Restart your Fitbit Charge 6 by holding the button on the left side for 8 to 10 seconds until the screen goes black

A restart clears temporary problems — a frozen screen, a tracker that won't sync, or an app that keeps crashing — without erasing your data or settings. Your steps, heart rate history, and all your personal information stay on the device. The restart takes about 30 seconds total, and you'll see the Fitbit logo appear on the screen when it's working.

This is different from a factory reset, which wipes everything. A restart is the first thing to try when something isn't working right, and it fixes most problems without any loss.

Key Takeaways

  • Hold the left-side button for 8 to 10 seconds until the screen goes completely black, then release.
  • Wait for the Fitbit logo to appear — this means the restart is in progress and should take about 30 seconds.
  • Your data, steps, and personal settings are not erased during a restart.
  • If the tracker still won't respond after a restart, try charging it for at least 15 minutes before trying again.

Step-by-step restart instructions

Step 1: Locate the button. On the Charge 6, there is one physical button on the left side of the device. This is the only button you'll use for a restart.

Step 2: Press and hold the button. Press it down and keep holding. Don't tap it — you need continuous pressure. Count slowly to 8 or 10 in your head. The screen should go black before you reach 10 seconds.

Step 3: Release when the screen goes black. As soon as the display turns completely black, let go of the button. If you're still holding at 12 seconds and nothing happened, release anyway and wait 5 seconds, then try again.

Step 4: Wait for the logo. Within a few seconds, the Fitbit logo will appear on the screen. This means the restart is working. The device will then show the normal clock face or home screen. This whole process takes about 30 seconds from the moment you release the button.

What to do if the restart doesn't work

If the screen stays frozen or unresponsive after you've tried the restart, the battery may be too low. Plug the Charge 6 into its charging cable and let it charge for at least 15 minutes. A device with almost no battery sometimes won't respond to button presses, even though it's not actually broken.

After 15 minutes of charging, try the restart again. If the screen is still black or frozen after another restart attempt, leave it on the charger for a full hour. Some devices need more time to recover from a completely drained battery.

If the device still won't restart after an hour of charging, the problem may be a hardware issue rather than a software one. At that point, contact Fitbit support through the Fitbit app or the Fitbit website — they can walk you through more advanced troubleshooting or discuss a replacement if the device is still under warranty.

When to restart versus when to charge

A restart is the right move when the screen is frozen, the tracker won't sync with your phone, or an app keeps crashing. These are software problems, and a restart clears them out.

Charging is the right move when the screen is completely black and won't turn on at all, or when the device is sluggish and slow to respond. A low battery can make the Charge 6 behave like it's broken when it just needs power. If you haven't charged it in several days, plug it in before trying a restart.

If you're not sure which one to do, charge first for 15 minutes, then try the restart. This covers both possibilities and takes only a few minutes of your time.

What happens to your data during a restart

A restart does not erase anything. Your step count, heart rate data, workouts, alarms, watch faces, and all personal settings stay exactly as they were. The Charge 6 simply stops all running processes and starts fresh, the same way restarting a computer doesn't delete your files.

The only time data is erased is if you perform a factory reset, which is a different process and requires you to hold the button for much longer (usually 15+ seconds until you see a reset menu). A normal restart — the 8 to 10 second version — is completely safe.

Syncing after a restart

After the restart is complete, your Charge 6 should sync with the Fitbit app on your phone within a few minutes. Make sure Bluetooth is turned on in your phone's settings and that the Fitbit app is open or running in the background.

If it doesn't sync automatically, open the Fitbit app and pull down from the top of the screen to manually refresh. If syncing still fails, try restarting your phone as well — sometimes the connection between the two devices gets stuck and needs both to restart.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long should I hold the button?

Hold it for 8 to 10 seconds. The screen will go black when you've held it long enough. If you reach 10 seconds and nothing happened, release and wait 5 seconds, then try again. You don't need to hold it longer than 10 seconds for a normal restart.

Will I lose my step count if I restart?

No. A restart does not erase any data. Your steps, heart rate, workouts, and all other information stored on the device remain exactly as they were. Only a factory reset erases data, and that's a separate process you have to intentionally start.

What if the button doesn't seem to work?

Make sure you're pressing the button on the left side of the device — it's the only physical button on the Charge 6. Press firmly and hold continuously for the full 8 to 10 seconds. If the device is completely unresponsive, charge it for 15 minutes first, as a very low battery can prevent the button from working.

How often should I restart my Fitbit?

You only need to restart when something isn't working right — a frozen screen, sync problems, or a crashing app. There's no benefit to restarting regularly if everything is working fine. Think of it as a troubleshooting step, not a maintenance task.

Is a restart the same as a factory reset?

No. A restart clears temporary problems and keeps all your data. A factory reset erases everything and returns the device to its original state. A restart is what you do first when something goes wrong. Only do a factory reset if support tells you to, or if you're selling or giving away the device.