How to reset a Fitbit Surge to fix issues with the device, or factory reset it through the Fitbit website

If your Fitbit Surge isn't working properly — if it's stalled or sluggishly tracking, has a stuck screen or general non-responsiveness — you can usually fix the issue with a quick reset, which can be triggered by simply holding a couple of buttons.

This quick reset will turn your tracker off and back on, but it won't erase any data. Even your metrics stored from the moments right before the reboot will usually be preserved.

For larger issues not fixed by this type of soft reset, a factory reset may be required. This will erase all data from the Fitbit Surge, so you'll have to start over, but it might just save you from needing to buy a new Fitbit.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Fitbit Surge (From $184.99 on Amazon)

How to reset a Fitbit Surge

1. Hold the left (single) button and the bottom right button at the same time for between 10 to 15 seconds.

2. The graphics on the tracker's face will fade, and then the screen will go dark.

3. Press the power button (left button) and the watch will power back on, now reset and usually working fine again.

How to factory reset a Fitbit Surge

If a restart (or two) does not fix the issues with your Surge, you need to get on a computer and sign into your Fitbit account, and then tell the account to forget about the Fitbit Surge to perform a factory reset.  

Here's how to do that:

1. Go to your Fitbit.com dashboard. 

2. Click the gear icon at the top right corner of your screen.

3. Click the image available for your Surge. 

4. Scroll to the end of the page and click the option to remove your device, then follow the on-screen instructions to remove it and wipe the device.

After a factory reset, you can then set up the device again following on the screen prompts on Fitbit's website, just like you did when you first bought the device; your old software will be erased and updated.

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

• How to reset or factory reset a Fitbit Charge 2 to fix issues with the device

• How to charge a Fitbit Alta, and what to do if your Alta isn't charging

• Here's how long it takes a Fitbit to charge, and how long its charge should last

• How to sync your Fitbit with an iPhone and track all of your fitness data in one app