MyFitnessPal regressive upgrade: Difference between revisions

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==Incident==

Starting around October 3, 2025, MyFitnessPal began forcing the update on its user base.<ref name="help-article-intro"/> The official announcement on October 15 described the update as a "thoughtfully reorganized for a better user experience" and a response to a "long standing feature request."<ref name="forum-announcement-rollout">{{cite web |title=Introducing the Brand New _Today_ Tab! |url=https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10950333/introducing-the-brand-new-today-tab |website=MyFitnessPal Community |date=2025-10-15 |access-date=2025-11-05}</ref> The comments section for this announcement was closed, preventing public discussion.<ref name="forum-announcement-rollout"/>

The announcement, also posted to the official subreddit, stated that the update "brings a redesigned interface to help you navigate your daily health journey more seamlessly."<ref name="reddit-announcement-rollout">{{cite web |title=Introducing the Brand New "Today" Tab! |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Myfitnesspal/comments/1o7l6iz/introducing_the_brand_new_today_tab/ |website=Reddit |date=2025-10-15 |access-date=2025-11-05}}</ref>

The update removed several key features, including:<ref name="help-article-intro"/>

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To compound user frustration, the new interface for paying subscribers included a persistent advertisement to upgrade to a new "Premium+" subscription tier.<ref name="report"/> The company also moved the ability to view macronutrient percentages, a previously free feature, behind its Premium paywall.<ref name="help-article-intro"/>

Users have reported that the update is "very sluggish" and that "switching days takes seconds, adding food takes seconds, etc."<ref name="reddit-sluggish">{{cite web |title=New update very sluggish /u/lidomerk |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Myfitnesspal/comments/1oizha1/new_update_very_sluggish/ |website=Reddit |date=2025-10-29 |access-date=2025-11-03}}</ref>

Other users reported that the app would freeze entirely, forcing them to use the desktop website to log their food.<ref name="reddit-buggy">{{cite web |title=This app is so buggy |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Myfitnesspal/comments/1nrk6fu/this_app_is_so_buggy/ |website=Reddit |date=2025-09-27 |access-date=2025-11-05}}</ref>

==MyFitnessPal's Response==

MyFitnessPal's official communications framed the update as an improvement based on user feedback, despite the negative reception during the public testing period.<ref name="help-article-intro"/> The company acknowledged the removal of features but offered only vague promises for their return, stating they were "being rebuilt" or "will be available again soon."<ref name="help-article-intro"/> For the removed "Copy Meals" feature, the company suggested a cumbersome workaround that did not replicate the original functionality.<ref name="~~help~~-~~article~~-~~intro~~"/>

MyFitnessPal's official communications framed the update as an improvement based on user feedback, despite the negative reception during the public testing period.<ref name="help-article-intro"/> The company acknowledged the removal of features but offered only vague promises for their return, stating they were "being rebuilt" or "will be available again soon."<ref name="help-article-intro"/> For the removed "Copy Meals" feature, the company suggested a cumbersome workaround that did not replicate the original functionality, a suggestion users found unhelpful.<ref name="reddit-copy-workaround-fail">{{cite web |title=New MyFitnessPal layout sucks — can’t copy meals anymore?? |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Myfitnesspal/comments/1o6ntd5/new_myfitnesspal_layout_sucks_cant_copy_meals/njojfho/ |website=Reddit |date=2025-10-15 |access-date=2025-11-05}}</ref>

The company has been definitive that it will not roll back the change. In response to the question "Can I go back to the old design?", the official FAQ states, "The new Today interface is our path forward... We encourage you to give it some time."<ref name="help-article-intro"/>

The company has been definitive that it will not roll back the change. In response to the question "Can I go back to the old design?", the official FAQ states, "The new Today interface is our path forward... We encourage you to give it some time."<ref name="help-article-intro"/> The company's announcement also directed users with issues to an FAQ or to contact their support team directly.<ref name="reddit-announcement-rollout"/>

Contradicting the significance of the changes, the official App Store release notes for the update (version 25.10.2) stated, "No big fixes or changes to report!" This led users to question the company's transparency regarding the disruptive rollout.<ref name="reddit-explain">{{cite web |title=Explain This |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Myfitnesspal/comments/1o8mfev/explain_this/ |website=Reddit |date=2025-10-17 |access-date=2025-11-03}}</ref>

