid Fedex label to do so. They said once they have received the belt clip they will process a complimentary replacement Fitbit One order. Like Oregonrn said, “Very nice of them to do so”. This is such a relief for me, and I am so pleased that Fitbit has GREAT customer service.
Once again, thank you so much for you help as well.
Linda
Author
That’s a terrific outcome, Linda! I can all too easily remember how terrible I felt after losing my Fitbit but can imagine you felt the same if not worse after just receiving it for Christmas.
I hope your replacement Fitbit arrives as soon as possible – glad to have been of help 🙂
hi. i lost my fitbit at work. i usually walk around 3 miles in my work area. Any suggestion how to find my fitbit.
Author
Which Fitbit did you have and how did it upload its data to Fitbit (i.e. via your phone or computer with the base station)?
Hi, I lost my fitbit ultra. I was driving that whole day and not sure at what point that I lost it. In the evening when I reached out to see how many steps I took it was not there on my belt buckle. Is there any way I can track it back? I use my office computer as the base station.
Author
Quite a dilemma. The only thing I could recommend is installing your base station on a laptop with a cellular modem and pairing it to your account then retracing your steps if that is at all practical.
I am guessing you have already looked under the seat in the car as well as the footwell?
These have all been good ideas, but whomever found my fitbit has been using it – so it’s not likely that walking around where I think I lost it with my laptop will be very effective (unfortunately) – I asked fitbit if they could track the syncs (wouldn’t each sync have an ip address) and they said they’re not able to do that. They did offer me a nice discount on a new fitbit one – I’m trying to figure out the difference between the fitbit ultra and the fitbit one…. this is actually the 2nd fitbit ultra I’ve bought – the dog ate my first one!
Author
That’s a shame that you’ve not been able to recover your Fitibt. It certainly doesn’t help that you can’t easily identify an owner of a Fitbit which makes life difficult for honest folk to return one.
I guess the main differences between the Fitbit Ultra and Fitbit One is that the One has a vibrating alarm to wake you up, Bluetooth 4.0 (allowing you to pair with an iPhone and sync in real-time without a base station).
Hope your dog didn’t end up with indigestion after eating your first Fitbit!
I found my fitbit through my iphone application, I went to devices than set up a tracker – I clicked on my model (it will say “hold up you already have a fitbit on here – do it anyway) I kept moving until it said fitbit found – gave me the general location of it which was my closet. At least than I knew it wasn’t on the street or in the car ect. Hope this helps someone!
Author
Thanks for sharing the tip – definitely a bonus for those of you with compatible smartphones!
Dear Hedy,
Your suggestion to use the iphone was awesome. My husband lost his fitbit one this evening and we have turned our house upside down looking for it.. I finally googled “lost fitbit tracker” and found your posting… we found it under the armoire in our bedroom.
Thanks for the posting.
I never ever post on any forum anywhere. But I had to make an exception to give a major major THANKS to Hedy for this tip. My fitibit was missing for 48 hours and I just found using this tip. It was in the washing machine, sorta, because I actually checked the washing machine like 1.2 million times before I read this tip. Turns out it was hidden in the washing machine, lodged completely underneath the rubber flap totally covered where the washing machine door closes. There is a 0.00% chance I ever would have looked there without this tip! And my battery was almost dead, so I found this tip just in time, not to mention that I am my current place only temporarily. A few minutes later, and I would have been eulogizing my fit bit and putting up a tomb stone for her because there is absolutely no way in bloody hell I ever would have looked there otherwise!
Author
That’s an awesome success story! Glad you were able to track down your Fitbit!
THANK YOU!!! This post helped me to locate my sad little lost fitbit. Actually it was a lifted fitbit, I had dropped it in the bathroom at my office and didn’t realize it was missing until that night. Of course this happens on a Friday and by the time I was able to come back and check Saturday night it was no where in site.
I found this post Monday morning and went on a mission – I found it outside tossed in the grass by the parking lot – separated from the clip. The device does have to be pretty close for the ‘locating/syncing’ to connect – I’d say within 15ft; but if you have a general idea of where you last had it and start walking around you’re most likely to find it.
