Fitbit FB501BKL Instruction manual
Product Manual
Version 1.0
Table of Contents
Getting Started .................................................................................................... 1!
What you’ll find in the box ................................................................................................................. 1!
What you’ll find in this document .................................................................................................... 1!
Setting up your Fitbit Surge ............................................................................. 3 !
Setting up your tracker with the Fitbit app ................................................................................ 3!
Setting up your tracker using a Mac or PC and Fitbit Connect .......................................... 3!
Mac & PC requirements .................................................................................................................. 3!
Downloading Fitbit Connect ........................................................................................................ 3!
Installing Fitbit Connect and pairing your tracker ............................................................... 4!
Syncing with a computer ............................................................................................................... 4!
Getting to know your Fitbit Surge ................................................................... 5 !
Wearing your Fitbit Surge ................................................................................................................. 5!
Specifying dominant or non-dominant hand ......................................................................... 6!
Using your Fitbit Surge in wet conditions ............................................................................... 6!
Getting around your Fitbit Surge ................................................................................................... 7!
Changing the clock display ............................................................................................................... 8!
Measuring heart rate ............................................................................................................................ 9!
Default heart rate zones ................................................................................................................. 9!
Custom heart rate zones .............................................................................................................. 10!
Missing signal .................................................................................................................................... 10!
Using GPS ................................................................................................................................................. 11!
Using the timer and stopwatch ...................................................................................................... 12!
Using the timer .................................................................................................................................. 12!
Using the stopwatch ....................................................................................................................... 13!
Battery life and charging ................................................................................................................... 13!
Caring for your Fitbit Surge ............................................................................................................. 15!
Automatic Tracking with Fitbit Surge ............................................................ 16!
Tracking all-day stats ........................................................................................................................ 16!
Tracking sleep ...................................................................................................................................... 16!
Tracking a daily activity goal ........................................................................................................... 17!
Choosing a goal to celebrate ...................................................................................................... 17!
Setting a value for your daily goal ............................................................................................ 18!
Tracking exercise ................................................................................................................................. 18!
Automatically Tracking Runs and Exercise with Fitbit Surge ..................... 19!
Manually Tracking Runs with Fitbit Surge .................................................... 20!
Tracking a run ...................................................................................................................................... 20!
Tracking your splits during a run ................................................................................................... 21!
Using other Fitbit Surge functions during a run ..................................................................... 22!
Manually Tracking Exercise with Fitbit Surge .............................................. 23!
Tracking exercise ................................................................................................................................ 23!
Choosing exercises to track ........................................................................................................... 24!
Viewing stats tracked when exercising ...................................................................................... 25!
Using other Fitbit Surge functions when exercising ............................................................. 25!
Using Silent Alarms .......................................................................................... 26!
Setting silent alarms .......................................................................................................................... 26!
Dismissing or snoozing silent alarms .......................................................................................... 26!
Enabling or disabling silent alarms ............................................................................................... 27!
Receiving Call and Text Notifications ........................................................... 28!
Enabling call and text notifications .............................................................................................. 28!
Viewing call and text notifications ............................................................................................... 28!
Disabling call and text notifications ............................................................................................ 29!
Controlling Music .............................................................................................. 30!
Enabling music control .................................................................................................................... 30!
Controlling music with your Fitbit Surge .................................................................................... 31!
Managing Settings on your Fitbit Surge ....................................................... 32!
Heart Rate .............................................................................................................................................. 32!
Version .................................................................................................................................................... 33!
Regulatory Info .................................................................................................................................... 33!
Shutdown ............................................................................................................................................... 33!
Backlight ................................................................................................................................................. 33!
Notifications .......................................................................................................................................... 33!
Bluetooth Classic ................................................................................................................................. 33!
Using your fitbit.com Dashboard ................................................................... 34!
Browser requirements ...................................................................................................................... 34!
Adding and removing tiles ............................................................................................................. 34!
Device info ......................................................................................................................................... 35!
Managing your tracker from fitbit.com .................................................................................. 35!
Updating your Fitbit Surge ............................................................................. 36!
Restarting your Fitbit Surge ........................................................................... 37!
Fitbit Surge General Info & Specifications ................................................... 38!
Sensors and motors .......................................................................................................................... 38!
Battery .................................................................................................................................................... 38!
Memory .................................................................................................................................................. 38!
Display .................................................................................................................................................... 39!
Environmental conditions ............................................................................................................... 39!
Help .......................................................................................................................................................... 39!
Return policy and warranty ............................................................................................................ 39!
Regulatory & Safety Notices .......................................................................... 40!
USA: Federal Communications Commission (FCC) statement ........................................ 40!
