How To Set Up a Replacement Fitbit Tracker With Your Current Account

If you search around the web for information on how to replace a lost Fitbit pedometer it seems information is pretty scarce. There are complaints about getting one that is cracked & then some other random ecommerce websites that sell Fitbits that want to sell you another, but no real advice on how to set up your new fit bit while keeping it tied to your old account. My mom ended up calling me & we used TeamViewer to help her set it up remotely.

The trick for setting up a replacement Fitbit & connecting it to your old account is to start up the process just like you are registering a brand new Fitbit & account.

So visit http://www.fitbit.com/start  then click the start button

then download the install file

then Run it

go through the start up wizard like it is a brand new bit

click finish go to “Proceed to account setup…”

here is where you highlight that you are setting up a replacement device

and then you just login to your old account & set up the fitbit like normal

go through the last few steps of the set up process.

and if you want to verify everything works, you can then walk a few dozen steps (so that some register on the bit) then come back to the computer and wait a couple minutes & the data should then sync to your online account.

one last tip here in terms of losing fit bits … it is very easy to wash them or have them fall off clothing or some such. I had a pedometer that went in my pocket & even if I remembered to pull it out 98% of the time, the 1 in 50 chance of forgetting means you are washing a pedometer every other month. likewise it is easy to have them fall off.

the way I solved that problem with my old pedometer was tying a shoelace around it & then tying that through to my wallet (or even keys). the only issue with that strategy is that it means you have to have the keys with you, which isn’t always ideal when working out.

given the shape of fitbit, a great solution to this sort of problem is ordering a simply & low-cost necklace like this one, which currently costs $20. (I just sent my mom one too :D)

you want something with a nice solid clasp so it won’t fall apart, but you also need to be the chain part to be at most maybe 5 or 6mm around so that the loop part of the bit easily fits over it…the above is 4 & works quite well.

the benefit of a necklace is you can leave it on all the time & only take the bit off when you are bathing. the only real opportunity to screw things up is when going to the shower, but since one is naked it is pretty easy to remember to take it off. 🙂 so long as you set it somewhere elevated off the ground (beyond the reach of a pet) and not near a trash can then generally speaking the worst that can happen is you forget to put it on right away & maybe you don’t count a hundred steps while walking around drying off. but at least you are not buying another pedometer 😉

One last issue some people might have is forgetting to charge their Fitbit and/or dealing with rusting contacts. The solution to rusting contacts if you are a serious sweater is to use a Fitbit Zip instead of a Fitbit Ultra. It requires you to change the battery every few months or such, but there are no exposed metal contacts to rust out. I believe the Fitbit One (which replaces the Ultra) also comes with a silicon jacket, so you don’t have exposed metal contacts which get corroded by your sweat.