Fitbit Charge HR - Wireless Activity Wristband Manual

Getting Started

Make every beat count with Charge HR™—an advanced tracking wristband that gives you automatic, continuous heart rate and activity tracking right on your wrist—all day, during workouts and beyond.

What you'll find in the box

Your Charge HR box includes:

What's in this document

This manual gets you started quickly with setting up your tracker. Setup ensures that your tracker can synchronize its data with fitbit.com or the Fitbit app, where you can get detailed information on your stats, view historical trends, log food, and more. As soon as setup is complete you're ready to start moving.

The remainder of the manual walks you through every function on your Charge HR and also explains how to update your tracker when free firmware updates are available. Throughout the manual you'll notice that for tasks that can be done on the fitbit.com dashboard or the Fitbit app, only the fitbit.com instructions appear—if you have the Fitbit app for iOS, Android, or Windows, you can find instructions at https://help.fitbit.com.

Setting up your Fitbit Charge HR

You can set up your Charge HR using your computer or the Fitbit apps for iOS, Android, or Windows 10.

Setting up your tracker on your mobile device

The Fitbit app is compatible with more than 200 mobile devices that support iOS, Android, and Windows 10 operating systems.

To get started:

1. Make sure the Fitbit app is compatible with your mobile device by checking http://www.fitbit.com/devices.
2. Find the Fitbit app in one of these locations, depending on your device:
   • The Apple® App Store® for iOS devices such as an iPhone® or iPad®.
   • The Google Play™ Store for Android devices such as the Samsung® Galaxy® S5 and Motorola Droid Turbo.
   • The Microsoft® Windows Store for Windows 10 mobile devices such as the Lumia™ phone or Surface™ tablet.
3. Install the app. Note that you'll need an account with the applicable store before you can download even a free app such as Fitbit.
4. When the app is installed, open it and tap Join Fitbit to get started. You'll be guided through the process of creating a Fitbit account and connecting (pairing) your Charge HR to your mobile device. Pairing makes sure the tracker and mobile device can communicate with one another (sync their data).
   Note that the personal information you're asked during setup is used to calculate your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which helps determine your estimated calorie expenditure. This information is private unless you go into your Privacy settings and opt to share age, height, or weight with Fitbit friends.

After setup you're ready to get moving.

Setting up your tracker on your PC (Windows 10)

If you don't have a mobile device, you can set up and sync your tracker on your Windows 10 PC using the same Fitbit app available for Windows mobile devices.

To get the app, click the Start button and open the Windows Store (called Store). Search for "Fitbit app." Note that if you've never downloaded an app from the store to your computer, you'll be prompted to create an account.

Open the app and follow the instructions to create a Fitbit account and set up your Charge HR. You can set up and sync wirelessly if your computer has Bluetooth®, otherwise you'll need to use the wireless sync dongle that came in the box with your Charge HR.

Setting up your tracker on your PC (Windows 8.1 and below)

If you don't have a compatible mobile device, you can set up your tracker with a computer and see your Fitbit stats on fitbit.com. To use this method you'll first install a free software application called Fitbit Connect that lets Charge HR sync its data with your fitbit.com dashboard.

To install Fitbit Connect and set up your tracker:

1. Go to http://www.fitbit.com/setup.
2. Scroll down and click the option to download.
3. When prompted, save the file that appears.
4. Double-click the file (FitbitConnect_Win.exe). The Fitbit Connect installer opens.
5. Click Continue to move through the installer.
6. When prompted, choose Set up a New Fitbit Device.
7. Follow the onscreen instructions to create a Fitbit account and connect your tracker.
   Note that the personal information you're asked during setup is used to calculate your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which helps determine your estimated calorie expenditure. This information is private unless you go into your Privacy settings and opt to share age, height, or weight with Fitbit friends.

Setting up your tracker on your Mac

If you don't have a compatible mobile device, you can set up your tracker with a computer and see your Fitbit stats on fitbit.com. To use this setup method you'll first install a free software application called Fitbit Connect that lets Charge HR sync its data with your fitbit.com dashboard.