Author
Well done on tracking down your Fitbit!
Maybe you can put a sticky label on it with your phone number or e-mail address to make returns easier if you lose it. On my Fitbit One I have changed the personalised greeting to my work phone number – would be nice if Fitbit could let you fit in more than eight characters though to put in more meaningful messages!
Hello!
I actually found a Fitbit one on the ground in a crack in front of the airport the other day. I’ve been on their web site to see if there’s a way for Fitbit to know who a registered device belongs to. I’d gladly return it to Fitbit if they could notify and get it back to the rightful owner. Any thoughts? I thought it was a Bluetooth earpiece at first, don’t know how long it had been on the ground, there was snow and slush and all around it. Any thoughts?
Thanks!
Author
The only way at this stage would be to let Fit it themselves know as they would be able to link the Fitbit to an account via the device ID but they seem to be keen on supporting this method. Unless you can get the ID out of the device and the owner had already made a note of it and could provide other evidence to support ownership then all bets may be off.
You could try the form @ http://help.fitbit.com/customer/portal/emails/new and see how you go though – hopefully you can reunite the Fitbit with its rightful owner!
I acutally lost my fitbit and suspect it was at the Manchester Airport in Manchester NH (just before the snow storm hit!). When I left the hotel on Feb 8th I had it on…when I got on the plane it was missing. The clip had broken already, so it would only be the acutal Fitbit. If Kevin found it at this location I would appreciate being able to get in touch with him. I really miss it.
Thanks. Tom
Kevin,
I lost my Fit Bit on January 28th at the Philadelphia International Airport. I hope that the one you found is mine. It was a black one.
Thanks,
Nancy
For a FitBit One with bluetooth, you can download the free BTLExplorer to see the signal stength. Then walk around until you are at -60db and you should be close.
Good luck
Author
That’s a great tip, Brad! Does the Fitbit One come up with a particular name or MAC address prefix that people should be looking for when using this utility?
THANK YOU SO MUCH!!!
I was sick for three weeks with high fever when I stored my fitbit. Needless to say, I couldn’t remember where I had put it!!! I tried syncing it with my computer (via the usb device), but living in a small 4 1/2 appartment, it wasn’t really useful. It told me it was in the appartment (thank god), but nothing else. I also tried to find it using the ”sync a new tracker” method, but my One’s battery was dangerously low and it didn’t really work that well (gave me the impression to be in the living room while it actually was in the kitchen- but that I learnt 4 hours later….). At least I knew it was around the main living area.
BTLExplorer app though, worked like a charm!! I found it in less than 5 minutes! 🙂 The fitbit is identified as ”One”. The signal strenght was around -60 to -40db when I found it!! In my kitchen cupboards, in the far back of the highest shelf, behind the medication…… Yeah, without BTLExplorer, I wouldn’t have found it until my next flue episode!!!
Thank you so much for your post! I lost my fitbit this morning. I had no idea where to look. I downloaded the BTLExplorer app on my iPhone and re-walked the route I had taken this morning. I found the fitbit in my car, between the driver’s seat and the console. I NEVER would have found it without this tip! And, I never go anywhere without my fitbit, so I would have had to replace it immediately! You saved me so much money and frustration. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!! 😀
Author
Fantastic news! I have lost my Fitbit in the car a couple of times as well so I know what it is like trying to search all the nooks and crannies trying to find it 🙂
I knew that my FitBit was in the house (I was still able to sync it with my computer and Iphone but I absolutely could not find it). I tried using the “sync a new tracker” method above and the BTLExplorer app, but neither could pin down the exact location. I finally set a silent alarm on my FitBit from my computer FitBit dashboard and found it almost instantly. Hope this helps!