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Following the mandatory rollout, the consumer backlash intensified on social media platforms. Many users, some of whom have used the app for several years, feel that critical functionality was removed without warning, disrupting their health management routines. The company's response has been described by some as "gaslighting," as support channels allegedly blame user devices or deflect criticism by creating support tickets that go unresolved.<ref name="report">{{cite web |title=User Report on MyFitnessPal Update | url= https://gist.github.com/jmorgannz/00411b1cc24648932f8eb4d0075932c4 | website=Github Gist |date=2025-11-03 |access-date=2025-11-03}}</ref>

Users on the company's official subreddit challenged the claim that the update was a "long standing feature request," with one asking, "Who, exactly, asked for all these changes?"<ref name="reddit-announcement-rollout"/> Another user criticized the decision to release an incomplete product: "If features that people use aren't ready for your upgrade, then the upgrade isn't ready."<ref name="reddit-announcement-rollout"/> One commenter stated, "MyFitnessPal needs to literally revert to the old build before all this new crap happened. Exactly zero people asked for any of this."<ref name="reddit-revert-build">{{cite web |title=Chronometer is… |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Myfitnesspal/comments/1oeddh7/chronometer_is/nl3ld4g/ |website=Reddit |date=2025-10-22 |access-date=2025-11-05}}</ref> The update's negative reputation was so widespread that users who had not yet received it posted screenshots of the old interface, asking if they had the "version everyone hates." Other users would confirm they were still on the old version and warn them not to update, with one commenting, "I wish I could go back."<ref name="reddit-version-hate">{{cite web |title=Is this the version everyone hates? |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Myfitnesspal/comments/1occygz/is_this_the_version_everyone_hates/ |website=Reddit |date=2025-10-21 |access-date=2025-11-05}}</ref> A user with a 13-year history with the app stated, "MFP used to be so engaging and inspiring when I started... It feels so empty and broken."<ref name="reddit-13-years">{{cite web |title=Deleted my account |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Myfitnesspal/comments/1o7oo09/deleted_my_account/njq5t47/ |website=Reddit |date=2025-10-16 |access-date=2025-11-05}}</ref> Another long-time user said, "I have used this app for 15 years and I'm seriously contemplating switching to something else."<ref name="reddit-hate-it">{{cite web |title=I hate it |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Myfitnesspal/comments/1o6q3qx/i_hate_it/njitt8b/ |website=Reddit |date=2025-10-14 |access-date=2025-11-05}}</ref>

One long-term user of 15 years noted that "simple tasks like copying and pasting" and "viewing all meals" were now problematic, and that the graph on the home screen was gone.<ref name="reddit-goodbye">{{cite web |title=Goodbye myfitness Pal |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Myfitnesspal/comments/1o7haul/goodbye_myfitness_pal/ |website=Reddit |date=2025-10-15 |access-date=2025-11-05}}</ref>

The company's official "Known Issues" pages for its Android and iOS apps make no mention of the widespread complaints regarding removed features or poor usability.<ref name="known-issues-android">{{cite web |title=Known Issues: Android App |url=https://support.myfitnesspal.com/hc/en-us/articles/360032274332-Known-Issues-Android-App |website=MyFitnessPal Help |date=2025-11-01 |access-date=2025-11-05}}</ref><ref name="known-issues-ios">{{cite web |title=Known Issues: iOS App |url=https://support.myfitnesspal.com/hc/en-us/articles/360032274552-Known-Issues-iOS-App |website=MyFitnessPal Help |date=2025-11-01 |access-date=2025-11-05}}</ref>

Due to the perceived decline in usability and the company's refusal to roll back the update, users began actively seeking and recommending alternative food tracking applications. One user, after receiving a refund, noted the end of their "700+ day logging streak" and recommended "Chronometer" as a free alternative.<ref name="reddit-refund"/>

Due to the perceived decline in usability and the company's refusal to roll back the update, users began actively seeking and recommending alternative food tracking applications. One user, after receiving a refund, noted the end of their "700+ day logging streak" and recommended "Chronometer" as a free alternative.<ref name="reddit-refund"/> Another user, who had used the app for over ten years, announced they were deleting their account and moving to "LoseIt," describing the MyFitnessPal app as an "abusive partner."<ref name="reddit-deleted-account">{{cite web |title=Deleted my account |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Myfitnesspal/comments/1o7oo09/deleted_my_account/ |website=Reddit |date=2025-10-16 |access-date=2025-11-05}}</ref> Another user who switched to LoseIt commented that it had a "MUCH better interface and half the cost."<ref name="reddit-loseit-better">{{cite web |title=Left for LoseIt |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Myfitnesspal/comments/1ok1bfd/left_for_loseit/ |website=Reddit |date=2025-10-30 |access-date=2025-11-05}}</ref>