To install Fitbit Connect and set up your tracker:

1. Go to http://www.fitbit.com/setup.
2. Scroll down and click the option to download. If the button does not correctly show your type of computer (for example, if it says "Download for Mac"), choose the correct type, then click the button.
3. When prompted, save the file that appears.
4. Double-click the file (Install Fitbit Connect.pkg). The Fitbit Connect installer opens.
5. Click Continue to move through the installer.
6. When prompted, choose Set up a New Fitbit Device.
7. Follow the onscreen instructions to create a Fitbit account and connect your Charge HR. Setup on a Mac can usually take place wirelessly via Bluetooth; if not you'll be prompted to plug in the wireless sync dongle that came with your tracker.
   Note that the personal information you're asked during setup is used to calculate your basal metabolic rate (BMR), which helps determine your estimated calorie expenditure. This information is private unless you go into your Privacy settings and opt to share age, height, or weight with Fitbit friends.

Syncing your tracker data to your Fitbit account

Once you've set up and started using Charge HR, you'll need to make sure it regularly transfers (syncs) its data to Fitbit so you can track your progress, see your exercise history, earn badges, analyze your sleep logs, and more on your Fitbit dashboard. A daily sync is recommended but not required.

The Fitbit apps use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) technology to sync with your Fitbit tracker. Each time you open the app it will sync if the tracker is nearby, and the app will also sync periodically throughout the day if you have the all-day sync setting enabled. If you're running the Fitbit app on a Windows 10 PC that doesn't have Bluetooth, you'll need to make sure the tracker is connected to the computer.

Fitbit Connect on a Mac® also uses Bluetooth for syncing (if available), otherwise you'll need to make sure your wireless sync dongle is plugged into the computer. You can force Fitbit Connect to sync at any time or it will happen automatically every 15 minutes if:

• The tracker is within 20 feet of your computer.
• The computer is powered on, awake, and connected to the Internet.

Getting to know your Fitbit Charge HR

This section tells you how best to wear, charge, and care for your tracker.

Wrist placement

Your Charge HR should be worn on your wrist. While it may track stats such as steps and floors when placed in a pocket or backpack, it is most accurate on the wrist. For all-day wear, your Charge HR should usually rest a finger's width below your wrist bone and lay flat (as you'd normally wear a watch).

As with all heart-rate tracking technology, whether a chest strap or a wrist-based sensor, accuracy is affected by personal physiology, location of wear, and type of movement. In other words, not every person will get a perfectly accurate reading with every type of exercise. For best heart rate accuracy keep these tips in mind:

1. Experiment with wearing the tracker higher on your wrist during exercise. Because blood flow in your arm increases the farther up you go, moving the tracker up a couple inches can improve the heart rate signal. Also, many exercises such as spinning cause you to bend your wrist frequently, which is more likely to interfere with the heart rate signal if the tracker is lower on your wrist.
2. Do not wear your tracker too tight; a tight band restricts blood flow, potentially affecting the heart rate signal. That being said, the tracker should also be slightly tighter (snug but not constricting) during exercise than during all-day wear.
3. With high-intensity interval training or other activities where your wrist is moving vigorously and non-rhythmically, the movement may prevent the sensor from finding an accurate heart rate. Similarly, with exercises such as weight lifting or rowing, your wrist muscles may flex in such a way that the band tightens and loosens during exercise. Try relaxing your wrist and staying still briefly (about 10 seconds), after which you should see an accurate heart rate reading.

Dominant or non-dominant wrist

To improve the accuracy of your Charge HR, we ask that you specify whether you're wearing it on the wrist of your dominant or non-dominant hand. Your dominant hand is the hand you use for most day-to-day activities, such as writing or throwing a ball. You can specify this setting in the Fitbit app or in the fitbit.com dashboard.

To make this choice using the fitbit.com dashboard:

1. Log in to fitbit.com.
2. Click the gear icon in the top-right corner of the dashboard.
3. Click Settings.
4. Using the navigation tabs on the left, find and specify the correct setting for Dominant Hand.
5. Sync your Charge HR to update your tracker with the new setting.
   1. Click the Fitbit Connect icon near the date and time on your computer.
   2. Make sure your Charge HR is nearby and click Sync Now.

