Google has removed Fitbit adventures, challenges, and open groups

While your Fitbit hardware tracker will continue to count your steps, Fitbit’s new owner Google has discontinued more features. In March 2023, Fitbit announced and then removed the adventures, challenges, and open groups features from the app.

The Fitbit Adventures feature allowed users to count their steps towards “virtual walks” through famous landmarks and earn virtual rewards along the way. The Fitbit Challenges feature allowed Fitbit friends to compete in different competitions, such as the “Weekend Warrior” challenge that would place a virtual crown on who achieved the most steps between Saturday and Sunday.

It seems odd to kill off these features as they were what helped make the FitBit unique and provided some motivation by way of gamification. After the March 27th date, Fitbit users will no longer have access to the virtual trophies they earned through these features.

Is Fitbit being discontinued?

So is Fitbit being discontinued? No, as Google hasn’t officially stated the fate of FitBit brand yet. While the basic functions, such as counting steps, are still supported on various FitBit devices like the FitBit Charge 6, FitBit Inspire 3, and FitBit Versa, it seems like Google is dismantling the Fitbit system little by little, perhaps to focus their resources on the Google Pixel Watch. The recently released Fitbit Sense 2 and Versa 4 are missing third-party apps which their earlier versions did support, which may be another sign that Google is winding down their Fitbit efforts.

Many users were also inconvenienced when they found out they would need a Google account.  They were forced to leave their FitBit logins and convert to a Google account to access the FitBit app as well as FitBit premium features.

I am sad to see the FitBit brand being dismantled. Even when I purchased my first Apple Watch, I still wore my FitBit One for close to a year in addition to the smartwatch because I had many friends in the FitBit ecosystem and liked the friendly step competitions. If you’re looking for an alternative to FitBit, check out our guide of the best FItBit alternatives.

How can I save and backup my Fitbit data?

FitBit owners will likely want to export all their Fitbit data from their FitBit wearables so they have a backup copy just in case it is discontinued in the future. Here are the steps to do so.

1. Go to fitbit.com and sign in.
2. From the fitbit.com dashboard (where you see your steps and activites), click the gear icon in the upper-right corner.
3. Click Settings
4. On the page that loads, click Data Export on the left side.
5. Under “Export Your Account Archive,” click Request Data. (On this page, you’ll also notice a section at the bottom that allows you to save 31 days of data at a time. You could use this to download your data once-a-month going forward to keep your archive up to date.)
6. You’ll receive an email at the address associated with your Fitbit account. Open the email and confirm your data archive request.
7. You’ll receive another email with a link to download your Fitbit account data.
8. Download and save the data file to your computer.

Please note that if you have a large amount of Fitbit data, it can take up to a few days to generate your account data archive. Check the status of your request in your Data Export account settings (steps 1-4 above).

FAQs

Are Fitbits still relevant in 2026?

Fitbits are still relevant in 2026, but their role has shifted: they now sit alongside full smartwatches like the Pixel Watch 3 rather than competing head‑on, appealing most to people who want a simpler, health‑first fitness tracker with strong battery life and Fitbit features.

Current Fitbit trackers emphasize health metrics, sleep tracking, and long battery life over app ecosystems, so they are still relevant for people who care more about wellness data than full smartwatch capabilities.

State of Fitbit in 2026

Google says that new Fitbit devices are planned for 2026, signaling that the brand isn’t dead and the ecosystem will be continuing rather than being phased out. Recent years saw Google wind down Fitbit watches (Sense/Versa), refocus on trackers, and move many Fitbit features into the Pixel Watch line instead.​ Therefore, we will likely see updated FitBit models in the future.

Fitbits vs smartwatches

Modern smartwatches like the Pixel Watch 3 offer deep smart features (apps, calls, Google Assistant, Wallet, etc.) but have shorter battery life and are more expensive than basic fitness trackers.

What’s replacing FitBit?

Nothing is strictly “replacing” Fitbit; instead, it is being repositioned while Google’s Pixel Watch line effectively replaces Fitbit-branded smartwatches for people who want a full watch OS and apps. Classic Fitbit fitness trackers are still continuing, with new Fitbit hardware confirmed for 2026 rather than being retired.

Photo by Adam Birkett on Unsplash