WAKING A DIMMED SCREEN

The Surge screen dims when not in use. To wake it up:

• Turn your wrist towards you
• Tap the screen
• Press any button

USING THE CLOCK AND MENUS

The starting screen is a clock. On the clock you can swipe left-to-right see your all-day stats and your current heart rate.

Press the Home button to open a specialized menu. The following specialized menus are available:

• Run— Tap and then swipe left and right to view available runs. For more information on tracking runs or exercise, see How do I use multisport or exercise mode on my tracker?
• Exercise—Tap and then swipe left and right to view available exercises. For more information on tracking runs or exercise, see How do I use multisport or exercise mode on my tracker?
• Timer—Press the Action button to set the timer and press the Select button to start the timer. Swipe left or right to access the stopwatch and press the Select button to start the stopwatch..
• Alarms— Swipe left and right to view your silent alarms, then press the Select button to enable or disable an alarm. For more information see How do I manage silent alarms?
• Settings—Swipe up and down to view available settings, then press the Select button to choose among available options for each setting. See How do I change the settings on my Surge?

When viewing a specialized menu, swipe left and right to view the different menu options. To choose a menu option, you can either press the Select button or tap the screen. To exit a specialized menu, press the Home button to return to the clock.

USING THE BUTTONS

Surge has three buttons: Home, Select, and Action. Surge also has an available backlight.

To use the buttons:

• Press the Home button to switch between the clock and the menu and to leave the run, exercise, alarms, or settings screens.
• Double-press the Home button to see the music playback control and press the Home button once more to return to the previous screen.
• The functions of the Select and Action buttons vary depending on what you're doing. An icon next to the button indicates its current function, such as pausing and resuming, selecting an option, or snoozing or dismissing a silent alarm.

With Fitbit Surge you can track several types of runs and exercises and use on-device GPS. 

To use your Surge during a run or other exercise:

1. Press the Home button and then swipe to the Run or Exercise screens. To change your Exercise menu to see only the exercises you use, see  How do I customize the Exercise menu on my tracker?
2. Press the Select button (lower right) or tap the screen, then swipe to find the type of run or exercise you want to track. You'll know whether the activity uses GPS if you see a GPS icon next to the heart rate icon.
      
3. When you find what you're looking for, press the Select button (lower right) or tap the screen to start your activity.
4. (GPS Only) If your run or non-bike exercise uses GPS, Surge will search for a GPS signal and vibrate when it is found. If a signal isn't found within a few seconds, a Quick Start option appears so you can start your activity immediately while Surge keeps looking for the signal. For more information, see Why isn't GPS Working?
5. During your workout you can:
   • Swipe to see various stats or the time of day.
   • Press the Select button (lower right) to pause or resume your activity.
   • Press the Action button (top right) to view any call or text notifications Surge received from your mobile device while you were working out.
   • Double press the Home button to see the current song playing on your mobile device and pause or skip a track.
   • Receive time or distance-based updates (splits) on your Surge during a run. In the Fitbit mobile app: tap Account > Surge > Exercise Shortcuts > Run (on Windows 10 mobile devices, tap Free Run). Turn on run cues and choose your interval. 
6. Press the Select button (lower right) when you're done with your workout, then press the Action button to see a summary.
7. Press the Action button (top right) once more to exit completely and return to the clock.

After Surge syncs your new data to the dashboard, you can see your workout details and assess their impact on your daily and weekly totals.

If your tracker has one of the following problems, it may be fixed by a restart:

• Your tracker isn't syncing
• Your tracker isn't responding to button presses, taps, or swipes
• Your tracker is charged but doesn't turn on
• Your tracker isn't tracking your steps or other stats

For restart instructions, choose your tracker below.

Note: Restarting your tracker turns it off and on without deleting any activity data. If your tracker saves notifications, a restart deletes them.

1. Press and hold the Home and Select buttons (left and bottom right) on your Fitbit Surge for 10 to 15 seconds, until you see the screen flash or start to dim.
2. Let go of the buttons.
3. After your screen turns completely off, wait 10 seconds and press the Home button to turn your Surge back on.

Your tracker should now work normally. If your tracker still doesn't work after a restart, contact Customer Support.

HOW DOES MY TRACKER DETECT MY HEART RATE?

When your heart beats, your capillaries expand and contract based on blood volume changes. PurePulse LED lights on your tracker reflect onto the skin to detect blood volume changes and finely tuned algorithms are applied to measure heart rate automatically and continuously. The heart rate icon you see on the display tells you if you're in one of three heart rate zones.

WHAT ARE HEART RATE ZONES?

