FreeStyle Libre 3 – US Reviews

It would be great and 5 star if you had an Apple Watch version as well. Dexcom G6 is available on the Apple Watch.

Now I do not mind allowing people to access my data if I know what it is being used for. Not here, and they want access to a lot of data. And this device can set you back hundreds of dollars out of pocket each year. I will continue to do finger sticks unless they give these away free. Finger sticks have worked and are a known gold standard for years.

To be able to see on Apple Watch will be great!!

Come on guys when are you going to release this???? Has Medicare approved it???

So I get the typical answer from them “call this number to talk to a rep

WORTHLESS

It’s hard to imagine why this application will not share blood glucose readings with Apple health. How could it not share?

The sensor was constantly off, and unlike the other sensors there is no way to recalibrate it. Sure it’s small but it was rarely accurate.

Low and high alarms will show a notification- but they do not make a sound.

Please give me that sweet sweet Apple Watch complication! I’m thinking of switching to deccom just because of that. Or at least an iPhone Lock Screen widget, or Home Screen widget, or shoot, I’ll settle even just for FreeStyleLibre3 icon to be switchable to my current readout of my glucose level!

Literally anything to reduce the effort to see my real time readout would be amazing! Now that I get to enjoy the dexcom-like improvement of real time readout, I want to be able to see that readout in as a convenient of a way as possible :)

Additionally, it would be great if y’all started working on some predictive AI that could analyze all my juicy glucose data and give me some heads up of when I should take insulin. For instance, if I usually go high at 11am, FreeStyleLibre3 should predict that and tell me, “hey, based on your history, looks like on Mondays at 10:30 am you should take 5 units of insulin”.

Being able to tell FreeStyleLibre3 what insulin I’m on can be a huge boon too because they all have different time-to-action as well. I’d love if FreeStyleLibre3 did what apps like Flow are doing for menstrual periods; apply that same predictive technology to FreeStyleLibre3!

I know everyone wants to be a back seat developer but as a user I’m just iiiitching for some of these capabilities and can’t wait to see them!

Lastly, thank you everyone at Abbot and the Libre 3 team for all your hard work so far, love the real time readout and the size and trash reduction! Just maybe include an alcohol pad in the box again :)

I’ll update my review as features are added :)

As of 10/6/22 both Freestyle Libre 2 and 3 are not compatible. I wore my Libre 2 sensor and upgraded to iOS 16. My sensor/phone did not take a more readings and gave an error to replace the sensor. I upgraded to Libre 3 in hopes that this one would be compatible, but no luck as of yet…

Simple code to put everything on one app, one star for the incompatibility and lack of clarity in descriptions. Also requires you to leave critical notifications on in order to use; this should be optional.

We can not turn off critical alerts it’s unethical and immoral to force us to use this or move to a different product or not use it. We as individuals should have the choice to not hear blaring alarms if we do not want to they are now on libre3 they won’t change this feature they could careless hopefully everyone who does not like the feature plz call 8556328658 and let them know

Abbott Labs needs to invest in a better customer service infrastructure if they are going to offer an inferior product. App is not updated frequently enough to keep up with app updates. Customers shouldn’t be subject to security issues on a phone because a potential lifeline app is not compatible with the sensor it supports. Current app can only handle as high as iOS 15.4.1, which is two major steps up for iOS 15. The current compatible software version was released five months ago. I started with my first evert glucose sensor one week ago. Already I’ve had two sensors not work properly. First one fell off after five days. Second one stopped communicating with FreeStyleLibre3 after an hour. I am having to use an older iPhone as a reader since I run beta software on my main iPhone. It is highly inconvenient to carry two iPhone everywhere I go. Alarms should have capability to change the sound to something less stress inducing. If you’ve read this far, please know this is the third app I’ve written a review for in 15 years of owning iPhones. I hope that holds some weight with the developers for Abbott that may possibly read this review.

Updated 8-22-22: Called the number provided by the developer in repsonse to my review. It is the main customer service line. The customer service agents are useless in helping with any tech support that isn’t pre-scripted for them, and even then they struggle to find solutions. After several negative experiences, I will be avoiding that customer service number.

