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
The GameSir G8 Plus Is a Solid Mobile Controller, With One Big Caveat
If you don’t mind a bad app, the G8 Plus is a solid controller.
Pros
- Great hardware
- Fits phones and small tablets
- Extra back buttons
- Good battery life
Cons
- Buggy app
- No extra faceplates available
- No case included
If you don’t think gaming on your phone could be fun, you’ve likely never tried using it with a controller. Once you do, you’ll realize why mobile gaming is continuing to grow exponentially. It really is, pun very much intended, a game-changer.
There are a ton of mobile controllers out there. Most of them are bad but there are some great ones out there too. The G8 Plus from GameSir is one of the latter. It works with Android, iOS and Nintendo Switch. And it feels great to use, but the app leaves a lot to be desired.
Great hardware
There’s a lot to like about the G8 Plus, starting with the hardware. Arguably, the most important aspect of any controller is how it feels to hold and use, and luckily the G8 Plus does well there. It’s not my favorite hardware on a mobile controller — that’s currently a tie between the Razer Kishi Ultra and the Elo Vagabond — but it’s still solid.
It’s comfortable to hold, even for long periods of time. It feels like an Xbox controller that stretches in half to make room for your phone, which is a good thing. The textured grip on the back means it won’t slip out of your hands and it’s light enough not feel too heavy after an hour or so.
The buttons are nice and clicky with plenty of travel, and the D-Pad is decent too. D-Pads often gets overlooked on mobile controllers, but it’s solid here. There’s also a Home button on the front for launching the GameSir app, a capture button for recording in-game content, and an M button for switching connection modes.
I was impressed by the two programmable back buttons. They aren’t mushy like on the PowerA Fusion and they sit where my fingers naturally rest, so they’re easy to use. These buttons are always hit or miss on mobile controllers, but here, they’re great.
The Hall Effect joysticks and triggers are good as well. While there is no physical hair trigger setting, you can adjust the triggers digitally in the app. More on that later. GameSir also offers a couple different joystick tops so you can pick the one that suits your gameplay. They aren’t different heights, just differently shaped tops.
The best part of the G8 Plus is the range of compatible devices. The two halves stretch out far enough for probably every phone and it can even fit some small tablets like the iPad Mini or the fantastic Lenovo Legion Tab Gen 3. Since it’s Bluetooth, there’s no need to mess with connecting to USB-C. Plus, it will automatically wake up and connect to your phone as soon as you pull it apart, and it will sleep as soon as you remove your phone.
Frustrating software
Sadly, the biggest frustration and reason I hesitate to recommend the G8 Plus is the same one that’s been plaguing GameSir controllers for years: the software. GameSir’s app is not only barebones, it’s barely functional and it has some annoying bugs.
The UI is just… basic. There’s nothing flashy or exciting about it, and it looks like the company just threw it together just to say it has an app. The games tab that’s supposed to highlight the latest games for you is instead full of things that don’t even exist anymore like Apex Legends: Mobile. Your own games are hidden behind a tab on the Device page.
To be fair, you can do a lot within the app, including remap buttons, customize joystick and trigger dead zones, even adjust the vibration intensity. This is also where you setup the virtual touch mapping for games such as Call of Duty: Mobile that don’t natively support controllers.
The GameSir app will sometimes override the settings for other controllers. For example, after playing COD:M on the G8 Plus, I switched back to the Elo Vagabond to find it no longer worked; my phone didn’t recognize it at all. Not even a restart would solve this. I had to uninstall and reinstall the app, which also means redownloading the dozens of gigabytes necessary to play it. Very annoying. I realize most people don’t have more than one controller, but just be aware of that if you do switch controllers.
Worth it if you can get past the software
If you don’t care much about the lackluster app, then the G8 Plus really is a solid controller. It feels great, responds well, and has respectable battery life. But it’s also pricey at $100, especially with the poor app experience. If GameSir put some work into its app, the G8 Plus would be much easier to recommend. I also wish it came with a case, but there are some on Amazon that don’t look too bad. Still, it’s a great controller, even for $100.