Heart rate zones can help you optimize your workout by targeting different training intensities. The default 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 illustrations below provide examples for each zone. Note that the appearance of the icons may look slightly different between trackers; for example, dots instead of dashes. For more information about zones, see the American Heart Association's Target Heart Rates article.

PEAK ZONE

Peak zone, which means your heart rate is greater than 85% of maximum, is the high-intensity exercise zone. The peak zone is for short intense sessions that improve performance and speed.

CARDIO ZONE

Cardio zone, which means your heart rate is 70 to 84% of 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.

FAT BURN ZONE

Fat burn zone, which means your heart rate is 50 to 69% of 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.

OUT OF ZONE

When you’re out of zone, which means your heart rate is below 50% of maximum, your heart rate may still be elevated but not enough to be considered exercise.

CUSTOM ZONE

Instead of using the three default zones you can create a custom zone if you're targeting a specific heart rate. On your Fitbit app dashboard, tap Account and find Heart Rate Zones. Then enter your custom zone.

On fitbit.com, log into your dashboard and click the gear icon in the upper right. Choose Settings >Personal Info. There you can enter your custom zone.

WHAT IS RESTING HEART RATE?

Resting heart rate measures your heart beats when you are still, and it can be an important indicator of the health of your heart. According to the American Heart Association website, “the average resting heart rate is 60-80 beats per minute, but it’s usually lower for physically fit people.” This is because, “active people often have lower heart rates because their heart muscle is in better condition and doesn’t need to work as hard.” Also, the average resting heart rate rises with age. For more information, see the American Heart Association's All About Heart Rate article.

HOW IS RESTING HEART RATE MEASURED?

Resting heart rate refers to the heart rate measured when you’re awake, calm, comfortable, and have not recently exerted yourself. We use your heart rate data from when you’re awake and asleep to estimate your resting heart rate. For best accuracy, wear your tracker to sleep. 

Your resting heart rate is usually higher than your heart rate while you are asleep, so don’t be surprised if your resting heart rate is higher than the lowest number that you see in your heart rate graphs.

WHAT IS MAX HEART RATE?

Max heart rate is used to calculate different heart rate zones. Fitbit calculates your max heart rate with the common formula of 220 minus your age. Don't be concerned if occasionally during intense exercise your heart rate goes above your Fitbit-calculated max heart rate.

Instead of using the default, you can create a custom max heart rate if you're targeting a specific heart rate. In the Fitbit app dashboard tap or click Account and find an option to change your heart rate zones. From there you can create a custom max heart rate.

WHAT IMPACTS THE ACCURACY OF MY HEART RATE READING?

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.

For all-day wear when you’re not exercising, your tracker should usually rest a finger’s width below your wrist bone and lay flat, just as you would wear a watch. Fitbit’s PurePulse heart rate tracking system is designed to be most accurate when the tracker is worn on the top of your wrist.

For improved 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 push-ups 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, P90X, boxing, 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. Note that your tracker will still provide accurate calorie burn readings during these types of exercise by analyzing your heart rate trends over the course of the workout.

Note that if you remove your tracker but it keeps moving, for example if you put it in a pocket or backpack, the tracker may display an erroneous heart rate reading. To prevent this by turning off heart rate tracking when the tracker is not in use, log into your dashboard and go to Settings > Devices to turn your Heart Rate Tracking to "Off."

WHAT IMPACTS MY HEART RATE?

Your heart rate may be affected by any a number of factors at any given moment. Movement, temperature, humidity, stress level, physical body position, caffeine intake, and medication use are just a few things that can affect your heart rate. Different medical conditions and medications can impact your heart rate. Consult your doctor before starting an exercise routine.

WHAT IS MY CARDIO FITNESS SCORE?

Your cardio fitness score, Fitbit's estimate of your VO2 Max, is an indicator of overall fitness that can help predict performance for endurance-based activities including running, biking, and swimming (source). At this time it is only available with the Fitbit Charge 2. For more information, see What is my cardio fitness score?

HOW DO I CHANGE THE HEART RATE SETTING ON MY TRACKER?

Log into your fitbit.com dashboard and click the gear icon in the top right corner. Under Settings > Devices> Heart Rate, you can choose On, Auto, or Off.

The default setting of Auto is appropriate for most people; the heart rate tracker  is active when you are wearing it and is inactive when you remove it. If there are times when your heart rate isn’t being tracked even though you are wearing your tracker, you can choose On. If you aren’t interested in heart rate tracking or want to maximize battery life, you can choose Off.

WHAT IS PUREPULSE?

