Are you wondering if there is a way to synchronize your Fitbit device on a computer instead of with a phone? Luckily for you, there’s a way and it’s easy to do. In this short tutorial, we’ll show you how.
Page Contents:
Read also: How Do I Sync Fitbit Data To Apple Health?
How to synchronize Fitbit with your computer
Ideally, you can synchronize your Fitbit device with your phone. This configuration is convenient and easy to configure. However, always leaving the Bluetooth connection active can put pressure on the phone battery.
If you don’t want to reduce your phone’s battery life, you can manually synchronize your Fitbit device on your mobile or use a computer to perform the same activity. You can easily monitor your progress by simply synchronizing Fitbit with your computer.
Requirements to synchronize the Fitbit device with the computer
There are a few things you need to have to synchronize your Fitbit watch or tracker with your computer. Unlike other devices like smartphones, your Fitbit device cannot simply be connected to a Mac or Windows PC via USB cable.
To transfer data or synchronize from your Fitbit device to a computer, you must first establish a USB connection between them. So, if your computer is not Bluetooth-ready or does not support Bluetooth, you will have to do something about it. Fortunately, it’s relatively easy to do.
The following are the basic elements needed for your computer:
- Bluetooth functionality
- Bluetooth dongle
- App Fitbit Connect
Most new laptops already have built-in Bluetooth support compatible with most Fitbit devices. All you have to do in this case is open the Bluetooth on your computer and run a scan. If it detects your Fitbit device, then you are fine.
On a Mac, you can check your Bluetooth version by clicking on the Apple logo in the upper left corner of the menu bar. Go to About This Mac> More Information> System Report> Bluetooth> LMP Version.
In Windows, you can check the Bluetooth version by clicking on the Control Panel. Go to Device Manager> Bluetooth. If you see the Bluetooth LE Enumerator, your computer supports Bluetooth LE 4.0.
If your computer does not have built-in Bluetooth, you will first need to get a Bluetooth dongle. This is a small gadget that plugs into the computer’s USB port to allow the computer to communicate with Fitbit. Any Bluetooth dongle should work but we strongly recommend getting an official Fitbit dongle to avoid incompatibility problems.
How to synchronize Fitbit on your Mac computer
Syncing Fitbit with your Mac is easy. Here’s how it’s done:
- On your Mac, go to www.fitbit.com/setup.
- Scroll down and click on the pink button called Download for Mac.
- Double-click on the file. (You’ll see it downloaded as a .dmg file.)
- When the Fitbit Connect installer opens, click “Continue” until the app is installed on your Mac.
- Once Fitbit Connect is installed, insert the Fitbit sync dongle in your computer’s USB port (this is not necessary if your Mac has Bluetooth LE 4.0 compatible).
- Wait for the software to recognize your device.
- Click on “Configure a new device”. Create a login or log into your existing account.
- See the Terms of Service.
- Create your personal profile.
- Select your Fitbit tracker. Place Fitbit near the wireless dongle.
- Follow the instructions to activate the Bluetooth connection between Mac and Fitbit.
- Once your Mac has found the device, enter the association code that appears on the display of your Fitbit. (If you have a Fitbit Flex, you won’t get a pairing code. Follow the instructions on the screen and quickly touch the device when prompted.)
- Click “Connect” and the tracker will synchronize your activity data with your Mac’s Fitbit account. The whole process may take some time, so be patient and don’t interrupt the system.
How to find the Fitbit app on Mac
There are two ways to find the Fitbit Connect app. One is by clicking the Launchpad icon at the bottom of the screen and finding the Fitbit Connect app. The other way is to open the Finder window and look for Fitbit Connect in the Applications folder.
After starting the Fitbit Connect app, there should be two options for you:
- Set up a new Fitbit device
- Synchronize now
To synchronize your Fitbit device with your Mac computer, click Synchronize Now. It works right away if your computer finds your Fitbit device.
Read also: Comparing S Health VS Google Fit- App to keep track of Fitness
How to synchronize your Fitbit device on your Windows computer
If you have a Windows computer and want to synchronize Fitbit with it, follow these steps:
- Go to www.fitbit.com/setup. Scroll down and click on “Download from Windows Store”.
- Double-click on the file. (You will see it downloaded as an .exe file).
- When the Fitbit Connect installer opens, click “Continue” until the app is installed on your PC.
- Once the software is installed, insert the Fitbit sync dongle in your computer’s USB port (this is not necessary if your Mac has Bluetooth LE 4.0 compatible).
- Wait for the software to recognize your device. Click on “Configure new device”.
- Create a login or log into your existing account.
- See the Terms of Service.
- Create your personal profile.
- Select your Fitbit device. Place the tracker near the Fitbit USB dongle.
- Follow the instructions to activate the Bluetooth connection between PC and Fitbit.
- Once the PC finds the device, enter the association code that appears on the display of your Fitbit. (If you have a Fitbit Flex, you won’t get a pairing code. Follow the instructions on the screen and quickly touch the device when prompted.)
- Click “Connect” and the tracker will synchronize your activity data with your PC’s Fitbit account. The whole process may take some time, so be patient and don’t interrupt the system.
To synchronize your Fitbit device with your Windows computer, make sure the USB dongle is inserted and working. Also, make sure your Fitbit device is within 20 to 30 feet of the dongle. Then, open the Fitbit Connect app on your computer and select the Synchronize Now option.
If your Fitbit tracker or watch is connected to your PC, it will synchronize your data correctly.