Using Quick View

With Quick View you can check the time on your Charge HR without pressing the button. Just turn your wrist towards you and the time will appear for a few seconds.

To turn Quick View on or off:

1. Log into your fitbit.com dashboard and click the gear icon in the top right corner of the page.
2. Select Settings > Devices. If your account has multiple trackers, make sure the Charge HR is selected.
3. Turn Quick View on or off.

Battery life and charging

With normal use, your fully charged Charge HR should last up to five days before needing a charge. You can check the level of your battery by logging into fitbit.com and clicking the gear icon on the top-right corner of the page.

Determining your current battery level

When you press the button on your Charge HR to cycle through your stats, the first screen will show a low battery icon if there is approximately one day or less of battery life remaining.

If you want to receive a mobile notification or email when your battery is low:

1. Log in to your fitbit.com dashboard.
2. Click the gear icon in the top-right corner of the page and select Settings.
3. Using the navigation tabs on the left, find Notifications and choose which ones you would like to receive.
4. Click Save.

Charging your tracker

To charge your Charge HR, plug the charging cable into the USB port on your computer or a UL-certified USB wall charger and plug the other end into the port on the back of the Charge HR.

Charging completely takes 1 to 2 hours.

Care instructions

It's important to clean and dry your Charge HR regularly. For instructions and more information see http://www.fitbit.com/productcare.

Automatic tracking with Fitbit Charge HR

Your Charge HR has you covered day and night.

Tracking all-day stats

Your Charge HR automatically tracks the following all-day stats:

• Steps taken
• Current heart rate
• Distance covered
• Calories burned
• Floors climbed

In addition to the stats displayed on your Charge HR, the following stats are also tracked but shown only on your fitbit.com dashboard or in the Fitbit app:

• Detailed heart rate history, including time spent in heart rate zones
• Active minutes
• Hours slept and quality of sleep

To scroll through your stats simply press the button on the side of your Charge HR. You'll see the time followed by an icon and stat in turn. If you have an alarm set, your display will also show the next alarm time.

When you sync your Charge HR, your all-day stats are uploaded to your fitbit.com dashboard.

Your Charge HR starts tracking your stats for the next day at midnight based on your time zone. Though your stats reset to zero at midnight, this does not delete the previous day's data; that data will be uploaded to fitbit.com the next time you sync your tracker.

You can adjust your time zone at www.fitbit.com/user/profile/edit.

Using heart-rate zones

Heart-rate zones help you target the training intensity of your choice. Your tracker shows your current zone next to your heart rate, and on your Fitbit dashboard you can see your time spent in zones during a particular day or exercise. Three zones based on American Heart Association recommendations are available by default, or you can create a custom zone if you have a specific heart rate you're targeting.

Default heart-rate zones

Default heart-rate zones are calculated using your estimated maximum heart rate. Fitbit calculates your maximum heart rate with the common formula of 220 minus your age.

The heart icon you see next to your current heart rate tells you your zone:

• When you're out of zone, which means you're below 50% of your maximum heart rate, your heart rate may be elevated but not enough to be considered exercise.
• Fat Burn zone, which means your heart rate is between 50% and 69% of your maximum, is the low-to-medium intensity exercise zone and may be a good place to start for those new to exercise. It's called the Fat Burn zone because a higher percentage of calories are burned from fat, but the total calorie burn rate is lower.
• Cardio zone, which means your heart rate is between 70% and 84% of your maximum, is the medium-to-high intensity exercise zone. In this zone you're pushing yourself but not straining. For most people this is the exercise zone to target.
• Peak zone, which means your heart rate is 85% of your maximum or higher, is the high-intensity exercise zone. Peak zone is for short intense sessions that improve performance and speed.

At any time you can check your dashboard to see the amount of time you've spent in each zone.

Custom heart-rate zones

Instead of using the default heart rate zones you can configure a custom zone. When your heart rate is above or below your custom zone you'll see an outline of a heart, and when your heart rate is in your custom zone you'll see a solid heart.