Author
Another creative suggestion! I shall add that to the article – thanks for sharing! 🙂
This worked like a charm for me. I searched the pockets of all of my usual clothing, under beds, in between cushions, everywhere I could think of. My laptop was telling me my fitbit was in the house, but that wasn’t good enough (the range using the wireless dongle is quite impressive, by the way — we have a large house and it was picking it up from every corner!). I knew I had to do something fast before the fitbit battery died. So, using Denise’s suggestion, I installed three alarms, 2 minutes apart. Then I went very quiet, and turned off everything in the house that could make the slightest noise (e.g. furnace fan). When the first alarm went off, I couldn’t hear anything in the first two lower floor rooms. So I went to my bedroom (also lower floor), and waited for the second alarm. Lo and behold, I could hear the fitbit vibrating. And, when I put my hand on my dresser, I could feel the vibration. Having narrowed it down to the dresser, when the third alarm went off it was a simple matter of opening each drawer until I found it, nestled between two items of clothing that had recently been washed. Were it not for this method, I wouldn’t have found the fitbit until next winter, as the clothes that had been washed were put away for the year. Thanks Denise!
Author
Another point for Denise! 🙂
Yay! This worked for me too! – had gotten under the bathroom sink/cabinet – would have never found it otherwise, I think. I set five alarms, one minute apart – finally got it. (and luckily the silent alarms are not *totally* silent – vibration made decent sound on bathroom tile).
Thanks Denise!
Alec
It worked for me too! I had been searching for 2 hours unable to leave my house on a gorgeous day. I have a iPhone 4 so btle won’t work but this worked!
Thank you! You saved my fitbit! This is awesome!
Downloaded this after hearing it might be helpful in finding my fitbit one. I thought I lost my fibit on a ferris wheel yesterday but when I came home I realized I could force the sync from my iphone and it was actually syncing. I tried the silent alarm feature from the website dashboard but I couldn’t hear the buzzing. I then downloaded this app and started walking around my apartment slowly.
I got readings typically between -80 and -95. I found one area after about 15 minutes of walking around slowly where the reading clocked in around -69. I kept taking one step in each direction until it held around -64. When my phone was within a foot of the fitbit it clocked in around -65 to -69 or so. Four inches away from the fitbit the reading is -54 or so. Touching the phone to the fitbit clocks it in at -41 to -43. Very minor differences! Take your time, walk slowly. You’ll find it!
I lost my Fitbit One and at first walked again over my 4 mile morning walking path to look for it. Then I downloaded LightBlue and the Fitbit seemed to be in my front yard as I had also done some gardening before noticing my Fitbit was missing. Finally, reading these posts I downloaded BTL Explorer and the signal came in at -59 near azalea bushes. I searched by the bushes (huge azalea bushes) but couldn’t find it. Then I went out again in the morning sun, found a reading of -57 and found my Fitbit clipped to an inside branch of the azalea bush. But I did find it. Thank goodness for all those who posted hints on this board and for BTL Explorer.
Denise THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU. Two days of exhaustively searching my house to no avail. I did not know about this particular feature, let alone that you could set it from the website. I set three alarms 2 minutes apart and ran from one room to the next until I found it buzzing in my dresser.
So happy right now.
I lost my fitbit ultra at 10th restaurant in Vail on 2/14 – either in the restaurant itself or getting the in gondola to come back down the mountain. They said they’d look – but I’ve worked in restaurants and I assumed they wouldn’t and ordered a new one. I assumed it was lost deep in the snow – but to my surprise I just got an email that I had climbed 100 floors 2 days ago! Someone is walking around Vail with my fitbit and either lives or works in a place where someone else has a fitbit station that is synching it. I wonder if they even know it is synching! I wish Fitbit could change the screen so that instead of “Hello Sarah” it would say “Call Fitbit” – or even better – I wish they could make it stop working if it was stolen.
I FOUND a fitbit One in Ottawa, ON on Thursday 28 February 2013 outside of the Canada Post Place. If you believe this is yours, please contact me at nattremblay (at) hotmail (dot) com
I realized late last night I lost my Fitbit which was clipped to the waistband of my jeans. I was out all day, but was home by 4:00pm. I checked my Fitbit app on my phone this morning, and it said it was last synced at 4:56pm yesterday.
My question is: Since it said it synced while I was definitely home at that time, is it safe to assume I might be lucky enough to have lost it at home??
