Google Fit not syncing? Fix it with these 5 steps

Google Fit is the fitness data hub for many users for various reasons. It can be quite reliable and Hearth Points and the whole gamifying approach to activity can be quite motivational. However, it seems that the app’s functionality dropped over years, and with it, its reliability. For example, some users can’t wrap their heads around the fact that Google Fit is not syncing data from other fitness services and devices. It did, but then suddenly stopped.

If you’re among them, check the steps we listed below.

Table of contents:

1. Refresh the data in Journal
2. Force close the associated apps
3. Turn off Track your activities and check connected apps
4. Clear the cache from Google Fit and associated apps
5. Delete all local data from Google Fit

How do I force Google Fit to sync?

If your Google Fit is not syncing with third-party services, it might be because:

• The local app data is corrupted.
• The app automatically sticks to the phone activity tracking and ignores data from other services and devices.
• There’s a bug that prevents third-party services (e.g. Strava) from syncing to Google Fit.

1. Refresh the data in Journal

How Google Fit usually works is that the linked apps and services upload data to Fit servers and then the data is synced so you can see it in the Android or iOS app. Alternatively, there are third-party services (e.g. Health Sync) that act as a middleman between Google Fit and unsupported services, like Samsung Health. Ideally, everything should work seamlessly in the background.

However, we all had our fair share of issues with Google Fit, especially with the integration of some third-party services. Mi Fit, for example, never managed to sync reliably for me. Especially after some time. So, what we recommend is removing the associated service and adding it again. After that, refresh the data in Journal.

Here’s how to remove the integrated app and add it again:

1. Open the Google Fit app.
2. Tap on the Profile in the bottom bar and then tap on the cog icon to open Settings.
3. Select Manage connected apps.
4. From the dropdown menu, select Google Fit apps & devices.
5. Remove the service that’s not syncing with Google Fit.
6. Now, do the same in the app that integrates with Fit. For example, you can remove Strava by navigating to Edit Profile > Settings > Other services in the Strava app. Once there, uncheck the Google Fit box. The procedure is almost the same on Runtastic, Nike+, Polar, and other supported third-party fitness services.
7. After that, you can integrate the service back with Google Fit and navigate to Google Fit > Journal.
8. Tap on the refresh icon at the top to sync data from associated apps.

Have in mind that it takes some time for the data from third-party apps to sync with Google Fit. Sometimes it’s a matter of seconds, sometimes minutes, and sometimes hours like with the aforementioned Mi Fit.

2. Force close the associated apps

Some users suggested force-closing the app that you use to sync fitness data with Google Fit. The companion apps for fitness trackers should sync data in the background but, for some, the actual sync works only when you close the app. Not sure why this is the case, but you can give it a try.

Here’s how to force close apps on your Android:

1. Open the Settings app on your Android phone.
2. Tap Apps.
3. Select All apps and then, from the list of available apps, open the app/service you use to sync data to Google Fit.
4. Tap Force close at the bottom.

3. Turn off Track your activities and check connected apps

If you rely on other services and devices rather than Google Fit on your phone, we strongly recommend disabling the Track your activities option in Fit settings. That way, Fit will rely on data from other sources instead of tracking steps and activity on its own.

Here’s how to turn off “Track your activities” in Google Fit:

1. Open Google Fit.
2. From the Profile tab, open Settings.
3. Disable the Track your activities option.

If Google Fit is still not syncing, try clearing the app cache and check for improvements.

4. Clear the cache from Google Fit and associated apps

The next thing you can try is clearing the cache which, on occasion, might get corrupt and causes the syncing issue. Some users reported that this addressed the issue and Google Fit sync started working as intended. If that doesn’t work for you, you can always clear all data and set up Google Fit again.

Here’s how to clear the cache from Google Fit on Android:

1. Open Settings.
2. Tap Apps.
3. Select Google Fit from the list.
4. Tap Storage.
5. Clear cache.
6. Now, open Google Fit and select the Journal tab.
7. Tap Refresh to sync your fitness data.

5. Delete all local data from Google Fit

If clearing the cache did nothing to address the issue, clearing all data should be your next step. If that’s not enough, reinstalling Google Fit should follow. Clearing all local data won’t delete your activities because they are cloud-based, thus, they’re stored online.

Here’s how to delete all local data from Google Fit:

1. Once again navigate to Settings > Apps > Google Fit.
2. Tap Storage.
3. Tap Clear data and restart your device.
4. Navigate to Settings > Apps > Google Fit again and open Permissions. Make sure that Fit has all required permissions granted.
5. Open Google Fit and choose the Google Account.
6. Tap Refresh in Journal again to give sync another go.

If Google Fit is still not syncing for you, make sure to contact the developer and maintainer of the third-party app first. Also, you can report the problem to Google Fit support, as well.

We can call it a wrap and thank you for reading. Were these solutions helpful or not? Tell us in the comments section below or reach us on Twitter and Facebook.

Editor’s note: This article was initially published in January 2022. We made sure to revamp it for freshness and accuracy.