Our PurePulse heart rate tracking is the only heart rate technology to offer automatic, continuous wrist based tracking for all-day health insights and workout intensity. It is uniquely designed to measure heart rate all day, with always-on optical heart rate sensors that still maintain extended battery life. PurePulse allows you to accurately track workout intensity and calorie burn with finely tuned algorithms that provide insight through interactive charts and graphs.

WHAT ACTIVITIES DON'T WORK WITH PUREPULSE?

Activities with extreme arm motions, such as boxing, are harder to track second to second; however, PurePulse can still provide accurate calorie burn readings during these types of exercises by analyzing your heart rate trends over the course of the workout.

ARE THE PUREPULSE LEDS SAFE?

Allergy to visible light is extremely rare and the PurePulse LED lights are on the visible spectrum, similar to the lights in your home or office. The LED lights have very low power so they won't burn your skin, and they're programmed to shut down if your device freezes or can't find a signal. If epilepsy or any other condition makes you sensitive to flashing lights, you can turn the LEDs off.

HOW DO I TURN OFF THE LED LIGHTS?

Find the Heart Rate setting on your tracker and turn it off to stop the blinking lights. You must change the setting to Auto or On to resume heart rate tracking.

WHY DON'T I ALWAYS SEE MY HEART RATE?

Occasionally your tracker may have difficulty getting a strong signal. If you don't see your heart rate on your tracker, first make sure you are wearing it correctly. Experiment with placing the tracker higher on your wrist; because blood flow in your arm increases the farther up you go, moving the tracker up a couple inches can be helpful. Also, make sure you're not wearing your tracker too tightly; a tight band restricts blood flow, potentially affecting the heart rate signal.

After a short wait, you should see your correct heart rate again. If this reading persists, try changing your Heart Rate setting from "Auto," which means the heart rate tracker is usually active when you're moving, to "On," which means the heart rate tracker is always active.

Changing the Heart Rate setting to "On" does increase battery usage, so you'll probably want to change it back to "Auto" later when the signal is strong once again. If you're still unable to get a heart rate signal, please contact Customer Support.

WHY DOES MY DASHBOARD SHOW A DIFFERENT HEART RATE MEASUREMENT THAN MY TRACKER?

When hovering over the heart rate graph on your dashboard, the heart rate measurement shown is a five-minute average. For a minute-by-minute display for a particular workout, click that workout on your dashboard's Recent Exercise tile.

If you can't update your tracker, try the instructions below.

UPDATE FAILURES

If the connection between your tracker and mobile device is interrupted during the update, you may see this image:

Try these steps to resolve the problem:

1. Turn your tracker off and on again using the instructions in How do I restart my tracker?
2. Reboot your mobile device.
3. Try the firmware update again. If it doesn't work, on a different mobile device or computer (if available) log into your Fitbit account and try updating your firmware.
    

   Note that if you get notifications from your mobile device on your tracker, before you can use a different device or computer you need to follow the instructions in Why won't my tracker sync to another device or computer?

4. For assistance, please contact Customer Support.

If the update fails and you see this image, you'll be unable to use the tracker until the error condition is resolved:

In this case tap a screen or press a button to return to the clock and try the update again. (If you see "fitbit.com/setup"; follow the instructions in How do I set up my tracker?) If the update doesn't work, restart your tracker and try again.

LOW BATTERY OR LOW/HIGH TEMPERATURE

If you see the critically low battery screen when attempting a firmware update, charge your Blaze and try the update again.

Likewise if you see a temperature screen, try the firmware update again when Blaze has cooled off or warmed up.

Blaze is too warm	Blaze is too cold

If you receive call, text, or calendar notifications on your Fitbit tracker, your tracker has a Bluetooth "bond" with the mobile device that sends the notifications. This bond prevents the tracker from syncing with another mobile device or a computer.

To quickly and temporarily disable the bond, turn off Bluetooth on your mobile device. You can turn it back on later to resume syncing.

If you no longer use notifications, remove the bond:

1. Go to Settings > Bluetooth on your mobile device to to see a list of associated Bluetooth devices. This list might contain only your Fitbit tracker or also include devices like wireless speakers, headsets, etc.
2. Tap your tracker and choose "Forget This Device" or "Disconnect" (exact language will differ depending on your operating system).

You can now set up your tracker using another mobile device or computer. For instructions see How do I set up my tracker?

If your battery isn't charging, test the solutions below. If your battery is draining too quickly after a charge, see Can I improve my tracker's battery life?
 

If you've tried all four solutions but your tracker won't charge, contact Customer Support.

To explore the compatibility of your device, please click here.  On this page, you will be able to select your device type & view all of the available features within the Fitbit app.