Skip to main content

The Fitbit app just got its biggest update in years

Fitbit app showing track progress screen.
Google

If you’re still a loyal Fitbit user, big changes are starting to roll out to users today. The app has gone through a major redesign that is aimed at making things simpler than ever before. The new design also focuses on three tabs — Today, Coach, and You  — to bring the health and wellness data that you actually care about front and center.

With the new Fitbit app, you can track your physical activity with or without a device. This means that you don’t even need a Fitbit device or Google Pixel Watch to count all the steps you take. Thanks to improved communication with your smartphone’s sensors, your phone will do the step counting instead, and the counts are going to be more accurate. You can even track a walk, run, or hike with just the app.

Recommended Videos

Just make sure that you connect your phone to the Fitbit app. Then it will automatically track steps or exercises directly on the Today view.

Fitbit app customize today screen.
Google

Speaking of the Today screen, it’s now easier than ever to customize the information you want to see to help motivate you toward your goals. On the Today tab, just select Edit and choose your focus based on personal goals. Some examples of these goals are to move more, sleep better, manage your stress, or anything in-between. With a focus set up, you can see the stats that are most important to achieving that goal.

Fitbit app explore workouts in the Coach tab.
Google

The new Coach tab can help you find a workout that is tailored for you and your needs. You can quickly use filters to find a workout based on the type, duration, required equipment, instructor, and more. New content is added on a regular basis to help keep your mind and body fit. Those who have a Fitbit Premium subscription can also get access to more content, such as HIIT and dance cardio classes, as well as new workouts from Alo Moves and Tone It Up.

Fitbit app showing tap into a metric showing more details.
Google

With all of these new features, you’ll have more health data than ever before. But sometimes, it can be hard to understand what all that data means. The new Fitbit app now has easy to understand charts that make your metrics and highlight patterns more digestible. Just tap on any metric to get more information about what it means for your own health and wellness.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

Those who are concerned about privacy and safety shouldn’t worry. The new app also has easy to use privacy controls. You’ll have full control over what’s saved and shared in the app, which is backed by Google’s privacy and security features. You can review and manage your data right in the Fitbit app, and your information is not used for Google ads and is kept separate from Google ads data.

Fitbit app privacy settings.
Google

This new face-lift for the Fitbit app is refreshing to see. It’s overall much simpler than the previous version and helps you get to your goals faster by laying out the most important metrics in front of you. And if you don’t understand what a metric means, it helps you understand why it’s important for your well-being. The new Coach feature also helps you find better workouts fast, and everything is private and secure.

The redesigned Fitbit app is rolling out now, so keep an eye out on the Google Play Store and Apple App Store for the update to hit your device soon.

Christine Romero-Chan
Christine Romero-Chan has been writing about technology, specifically Apple, for over a decade. She graduated from California…
The YouTube mobile app is getting a small redesign. Here’s what’s changing
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 playing a YouTube video.

How do you feel about the YouTube app on iOS and Android? Most of us use the app and don't think twice about it, but YouTube announced a lot of changes in October. Some of these planned updates have begun to roll out, and they're worth paying attention to — especially because one of them is difficult to notice. The updated bottom bar is a subtle change, but it adds a bit of flair.

The updated bottom bar is part of a server-side update, which means you don't have to download a new version of YouTube to see it. However, you should ensure you're using the latest version of the YouTube app. For Android, that's 19.47, and it's 19.49 for iOS. The update hasn't reached all devices yet — I still don't see it on my own phone — but it should be applied by the end of the day.

Read more
Google Photos just got its own 2024 year in review. Here’s how to find it
Google Photos' year in review feature for 2024.

Which were your favorite photos taken this year? Rather than going through 12 months of your photo library, Google Photos is making it easier with a new end-of-year feature.  These special recaps are located at the top of the app’s main page through the featured memories carousel on both the iOS and Android Google Photos apps.

As Google explains, the year-in-review tool provides a personalized look at your year through your photos. It includes several categories to highlight different aspects of your year: "Longest streak" shows your longest consecutive days of taking pictures. "Year in smiles" counts the total smiles captured and identifies who you smile with the most. "Your top faces" reveals the people who appeared most frequently in your photos.

Read more
Google is preparing a cool new feature for its Pixel Recorder app
The Voice Recorder app running on the Google Pixel 7 Pro.

Smartphones are great tools for voice recording, whether it’s a simple voice memo or even an interview. If you have a Pixel phone, then the Pixel Recorder app is about to get a lot more useful with a new “Clear Voice” feature discovered in the latest update's Android Package Kit (APK).

With Clear Voice, the Pixel Recorder app will “reduce background noise while recording for clearer speech playback.” Basically, it will keep human speech while removing unwanted and distracting background noise. The feature was found via 9to5Google in some strings in version 4.2.20241001.701169069 of the Pixel Recorder app.

Read more