Fitbit Charge 5 is the best fitness tracker on the market today. It features a new design and packs several new features compared to its predecessor. However, there’s one major problem with the device.

Unlike the previous Fitbit Charge models, which came with a physical button, the Charge 5 doesn’t have one. As a result, if the tracker becomes unresponsive—perhaps because an app goes rogue or the screen is frozen—you can’t fix it on the device itself, as you could with the older models.

So how do you do it, then? Let’s help you out!

How to Fix an Unresponsive Fitbit Charge 5

With the Charge 5, Fitbit offers a rather different Charging Cable. Unlike the one that came with the previous Charge models, the newer one features a button on one of its ends. It’s a simple restart button, and it comes in handy in situations when the Charge 5 becomes unresponsive and you can’t use the onboard restart function.

Here are the steps to do this:

1. Connect the Fitbit Charge 5 to its charging cable. Align the sensors at the back of the tracker to the ones on the charger.
2. Since the cable doesn’t come with a charging brick, connect it to one with a USB-A port and plug it into the socket.
3. Turn on the switch to begin charging the Charge 5.
4. Now, press and release the button on the charging cable three times within 8 seconds.
   
5. Wait for 10 seconds or until the Fitbit logo appears on the tracker.
6. If it doesn’t restart, wait for 15 seconds and try again.

Once you’ve managed to do it successfully, your Fitbit Charge 5 will restart and should be functioning again. Keep in mind that this process won’t delete any data on the device.

Also, if the problem persists, you should factory reset the Fitbit and set it up again. Additionally, make sure to keep your device’s firmware updated to avoid running into issues.

A Unique Restarting Approach

Although Fitbit’s idea behind omitting a physical button was to make improvements, it has led to one problem—and a big one! The lack of a button makes restarting the device—when it’s unresponsive—less convenient.

Not only that, but it also means that if your Charge 5 becomes unresponsive when you’re outside—and you don’t have a charger with you—you’re left stuck with the device until you reach home.

Hence, we feel a better way forward for Fitbit is to redesign the button and reintroduce it on the newer Charge devices.

Further Reading:

• How to Change the Time on Your Fitbit Device
• How to Set an Alarm on Fitbit
• How to Enable Two-Factor Authentication on Your Fitbit Account