Technologies
12 Fitbit Tips and Tricks Every Owner Should Know About
Make the most of your Fitbit watch or tracker by customizing workout goals and more.
This story is part of 12 Days of Tips, helping you make the most of your tech, home and health during the holiday season.
Just got a new Fitbit for the holidays? It’s time to learn how to use it. Fitbit’s watches and trackers can do a lot more than just track your steps and tell the time. The Google-owned digital fitness company has packed its recent wearables with new updates and features, including a readiness score, sleep profiles that provide deeper analysis of your sleeping patterns and the ability to measure stress levels on the Fitbit Sense, Sense 2 and Charge 5. Google Maps and Google Wallet are also coming to Fitbit devices, which should make them even more useful for everyday tasks.
Fitbit sells a range of different trackers and smartwatches. The $350 Google Pixel Watch is the newest of the bunch and is the first Fitbit smartwatch to provide access to Google Play Store apps and offer the option for LTE connectivity. The $100 Inspire 3 is among the cheapest, while the $300 Sense 2 smartwatch is near the high end along with the Pixel Watch.
Because the software and features differ between devices, some of these tips might not work on all models. The steps listed below could also vary depending on whether you’re using an iPhone or Android device.
See the time even when the screen is off
Fitbit devices are designed for fitness and activity tracking, but they double as a watch. You can make it easier to see the time at a glance without having to raise your wrist or tap the screen by enabling always-on mode. As the name implies, this makes it possible for the screen to show the time even when the display is asleep. Just remember you’ll have to sacrifice a little battery life to get this benefit.
The instructions for enabling this feature vary depending on which Fitbit you own.
- On the Charge 5 and Luxe, swipe down from the clock face, tap the Settings option, choose Display Settings and then select Always-on display.
- On the Sense and Versa 3, swipe right from the clock face and tap the always-on display symbol, which looks like a clock.
- On the Versa 2, swipe down from the top of the screen to see your notifications. Then, swipe down again to access the control center. Tap the quick settings icon and press the always-on display icon.
- On the Fitbit Sense 2 and Versa 4, swipe down from the top of the screen and tap the always-on display icon in the quick settings menu.
Change your main daily exercise goal
Goals are different for everyone, which is why you might want to consider changing the default goal on your Fitbit. This is the main metric that Fitbit celebrates upon completion each day. Choices include steps, distance, calories burned, floors climbed or active zone minutes. To choose which goal you’d like to accomplish each day, open the Fitbit app on your phone and tap your profile picture. Then, tap your Fitbit device and scroll down to Main Goal. From there, you’ll be able to select your preferred goal.
Read more: The Best Fitbits
Choose which stats you want to see first during a workout
In addition to changing your daily goal, you can change which statistics you’d like to prioritize during workouts. Some people may care more about calorie burn, for example, while others prioritize heart rate. That’s why you can choose which stats you want to see during a workout on the Fitbit Sense, Versa and Ionic series.
Get started by opening the watch’s Exercise app and choosing the workout you’d like to customize. From there, tap the gear icon in the top left if you own an Ionic, Versa, Versa Lite Edition or Versa 2, and select the Customize stats option. Then, choose which stats you want to see in the top, middle and bottom slots on your device.
The directions are a little different for Fitbit Sense, Sense 2, Versa 3 and Versa 4 owners. From the Exercise app, select the workout you’d like to customize and then swipe up from the bottom of the screen to access the device’s exercise settings. Under the Show stats section, you can select the top, middle and bottom options to edit the stats you’d like to see in each slot.
Pair your Fitbit with Android just by holding it near your phone
Fitbit and Google want to make setting up your new device almost effortless. Taking a page from Apple’s book, Google’s Fast Pair feature speeds up the pairing process by connecting your new Fitbit to your Android phone when the two devices are near one another. You just need to turn on your Fitbit device and make sure your phone’s Bluetooth is enabled to get started, and then you should see a prompt to download Fitbit’s app. It works on models such as the Luxe, Charge 5 and Inspire 2.