==References==

@@ Line 19: / Line 19: @@
 ==Incident==
 Starting around October 3, 2025, MyFitnessPal began forcing the update on its user base.<ref name="help-article-intro"/> The official announcement on October 15 described the update as a "thoughtfully reorganized for a better user experience" and a response to a "long standing feature request."<ref name="forum-announcement-rollout">{{cite web |title=Introducing the Brand New _Today_ Tab! |url=https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10950333/introducing-the-brand-new-today-tab |website=MyFitnessPal Community |date=2025-10-15 |access-date=2025-11-05}</ref> The comments section for this announcement was closed, preventing public discussion.<ref name="forum-announcement-rollout"/>
+The announcement, also posted to the official subreddit, stated that the update "brings a redesigned interface to help you navigate your daily health journey more seamlessly."<ref name="reddit-announcement-rollout">{{cite web |title=Introducing the Brand New "Today" Tab! |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Myfitnesspal/comments/1o7l6iz/introducing_the_brand_new_today_tab/ |website=Reddit |date=2025-10-15 |access-date=2025-11-05}}</ref>
 The update removed several key features, including:<ref name="help-article-intro"/>
@@ Line 28: / Line 29: @@
 To compound user frustration, the new interface for paying subscribers included a persistent advertisement to upgrade to a new "Premium+" subscription tier.<ref name="report"/> The company also moved the ability to view macronutrient percentages, a previously free feature, behind its Premium paywall.<ref name="help-article-intro"/>
 Users have reported that the update is "very sluggish" and that "switching days takes seconds, adding food takes seconds, etc."<ref name="reddit-sluggish">{{cite web |title=New update very sluggish /u/lidomerk |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Myfitnesspal/comments/1oizha1/new_update_very_sluggish/ |website=Reddit |date=2025-10-29 |access-date=2025-11-03}}</ref>
+Other users reported that the app would freeze entirely, forcing them to use the desktop website to log their food.<ref name="reddit-buggy">{{cite web |title=This app is so buggy |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Myfitnesspal/comments/1nrk6fu/this_app_is_so_buggy/ |website=Reddit |date=2025-09-27 |access-date=2025-11-05}}</ref>
 ==MyFitnessPal's Response==
-MyFitnessPal's official communications framed the update as an improvement based on user feedback, despite the negative reception during the public testing period.<ref name="help-article-intro"/> The company acknowledged the removal of features but offered only vague promises for their return, stating they were "being rebuilt" or "will be available again soon."<ref name="help-article-intro"/> For the removed "Copy Meals" feature, the company suggested a cumbersome workaround that did not replicate the original functionality.<ref name="help-article-intro"/>
+MyFitnessPal's official communications framed the update as an improvement based on user feedback, despite the negative reception during the public testing period.<ref name="help-article-intro"/> The company acknowledged the removal of features but offered only vague promises for their return, stating they were "being rebuilt" or "will be available again soon."<ref name="help-article-intro"/> For the removed "Copy Meals" feature, the company suggested a cumbersome workaround that did not replicate the original functionality, a suggestion users found unhelpful.<ref name="reddit-copy-workaround-fail">{{cite web |title=New MyFitnessPal layout sucks — can’t copy meals anymore?? |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Myfitnesspal/comments/1o6ntd5/new_myfitnesspal_layout_sucks_cant_copy_meals/njojfho/ |website=Reddit |date=2025-10-15 |access-date=2025-11-05}}</ref>
-The company has been definitive that it will not roll back the change. In response to the question "Can I go back to the old design?", the official FAQ states, "The new Today interface is our path forward... We encourage you to give it some time."<ref name="help-article-intro"/>
+The company has been definitive that it will not roll back the change. In response to the question "Can I go back to the old design?", the official FAQ states, "The new Today interface is our path forward... We encourage you to give it some time."<ref name="help-article-intro"/> The company's announcement also directed users with issues to an FAQ or to contact their support team directly.<ref name="reddit-announcement-rollout"/>
 Contradicting the significance of the changes, the official App Store release notes for the update (version 25.10.2) stated, "No big fixes or changes to report!" This led users to question the company's transparency regarding the disruptive rollout.<ref name="reddit-explain">{{cite web |title=Explain This |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Myfitnesspal/comments/1o8mfev/explain_this/ |website=Reddit |date=2025-10-17 |access-date=2025-11-03}}</ref>
@@ Line 45: / Line 46: @@