To set a custom heart rate zone using the fitbit.com dashboard:

1. Log in to fitbit.com.
2. Click the gear icon in the top-right corner of the dashboard and select Settings.
3. Using the navigation tabs on the left, find Personal Info.
4. Find an option to create a custom heart rate zone and then specify the minimum and maximum heart rate for your custom zone.
5. Sync your Charge HR to update your tracker with the new setting:
   1. Click the Fitbit Connect icon located near the date and time on your computer.
   2. With your Charge HR nearby, click Sync Now.

At any time you can check your dashboard to see the amount of time you've spent in your custom zone.

For more details about heart rate tracking, including links to relevant American Heart Association information, see our article on https://help.fitbit.com.

Tracking sleep

Your Charge HR automatically tracks the hours you sleep and your movement during the night to help you understand your sleep quality. You don't need to press any buttons or otherwise enter a "sleep mode" to begin tracking sleep. Simply wear your Charge HR to bed.

To see your sleep data, sync your tracker and then view the fitbit.com dashboard or Fitbit app. On the dashboard you can look at the sleep tiles or go to Log > Sleep. In the Fitbit app, tap your sleep tile. If you choose, you can also set a goal for number of hours slept.

Tracking a daily activity goal

Your Charge HR is designed to track your progress towards a goal that you define on your fitbit.com dashboard. A progress bar below your goal keeps you motivated throughout the day. When you reach your goal your Charge HR will vibrate and flash to celebrate.

By default, the daily goal is set to 10,000 steps per day. You can set a daily goal for steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, or floors climbed.

Changing your goal

If you want to track a different daily goal, you can choose a goal from the Fitbit app or in the fitbit.com dashboard.

To choose your goal from the dashboard:

5. Log in to your fitbit.com dashboard.
6. Click the gear icon in the top-right corner of the page.
7. Click Settings.
8. Select your tracker and then find and edit the Daily Goal Progress setting.
9. Sync your Charge HR to update your tracker with the new goal:
   1. Click the Fitbit Connect icon located near the date and time on your computer.
   2. With your Charge HR nearby, click Sync Now.

Setting a value for your daily goal

You can set a specific value for your daily goal in the Fitbit app or on the fitbit.com dashboard. For example, instead of the default daily goal value of 10,000 steps per day, you may want your Charge HR to vibrate and flash when you reach 15,000 steps per day. To change your goal value:

1. Log into your fitbit.com dashboard.
2. Find the tile that corresponds to your goal.
3. Click the gear icon in the lower left corner of the tile.
4. Change your Daily Goal value and click Save.
5. Sync your Charge HR to update your tracker with the new value you have chosen.
   1. Click the Fitbit Connect icon located near the date and time on your computer.
   2. With your Charge HR nearby, click Sync Now.

Tracking Exercise with Fitbit Charge HR

Charge HR will automatically detect many exercises and record them in your exercise history using our SmartTrack™ feature. For more precision you can also tell your tracker when exercise starts and stops and see a workout summary right on your wrist. All workouts appear in your exercise history for deeper analysis and comparison.

Using SmartTrack

Our SmartTrack feature automatically recognizes and records select exercises to ensure you get credit for your most active moments of the day. When you sync your tracker after a SmartTrack-detected exercise, you can find several stats in your exercise history including duration, calories burned, impact on your day, and more.

By default SmartTrack detects continuous movement at least 15 minutes in length. You can increase the minimum duration or disable SmartTrack for one or more exercise types.

SmartTrack does not record more precise exercise stats. If you want to track a specific exercise with precise stats, you should use exercise mode on your Charge HR.

For more information about customizing and using SmartTrack, see help.fitbit.com.

Using exercise mode

Exercise mode works similar to the trip mode on a car's odometer. For example, if you put your tracker in exercise mode and use an elliptical machine, you can view stats measured for that exercise, such as heart rate and calories burned. When you end exercise mode and sync your data, you'll see an entry for a "Workout" exercise on your dashboard. The entry provides a summary of the activity's stats as well as a minute-by-minute graph.