Read more: The Best Workout Subscription Apps
Customize your exercise options
We all prefer certain workouts over others, whether it’s running, spinning, yoga or just walking. Luckily, Fitbit lets you tailor the list of available workouts to your liking on certain devices. Just open the Fitbit app, tap on your profile picture and select your device. Then, tap Exercise Shortcuts to modify your Fitbit’s workout options. You can select the + Exercise Shortcut button to add a new activity type, swipe left on a workout to delete it or use the Edit button to reorder your workouts. Just note that the Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 do not have a shortcuts list, but Fitbit says all workout modes are available in the exercise app for the Sense, Versa and Ionic series watches.
More from 12 Days of Tips:
- 6 Tips to Fall Asleep Faster
- Want to Be Healthy? Switch to Being a Morning Person
- How to Count Calories For Weight Loss and Health
Start an exercise with a single press on the Fitbit Sense
The Fitbit Sense’s exercise app is easy to access, but there are times when you may want to start a workout instantly. Customizing the Fitbit Sense’s wake button can help you do just that.
Press and hold the side button, and your watch will pull up several different apps and features that can be launched by long pressing this same button. Options include the alarms app, weather, Spotify and your voice assistant of choice. Scroll down until you see Exercise, and select the workout mode you’d like to launch when long pressing the side button. If you don’t want to choose a specific workout, you can also choose to have the exercise app open when the side button is long pressed.
Additionally, you can customize the side button’s long press actions through the Fitbit Sense’s settings menu. Swipe over to the Sense’s app screen and tap the Settings icon. Choose Shortcuts, and then select the Press & Hold option. From there, tap Exercise and choose the activity you’d like to launch when long pressing the wake button.
Find your lost Fitbit Inspire 2 with the Tile app
Smaller fitness trackers such as the Inspire 2 can be easy to lose or misplace. That’s why Fitbit has partnered with Tile to build its Bluetooth location-tracking service directly into the Inspire 2. You’ll have to download Tile’s app and make sure your fitness band’s software is up to date before using it. But once it’s set up and registered in the Tile app, you’ll be able to ring your Inspire 2 if it’s within Bluetooth range or see its last location on a map.
Use your Fitbit to find your phone
We’ve all been there; maybe you left your phone in your jacket, or perhaps it slipped in between the couch cushions. That’s where Fitbit’s Find My Phone app comes in handy. Just open the app on your watch and your Fitbit will prompt your phone to ring and vibrate until it’s found. The Fitbit app must be running on your phone for this feature to work, and it’s available on the Fitbit Sense, Versa 2 and Versa 3.
Have Fitbit tell you if you should hit the gym or take it easy
Sometimes it can be hard to tell whether it’s time to push yourself or take a rest day. Fitbit is trying to help with its Daily Readiness Score feature, which rolled out in November and is similar to the Oura ring’s Readiness Score. Fitbit issues a score based on factors like your recent sleeping habits, heart-rate variability and activity that indicates whether you should exercise or prioritize recovery.
It works on the Fitbit Sense, Versa 3, Versa 2, Charge 5, Luxe and Inspire 2, but it’s only available for Premium subscribers and must be enabled in the Fitbit app. You also have to wear your device for at least four days, including overnight.
Adjust your stride length to make step counting more accurate
Fitbit automatically calculates your stride length after you track a run with GPS. But you can also measure your own stride length and add it to the app manually. To do so, Fitbit suggests counting your steps as you walk or run at a location where you can easily tell the distance, such as a track. You should also travel at least 20 steps when measuring your stride, according to Fitbit. Then, divide the distance traveled in yards or meters by the number of steps.
Once you’ve measured your stride length, open the Fitbit app and tap on your profile picture in the top right corner. Under Settings, choose Activity & Wellness and tap Exercise. Tap Stride Length and enter your measurements.
Listen to your exercise stats during a workout
Fitness trackers make it easier to see exercise statistics at a glance, but it’s not always feasible or comfortable to look down at your wrist during a workout. That’s why Fitbit’s app can dictate certain metrics audibly, such as distance, time, average pace, split pace and calories burned. You can choose which of these stats you’d want to hear during your workout, and also customize the frequency of alerts by distance or time.
