How to reset a Fitbit Alta to fix issues with the device, or erase your personal data

Steven John

Sep 9, 2019, 19:45 IST

Fitbit

You can reset your Fitbit Alta to troubleshoot it, or wipe its 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.
Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

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.

Complimentary Tech Event

Transform talent with learning that works

Capability development is critical for businesses who want to push the envelope of innovation.Discover how business leaders are strategizing around building talent capabilities and empowering employee transformation.Know More

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.

Fitbit

Clamp the charger onto the back of your Alta.

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.

Fitbit

There's a small button on the USB end of official Alta chargers.

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.

Fitbit

Pairing your Fitbit with a new account will wipe its data.

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.