Author
I would probably arrive at the same conclusion, Michelle! Otherwise, it might be somewhere nearby like in your car that might be within range of the device that you use for syncing (laptop or smartphone).
I found a fitbit in a restaurant parking lot last weekend. Where did you lose yours?
Author
I’ll let Linda respond to your query but I think she got a replacement from Fitbit. Unfortunately, there is no ability to officially report a lost Fitbit which is a shame.
FYI – you only need to submit your comment once. I just eyeball everything that comes in so that the comments aren’t overrun with spam 🙂
If you lost your fitbit and you set a silent alarm how is that info going to get updated to the device? Doesn’t that require a sync?
Author
If your Fitbit is set to sync with a smartphone over Bluetooth then that data would be exchanged when the Fitbit and smartphone are within range of each other.
I lost my fitbit one over a week ago and still haven’t been able to find it (it’s got to be somewhere in the house). Unfortunately, the battery is probably dead on it by now, and I didn’t come across this thread soon enough 🙁 Any suggestions?
Author
If your “last sync time” still is still represented in hours then I could only suggest trying to remember where in the house you were after that time. Without any battery power left there is unfortunately little you could do from a technology perspective unless you had a handheld metal detector but you may end up with more false positives using that approach.
Lost my fitbit. If I buy another , can I use the original email or do I have to use other email address? Thanks
Author
Hey Jeanne,
If you get a replacement device you can retain your e-mail address and stats. When you pair your Fitbit after unboxing you have the option to set it up as a replacement device 🙂
Hope that helps!
BC
My fitbit has been missing since last week (it was on charge) today all of the sudden it registered 8 steps. MY CAT is playing with it somewhere in the living room and I still can not find it 🙁
Author
What sort of Fitbit are we looking for here? Fitbit One? Fitbit Ultra? Original Fitbit?
Ultra
Author
If you’ve narrowed it down to the living room then it probably won’t be much use walking around with a laptop and the Fitbit base station attached given that it has a range of at least several metres (no idea how big your living room is though – if it is gigantic then it could still be worth a shot as per the original article).
Did you have a look in the step history as to when those eight steps took place (as opposed to being synced) and confirm if your cat was there at that time?
Lost my FitBit One yesterday somewhere between going to work and going to Walmart. Had only been wearing it for one day. 🙁 Sigh. Retraced my steps, but still no FB.
My FitBit Zip is missing. I think my 3 yr old son took it from my bedside table.
It syncs to my work laptop, which plan to bring home this afternoon and use to search.
My bluetooth dongle is attached to the laptop.
What is the best way to look for the Zip?
Can I use my Win8 phone or Surface tablet to search for the bluetooth signal?
Thanks,
Rod
Author
You might be able to use Windows Phone 8 handsets or Surface RT tablets to locate a Fitbit Zip although I could be wrong. I believe you need an app running on the devices to facilitate the data sync back to the Fitbit web service. However, the sync capability would not be required – just the ability to find out if it is nearby which would be achieved if it shows up in the list. You can try searching for nearby Bluetooth devices and see if you have any luck – the worst that could happen is that it doesn’t show up.
If it is a Surface Pro tablet then you could probably use that with the dongle attached. Otherwise, you would need to walk around with your laptop and checking your sync history to try and find it.
What I found, by testing with a friend’s Zip and his iPhone with the BTLExplorer app, is that with the Zip you are in for a difficult time. My friend used his iPhone and I used my laptop with the USB dongle to try to sync. Unless you wake-up the Zip, neither the laptop or the iPhone could find the zip.
🙁
Fortunately, I found it in our laundry basket. But finding a Zip with electronic means seems to be more difficult that I thought.
Hi,
My FB Zip has mysteriously disappeared. Can’t seem to find it anywhere. Is there any chance you e figured out any new tricks for finding the Zip? I tried the BTL Explorer app but no luck 🙁
Thanks!
