The Fitbit-to-Google account migration will start this summer
The way you log onto Fitbit is about to change. Starting this summer, existing Fitbit users can choose to start logging in using a Google account. Meanwhile, those who don’t already have a Fitbit account will be required to use a Google Account when setting up any new devices.
The news isn’t exactly a surprise. Google announced last fall that all Fitbit users would eventually have to migrate to Google accounts and that the switchover would start on a gradual, optional basis migration sometime in 2023. If anything, this is simply a sign that the process is on schedule.
Google also reiterated that existing Fitbit users don’t have to make the switch immediately, just that it’ll be required “by 2025.” For users who want to get a jump start, prompts will start appearing upon opening the Fitbit app. Alternatively, users can also head over to the Settings menu. As for historical wellness and health data, Google says migrating logins won’t have an impact.
Since the Pixel Watch arrived last fall, Google has become more aggressive in integrating Fitbit’s services and products into its own portfolio. (The company has technically been rebranded as “Fitbit by Google.”) It’s left some longtime Fitbit users disgruntled, especially given frequent server outages and a lack of replacements for legacy features like challenges and open groups, which were sunset last month.
Of course, Google is positioning the new login requirements as more convenient for users, as it’ll allow them to use one password for both services instead of two separate accounts. The company also says that users will be able to manage Fitbit data from the Google Privacy Center. As for data privacy, Google says that Fitbit data will remain separate from Google Ads data and will not be used for targeted ads, as per terms set forth by EU regulators.