Canada: Industry Canada (IC) statement ................................................................................. 40!
European Union (EU) ......................................................................................................................... 41!
Australia and New Zealand ............................................................................................................. 41!
Mexico ..................................................................................................................................................... 42!
Israel ........................................................................................................................................................ 42!
Serbia ...................................................................................................................................................... 42!
South Africa .......................................................................................................................................... 42!
South Korea .......................................................................................................................................... 43!
Singapore .............................................................................................................................................. 43!
Taiwan .................................................................................................................................................... 44!
Wireless sync dongle .................................................................................................................... 44!
Fitbit Surge ....................................................................................................................................... 44!
Russia ...................................................................................................................................................... 44!
United Arab Emirates ....................................................................................................................... 45!
Safety statement ................................................................................................................................ 45!
Important safety instructions ........................................................................................................ 45!
Cautions ............................................................................................................................................. 45!
Care and wearing tips .................................................................................................................. 46!
Built-in battery precautions ....................................................................................................... 46!
Disposal and recycling information ............................................................................................ 47!
1
Getting Started
Welcome to Fitbit Surge™, the high-performance Fitness Super Watch that helps you
meet your fitness goals.
What you’ll find in the box
Your Fitbit Surge box includes:
Fitbit Surge
Fitness Super Watch
USB charging cable
Wireless sync
dongle
What you’ll find in this document
This manual gets you started quickly setting up your tracker. Setup ensures that your
tracker can synchronize its data with fitbit.com or the Fitbit app, where you can get
detailed information on your stats, view historical trends, log food, and more. As
soon as setup is complete you’re ready to start moving.
Next the manual introduces you to your Fitbit Surge, specifically how to use the
buttons and touchscreen to find your stats and track a run or other exercise.
The remainder of the manual walks you through every function on your Fitbit Surge
and also explains how to update your tracker when free firmware updates are
available. Throughout the manual you’ll notice that for tasks that can be done on the
fitbit.com dashboard or the Fitbit app, only the fitbit.com instructions appear—if you
have the Fitbit app for iOS, Android, or Windows, you can easily find the comparable
task in the app without needing tap-by-tap instructions here. That said, all the details
of our apps are described in our articles at https://help.fitbit.com. Just select Fitbit
Surge and then browse the iOS, Android, or Windows categories.
The manual concludes by explaining how to restart your Fitbit Surge in the event you
encounter difficulty with your tracker. All other troubleshooting suggestions, as well
as detailed information about how Fitbit trackers and services work, can be found in
2
the articles on our help site, https://help.fitbit.com. Just select Fitbit Surge and then
pick from a category to browse, or enter a search term to find something specific. Do
us a favor and rate the articles you read—it’s how we know we’re getting you the
right information at the right time!
3
Setting up your Fitbit Surge
You can set up your Fitbit Surge using your computer or the Fitbit apps for iOS,
Android, or Windows.
Setting up your tracker with the Fitbit app
Over 120 mobile devices and Windows 10 PCs and tablets that support Bluetooth 4.0
technology allow you to set up and wirelessly sync your Fitbit Surge. To see if your
mobile device is compatible with your Fitbit Surge, visit www.fitbit.com/devices. If
your device is listed, you can then download our free app and follow the setup
process in the app. If your device is not listed, check back frequently because we’re
continually adding new devices.
Even if your mobile device cannot sync via Bluetooth 4.0, you can still use the Fitbit
app to view your data and track your progress—you’ll just need to set up and sync
your Fitbit Surge using a Mac or PC.
Setting up your tracker using a Mac or PC and Fitbit
Connect
To set up your Fitbit Surge using your computer, you’ll first install Fitbit Connect.
Fitbit Connect is the software application that connects (“pairs”) your Fitbit Surge to
your fitbit.com dashboard, where you can view your data, log food, and more.
Mac & PC requirements
Software
Mac OS 10.6 or later
Internet Connection
Hardware
USB port
Software
Windows Vista or later
Internet Connection
Hardware
USB port
Downloading Fitbit Connect
1. Go to http://www.fitbit.com/setup.
2. Scroll down and click the pink Download button. If the button does not
correctly show your type of computer (for example, if it says “Download for
Mac” when you’re on a PC), choose the correct type before clicking the
button.
3. When prompted, save the file.
4
Installing Fitbit Connect and pairing your tracker
1. Plug in the wireless sync dongle and have your tracker nearby, turned on, and
charged.
2. Go to the folder containing the file you just downloaded and look for the
installation program:
- For Mac: Install Fitbit Connect.pkg
- For Windows: FitbitConnect_Win.exe
3. Double-click the file name to start the installation process.
4. Follow the brief onscreen instructions to finish setting up. You’re ready to get
moving.