Lenae
Author
Hi Lenae,
I’ve not worked out how to locate a missing Fitbit Zip as I’ve not owned one (only the original Fitbit and now the Fitbit One). As you may have seen, Rod had difficulty using any electronic means locating his Fitbit Zip unless it was awake. This is a bit odd though as it should sync automatically when in range just like the Fitbit One.
When I used BTLExplorer to find my Fitbit One it only showed up in a very limited range (albeit in an office with Wi-Fi being blasted all over the place) so you may have to search more slowly in order to find it and keep forcing an update scan in the app.
Hi,
Thanks for your help! I have been trying the electronic means all day, and I finally resorted to the old-fashioned get-down-on-hands-and-knees search, and what do ya know, I found it! It had somehow sprouted legs and hidden behind a bunch of stuff under my bed (although I guess it’s possible that I flipped it off of my phone when I went to turn off my alarm this morning…sigh).
I am kinda perplexed, though, because I tried all of these techniques (bluetooth search, taking my laptop with toggle around my apartment, etc.). I know that I did a manual sync several times when the laptop was within 3-4 feet of the device where I found it. As far as I can tell, the device has to actually be “awake”, so that the display is on – which only happens when you shake it, which means you would know where it is! haha
So, crisis averted….but for anyone out there trying to decide between the FB Zip and the One, it sounds like it’s easier to recover the One when it’s lost – might be worth the extra bucks! I LOVE my FitBit, it’s the best fitness-related purchase I’ve made – so maybe I’ll consider upgrading soon! Thanks for this thread, Boyd – sounds like you’re helping a lot of people out! 🙂
Author
I am relieved that you managed to find it the “old school” way 😉
Thanks very much Boyd for generating such a helpful discussion. I hadnt seen my Fitbit One since Friday of last week. I noticed it was missing on Saturday morning and didnt know where to begin looking for it. After finding your website and reading through the comments, I had a look and noticed that it had last synchronised with my computer on Saturday lunchtime, which meant that at least at that point it was in my appartment. It was only after reading the tips written here that I realised I could try and synchronise with it again, even though it was nowhere to be seen. The synchronisation worked and so I was then sure that it was still at home somewhere! I tried settting an alarm but could not hear anything. I tried downloading the BTLExplorer app in the hope of narrowing down where it was but that didnt show anything (I am guessing because the IPhone 4 doesnt have Bluetooth 4.0). Then I read the tip about looking when the most recent steps took place. Friday night, fairly late. And it was only 5 steps, so nothing very sporty. Of course! I checked the tracksuit trousers I had worn watching TV on Friday night, and there it was! It was a real detective story, tracking it down, and I dont think it would have been possible without your help! The fitbit is a great device, I have had mine for a few months now, and there is no doubt it works. Motivating me to take the stairs instead of the elevator, and all of those other small decisions which all together add up, and helping me track the resulting weightloss. One improvement would be some kind of audible alarm which could be activated from a computer or smartphone, in case the Fitbit gets lost. This would save alot of time. Thanks again, Steve
Author
Glad that you were able to track down your Fitbit! Whilst the Fitbit is unobtrusive it makes them so easy to lose so it is good to know that people are managing to find them using the tips here 🙂
I have the fitbit one and think I may have lost it in my office. It finds it somewhere in my office when I look for it but I can’t find it. I also can’t get the BTLExplorer app to get low enough to find it. I’m wondering if its possible that it isn’t really here?
Author
If it wasn’t there then it wouldn’t show up in the app but if the reading is low I would guess it would be somewhere other than the office in which case I would in one direction and see if the signal gets stronger. If it doesn’t then go back to the office and choose somewhere else to walk. Hopefully, through a process of elimination you should be able to track the signal and find it.
We can’t get the silent alarm to set BUT the fitbit screen on our pc keeps saying it was “updated 1 sec ago” — does that mean the fitbit is or isn’t nearby? Does the “updated” note on the screen mean it SYNCED, or simply that the screen refreshed?
Author
To answer your question, that refers to when the Fitbit last synced with your account. If it says “updated 1 sec ago” then that’s a good indication that your Fitbit is somewhere in range of the device used for syncing (be it the base station or smartphone/tablet).
