What is Fitbit Charge 5 Water Lock? This is a common question among most Fitbit users. In this post, I’ll cover everything you need to know about Charge 5’s water lock mode – from what it is, how it works, how to activate it to how to deactivate it…
The water lock mode shields your Fitbit Charge 5 from accidental button presses and touches on its display when swimming or taking a shower.
The water lock on Charge 5 locks the display so that it doesn’t move. When water is detected, Fitbit locks the display but doesn’t turn off the tracker. This is done so that you can still track your activity in the water.
However, sometimes it’s hard to get your Fitbit Charge 5 out of the water lock mode after engaging in some water sports. If you’re having problems with the water lock mode on your Fitbit Charge 5, I’ve got you covered.
Here are some crucial tips for getting your Fitbit Charge 5 back to its normal state.
Table of Contents
Fitbit Charge 5 Water Lock Feature
Fitbit Charge 5 has a water lock feature. To turn on the water lock on Fitbit Charge 5, tap swipe down from the clock screen, tap Water Lock, and firmly tap your screen twice.
To turn off the Fitbit Charge 5 water lock mode, firmly double-tap the middle of the screen with your finger. If you don’t see “Unlocked” appear on the screen, try tapping harder.
How the Fitbit Water Lock Works
Surprisingly, water from water sports and showers can activate your Fitbit’s screen. To prevent this, Fitbit installed the water lock mode on some models. Water lock functions by disabling your Fitbit’s touch screen and buttons from any unintended swipes, touches, or opening apps that can occur when you shower, swim, or participate in other water activities.
When water lock mode is activated, Fitbit’s screen locks and a water lock icon appears on your screen. Although alarms and notifications will be displayed on the screen, your touch screen will be unresponsive and won’t permit interactions.
Related: How to Change Time on Fitbit
Fitbit Trackers that have Water Lock Feature
The following are some of the Fitbits that have the Water Lock mode feature:
- Fitbit Charge 5 (activates automatically when you start a swim activity)
- Fitbit Luxe (can be activated manually)
- Fitbit Ace 3 (can be activated manually)
- Fitbit Inspire 2 (can be activated manually)
- Fitbit Sense (activates automatically when you start a swim activity)
- Fitbit Versa 3 (activates automatically when you start a swim activity)
How to Activate Water Lock
Surprisingly, only some Fitbit models can allow you to activate the water lock manually. Presently, the Fitbit Luxe and Fitbit Inspire 2 have a manual option to turn on the water lock.
Although the Sense and Versa 3 have the water lock mode, it’s automatically turned on when you start a swim in the Exercise app.
NB: Check out this post on all Fitbit models by year of release…
How to Turn on Water Lock Manually
Go to Fitbit’s Quick settings, tap the water lock icon, and tap your screen twice. To deactivate the water lock, double-tap your screen again.
How to turn off water lock on Fitbit
Sometimes you may not be showering, swimming, or engaging in some water sports, but your Fitbit automatically turns on the Water lock. In this case, you can try pressing the side buttons.
If you’ve finished swimming and you can’t take your Fitbit back to its normal state, don’t worry. Here are some crucial tips that will help you know how to turn off water lock on Fitbit.
Before troubleshooting, ensure your Fitbit is completely dry by wiping it using a microfiber cloth to eliminate all water droplets. Ensure your fingers are also dry and apply lotion after disabling the water lock.
Try a Stronger Double-tap
- Double-tap your Fitbit’s screen using more force than you normally use. You can try using your palm or multiple fingers.
- If there is a message on the screen about turning the water lock off, tap the screen twice.
- If you’re using Fitbit Inspire 2, double-tap your screen firmly, and then press the side buttons simultaneously.
Charge Your Fitbit
Connect the Fitbit to a charger and check if it gets out of the water lock mode. This will only function if the Fitbit is charging.
Change the Fitbit’s Clock Face
Change the clock face temporarily in the Fitbit app. Once it’s in its normal state, restore the usual clock face.
- Go to the Fitbit app.
- Open the Today tab, then your profile icon or picture.
- Choose the Clock Faces title.
- Select and install another clock face. It’s advisable to choose one by Fitbit.
Restart Your Fitbit Manually
- For the Fitbit Inspire 2, connect it to the charger, then press the side buttons simultaneously for five seconds and release. A smiley face will appear, and your Fitbit will vibrate.
- For the Fitbit Luxe, connect it to the charger and press the button on the charger thrice; ensure you pause for one second when pressing. You’ll see the Fitbit logo appear.
- For Fitbit Versa 33 and Sense, press and hold the side buttons for 10 seconds until the Fitbit logo appears on the screen.
What to Do if Your Fitbit Keeps Turning On When Not in Water
If your device keeps activating the water lock, try to wear the Fitbit a bit higher on your wrist and ensure it’s not too tight. Also, you can wear your Fitbit on the inside of your wrist instead of the outside.
Ensure your Fitbit’s firmware is always updated. For some models like Inspire 2, you’ll find a setting called Button Lock. When you turn this on, your buttons are disabled and won’t activate your screen.
NB: Check the post where I compare Fitbits and their features…
However, the Button Lock drains your battery fast, and your Fitbit needs frequent charging.
FAQs
Your Fitbit may keep activating the water lock if you wear it on the lower part of your wrist. Also, if you wear the device on the outside of your wrist, it can have this problem. To solve this, follow the steps I’ve listed above.
Yes, you can. However, not all Fitbit bands are water-resistant. So, if you have a metal, leather, or woven band, you need to change it before getting into the water.
To turn on the water lock, press and hold the buttons on your tracker, tap Water Lock, and firmly tap your screen twice. The Fitbit water lock turns on automatically when you start a swim in the Exercise app.
To turn off the Fitbit Inspire 2 water lock, firmly double-tap the middle of the screen with your finger.
To activate on water lock, tap swipe down from the clock screen, tap Water Lock, and firmly tap your screen twice. Water lock turns on automatically when you start a swim in the Exercise app.
To turn on water lock on Fitbit Ace 3, press and hold the buttons on your tracker, tap Water Lock, and firmly tap your screen twice.
Fitbit water lock prevents the buttons on your Fitbit from activating when you are taking a shower or a swimming pool. When water lock is on you cannot interact with the tracker but alarms and notifications will appear.
Yes, the Fitbit Luxe has the water lock feature. The Fitbit Luxe water lock makes it possible to wear the device while swimming or doing other water-based activities.
This feature is a great way to track your swimming activities and monitor your heart rate and other health metrics while in the water.
Water lock is a feature on Fitbits that prevents accidental button presses while you’re swimming or showering.
Water lock is a useful feature to have if you like to track your activity while you’re swimming or showering. It prevents accidental button presses from interrupting your workout or causing your device to record inaccurate data.
Conclusion
Water lock is a feature that prevents your fitness tracker from being damaged by water. It is especially useful if you are going to be swimming or doing any other activity where your tracker could potentially get wet.
If your Fitbit gets wet, ensure you take it off and dry it well before wearing it again. I hope that this post will help you get back your Fitbit to its normal state.