3 Things To Do When Your Fitbit Shows The Wrong Time

Fitbit is much more than a watch. But, many still rely on it to tell time. This is why it gets annoying when it displays the wrong time. 

You can’t manually reset the time.

The watch follows the timezone you’ve set for the time display.

You’ll have to go into the Fitbit app and change your timezone.

We explain how you can do that and why the smartwatch may display the wrong time.

So, you can fix the watch when the issue occurs. 

Why Is Fitbit Showing The Wrong Time?

Below are some reasons why your Fitbit may display the wrong time:

• The device needs a restart: Sometimes the device has too much going on. The clock may not function as it should, and a restart will likely fix the problem. 
• Timezone tracking issues: The device may have a problem catching the timezone, or you might have changed it by mistake. 
• Lost Bluetooth connection: The device relies on the internet from your phone for data. If it loses connection to the phone, it may result in it displaying the wrong time after a while. 
• All-day sync disabled: The watch constantly needs data throughout the day to function. If you’ve limited syncing, it can result in the watch displaying the wrong time. 

How To Fix Fitbit When It Displays The Wrong Time?

You don’t have to panic if your Fitbit displays the wrong time.

There are different measures you can take, depending on the issue, to fix it.

We highlight them in the recommended order you should take them. 

1. Restart Your Fitbit

Turn the Fitbit watch off and then turn it back on.

For watches that come with a button on the charging cable, plug the cable into the watch and press the button on the cable three times.

Make sure you do so within a few seconds.

On Charge 3, you will need to hold down the button on the tracker for 8 seconds to restart. 

You’ll know when it restarts because the watch will display a smile icon and restart. 

2. Update The Watch

The Fitbit watch and app may give issues if you haven’t updated the app or software.

To update the device, you can:

1. Open the Fitbit app.
2. Tap the “Account” icon, the icon with text lines in the shape of a square. 
3. Pick your Fitbit device.
4. Look to see if a pink “Update” message shows. If not, then the watch is up-to-date. 

For updating the app, you can go into the App Store or Google Store to see if there is an app update.

If your watch still displays the wrong time after you’ve restarted the device and updated it, then you will need to change the time zone. 

3. Change The Time Zone

Before you start, you may need to turn off the automatic time zone function on your phone. 

• For iOS, go into “Settings,” then “Date & Time,” and turn off the “Set Automatically” tab. 
• For Android, go into “Settings,” then “Date & Time,” tap the button next to “Automatic,” it will now be unchecked. 

After you’ve done this, you can manually select the timezone on the phone. 

1. Open the Fitbit app.
2. Tap the “Account” icon, the icon with text lines in the shape of a square. 
3. Pick the Fitbit device you want to change the time zone in.
4. Go into the “Advanced Settings” of the device. 
5. Tap the “Time Zone” or “Select Time Zone” option that appears. 
6. Select the relevant time zone you are currently in. 
7. Go back to your account and tap “Sync Now.”

For those that would like to make the change using the Fitbit web interface, you can:

1. Go to www.accounts.fitbit.com.
2. Sign in using your Fitbit account credentials. 
3. Click the gear icon in the top right corner. Select “Settings.”
4. Now, click on “Personal Info.”
5. Scroll down and select “Advanced Settings.”
6. Look for “TimeZone” and click on it. You can then select your desired time zone. 

The watch should display the time according to your current time zone. 

What To Do When My Fitbit Shows The Wrong Date?

You can take the same measures highlighted above for changing the time on Fitbit watches to change the date.

The timezone deals with both date and time, so once you fix one, the other updates automatically. 

How To Change The Clock From Standard (12-Hours) To Military (24-Hours)?

You can change the watch to display time from standard to military time format.

To do this, you will need to log in into your Fitbit account on a PC. 

1. Go to www.accounts.fitbit.com.
2. Sign in using your Fitbit account credentials. 
3. Click the gear icon in the top right corner. Select “Settings.”
4. Now, click on “Personal Info.”
5. Scroll down and select “Advanced Settings.”
6. Under the “Clock Display Time” setting, you can switch from 12 hours to 24 hours. 
7. Select your desired display time setting and save the changes. 

Final Thoughts

Unfortunately, there is no way to change the time manually on a Fitbit watch.

But, as long as you have your account login details, you can change the time and date using either the Fitbit app or website.

You can follow either of the two methods, both of which we have highlighted.

So, have your watch prepared as you travel to a new location or if the watch just happens to display the wrong time on its own.