To use exercise mode:

1. Press and hold the button until a stopwatch icon appears. Your tracker vibrates, the timer starts counting immediately, and elapsed time is shown.
2. To view stats being tracked during the exercise, press the button to advance through the stats, which appear in the following order:
   • Elapsed time
   • Current heart rate and heart rate zone
   • Calories burned
   • Steps taken
   • Distance covered
   • Floors climbed
   • Time of day
3. When you finish the activity, press and hold the button to end exercise mode.
4. Sync your tracker to see your exercise in your activity history:
   1. Click the Fitbit Connect icon located near the date and time on your computer.
   2. With your Charge HR nearby, click Sync Now.

Using Silent Alarms

Your Charge HR can gently vibrate to wake or alert you with its silent alarm feature. Silent alarms can be configured to recur every day or on particular days of the week. You can create up to 8 silent alarms.

Setting silent alarms

You can add, edit, and delete silent alarms from the Fitbit app or in the fitbit.com dashboard.

To set silent alarms using your fitbit.com dashboard:

1. Log in to your fitbit.com dashboard.
2. Click the gear icon in the top right corner of the page.
3. Click Settings and find Silent Alarms.
4. Click the Add Alarm button.
5. Enter the time you want the alarm to alert you.
6. Choose how often you want the alarm to occur:
   1. Once – Your alarm will alert you at the specified time and not repeat.
   2. Repeats – Choose which days you want this alarm to repeat every week.
7. Click Save.
8. Sync your Charge HR to update your tracker with the new alarms:
   1. Click the Fitbit Connect icon located near the date and time on your computer.
   2. With your Charge HR nearby, click Sync Now.

Dismissing silent alarms

When your silent alarm goes off, your Charge HR will vibrate and the screen will flash. This notification will repeat several times until dismissed. You can dismiss the alarm by pressing the button on the side of the Charge HR.

Receiving Call Notifications

Over 200 compatible mobile devices let you receive incoming phone call notifications on your Charge HR. To determine whether your device supports this feature, go to http://www.fitbit.com/devices.

Enabling call notifications

To enable call notifications on your Charge HR:

1. Verify that Bluetooth is enabled on your mobile device.
2. Open the Fitbit app on your mobile device and tap the tracker tile at the top of the mobile dashboard.
3. Enable Call Notifications and follow the onscreen instructions.

Managing call notifications

When you receive a phone call, your Charge HR vibrates once and the incoming number or name (if the contact is in your address book) scrolls across the display.

The notification scrolls for 10 seconds or, for a phone call, until the call is answered. You can dismiss the notification at any time by pressing the button on your Charge HR.

Note that if you receive a call while your tracker is syncing, a notification will not appear.

Using your Fitbit.com Dashboard

Fitbit provides you with a free online tool — the fitbit.com dashboard — to help track, manage, and evaluate your fitness progress. Use the dashboard to see your progress towards goals, view graphs with historical data, and log food.

Browser requirements

Browser	Mac Version	Windows Version
Apple Safari	5.1.1 and higher	Not supported
Google Chrome	12 and higher	12 and higher
Microsoft Internet Explorer	Not supported	8 and higher
Mozilla Firefox	3.6.18 and higher	3.6.18 and higher

Adding and removing tiles

Information on the dashboard appears in tiles with each tile providing information about a different stat. Add or remove tiles to customize the dashboard. If you remove a tile, you can add it back at any time.

To add a tile:

1. Click the grid icon on the upper left side of the dashboard.
2. Check the tile(s) you want to add, then click Done.

To delete a tile:

1. Hover over a tile until you see the gear icon at the lower left.
2. Click the gear icon, then click Remove Tile.
3. When prompted, confirm that you want to remove the tile.

Device info

To see the time your tracker last synced, its battery level, and any upcoming alarms, click the gear icon in the top-right corner of the page.

Managing your tracker from fitbit.com

To manage your tracker from fitbit.com, click the gear icon in the top-right corner of the page and choose Settings from the left sidebar.

