From 28 November 2026, Fitbit smartwatch owners can no longer install or update third-party apps and clock faces, and anything they delete after that date cannot be installed again.
- Google says in a notice on its Google Health community forum that the Fitbit App Gallery will “exclusively feature apps and clock faces created by Fitbit and Google” from that date.
- Third-party apps and clock faces already on a watch will keep working, according to Google’s help page.
- Deleting a third-party app or clock face, or factory resetting the watch, removes it for good because it cannot be reinstalled.
- The help page lists Fitbit Sense, Sense 2, Versa, Versa Lite, Versa 2, Versa 3, Versa 4 and Ionic.
- Developers lose the ability to upload or update apps and clock faces on the same date, when Google retires its Gallery Admin tools.
- Google asks owners to update to version 5.12 of the Google Health app so that Fitbit and Google apps keep working as expected.
What it means for Google-Fitbit owners
Anyone who wants a particular third-party clock face or app should install it before 28 November, because it cannot be fetched afterwards. Owners in the European Economic Area lost third-party installs in June 2024, so this deadline only helps owners elsewhere. A factory reset after that date wipes every third-party item permanently, and a bug in one will remain unfixed because developers can no longer publish updates.
Versa 4 and Sense 2 launched without third-party apps, so owners of those two lose access to third-party clock faces only. Sense and Versa have had no new model since 2022. Owners who depend on third-party apps or clock faces will need to leave Fitbit: Pixel Watch on Android, Apple Watch on iPhone, or a Garmin with Connect IQ.
Fitbit Air and Fitbit Edge have no third-party apps, and Pixel Watch gets its apps from Google Play. I expect Fitbit’s watch software to stay in maintenance mode, which leaves Google Play as the only home for third-party apps on Google’s wearables. Fitbit developers would have to rebuild their apps for Wear OS to get there.
Quick answers
Will my third-party Fitbit clock faces stop working?
No. Apps and clock faces already installed keep working, but once you delete one or factory reset the watch you cannot install it again.
Which Fitbit watches are affected?
Google lists Fitbit Sense, Sense 2, Versa, Versa Lite, Versa 2, Versa 3, Versa 4 and Ionic. Fitbit trackers, including Edge and Air, are not on the list, and Pixel Watch uses Wear OS apps from Google Play.
Earlier coverage of the end of the Fitbit watch range is in No more Fitbit Sense and Fitbit Versa.
Last Updated on 9 November 2026 by tfk the5krunner
Small things I always use
- Garmin 90-degree charging adapter: Charges your Garmin from any USB-C cable. Essential when travelling. I use one.
- Body Glide: The blue anti-chafe stick swimmers and runners carry. I use it.
- Speedo earplugs: Fewer ear infections and no cold-water dizziness. I use them.
- Dryrobe Advance: My winter changing robe for open-water swims. I use one. A cheaper option is the AONYIYI changing robe.
- Maurten: Race fuel that stays easy on the stomach. I use them.
- Beet It Sport nitrate shots: Beetroot shots I take in the days before a race. I use them.
- Garmin charging puck: The quickest way to top up before a session. I use one.
- Injinji: Toe socks that stop rubbing, so you run more. I use them.
- Ultimate toe protectors: Stop black toenails on long runs. They work. I use them.
- Compressport R2 v2 calf sleeves: My calf sleeves of choice. I use them.
- Cellucor C4: My pre-workout before hard sessions.
- TPU tubes: Schwalbe Aerothan, Tubolito and Pirelli SmarTube. Light, tiny spares. I use all three.
- G8 insoles: Adjustable insoles that are good. I use them.
- Cycplus Cube: A 97g electric pump that gets a road tyre rideable in two minutes. I carry one. 5% off with code THE5KRUNNER.
Watches and sensors
- Polar H10: My daily driver for waking HRV.
- Polar Verity Sense: My backup arm-worn HR sensor.
- Nomad bedside charger: Charges my iPhone and Apple Watch overnight. I use it, and many of their bands.
- Train.Red: The best muscle oxygen sensor I’ve used.
- Tymewear: Accurate heart rate and reliable ventilatory zones. I use it to pace endurance rides over an hour.
- Garmin Forerunner 970: A pro-grade triathlon watch. I use this.
- Apple Watch Ultra 4: My daily smartwatch. No phone needed on rides.
- Garmin Fenix 9 Pro: I’ve just bought one.
On the bike
- Continental GP5000 for everyday riding, and Aero 111 on the front for special occasions.
- Helmets: Specialized S-Works Evade 3 for road riding, and Rudy Project Wing for TT-style races. I use both.
- Ravemen FR300: A front light that mounts under your Garmin or Wahoo. I use one.
- Ravemen FR1000: The light and the computer mount in one unit, so nothing else goes on the bars. Better than mine.
- Ravemen FR1500SE: 1,500 lumens hanging under your Garmin, for proper night rides.
- Ravemen FR1100SE: 1,100 lumens under your Garmin, and up to 46 hours on slow flash.
- Ravemen FR500: A brighter FR300 with the same mount.
- Wahoo TRACKR Radar: I use it on one bike and Varia on the other. They perform the same.
- Garmin Varia RTL515: Radar that warns you of cars from behind. I use this model.
- Wahoo ELEMNT Roam 3: The bike computer that’s easy to use. I use mine on most rides.
- Favero Assioma Pro RS2: Accurate power pedals that swap easily between bikes. I use this model.
Home and indoor training
- NPE Runn: Makes my basic treadmill smart, sending more accurate speed and distance to my watch and Zwift. I use it.
- Google Wifi: Keeps Zwift connected in my pain cave. I use it.
- Apple TV 4K: Zwift on the big screen. I use two.
- Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen): My video doorbell, running in both Google Home and Apple Home. I use it.
Health, recovery and sleep
- FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus: Shows how my blood sugar responds to diet.
- hDrop: Measures my sweat loss in summer and indoors.
- Fourth Frontier Zone: Checks my heart under load in hard sessions.
- Kineon MOVE+: Red and infrared light for sore knees, Achilles and other joints after hard training. I use it.
- Oura Ring 5: My partner’s recovery tracker of choice.
- Eight Sleep: A cooling mattress cover my partner and I use nightly.
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tfk is the founder and author of the5krunner, an independent endurance sports technology publication. With 20 years of hands-on testing of GPS watches and wearables, and competing in triathlons at an international age-group level, tfk provides in-depth expert analysis of fitness technology for serious athletes and endurance sport competitors. See the gear tfk uses. ID
