UK Safety Alert: Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 Battery Burn Risk

Regulator flags burn risk on two popular Fitbit smartwatches

The UK Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) has issued a formal Product Safety Report — reference PSD 2509-0315 — covering the Fitbit Sense and Fitbit Versa 3 smartwatches, warning that the lithium-ion batteries in affected devices may overheat during normal use and cause burns to the wearer's wrist. The report was recorded by Trading Standards in November 2025, though the corrective action underpinning it has been under way since January 2025.

The official risk level is classified as "Low" and the risk type recorded as "Burns." Despite that relatively modest classification, the OPSS finding carries statutory weight: the affected products have been found not to meet the requirements of the General Product Safety Regulations 2005 — a significant conclusion under UK consumer law.

Which devices are affected and who sold them?

The alert covers Fitbit Sense and Fitbit Versa 3 units manufactured between August 2020 and September 2022, and sold between September 2020 and September 2023. However, the OPSS notes that other distributors may have sold products beyond that date, meaning devices could still be entering homes via secondary or resale channels even now.

Both models are GPS-enabled fitness smartwatches capable of tracking running, cycling, hiking, and heart rate. The affected units were manufactured in Taiwan and, at launch in September 2020, carried UK retail prices of £299.99 for the Sense and £199.99 for the Versa 3. They were sold through Amazon, Currys PC World, Argos, and Very.co.uk, among other retailers. As of reporting in January 2025, the Versa 3 was still available to buy new in the UK.

Importantly, the OPSS is clear that this issue does not affect all Versa 3 and Sense devices — owners should check their specific unit rather than assume the worst.

What is the actual hazard?

Each Fitbit Sense and Versa 3 contains a rechargeable lithium-ion battery housed within a removable 'pebble' — the central unit that clips into the watch band. According to the OPSS, if this battery overheats while the watch is being worn, the user risks burns directly to the wrist. The regulator notes that incidents have occurred overseas on devices that had not received the firmware update, resulting in serious injuries.

Fitbit described the issue as affecting a "limited number" of watches that are "at risk of their batteries overheating, which poses a potential risk for users," in a notice posted on the Google website on 21 January 2025.

What has Fitbit done about it?

Fitbit LLC initiated a remote firmware update in January 2025, with the automatic rollout beginning on 8 January 2025. Affected users received an email, an in-app notification, and an alert on the watch itself when the update was available. The update works by reducing the battery's capacity, thereby lowering the risk of overheating — though this comes at a direct cost to battery performance.

This was not optional. Once notified, users had a matter of days to install the update manually. Those who did not act in time found their device performing a factory reset, which then prompted the update when they attempted to set the watch up again. There was no way to simply ignore it and carry on.

Compensation: the window has closed

Fitbit said those who required the update "may be eligible for appeasement" worth $50, converted to local currency. However, customers had until 21 January 2026 to register — a deadline that has now passed. UK buyers who did not register in time will, in all likelihood, have no financial recourse under that scheme. Google also indicated that proof of ownership, including a receipt, may have been required, and noted that appeasement options may not be available in all countries. The UK-specific sterling equivalent of the $50 figure was not confirmed in official sources.

This is not Fitbit's first battery burn crisis

The Fitbit Sense launched in September 2020 as the successor to the Fitbit Ionic — a watch that would go on to become the centre of a major safety scandal. From 2018 into 2020, Fitbit received more than 100 complaints about the Ionic's battery overheating, including 78 reports of burn injuries in the United States alone, among them two reports of third-degree burns and four of second-degree burns, plus 40 further burn injury reports internationally. Fitbit recalled one million Ionic devices in 2022.

On 23 January 2025 — just two days after Fitbit published its Sense and Versa 3 safety notice — the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) announced that Fitbit LLC had agreed to pay a $12.25 million civil penalty, resolving charges that the company knowingly failed to immediately report to regulators that the Ionic contained a defect creating a substantial product hazard and an unreasonable risk of serious injury.

Leigh Day solicitor Philippa Wheeler, who works on the product safety team, put the broader picture plainly: "Smart devices have become an ingrained part of our daily lives, with many of us reliant on them for work and leisure activities. However, these devices do not come without risks, with the issue of overheating batteries highlighted by these product recalls."

What should UK owners do right now?

• Check whether your Fitbit Sense or Versa 3 has received the firmware update — look in the Fitbit app under device settings.
• Fitbit does not advise anyone to stop using or charging their device, but affected units should be updated as a priority.
• If you purchased your device second-hand or through a non-mainstream retailer after September 2023, be especially vigilant — your unit may not have been updated.
• The $50 appeasement registration deadline of 21 January 2026 has passed; if you believe you have suffered harm, seek independent legal advice regarding your options under UK consumer law.
• The full OPSS Product Safety Report (PSD 2509-0315) is publicly available on the GOV.UK product safety alerts page.