Using the navigation tabs you can find and change a variety of settings:

• Display Settings: Hide and show items to customize what you see on your tracker's OLED display. You can also drag items up and down to change the order in which they appear.
• Daily Goal Progress: Choose which goal you want your Charge HR to track for you throughout the day. You can edit the value of this goal from the Fitbit app or on the fitbit.com dashboard.
• Tap Gesture: If you want your Charge HR to respond to taps, choose which stat you want to appear when you double tap your device.
• Clock Display: Choose from four different clock styles.
• Dominant Hand: To get the most accurate data readings, choose which wrist you wear your tracker on.
• Heart Rate Tracking: Specify Auto, On, or Off. The default setting of Auto is appropriate for most people; it indicates that the heart rate tracker is active when you're wearing your tracker and inactive when you're not. If there are times when your heart rate isn't being tracked even though you're wearing your Charge HR, you can choose On. If you aren't interested in heart rate tracking or want to maximize battery life, you can choose Off.
• Sleep Tracking: Set the sensitivity of your sleep tracking by changing this setting. The Normal setting, which is the default, is appropriate for most people. If you are a sound sleeper, you can choose Sensitive to capture the smallest movements of your body.
• Silent Alarms: Add, edit and delete silent alarms on your tracker.
• Heart Rate Zones: Accept the default zones or specify a custom zone.

You must sync your tracker to apply any changed settings.

Updating your Fitbit Charge HR

Free feature enhancements and product improvements are occasionally made available with firmware updates provided through Fitbit Connect or the Fitbit app. We recommend keeping your Charge HR up to date.

Updating your Charge HR takes several minutes and is demanding on the battery. We recommend that you charge your Charge HR before updating or while the update is in progress.

To update your Charge HR using Fitbit Connect:

1. Make sure the wireless sync dongle is plugged in and your tracker is nearby.
2. Click the Fitbit Connect icon located near the date and time on your computer.
3. Click Open Main Menu and choose Check for device update.
4. Log in to your account and give Fitbit Connect a moment to look for your Charge HR.
   If an update is found, Fitbit Connect will begin downloading and installing the update. A progress bar appears on your computer screen and on the tracker while the update is in progress.

Fitbit Connect displays a confirmation screen when the update is complete.

Troubleshooting Fitbit Charge HR

If you experience one of the following problems, it may be fixed by restarting your tracker:

• It isn't syncing
• It doesn't respond even when in a charger
• It isn't tracking your steps
• It isn't responding to button presses

Note that restarting your tracker does not delete any data.

To restart your Charge HR:

1. Plug your charging cable into your computer and attach the Charge HR to the cable.
2. When your tracker starts charging, press and hold the button for 10 or more seconds until the Fitbit logo followed by a version number appears (for example, "V88").
3. Let go of the button.

Your Charge HR should now work normally.

For additional troubleshooting suggestions or to contact Customer Support, see http://help.fitbit.com.

Fitbit Charge HR General Info & Specifications

Sensors and motors

Your Charge HR uses a MEMS 3-axis accelerometer to measure your motion patterns and determine your steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, and sleep quality. Charge HR also contains:

• An altimeter, which measures floors climbed
• A vibration motor, which allows it to vibrate when alarms go off, when you reach a goal, and when you receive call notifications
• An optical heart rate tracker, which measures your beats per minute (BPM) at rest and when you are exercising

Battery

Charge HR contains a rechargeable lithium-polymer battery.

Memory

Charge HR holds detailed minute-by-minute information for the most recent 7 days and 30 days of daily summaries. Heart rate data is stored at one-second intervals when in exercise mode and at five-second intervals at all other times.

Your recorded data consists of steps taken, distance traveled, calories burned, floors climbed, active minutes, heart rate, and sleep tracked.

Sync your Charge HR regularly to have the most detailed data available to view on your fitbit.com dashboard.

Size

Small wristband	Fits a wrist between 5.5 and 6.7 inches in circumference
Large wristband	Fits a wrist between 6.3 and 7.6 inches in circumference
Extra large wristband	Fits a wrist between 7.6 and 9.1 inches in circumference

Environmental conditions

Operating Temperature	-4° to 113°F (-20° to 45°C)
Non-operating Temperature	-22° to 140°F (-30° to 60°C)
Water Resistant	Splash proof. Do not shower or swim with the device.
Maximum Operating Altitude	30,000 feet (9,144 m)

Help

Troubleshooting and assistance for your Charge HR can be found at http://help.fitbit.com.

Return policy and warranty

Warranty information and the fitbit.com Store Return Policy can be found online at http://www.fitbit.com/returns.