A Fitbit becomes useless without its charger. Anyone can lose the Fitbit charger, or the charger can malfunction. Spending 30$ on a new charger can be expensive. Also, it may not be available for you to purchase when you want to charge your device.
In such cases, you can charge your device with some quick hacks. In this article, we will discuss three Fitbit charger hacks that can help you charge your Fitbit till your new charger arrives.
Fitbit Charger Hack
USB Ports
If you have your Fitbit charger, but it’s malfunctioning, you can use your laptop’s USB port to charge your device. Most often, USB chargers stop working, but the cables can function quite fine. No worries, there are ways to charge your Fitbit without a charger.
If you have any USB wall charger, try to use that for charging your Fitbit. Most of the time, these chargers feature fast charging. Also, it is more efficient than charging with your laptop.
Also, check if there is any dirt in the contact point of the charger and USB cable. Most of the time, it causes charging malfunctions. Try cleaning the contact points with a cotton swab and rubbing alcohol.
If the dirt is oily and stubborn, try using a thumbtack to scrap it. Clean the contacts till they look shiny again. Make sure the cable is clean as well.
Some Fitbits may need resetting to charge properly. You can find out the best way to charge your Fitbit with a quick internet search.
Removing the Wristband or Clip from Fitbit Tracker
Depending on your device’s model, you will need to remove the clip or wristband while charging your device. See where the charging port of the device is and plug in the charging port. Then use your Laptop or Wall USB charger to charge your device.
Replaceable Battery
Some Fitbit models use replaceable batteries as well. An indicator light may alarm you when to replace your battery.
Open the back of your Fitbit with a battery opener tool or coin. Then replace the battery with a new one. Make sure to align the positive side of the battery with Fitbit’s positive side. Lock the battery in place and close the lid. Reset and sync your device for restoring your fitness data.
A 3V CR2025 coin battery is usually used in Fitbits. Any electronic shop near you has those batteries.
DIY Fitbit Charger
If you have lost your charger, this is a good hack for you. You can fashion a Fitbit charger from materials available in your home in two easy steps. For a DIY Fitbit charger, you’ll need:
- A USB cable
- Electric Tape
- USB charger
Step 1
Cut your USB cable. You will find four separate wires in there. The red one is the power cable, the black one is the ground cable, the green one is positive, and the white one is negative.
Attach the red and green wire and black and white one. The red and green wire needs to connect with the positive port of the Fitbit, and the black and white wires will go to the negative side.
Step 2
Get a tape and make a bump on it to fit the dent of your Fitbit. Make two holes in two sides of the dent. Insert your wires there and secure them. Now you can attach them with the tape on your Fitbit Is charging port.
Ensure that the positive and negative portions of your device’s charging ports are connected with the power supply and ground, respectively. Connect the USB charger and see if your Fitbit is charging. If your Fitbit is not charging, try swapping the cables.
Some Fitbit may need to be reset for charging properly. It is highly recommended to use USB chargers rather than a laptop’s USB port.
Now you have your own DIY charger. You can attach the charger to Fitbit’s charging port with tape to secure it. You can use it multiple times as well.
How Long Does It Take to Charge a Fitbit?
Most Fitbits will be fully charged within two hours or less. Some models will take much less time than that.
Most devices indicate how long it will take to charge fully. However, if you have connected it with a wall charger, it may take much less time.
Bottom Line
It is always recommended to use your Fitbit’s respective charger. However, losing or malfunctioning is pretty common. Therefore you can use the above-mentioned DIY Fitbit charger for emergency charging.
You can find a replacement charger for your Fitbit easily on Amazon. You can also find them in electronic stores. Check them out if you have trouble making your DIY charger.