The BKEapp, Fitbit on my iPhone, and the silent arm (and ensuing stakeout) cracked the case!
THANK YOU FOR SHARING YOUR KNOWLEDGE!!!
Author
Hurrah! Glad you managed to find your Fitbit! 🙂
Thanks so much for all the helpful information. Using everything posted here I was able to confirm that my Fitbit is just….gone. I lost it somewhere at a conference but went back the next day with my laptop and my base station and could not sync with it anywhere. Tried scanning with my phone on the street between the conference center and the parking garage, to no avail. Thankfully, Fitbit extended a discount replacement offer to me, even though mine had been a gift. The new one will have a label with my phone number on it!
Author
Sad to you couldn’t find your Fitbit but good that they offered you a discount on a replacement device. Good tip on putting a label with a phone number on it – I should do that with mine but I suspect my original Fitbit might break by the end of the year!
Hi All
I lost my fitbit One today in Toronto, Ontario, id only had it for two weeks it was a birthday gift. Im really upset about lose it as ive been really careful with it until ltoday when i went to check my stats and it wasnt there :-(. Think ill have to wait to until the flex come out looks like it would be harder for me to lose
Thanks for the ideas. I found my fitbit one! Here’s how: I looked at the last steps I took to narrow down the last movement. I was able to sync with my laptop fine. I kept moving around the house and syncing, but that didn’t narrow it down enough.
I have a Samsung Galaxy S3 and installed the “Bluetooth Smart Scanner” app. It found a signal “One” and the mac address that I assume is specific to my device. The app was better than syncing with my laptop because I could rescan in a couple seconds rather than the long sync process with the fitbit software. This still didn’t narrow it down enough so I figured out that if I put my hand over the back of my phone it blocks the signal. This narrowed the area down significantly until I was standing in a spot where it couldn’t be?!? It ended up being in the basement right below me! Between the last steps and the signal spot a light went on in my head telling me exactly where the fitbit was!
It turns out the velcro from the sleep strap had attached to my running jacket when I came in from my run (I use a running gps watch instead of the fitbit to track runs). The fitbit and sleep strap where still attached to my running jacket where i store it in the basement, right below the spot where I got the signal. It’s frustrating detective work, but fun when you find the treasure!
Author
That’s quite a story and a fantastic outcome – thanks for sharing 🙂
Certainly a great tip there to remember that the wireless signal from the Fitbit can go through floors/ceilings so make sure you check accordingly, folks!
Thank you Boyd! I lost my fitbit one yesterday doing yard work, including planting a tree. I saw there was a sync made at 6:31 last night so I tried to retrace everything I did including digging up the tree with my hands so I could feel the fitbit. I kept looking long
after dark and finally gave up. I was so upset! Today I was looking on line to see if there was any suggestions to help me and I read about yours down loading the BTLExplorer app. I walked around outside and just watched the signals…..within 10 minutes I had the tracker in my hand! Thank you so much for posting your advice! ( oh and by the way, I didn’t need to dig up the tree since it wasn’t lost there!) thanks again and again!
Author
Another interesting Fitbit discovery story with a positive outcome – I am stoked that you managed to find your Fitbit! 🙂
How can i find a fitbit owner. I found one
Author
At this point in time there is no public means of associating a lost Fitbit with an owner short of an ID sticker on the device.
After reading these posts i guess I’ll put it in a plastic sandwich bag and return it to the bushes it was found in.
Boyd,
Thanks for the tips!
I lost my FitBit Ultra last night at a 10 acre soccer complex in Groveport, Ohio. I was practicing throwing a Frisbee, and was literally all over the place.
6 AM this morning found me wandering around the area with a laptop computer, a MiFi for Internet connection, and the dongle for my Ultra.
My original plan was to walk over about 2 acres of the facility and then check to see if my FitBit account was updated. If so, I was going to walk over about half of that area and check my FitBit account again. If no, I was going to move on to the next 2 acres.