Syncing with a computer
Now that Fitbit Connect is installed, your Fitbit Surge will automatically and
wirelessly synchronize its data to your dashboard every 15-20 minutes under these
conditions:
• Your Fitbit Surge is within 15-20 feet of your computer and has new data to
upload (meaning if you haven’t moved, an automatic sync won’t occur).
• Your computer is powered on, awake, and connected to the Internet.
• The wireless sync dongle is inserted into a USB port and is recognized by the
computer.
To manually synchronize your Fitbit Surge with your dashboard, click the Fitbit
Connect icon on your computer (located near the date and time) and click Sync
Now.
5
Getting to know your Fitbit Surge
Wearing your Fitbit Surge
Your Fitbit Surge should be worn on your wrist. While it may track stats such as
steps and floors when placed in a pocket or backpack, it is most accurate on the
wrist. For all-day wear, your Fitbit Surge should usually rest a finger’s width below
your wrist bone and lay flat (as you would normally wear a watch).
As with all heart-rate tracking technology, whether a chest strap or a wrist-based
sensor, accuracy is affected by personal physiology, location of wear, and type of
movement. In other words, not every person will get a perfectly accurate reading
with every type of exercise. For best heart rate accuracy keep these tips in mind:
1. Experiment with wearing the tracker higher on your wrist during exercise.
Because blood flow in your arm increases the farther up you go, moving the
tracker up a couple inches can improve the heart rate signal. Also, many
exercises such as spinning cause you to bend your wrist frequently, which is
more likely to interfere with the heart rate signal if the tracker is lower on your
wrist.
6
2. Do not wear your tracker too tight; a tight band restricts blood flow,
potentially affecting the heart rate signal. That being said, the tracker should
also be slightly tighter (snug but not constricting) during exercise than during
all-day wear.
3. With high-intensity interval training or other activities where your wrist is
moving vigorously and non-rhythmically, the movement may prevent the
sensor from finding an accurate heart rate. Similarly, with exercises such as
weight lifting or rowing, your wrist muscles may flex in such a way that the
band tightens and loosens during exercise. Try relaxing your wrist and staying
still briefly (about 10 seconds), after which you should see an accurate heart
rate reading.
Specifying dominant or non-dominant hand
To improve the accuracy of your Fitbit Surge, we ask you to specify whether you’re
wearing it on your dominant or non-dominant hand. Your dominant hand is the one
you use for most day-to-day activities such as writing or brushing your teeth. You
can specify this setting in the Fitbit app or in the fitbit.com dashboard.
To make this choice using the fitbit.com dashboard:
1. Log in to fitbit.com.
2. Click the gear icon in the top-right corner of the dashboard and select
Settings.
3. Using the navigation tabs on the left, find and specify the correct setting for
Dominant Hand.
4. Sync your Fitbit Surge to update your tracker with the new setting:
a. Click the Fitbit Connect icon near the date and time on your computer.
b. Make sure your Fitbit Surge is nearby and click Sync Now.
Using your Fitbit Surge in wet conditions
Your Fitbit Surge is splash-proof, rain-proof, and can withstand even the sweatiest
workout. Your Fitbit Surge is not designed to be worn swimming. We also
recommend removing your tracker before showering. Though the device can
withstand the water exposure, wearing your tracker 24/7 does not allow your skin to
breathe. After getting your tracker wet, dry it thoroughly before putting it back on.
For more details, see https://www.fitbit.com/productcare.
7
Getting around your Fitbit Surge
The Fitbit Surge has a touch screen with a backlight and three buttons: Home, Select,
and Action. Take a moment to memorize these button names and their location or
refer back to this image when reading the tasks in this manual:
Your Fitbit Surge has two sets of screens: the Clock, where you can see your all-day
stats, and the Menu. To switch between the two sets, press the Home button.
• When viewing the Clock, swipe left and right to see:
o Current heart rate
o Steps taken
o Distance covered
o Calories burned
o Floors climbed
• When viewing the Menu, swipe left and right to see the different menu items.
To choose a menu option, either press the Select button or just tap the screen.
To exit the Run, Exercise, Timer, Alarms, or Settings screens, press the Home
button.
8
The functions of the Select and Action buttons vary depending on what you’re doing.
An icon next to the button tells you what it does, such as pausing and resuming or
selecting an option.
Double-pressing the Home button displays the music playback control. For more
information, see “Controlling Music” on page 30.
Changing the clock display
You can choose a different clock face on the Fitbit app or the fitbit.com dashboard.
Changing the clock face also changes the appearance of the all-day stats to resemble
the style of the clock.
