Is my Steel HR dead?

Steel HR / Sport
Completed

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  • Official comments from Withings
    Armelle From Withings

    Dear Community, 

     

    Sorry that some of you are not able to switch their Steel HR/Sport on anymore. For those who haven’t tried these steps before, here’s what you can do:

    1) Put your Steel HR/Sport on the charger and let it charge for one minute.

    2) While the watch is still on the charger, press and hold the button on the side of the device for 20 seconds in order to reboot it. 

    3) Wait 30 seconds and check if the display lights up.

     

    If the issue persists:

    1) Leave your watch off of the charger for 24 hours.

    2) After 24 hours off of the charger, put your watch on the charger and check if its display lights up within 30 seconds.

     

    If you still can’t turn your Steel HR/Sport on, please:

    1) Charge the watch for 12 hours.

    2) While the watch is still on the charger, press and hold the button on the side of the watch for 20 seconds to reboot it.

    3) Wait 30 seconds and check if the display lights up.

     

    If the display still doesn’t light up:

    1) Remove it from the charger and put it back on the charger for a few seconds

    2) If it now lights up when on the charger (and your watch is not new out of the box), please rinse your Steel HR/Sport in warm water for 20 seconds without pressing the button. Then, dry the watch and press the button again.

    3) If the watch has powered on, update it by opening Health Mate and going to “Devices” > “Steel HR/Sport” > “Settings” > “Check for updates”. After doing that, the issue shouldn’t happen again.

     

    In case your watch still doesn’t power on, I invite you to contact us via https://within.gs/help.

     

    Happy end of the week,

     

    Armelle, Withings Customer Service

  • nathan.c.peter
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    I've encountered the same scenario today. It's been dead for four hours now. Battery was around 50% when it stopped working. Watch is non-responsive to any clicks/holds of the button. 

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  • henrythewasp
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    Hi - take a look here: https://support.withings.com/hc/en-us/community/posts/360029674793-Steel-HR-died-suddenly

    It's becoming a more common problem recently.

    To reset the watch, just leave it off the charger for a day or so, until the battery completely drains.  Then, when you put it back on charger it will vibrate the start to charge again and come back to life.

    I'd suggest opening a support ticket with Withings and include a link to the above forum so they know it's the same issue.

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  • kallen1979
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    No, leaving it off the charger does not necessarily work. Mine died suddenly and no amount of attempts to resuscitate it worked. I'm sending it back tomorrow for a warranty replacement.

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  • phonquenl
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    Same here. Since last night, with battery at 57%, it suddenly stopped. The time hasn't changed ever since and the little screen is dead. The app can't connect any more, doesn't even detect the watch. Holding the button for a variety of lengths doesn't solve the issue. Nor does trying to charge it (no reaction whatsoever).

    I guess I'll send it back as well. Just bought the watch two months ago.... :-(

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  • toru-withings
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    Mine one also died last evening pointing 8:05 and I'm sure >50% of battery remains.

    It looks like completely bricked. Even when I put it on the charger, the display remains blank.

     

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  • nathan.c.peter
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    I commented 8 days in this article. Mine died with about 55% left, was totally unresponsive, and wouldn't charge.

    I emailed Withings about it. Based on one of the things they recommended, I tried charging it using a different USB adapter and it came right on. The USB adapter that didn't work was the same one I'd always used with it, and it still works to charge my phone. So IDK, maybe the watch's charging cord is a little wonky or something, but that worked for me. 

    Aside from using a different charger, here's the rest of their suggestions: 

    "If the watch still does not charge, please clean it with warm, soapy water and then dry it. Make sure that you do not use any other chemicals to clean the watch as it may damage the heart rate sensor. Then, clean the contacts on the charging cable using a cotton swab moistened with rubbing alcohol and dry it."

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  • gardikiotisdamianos
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    A few hours ago (at around 11:50 pm ) I realized that I was no longer receiving notifications on my Steel HR (Nokia branded). I looked at the device and I noticed that the hands were stopped at 11:50pm Greek _Cyprus hour system. In the Health Mate app last sync there was at 4 hours ago and the device is not connected.
    I made several attempts: turned off and on the Bluetooth on the smartphone; restarted the Health Mate app;
    Please help me to find a solution to

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  • gardikiotisdamianos
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    My Steel HR died suddenly today around 12:00pm. The watch button is not responding and I tried also to charge it without any result. Please, advice me how can I solve the problem.
    Thank you in advance.

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  • gardikiotisdamianos
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    My Steel HR died suddenly today around 12:00pm. The watch button is not responding and I tried also to charge it without any result. Please, advice me how can I solve the problem.
    Thank you in advance.

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  • toru-withings
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    I was also told to clean the watch and the contact on the charger. It didn't work.

    The support staff then suggested to drain the battery. So I left my watch uncharged and tried to forget it. Then, next morning, it started moving again.

    I put it on the charger again and several hours later I could successfully sync the watch with my iPhone again!

    If you have trouble with pairing your watch and iPhone, then I'd suggest turning off all other Bluetooth devices or going away from them during the pairing.

     

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  • goodsolutions1
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    same here - yesterday just shy of 9 a.m. Will try to leave it off the charger and see if that does anything - wow this is nuts.

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  • mrphilgoddard
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    Mine died yesterday at 18:03, and was on at least 75% charge. Display dead, not responding to charger and or trying to reset the watch, not happy as I only bought the watch 4 months ago! What's going on???