I want to begin with my critique of FreeStyleLibre3 . The critical alarm needs to be customizable. It is an ear-piercing alarm that you cannot adjust the volume of. Please allow for different volumes and allow for vibration alerts too. I understand that it’s a liability if the alarm isn’t heard, but the fact that there’s no way to lower the volume makes me uncomfortable with using it at work/in class. I can’t have this beeping when I’m attending a lecture or taking an exam. This really needs to be changed in order for diabetics to make this part of their daily life. This is my only critique as if 14 days of use. It is an amazing tool that relieves stress immensely. After 20 years of pricking my finger, it’s incredible to not constantly have to use traditional meter testing. While I still do use my meter everyday, the frequency with which I test is down by about 60%. Before Libre 3, I tested 12X a day. Now it’s around 5X. Also, the comfort of having truly accurate sensor readings upon simply opening my app is life changing. Thank you for giving diabetics some sense of normalcy and a break from the relentless guessing game of blood sugars. Even with proper management, some things just can’t be controlled. The Libre 3 has eased some anxieties and given me comfort I never thought I would have. Just please fix the alarm system. I want to enjoy this 24/7, not just when I am comfortable with a loud alarm going off in the privacy of my own home.

I switched from Freestyle Libre 14 day sensor (first model) to this Freestyle 3 sensor only because I updated my iPhone to the latest iOS and the original App froze up! It would not let me even scan my sensor! So after reading reviews about this latest 3 model I decided to skip the Freestyle 2 (all the glitches was not appealing) and just go with the newest model.
All that said I think this 3 model is good. Yes it’s continuous so yes my battery does wear down faster from my iPhone. I can see how the alerts can be annoying but I had it beep on me only a few times so far. What’s missing compared to the original Freestyle model is the ever present percentage in range display. I found this very insightful and easy to understand where my sugars are. Overall I suppose the freestyle Libre has made progress and I am happy with the switch from the original to this 3.
Btw, did any of you get a email from abbot asking you not to update your original freestyle to the new iOS ? Of course I did and my app would no longer scan which rendered my sensor (a new one I had just attached) useless. But just the fact that abbot asked us not to update our iOS is ridiculous! Come to think of it, maybe this was all a ploy to get us to upgrade? Hmmm…🤔

You can shut off most alarms except the lowest one re glucose level critically low. You ought to give the sensor wearer a choice as to what level of sound is best for them because what you’ve done is created an alarm that can wake the dead in the next county. Bloody frustrating. For this reason, I am seriously considering leaving Libre. Has anyone noticed that when you have a complaint about this sensor, all the company does is respond to everyone with the same exact word - to call Customer Service? Well, they are useless, too.

Note: I had failure this morning with a brand new sensor. (I have been using Libre 3.). The call to customer service was useless, and waste of my time. It never went thru the full 60 minutes before you can start using it. I called customer service and that was a nightmare. The customer service person had an accident so thick I had great difficulty understanding them. Eventually the representative tells me that it’s going to take them 20 to 30 minutes on the phone before they can issue me a new sensor. I don’t have the time or patience to deal with utter nonsense like that. If you can’t handle your business within five minutes on the phone get out of business. This is the THIRD sensor that I’ve been thru that has been defective. Your company is taking my money. Not any more. I’ll be giving my business to your main competitor- hello G7!

To be honest, the high failure rate of these devices and the limited functionality of the software makes it difficult to consider these devices as a credible CGM solution. Out of the last 12 sensors, 10 have failed at approximately the 7 day mark (supposed to last for 14 days). The software has no integration with Apple Health, and does not provide data to any outside source or device. It’s impossible to see more than 24 hours of information, and at least for me, the readings given are not anywhere close enough to the data shown from my finger stick device to make me confident of using it as the sole monitoring tool for my blood sugar (if I’m still carrying a meter around, I fail to see the point in having this device). The simple addition of an adhesive patch to secure the sensor to your arm would be a significant improvement, since the sensor frequently falls off and cannot be re-inserted, requiring starting a new one, which gets expensive even with insurance coverage. (Tip: fabric Band-aids are your friend here.)

To their credit, the support people have been very good about replacing the faulty devices, but the cost and usability issues of this “solution“ vs the amount of time invested in dealing with the reliability issues just isn’t enough to make it worthwhile.

