A workout that does not appear in the Fitbit app after you have done it on the Sense 2 is almost always a sync problem or a recording that was never started, and the order of checks tells you which. Look at the watch first: swipe to the Exercise app, and check whether there is an entry for the session in the watch's history. If the watch has it, the data has not reached the phone. Open the Fitbit app, pull down on Today to sync, and make sure Bluetooth is on, that the watch is near the phone and that the app is allowed to run in the background and use Bluetooth;
The checks in more detail
on Android, Nearby devices permission and battery optimization for the app matter, and on iPhone, Background App Refresh does. A force-closed app does not sync until reopened. Look in the app under the Sense 2's settings for Sync now, and keep the watch near the phone for a minute. If the watch has no record, the exercise was not recorded. The Sense 2 has automatic exercise recognition, which detects walks, runs and some other activities after about fifteen minutes, but short sessions and unusual movements go unnoticed;
for a precise record, start the activity from the Exercise app. The watch has GPS built in, so a run needs a moment for a fix, and a poor fix can fail to save a route; wait for the signal indicator before you start. If the watch was low on battery or restarted during the session, the record may be lost. Check that you pressed finish or hold to end properly, because a session left running can be dropped. If the workout was recorded and synced but is missing from your list, check the date range and filters in the app's Exercise log, and the Fitbit account you are signed in to.
Update the watch software and the app, which Fitbit does through the app. A watch worn too loosely may lose the heart rate and mark parts of a session as missing. Restart the watch and the phone. If workouts still vanish, remove the watch from the app and set it up again after a sync, which keeps your data in the account, and contact Fitbit if it keeps happening. Keep a note of the date and exercise type for support.
Differential
Likely causes of “Fitbit Sense 2 workout or activity was not recorded correctly”, and how to tell them apart
- 1
The workout did not sync
What separates it The watch has it, the app does not
How to confirm Pull down to sync and allow background use
- 2
The exercise was never started
What separates it No record on the watch
How to confirm Start it from the Exercise app
- 3
A weak GPS fix
What separates it A route was not saved
How to confirm Wait for the signal before starting
- 4
The session was not ended
What separates it The record is missing
How to confirm Hold to end and wait for the summary
- 5
Filters or the wrong account
What separates it The log looks empty
How to confirm Check the date range and account
Before you touch a setting
Record this first — changing settings destroys the evidence
- Whether the watch shows the session
- The exercise type and time
- Whether the app syncs
- The battery level during the session
Try in this order
0 of 6 completedCheck the watch's exercise history
ReversibleFor the session.
Sync the app
ReversibleBluetooth and background use.
Start sessions from the Exercise app
ReversibleFor a sure record.
Wait for GPS
ReversibleBefore runs.
Update the watch and app
ReversibleThen restart.
Set up the watch again
ReversibleIf it persists.
Model-specific
What is true of this model and not of its siblings
- Sync
- Needs Bluetooth and background use.
- Exercise app
- Starting a session guarantees a record.
Stop boundary
When this stops being a self-service repair
- !If workouts keep vanishing after re-setup, contact Fitbit with the serial number
- !Update the watch and app first
- !Note dates for support
Evidence ledger
Sources behind this answer
Exact questions
Common questions
Why is my workout missing?+
It did not sync or was never recorded.
Does auto recognition catch everything?+
No, short or unusual sessions can be missed.
Does GPS matter?+
A weak fix can lose the route.
Will re-setup erase my data?+
No, it stays in the account.