To choose a different clock face using the fitbit.com dashboard:
1. Log in to fitbit.com.
2. Click the gear icon in the top-right corner of the dashboard and select
Settings.
3. Using the navigation tabs on the left, find Clock Display and choose a clock
face. The default, called Flare, provides a visual representation of your activity
level during the current hour.
Orbit Analog Digital Flare
4. Sync your Fitbit Surge to update your tracker with the new clock face:
a. Click the Fitbit Connect icon located near the date and time on your
computer.
b. Make sure your Fitbit Surge is nearby and click Sync Now.
9
Measuring heart rate
When your heart beats, your capillaries expand and contract based on blood volume
changes. PurePulse™ LED lights on your Fitbit Surge reflect onto the skin to detect
blood volume changes, and finely-tuned algorithms are applied to measure heart rate
automatically and continuously.
When viewing the Clock, swipe to display your current beats per minute and heart
rate zone.
Default heart rate zones
Heart rate zones can help you optimize your workout by targeting different training
intensities. Your zones are calculated based on a percentage of your estimated
maximum heart rate. Fitbit calculates your maximum heart rate with the common
formula of 220 minus your age.
To quickly determine what zone you’re in, take a look at the heart icon:
Out of zone Fat burn Cardio Peak
• When you’re out of zone, which means you’re below 50% of maximum, your
heart rate may be elevated but not enough to be considered exercise.
• Fat Burn zone, which means your heart rate is 50% to 69% of maximum, is the
low-to-medium intensity exercise zone and may be a good place to start for
those new to exercise. It’s called the fat burn zone because a higher
percentage of calories are burned from fat, but the total calorie burn rate is
lower.
• Cardio zone, which means your heart rate is 70% to 84% of maximum, is the
medium-to-high intensity exercise zone. In this zone you’re pushing yourself
but not straining. For most people this is the exercise zone to target.
• Peak zone, which means your heart rate is greater than 85% of maximum, is
the high-intensity exercise zone. The peak zone is for short intense sessions
that improve performance and speed.
At any time you can check your dashboard to see the amount of time you’ve
spent in each zone.
10
Custom heart rate zones
Instead of using the default heart rate zones you can configure a custom heart rate
zone. When your heart rate is above or below your custom zone you’ll see an outline
of a heart, and when your heart rate is in your custom zone you’ll see a solid heart.
To set a custom heart rate zone using the fitbit.com dashboard:
1. Log in to fitbit.com.
2. Click the gear icon in the top right corner of the dashboard and select
Settings.
3. Using the navigation tabs on the left, find Personal Info.
4. Find an option to create a custom heart rate zone and then specify the
minimum and maximum heart rate for your custom zone.
5. Sync your Fitbit Surge to update your tracker with the new setting:
a. Click the Fitbit Connect icon located near the date and time on your
computer.
b. With your Fitbit Surge nearby click Sync Now.
At any time you can check your dashboard to see the amount of time you’ve spent in
your custom zone.
For more details about heart rate tracking, including links to relevant American Heart
Association information, see our “Heart rate FAQs” article on https://help.fitbit.com.
Missing signal
Fitbit Surge continuously tracks your heart rate while you’re exercising and
throughout the day. However, occasionally the heart rate tracker may have difficulty
getting a strong signal. In those cases, you’ll see this screen:
11
If you don’t see your heart rate on your Fitbit Surge, first make sure you’re wearing it
correctly. Experiment with placing the tracker higher on your wrist; because blood
flow in your arm increases the farther up you go, moving the tracker up a couple
inches can be helpful. Also, make sure you're not wearing your tracker too tightly; a
tight band restricts blood flow, potentially affecting the heart rate signal. After a
short wait, you should see your correct heart rate again. If a heart rate signal is still
not found, check your Heart Rate Tracking setting; see “Managing Settings on your
Fitbit Surge” on page 32 for more information.
Using GPS
The Fitbit Surge includes a GPS receiver to track your route during several activities,
including Free Run, Lap Run, Walk, Bike, and Hike. On your dashboard, GPS data is
shown in a map view along with the stats tracked during the activity.
When you select a run or exercise that uses GPS, Fitbit Surge begins searching for a
GPS signal. As with any GPS device, a signal is likely to be discovered more quickly if
you are outside in an open area and standing still.
For best results, wait for the signal to be discovered before you start your activity.
If a GPS signal isn’t discovered within a few seconds, a Quick Start option appears for
all GPS exercises except Bike.
If you don’t want to wait for the GPS signal to be discovered, you can press the
Select (Quick Start) button to move to the activity screen and get started. Fitbit
Surge will continue to search for a GPS signal, but it will take longer to find than if
you were standing still.
Loading...