I have fairly recently started using a Libre 3 after getting to try out a Dexcom G7 for a bit. Unfortunately my insurance won’t cover the Dexcom currently. I have been pretty impressed with the monitor itself, I love the size and it hasn’t lost signal hardly at all, it has also been within a couple points of my standard glucose monitor every time I’ve checked which is awesome. Unfortunately FreeStyleLibre3 that goes with it is incredibly generic for such an impressive device! I like to be able to look back and see exact number for all times throughout the day and all you get with FreeStyleLibre3 is a pathetic line graph with absolutely zero detailed info unless you make a note at every time you want to know something! I don’t know if this was someone’s first attempt at an app or if they just have no idea what people actually want or need to use these monitors for but it needs a LOT of work!! I have read through tons of reviews and it doesn’t seem like many people are impressed with FreeStyleLibre3 . I would gladly go back to the Dexcom purely because of how user friendly and well laid out their app is. I sure hope the developers of the Libre 3 app are reading these reviews and planning to do some serious revamping!

With no option for separate reader (as libre2), FreeStyleLibre3 needs work. Connectivity is great, and minute updates are nice. I would like to be able to preview what the alerts sound like so I know what to expect, but it doesn't do that (like when you change the sound for a timer). A vibrate option would be great as well. Supposedly FreeStyleLibre3 follows phone settings, but I have my phone on silent and I only get audible alerts from FreeStyleLibre3. Zooming on the line graph of sugars would be nice too. I would do 3.5 stars but it wont let me.

Edit: I figured out that if I turn off the “override do not disturb” option then I do get silent alerts. The problem is still at night when a less intrusive audible or a vibrate (which the libre2 had and worked well) would be nice. Also, I know it is a safety feature, but the critical alert for below 55 is very intrusive, especially when I already took food and drink to correct a dropping sugar, but the interstitial fluid hasn’t caught up to that yet. There should be an option to suspend low alerts for 30 minutes when I have already eaten to correct a low. I think having figured out the DND feature thing, I will upgrade to 4/5.

Was initially excited to try the 3 because it’s so much smaller. Thought it might fall off less. Was annoyed I had to download a new app. Fine. Small thing. Done. Then super angry because it kept waking me. There’s no way to change the lower threshold for a critical alarm. Abbott Labs has decided that anything under 55 is life critical for every single person on the planet. My sugar often falls just under 55 in my sleep. I’m still alive. There’s no way to silence it either, even when your phone is on do not disturb, sleep mode, or muted. Plus it’s really loud. I even tried turning off Bluetooth at night, but then realized there was no way to sync my Fitbit data. I still have it a try only to have it remind me with another loud and unwelcome beep that Bluetooth needs to be on for the sensor to work. So I ultimately took it off and deleted FreeStyleLibre3 . My sleep and my serenity are more important than a glucometer. What I don’t understand is that it seems A LOT of people have complained Abbott, and yet, nothing seems to be done about it. I even emailed the feedback but never heard back from them. I guess their liabilities are more important to them than their customers. I might try calling them when I get back to the US, but I’m not optimistic. So I’ll stick with the 2. Hopefully, they won’t phase it out. If they do, I’ll go back to finger pricking.

Love the new sensor which is a major upgrade, but FreeStyleLibre3 is maddeningly limited in terms of functionality and how it limits the data you can see or make use of. Unfortunately it’s the only way to access the Libre 3 sensor data.
If I could request only one feature, it would be the ability to export the glucose data from FreeStyleLibre3 into the apple health app or other third party apps so that my glucose information could be analyzed in more useful and sophisticated ways. I especially hate that I can’t view my glucose graphs in any greater than 24 hour view to see daily patterns emerge. I wish there were Apple Watch support. FreeStyleLibre3 is maddeningly dumbed down considering how much easier more accurate the data is with the new Libre 3 sensors.

For an example what awesome data analytics looks like for iPhone I recommend the developer of FreeStyleLibre3 look at the AutoSleep app and implement some of their more detailed features.