 Following the mandatory rollout, the consumer backlash intensified on social media platforms. Many users, some of whom have used the app for several years, feel that critical functionality was removed without warning, disrupting their health management routines. The company's response has been described by some as "gaslighting," as support channels allegedly blame user devices or deflect criticism by creating support tickets that go unresolved.<ref name="report">{{cite web |title=User Report on MyFitnessPal Update | url= https://gist.github.com/jmorgannz/00411b1cc24648932f8eb4d0075932c4 | website=Github Gist |date=2025-11-03 |access-date=2025-11-03}}</ref>
+Users on the company's official subreddit challenged the claim that the update was a "long standing feature request," with one asking, "Who, exactly, asked for all these changes?"<ref name="reddit-announcement-rollout"/> Another user criticized the decision to release an incomplete product: "If features that people use aren't ready for your upgrade, then the upgrade isn't ready."<ref name="reddit-announcement-rollout"/> One commenter stated, "MyFitnessPal needs to literally revert to the old build before all this new crap happened. Exactly zero people asked for any of this."<ref name="reddit-revert-build">{{cite web |title=Chronometer is… |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Myfitnesspal/comments/1oeddh7/chronometer_is/nl3ld4g/ |website=Reddit |date=2025-10-22 |access-date=2025-11-05}}</ref> The update's negative reputation was so widespread that users who had not yet received it posted screenshots of the old interface, asking if they had the "version everyone hates." Other users would confirm they were still on the old version and warn them not to update, with one commenting, "I wish I could go back."<ref name="reddit-version-hate">{{cite web |title=Is this the version everyone hates? |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Myfitnesspal/comments/1occygz/is_this_the_version_everyone_hates/ |website=Reddit |date=2025-10-21 |access-date=2025-11-05}}</ref> A user with a 13-year history with the app stated, "MFP used to be so engaging and inspiring when I started... It feels so empty and broken."<ref name="reddit-13-years">{{cite web |title=Deleted my account |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Myfitnesspal/comments/1o7oo09/deleted_my_account/njq5t47/ |website=Reddit |date=2025-10-16 |access-date=2025-11-05}}</ref> Another long-time user said, "I have used this app for 15 years and I'm seriously contemplating switching to something else."<ref name="reddit-hate-it">{{cite web |title=I hate it |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Myfitnesspal/comments/1o6q3qx/i_hate_it/njitt8b/ |website=Reddit |date=2025-10-14 |access-date=2025-11-05}}</ref>
+One long-term user of 15 years noted that "simple tasks like copying and pasting" and "viewing all meals" were now problematic, and that the graph on the home screen was gone.<ref name="reddit-goodbye">{{cite web |title=Goodbye myfitness Pal |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Myfitnesspal/comments/1o7haul/goodbye_myfitness_pal/ |website=Reddit |date=2025-10-15 |access-date=2025-11-05}}</ref>
 The company's official "Known Issues" pages for its Android and iOS apps make no mention of the widespread complaints regarding removed features or poor usability.<ref name="known-issues-android">{{cite web |title=Known Issues: Android App |url=https://support.myfitnesspal.com/hc/en-us/articles/360032274332-Known-Issues-Android-App |website=MyFitnessPal Help |date=2025-11-01 |access-date=2025-11-05}}</ref><ref name="known-issues-ios">{{cite web |title=Known Issues: iOS App |url=https://support.myfitnesspal.com/hc/en-us/articles/360032274552-Known-Issues-iOS-App |website=MyFitnessPal Help |date=2025-11-01 |access-date=2025-11-05}}</ref>
-Due to the perceived decline in usability and the company's refusal to roll back the update, users began actively seeking and recommending alternative food tracking applications. One user, after receiving a refund, noted the end of their "700+ day logging streak" and recommended "Chronometer" as a free alternative.<ref name="reddit-refund"/>
+Due to the perceived decline in usability and the company's refusal to roll back the update, users began actively seeking and recommending alternative food tracking applications. One user, after receiving a refund, noted the end of their "700+ day logging streak" and recommended "Chronometer" as a free alternative.<ref name="reddit-refund"/> Another user, who had used the app for over ten years, announced they were deleting their account and moving to "LoseIt," describing the MyFitnessPal app as an "abusive partner."<ref name="reddit-deleted-account">{{cite web |title=Deleted my account |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Myfitnesspal/comments/1o7oo09/deleted_my_account/ |website=Reddit |date=2025-10-16 |access-date=2025-11-05}}</ref> Another user who switched to LoseIt commented that it had a "MUCH better interface and half the cost."<ref name="reddit-loseit-better">{{cite web |title=Left for LoseIt |url=https://www.reddit.com/r/Myfitnesspal/comments/1ok1bfd/left_for_loseit/ |website=Reddit |date=2025-10-30 |access-date=2025-11-05}}</ref>
 ==References==