Open the Fitbit iPhone app, tap your profile picture and scroll down to the Activity & Wellness category under Settings. Tap Exercise and scroll down to see the Play During Exercise option, which can be found underneath the list of auto recognized exercises. If you’re using the Android app, tap the exercise tile in the Today feed and press the stopwatch icon in the top right corner. Then, toggle the switch next to Use voice cues to enable or disable this option.
Turn off those reminders to move
We can all probably use a reminder to get up and move around for a bit, especially when working from home. But those little nudges may not be helpful for everyone, and some might find them annoying. To turn move reminders on or off, open the Fitbit app on your phone and tap your photo in the top left corner. Choose your Fitbit device from the list, and scroll down to the Reminders to Move option. From here, you can turn reminders on or off completely, or set them for certain time windows or days of the week.
Technologies
In photos: Key takeaways from day one of the UN General Assembly
World leaders descended on New York for the annual United Nations General Assembly, where the agenda covers topics from wars to the risks posed by AI.
World leaders descended on New York this week for the annual United Nations General Assembly, where the agenda spans the U.S.-Iran war and Russiaâs invasion of Ukraine to the fragile ceasefire in Gaza and the risks posed by artificial intelligence.
Nearly 130 heads of state and government started taking the podium on Tuesday, including U.S. President Donald Trump, French President Emmanuel Macron, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen. Brazilâs Luiz InĂĄcio Lula da Silva, Jordanâs King Abdullah II and Qatarâs Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani are also attending.
Motorcades, road closures and security details for visiting leaders have choked midtown Manhattan. Inside UN headquarters, delegates face a week of back-to-back speeches and sideline meetings that come at a crucial time for a world order already under strain.
Chinese leader Xi Jinping will skip the assembly but head to Washington for a high-level summit with Trump on Wednesday. Leaders from India and Russia are also staying away.
Trump on Tuesday told world leaders at the assembly that he faces a âbig decisionâ: make a deal with Iran or âannihilateâ the Islamic Republic. He later told reporters that U.S. officials held a âvery goodâ three-hour meeting with Iranian envoys on the sidelines, reviving fragile hopes for a diplomatic off-ramp to the seven-month war.
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung set out a three-part plan for âpeaceful coexistenceâ with North Korea. It calls on Pyongyang to âfirst halt the advancementâ of its nuclear program before reducing it.
Brazilâs Lula spoke first, as his country traditionally does. âBrazilian democracy belongs to Brazilians,â Lula said. âBrazil is nobodyâs backyard.â He said the UN âis failing in one of its highest missions: to save humanity from the scourge of war.â
Trump also signed a security agreement with Denmark and Greenland that expands U.S. military access in the semi-autonomous Danish territory of Greenland.
Trump then met Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for about 40 minutes. He pressed for a Russia-Ukraine energy truce and backed a ban on U.S. diesel exports as fuel prices hit records before the midterms.
French President Emmanuel Macron gave his own UN address. âThere can be no peace without justice,â he said. After meeting Trump, he pledged to push for a moratorium on strikes on Ukraineâs energy grid.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called Gaza âthe most inhumane, most shameful concentration camp of our time,â prompting Israelâs delegation to walk out. Mahmoud Abbas, President of the Palestinian Authority, will address the assembly by video after being denied a U.S. visa.
Technologies
Oil Prices Drop as U.S. and Iran Hold Hours-Long UN Talks
Oil prices fell as U.S.-Iran talks at the U.N. raised expectations that supply disruptions could ease. Brent and WTI futures declined, while optimism grew around a possible diplomatic settlement.
Oil declined on Wednesday as optimism grew that supply disruptions could ease after U.S.-Iran talks, lifting hopes for a diplomatic resolution to the Middle East conflict.
Futures on the international benchmark Brent crude for November delivery fell 0.71% to $98.55 a barrel as of 3:04 a.m. ET. U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures for November slipped 1.26% to $89.36 per barrel.