In reading the documentation, however, it looks like the Ultra will sync only if the data has changed since the last sync. So if my FitBit was hiding under a patch of grass and synced with my online account the first time I walked past it, my understanding is that the FitBit would not sync again until the data on it changes. And, since the FitBit is hiding somewhere in the grass, the data isn’t going to change and it will not sync again.
As I understand it, I’ve got only one “sync” available to help me find the device. Do you know if the FitBit Ultra will sync multiple times if there is no change in the data?
I did not find my FitBit before it started raining, and hope to go back a time or two before the FitBit’s battery dies.
And just FYI, when I sent an email to FitBit asking if they had any suggestions for finding my FitBit, they mentioned the syncing as being the only option, and then offered to sell me a FitBit One to replace my FitBit Ultra, and offered a significant discount.
Author
The Fitbit should sync even if it has no additional step data to transmit. Essentially, the lack of data would be transmitted as “no activity” rather than a complete absence of data during the period. This means you aren’t limited to once sync.
Having a look @ http://www.fitbit.com/manual#section-start I found the following:
While out of range, the Tracker will look for a base station every minute until it syncs your data, after which it will wait 15 minutes before searching again.
So if you’re not watching your Fitbit profile you’ve got a fifteen minute window before it will sync again if you’re still in range which is why it is important to catch it close to the first sync and search within a twenty to thirty feet radius (to account for distance you may travel whilst refreshing the page).
Thank you Boyd for your website and whoever suggested the BTLexplorer app. You’re the boss! Thank you so SO MUCH! My iphone was syncing, but for the life of me I couldn’t find it until btlexplorer. Found it in my closet in a basket that I seriously can’t recall how it got there?!? I probably got 5000 steps and 15 flights of stairs (;-p) that I didn’t get credit for looking for the darn thing before BTLexplorer! Thanks again!
Author
Glad to hear we have another happy camper! 🙂
I’m sure you burnt many calories physically looking for it as well as in worry!
BTLexplorer worked great for me. I lost it in my yard yesterday. Used BTL and knew I was close but couldnt find it. Got to a -53 signal and still no luck. Had my iphone sitting in the grass, the Fitbit was literally underneath my phone.
Thanks!
Hi everyone,
I went to a soccer game the other day and took it off i dont live near where i played soccer and i got home and couldnt find it.
is there any way i could get it back, please help
Thanks
Author
Unless you can go back to where you played soccer and use one or more methods in the article to locate it then it might be lost.
This is an excellent thread…if you are like me and your scowering your messy apartment for the fitbit that is syncing every minute to your 4s, BTLexplorer is the way to go. Once you hit that below 60 mark, I would set a silent alarm and not move an inch until you hear it.
If BTLexplorer is giving you anything in the 40’s, 50,s or 60’s you are likely within a foot or two. I noted that in the 90’s I was still a solid 20 feet from the final location.
Thanks for all the information, I would have been up all night otherwise.
Author
Glad that you managed to save time and worry in finding your Fitbit! 🙂
Found a fitbit at Cherry Chase Elementary in Sunnyvale, CA a few days ago and having been trying to find the owner – if you think it’s yours, please post your email address and an identifying description.
Genius! By syncing, using BTLExplorer and setting the silent alarm, I found my One lodged underneath the handbrake in my car! I would have NEVER found it without this post. Thank you!
My husband lost his fitbit one somewhere in our 1.5 acre yard. After looking for it for two days, I used Hedy’s suggestion to narrow down the general location. Then I downloaded the BTLExplorer app and used it to actually find the exact location of the fitbit which was hidden under some straw in a wooded location. Thanks guys for your helpful advice.
Just going to try it – I am desperate – ALL POINTS BULLETIN:::I lost a brand new fitbit One (burgundy clip case and unit) today at our office in Georgia – FIRST DAY ever wearing it. I am devestated. I called the restaurant we ate at, and sent an email to people I was with. We will be back at the office in the morning and I will have my phone ready to search for it with BTL. Praying nobody took it. I NEVER spend money on these little gadget’s but I just HAD to have this to assist in my weight lost plan, and I am so sad about losing it. The clip was so tight too – I cannot even fathom how it would have fallen off. 🙁 If you found a fitbit in the Roswell GA area please reply here in this forum!!!
