The First Five Things You Should Do With the Fitbit Charge 6
The Fitbit Charge 6 is a great little minimalist fitness tracker, you don’t have to do much to get started, just put it on and let it go. But there are a few things you can do to tweak the interface and make things work even better. Here are some tips and tricks for those new to this device.
Charge it and set it up (obviously)
The first thing to do with any device is charge it, turn it on, and follow the instructions (either on-screen or in the quick start guide) to pair it with your phone and make sure you have a Fitbit account set up. .
The new Fitbits come with a six-month premium membership, so set a reminder for May to see if you want to cancel or continue your premium membership.
Set up a charging station and daily routine
The Fitbit Charge 6’s battery will last the better part of a week, which means that sometime next week you’ll notice the battery draining and ask yourself, where did I put this charger? Now decide where the charging cable will be and when you will charge it. The two best times and places for most people are:
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Charge your device while you shower (so keep the charging cable in the bathroom; purchase a USB adapter that plugs into the wall).
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Charge your device while sitting at your computer if you have a job or hobby that requires you to sit at your keyboard for hours. (In this case, the cable may be on your desk. Purchase an adapter if you only have USB-C ports.)
Choose a cool watch face
Right out of the box, your Charge 6 will look just like every other Charge 6, with a font of parallel lines. Cool, but you have other options. In the Fitbit app, tap the device icon in the top left corner (where it tells you your battery percentage), then tap Charge 6. Then tap Gallery and choose a new watch face.
Please note that some edges may display a rotating selection of metrics. Tap once to see your daily steps, tap again to see your active minutes, and so on. On some faces, like Rise Up, each one changes the complexion.
If you want to further customize the look of your Fitbit, the band can be replaced. You can purchase a selection of bands in different colors to match your outfit or mood , a fabric band if you don’t like silicone, or a variety of statement, stylish bands .
Turn off notifications you don’t need
Maybe you like receiving notifications on your watch, maybe you don’t. When you first set up your Fitbit, you decide whether you want your phone’s notifications to appear on your Fitbit. (If you have regrets in either direction, tap Charge 6 in the Fitbit app and tap Notifications to set them up.)
But the Charge 6 has its own reasons to bother you that aren’t included here. During your workout, you may feel an almost constant buzz from your Fitbit, letting you know that you’ve entered or left a certain heart rate zone. There must be someone on earth who likes this feature, but it’s definitely not me and probably not you. Select an activity (such as Running) and swipe up to open Settings. Turn off “Heart Zone Notifications.” You can also swipe up on the main watch face and tap Settings to turn off AZM Notifications.
Set up Google features (Music, Wallet and Maps)
Charge 6 can control music playing from your phone, which is handy when you’re working out and want to skip a track without taking your phone out of your pocket or gym bag. However, the music is still playing from your phone, so your phone must be in range. On the other hand, you don’t need to connect your headphones to your Fitbit; just connect them to your phone.
To control your music with Charge 6, you’ll need to be a YouTube Music subscriber (or be interested in trying the free trial it offers). One nice feature is that you get several automatic playlists that adapt to your tastes, so you can choose a workout mix and get started right away.
The Charge 6 also offers navigation if you’ve set up Google Maps on your phone, as well as a wallet feature that lets you make one-tap payments from your Fitbit device. Fitbit Pay is the only feature of the three that doesn’t require your phone to be in range.
In the Fitbit app, go to the Charge 6 icon and tap the appropriate tile to set up Music, Wallet, or Cards.
And a troubleshooting tip: The connection process doesn’t always go smoothly. For example, I kept getting a message saying that YouTube Music couldn’t find my phone. If you’ve tried everything and still can’t get the Charge 6 to connect the Music app (or any other app) to your phone, try these instructions , which worked for me when nothing else worked. Your phone will “forget” the Bluetooth Charge 6 settings, force close the Fitbit app, restart the phone, force restart the Fitbit using that weird little button on the charging cable, and finally “replace” your device in the Fitbit. application. I didn’t lose any data, and when it was all over, I finally got the Music app, which played me some Chappell Roane.