President Donald Trump said Tuesday that U.S. officials had a âvery good meetingâ with Iranâs delegation, which lasted about three hours. Earlier, during his address to the U.N., Trump said he faced a âbig decisionâ over whether to make a deal with Tehran or âannihilateâ the country.
Reuters reported Tuesday that Iran could reopen the Strait of Hormuz within a week if the U.S. agrees to reduce military pressure and lift its blockade of Iranian ports.
âPakistanâs mediation efforts with Tehran could also reduce the risk of a broader escalation,â said Paolo Broccardo, chief executive officer at private digital bank BankPro.
He said oil prices were also unlikely to surge sharply in the near term.
âOver the past five consecutive sessions, the price has fallen by almost 12%, retreating once again from the âintervention zoneâ above $100, where we have repeatedly seen intensified peace-building efforts from both sides,â Broccardo said.
Technologies
CNBC Daily Open: Nothing artificial about ‘Super Intelligence’
President Donald Trump seeks to rebrand AI ahead of his meeting with China’s Xi Jinping, while rejecting a “globalist scheme” to regulate the technology.
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Hello, this is Leonie Kidd coming to you from London. Welcome to another edition of CNBCâs Daily Open.
President Donald Trumpâs passion for renaming places is now extending to renaming technological developments.
His latest effort is to rebrand AI as âSuper Intelligence.â
However, it will take more than a facelift for the most transformative technology in a generation to meet the expectations for a global safety approach, especially ahead of the meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, who will be welcomed to Washington D.C., later on Wednesday.
Read on for more.
What you need to know today
âThe use of the word artificial makes intelligence fake… It is not fake. Itâs actually amazing.â
The words of U.S. President Donald Trump as he used his keynote speech at the United Nations General Assembly to call for the renaming of AI as âSuper Intelligence.â
His support for allowing AI (or Super Intelligence) to develop at a winning pace comes as his global peers look to reach an agreement on safety rules around the powerful technology.
Later on Wednesday, Trump will greet Chinaâs Xi Jinping in an arrival ceremony ahead of Thursdayâs state visit, where AI has become one of the key talking points between the two superpowers.
Speed versus safety
The CEO of OpenAI Sam Altman and Anthropic boss Dario Amodei are expected to address the United Nations Security Council later on Wednesday. They are set to be joined by Hugging Face CEO Clément Delangue to debate AI safety and regulation.
The appearance follows calls to slow the breakneck pace of the model frontier â warnings Trump has called a âhoaxâ and âscam.â
Frontier FOMO
Investors are taking an optimistic view, with a rally in technology stocks on Tuesday leading the Nasdaq to another fresh high. The tech-heavy index hit a new all-time intraday peak and achieved a record close.
Futures are flat in early trading on Wednesday amid a broadly positive handover from Asia.
Oil oscillations
Crude prices are lower on Wednesday following news that U.S. officials had a âvery good meetingâ with the Iranian delegation on the sidelines of the UN meeting.
President Trump said the discussion with officials lasted about three hours. Earlier in his address to the U.N., he said he has a âbig decisionâ over whether to reach a deal with Tehran or âannihilateâ the country.
According to regional media reports, Iran has been communicating its conditions for ending the seven-month war with the U.S. through a Qatari mediator.
â Leonie Kidd
*Please note, the Daily Open EMEA will be coming to you from my colleagues in Singapore for the next few days*
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And Finally…
Anthropic and OpenAI roll out cheaper models in first release since call for slowdown
Anthropic and OpenAI on Tuesday each announced new, less costly artificial intelligence models as both frontier labs continue to face stiff competition from cheaper, open-weight competitors.
OpenAI introduced additional tiers to its GPT-6 family, with GPT-6 Sol and GPT-6 Luna, slashing the API prices by 50% compared with GPT-5.6 promotional pricing.
Sol, which is a tier below Astra, is meant for more complex workloads like coding, while the companyâs Luna offering is geared toward âhigh-volume tasksâ such as extracting information or summarizing documents, the company wrote.
Anthropic unveiled Claude Opus 5.5 on Tuesday, its latest release in the new Claude 5.5 model family.
â CJ Haddad
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