THANKS!
Thank you so much for taking the time to post these instructions. I couldn’t get the BtlExplorer app to work on my ancient iPhone 3GS–I think its only bluetooth 3 and I needed bluetooth 4…so I borrowed a new ipad mini and I was able to slowly pinpoint the location of my lost fitbit one at work…UNDER A REFRIGERATOR! I never would have found it otherwise.
Find a fitbit (usb drive size) at downtown Bellevue, WA, how to find the owner to return?
Author
Unfortunately, there isnt an easy way unless the Fitbit has contact details on it. Does a message come up on the screen when you push the button at all?
Hi, I lost a fitbit somewhere in Bellevue or Kirkland on 7/25. It was a fitbit one with a red clip. I would love to get it back if this is the same one!
I have quite another problem. I found a Fitbit One today and had to remove it before it was destroyed by cars. No one in the location could give me any help for the ownership. I still have it, but would like to return it to the owner. I live in the Keller texas area so if someone from this area is trying to get a replacement, I have it and you have my e-mail address. If they can identify, I’ll return it.
I have made a small label with my cell phone number on it and placed it on my Fitbit One, on the back of the device itself, not the clip. I have twice lost it and twice had someone text me they found it and return it to me.
Author
That’s a great, practical solution when technology can’t help you.
Another option may be to put your phone number as the greeting so it shows up on the display (if it will fit of course).
I’ve had my FitBit One for about a month and am totally attached to it, but I lost it and have been tearing the house apart trying to find it. I think it’s here somewhere and have tried going around the house and attempting to sync with my laptop. There’s one area where it says it found the Fitbit, but then after trying to sync it says “Oh no, there’s a problem”. The tracker is probably near the end of its charge as I have not charged it in several days. When it says it found a Fitbit, does that really mean it’s close by, or is there something else that could cause it to say that?
Author
I would say that the Fitbit is nearby but too far away to reliably communicate with your device. Trial and error may be required once you have pinpointed a location where you get a signal and move slowly to see how that impacts the results.
Misplaced my flex after taking it off to do some work on the car yesterday. Spent the last 3 hours trying to find it via syncing and setting alarms. It would sync, it would let me set alarms but I couldn’t hear it. I ripped apart the garage looking high and low but flat out gave up after the three hours. I got into bed and just happened to search finding lost fitbit in google and this page came up. I downloaded the BTLExplorer, Brads suggestion, and 5 minutes later I found it in a drawer in the kitchen! Not a clue how it got there but it just goes to show that these things can sync from a good distance away so the syncing/alarm remedy might not be your best choice. Use BTLExplorer if it’s in range and just go slow like jake said. You’ll find it with BTLExplorer if it’s in range! Thanks Boyd!
I am another BTLExplorer success story. I “lost” my One yesterday. After finding this forum thread and downloading the app, off I went in search of my One. I was about to call it quits when I went into my garage; the app gave me a signal strength at around 65 dBm from 88 dBm when I first went into my garage. I immediately started looking in the general area and found my One under my pressure washer. Crisis adverted!
Thanks for posting about this app!
I lost my fitbit zip yesterday afternoon around 3:00 pm in the vicinity of 16th ST NW and L St NW in Washington DC. Someone picked it up and has been near a docking station because I am getting updates on “My” steps. I wrote to fitbit to find out if there’s anyway to locate the device. Am waiting to hear back from them. I’m hopeful but not optimistic.
Waiting to hear if Fitbit will offer me a replacement discount. Will also add my name and address to the new one.
THANK YOU! I lost my Fitbit One two days ago, I knew it was in the house because it was synching but I just could not find it. I used BTLExplorer, took a bit of walking around but I eventually found it. Very happy right now, so glad I found this post.
[…] made it to the gym so it wasn’t worth looking in there but I thought I would give the advice gathered in this past article a go in order to locate it. I was able to remember where I went during yesterday until I realised […]
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