How to reset a Fitbit Alta to fix issues with the device, or erase your personal data
- While you can't factory reset a Fitbit Alta, you can reset it to help with syncing errors and other performance issues.
- You can reset a Fitbit Alta for troubleshooting purposes by restarting it with an official Fitbit charger and a USB power source.
- If you need to erase the personal data on your Fitbit, you'll have to disconnect it from your Fitbit account and connect it to another.
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Resetting a Fitbit tracker to its factory settings is the best way to deal with software issues, as well as erase all your personal data - which is great if you're planning on giving it away.
But as effective as a factory reset can be, it's not an option with many Fitbits, including the Fitbit Alta.
The good news is that if you're having issues with your Fitbit Alta, whether that means display errors, slow response times, or problems syncing to your phone, completing a quick restart will usually solve the issues.
And if you're looking for another way to wipe your data, there's a way to do that too, without a factory reset.
Check out the products mentioned in this article:
Fitbit Alta (From $74.89 at Amazon)
How to reset a Fitbit Alta
1. Connect the tracker's charging cable by squeezing both clamps and affixing it to the back of the unit.
2. Plug the charger into a USB port.
3. Press the button on the USB connector three times in fewer than eight seconds. Pause for about a second between each press.
If the Fitbit logo displays on the tracker's screen, and you feel a small vibration, the Fitbit Alta has restarted. All of your data will still be intact.
If this solution doesn't work, or if you don't have access to a charger, there are other ways to attempt to fix syncing and other Fitbit Alta issues.
The simplest approach is to simply close the app, switch off your phone's Bluetooth, and then reopen the app and turn the Bluetooth function back on.
How to erase your data off a Fitbit Alta
If you're planning on selling or giving your Fitbit Alta away, you're going to want to wipe your data off of it. Luckily, there's a way to do that - although chances are that the Fitbit's new owner will do it for you without even realizing.
To wipe a Fitbit Alta, just disconnect it from your Fitbit account, and connect it to a new one. As soon as it connects to the new account, all of its data will be erased.
This means that if you're giving your Fitbit Alta to someone else, you can erase the data yourself by making a new account, or let the new owner do it by connecting it to their own account.
Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:
How to charge a Fitbit Alta, and what to do if your Alta isn't charging
How to reset or factory reset a Fitbit Charge 2 to fix issues with the device
How to reset a Fitbit Surge to fix issues with the device, or factory reset it through the Fitbit website
How to sync your Fitbit with an iPhone and track all of your fitness data in one app