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  • noel
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    Same here. Just froze today and cant get anything to work. App does not see it. Was working fine this morning and battery had a good charge. Have tried recharging but to avail. only bought it April this year.  Was a big fan TBH

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  • mrphilgoddard
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    I contacted Support via email and and included a link to this thread - they sent me a list of steps to follow, all of which have been detailed in this thread and haven't worked for me. They are sending a new charger free of charge - I suspect it won't make any difference. And then I will have to go through the hassle of trying to get a replacement or refund

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  • mpurcell2004
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    My watch died two days ago also with 57% charge left. The fact so many are dying with a similar charge left is interesting. My watch is 3 weeks outside of warranty :(:(

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  • dicam1
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    My watch has also just stopped working and won’t charge. Just out of warranty. It’s not a charger issue as we have another one. Love this watch, but so disappointed in its reliability.

    update

    After following advice here and contacting Withings, where I got excellent support, my watch is working well. Delighted to have it back. Thank you everyone for your advice

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  • meghantoner
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    My watch stoped at 5:37 today with plenty of charge. Now I have it in the charging dock to no avail. Screen in black and won’t take a charge. I only bought this watch back in March and have loved it since. But I’m very concerned as so many others have had the exact same issue with little to no resolution

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  • abbycorfield_1
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    Bought it on 2nd June and it’s died yesterday on 22nd July, but shocked there’s not more support in this and people having to report back on their own experiments !

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  • goodsolutions1
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    SO SO SO FRUSTRATED. I have had the Steel HR for quite a while. The first issue (before Nokia bought them) was fogging under the crystal. Back then, when I mentioned it, I not only got a scale for "waiting until they could resolve the issue," but after they DID resolve the issue, I got a new watch. My watch (like others above) died dead - I tried the cleaning recommended by Support, had them send me a new charger, did the "wait 48 hours, charge for 6, hold the button for 10 seconds" (or whatever it was - similar if not exact) - none of which worked. Even more frustrating, it DID "start up" again some time in the night (when it was off the charger), because when it originally died it was on 9:00, and now it's on 7:10. But still doesn't work. I was out of warranty, so they gave me a "25% discount" to get a new one. This really has been my favorite watch - doesn't "look like" a digital watch, battery lasts for a long time, etc. So I got a new one, but I'm SO PISSED. This, to me, sounds like some software that send out a "kill" signal to the watches. (Husband is a software programmer.) I am frustrated that I actually bought another, because if they're stonewalling about what the problem is, it's likely *still* a problem. If I were within my warranty, of course, I would have turned it in in a heartbeat - but now, I'm pissed because I had to pay the full price - 25%. Certainly different than when there was the issue (pre-Nokia) and I got a scale, plus a new watch, once it was fixed!!!!!! I smell a class action.....

     

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  • bensonphillip
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    I've given up with their support. I've been told on 4 separate occasions to "wash it in warm water".

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  • ohelvetos
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    I had the same problem. My Steel HR (2 years old) was at 85% battery level when I noticed that the clock was 2h behind. I thought I could synch from the app but noticed the watch was dead as described in this thread. Clicking the button, reset button didn't help. No reaction when I put the watch to charge. Reading these comments I thought that's it. Two days later I noticed that the clock had moved. When I clicked the button the display showed 0% battery (which is odd since it was at 85% before it died). Anyway, I charged the watch and since then it's working fine. Fingers crossed

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  • robertericsson
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    Same here. My Steel HR (6 months old) was at 78% battery yesterday when it shut down and couldn't be charged.

    Tried again tonight after 24 hours and it showed 0% while trying to load it and regained life.

    Software version 5971

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  • ohelvetos
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    good to hear your HR also regained life. Mine is still working fine 8 days later. Maybe there's hope for others with the same problem. Also running on SW 5971

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  • watch
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    Mine just died at 3:10pm today when it still had 53% charge.
    Have tried putting back on charger. Nothing.
    Will try re washing and leave for 48 hours as suggested here - else it’s going back. Shame as had been good till now...

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  • eray.ince
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    @watch

    just leave it for a day without doing anything

    than put charge and wait for a couple of minutes, it will start charging

    than sell it, I sold mine bc after so many issues the company didn't extend the warranty. 

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  • amitchand
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    I unfortunately have the same issue. I ordered the Withings Sports HR watch 3 months ago. Used it everyday and was really enjoying it. No issues then suddenly the watch dies even though it had 80% battery and same problems as everyone else has described (hands frozen, non-responsive to side button, black display screen). I add this comment so Withings is aware of the ongoing issue. 

    I'll follow the leave it for a day and see if the watch requests a charge.

    Software version: 5971

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  • watch
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    Update

    I left it for 2 days, no connection, not trying to charge it.

    Then from the App tried to reconnect to it. The app said it found the watch, but it was now in standby very low power mode and needed charging.

    So I left it overnight to charge and reconnected. Time and everything all updated and have since been out with it and it was working/tracking activity.

    However, it is still saying 100% charge. Despite having been used for over a full day of activity. So will be keeping a close eye the next week to see if this does go down (which it should as it is uses power) or whether this is "stuck" and not reporting correctly. So could be a firmware issue with regard to real battery status.

    Software version is 6131.

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  • amitchand
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    Update, I followed the advice from the community and left the watch (not charging) for a day. I pushed held down the side button and after about 10 secs the display said hello and 0% or low battery or something. I charged the watch and it appears to be back to its former glory.

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  • meljkersh
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    My watch died yesterday. Customers support advised me to do all sorts. Followed advice and still nothing. Had it 3 months!

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