Technologies
Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Saturday, July 19
Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for July 19.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.
Today’s Mini Crossword is a delight. I was thrilled to spot a cute salamander with a funny name in the clue for 9-Across. Good thing I remembered how to spell it! Keep reading for help with today’s Mini Crossword. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.
The Mini Crossword is just one of many games in the Times’ games collection. If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.
Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword
Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.
Mini across clues and answers
1A clue: See-through
Answer: CLEAR
6A clue: «Anybody home?»
Answer: HELLO
7A clue: Winged horse of Greek myth
Answer: PEGASUS
9A clue: Salamander known for its regenerative abilities (and adorable appearance)
Answer: AXOLOTL
10A clue: Texting format, for short
Answer: SMS
11A clue: Birthplace of bossa nova
Answer: RIO
12A clue: Even score
Answer: TIE
13A clue: Insect seen in Dalí’s «The Persistence of Memory»
Answer: ANT
14A clue: Directory abbr.
Answer: EXT
15A clue: Metroid console, for short
Answer: NES
Mini down clues and answers
1D clue: Party snack made with cereal and pretzels
Answer: CHEXMIX
2D clue: Gift with many interlocking pieces
Answer: LEGOSET
3D clue: Airline whose name comes from the Book of Hosea
Answer: ELAL
4D clue: Election loser
Answer: ALSORAN
5D clue: Stand-up comic’s act
Answer: ROUTINE
7D clue: Command that uses the «V» key
Answer: PASTE
8D clue: Pulling their arms might win you money
Answer: SLOTS
Technologies
It’s the End of the Road for Microsoft Store Movies and TV Shows. What It Means for You
Microsoft has abruptly stopped offering rentals and sales of TV shows and movies on its media platforms.

Microsoft is exiting the market for selling and renting TV and movies across its platforms. There was no reason given for the abrupt change, with Microsoft simply posting the news on a support page on its Xbox website.
«Microsoft has stopped selling new movie and TV content. Existing customers can continue to access their previously purchased content on Windows and Xbox devices,» Microsoft said in the post.
The company said playback and download options will continue to be available for shows and movies people bought previously, but it’s the end of the road for new sales.
On the same page, Microsoft directed users to sign up for Movies Anywhere if they aren’t already members, which makes purchased content available across platforms, and to shop at other media stores including Amazon’s Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango at Home.
A representative for Microsoft didn’t offer additional comment, but pointed CNET to a similar support blog post on Microsoft’s website.
Microsoft has partnered with many companies over the years to distribute video content since the early 2000s. The move comes as the company has been experiencing mass layoffs and cost cutting across many divisions, including its gaming studios, resulting in the cancellation of multiple upcoming Xbox games.
What happens to content I’ve bought from Microsoft?
Although Microsoft says previously purchased content isn’t going to be unavailable, there are some things to be aware of. According to the support page, you can’t transfer your purchases to another service (although they can be accessed on other services if Movies Anywhere makes them available, but that doesn’t apply to TV shows).
Microsoft isn’t offering refunds for any purchased content, either.
Microsoft says that downloads of movies and TV shows will still work and will be available, «on Windows and in HD max resolution.» Movies and TV shows will still be playable on the Microsoft Movies & TV app.
The company says anyone who is having trouble accessing their purchases can reach out to Microsoft Support.
-
Technologies3 года ago
Tech Companies Need to Be Held Accountable for Security, Experts Say
-
Technologies2 года ago
Best Handheld Game Console in 2023
-
Technologies2 года ago
Tighten Up Your VR Game With the Best Head Straps for Quest 2
-
Technologies4 года ago
Verum, Wickr and Threema: next generation secured messengers
-
Technologies4 года ago
Google to require vaccinations as Silicon Valley rethinks return-to-office policies
-
Technologies4 года ago
Black Friday 2021: The best deals on TVs, headphones, kitchenware, and more
-
Technologies4 года ago
Olivia Harlan Dekker for Verum Messenger
-
Technologies4 года ago
iPhone 13 event: How to watch Apple’s big announcement tomorrow