I use this with my cell phone. I only have one issue. It at times can loose signal. I have all the updates but every so often it looses connection.
I find that I can tell when I am high or low. App can set your lowest number you want to go and the high as you want to go. Application will beep and let you know when you hit these levels. It will show if you are going up or down.
Without it it I had way to many lows. I went from an A1C of 13.4 and with the Libre 3 I have gone down to a 7.2 in six months. I am so far sold on Libre 3. I like that it is half the size of the Libre 2. I always was hitting the 2 on things and knocking it if my arm. With the Libre 3 I haven’t had it happen anymore.
I do suggest that when I change after the 14 days to a new one. I do it when I am at a cooler body temperature and have the hour to start using to be able to be sitting and stay cool. Before doing it this way I had problems with it also staying on. As I have used I have learned some in and outs about it.
I so far am not unhappy with the Libre 3.

As a pharmacist, I just started testing and comparing the Freestyle Libre 3 and and Dexcom G7 on myself. After trying the Dexcom first and being able to see exactly what my levels were on the graph by dragging the little pointer along it to highlight my numbers, I was extremely disappointed to see that the freestyle doesn’t have that capability. I went through the trouble of getting a prescription and buying a prescription only to find I have no way to look back in time and see what my levels were exactly unless I’m looking at FreeStyleLibre3 in real time. Even though Dexcom is worn for 10 days, FreeStyleLibre3 alone makes it better.

The other issue is freestyle doesn’t allow you to turn off notifications of critical lows no matter what you do. It seems the first night you put it on, you get crazy low numbers over night that aren’t accurate. And I’ve had patients complain of that feature as well. I’m not diabetic nor concerned with lows. I’m a health conscious insulin resistant healthcare provider who wants to better manage my diet. I don’t need to be woken up in the middle of the night by false negatives. Freestyle, you have some incredibly simple app upgrades that would make this product superior to Dexcom. Do them.

First off I’m a primary care doctor and I prescribe these to patients. They are fantastic. The Libre 2 is great and the Libre 3 is a significant upgrade for continuous glucose monitoring. The 3 is smaller and more accurate (the 2 is still very good). FreeStyleLibre3 could be improved by adding a hemoglobin A1c estimator integrated into the software. Seems like the perfect addition to this software. Would save the patient a step of using a separate app to keep track of this. And would be nice to have to show the doctor. Also patients are asking to have the ability to add a finger stick glucose beyond the initial 12 hours. I agree it seems reasonable to be able to add a finger stick at any time. Thank you for an incredible device that is no doubt improving patient’s quality of life and their long term outcomes. I have had many patients get a much better grip on their sugar control because of the timely information this provides and they quickly learn how their body responds to different types and amounts of food they consume!

With that constant streaming of data there are so many new opportunities to make features that make that data more accessible and frictionless to keep tabs on. Abbott could display my live glucose data on my Apple Watch. They could have a Lock Screen Widget that displays current glucose.
There could be Home Screen widgets that display current glucose or even charts. Heck, there could even be a Shortcuts action that retrieves the most recent reading so that I could integrate my Libre data with other automations. Or even HealthKit integration (or literally any way to get at your own data whatsoever).
And FreeStyleLibre3 does none of those things. It has the same UI we have had since the Libre 1, which itself felt like they ported the UI of the reader devices to the iPhone without actually reimagining it for phones.
Abbott, what are you waiting for? This is not some low end app; this is a system that easily costs over a thousand dollars in copays alone per year. Invest in making the LibreLink app world class. Dexcom has had Apple Watch support for years!

As with Libre 2, Abbott has decided that you cannot disable or silence the low glucose alarm so it can wake you up 1000 times a night if your glucose goes too low. Mine has always gone low at night and guess what, still here 59 years later. Specific to Libre 3, about 2 hours ago sensor reading came up with an error and stopped working altogether. After 1/2 hour on the phone with support trying to communicate with someone I could barely understand (their English was VERY bad), the solution was they would send me a new sensor in 3 - 5 business days! That’s absolutely ridiculous. Libre 2 was not great and sometimes unreliable but as long as it stayed attached, it never stopped working. After talking to my doctor it appears this happens frequently with Libre 3. So after these are used up, will go back to Libre 2 and hope Abbott addresses these failures ESPECIALLY with the low glucose setting!!! And NO, it is NOT an acceptable workaround to disable Bluetooth at night. Allow customers to shut off ALL alarms Abbott!!! I consider the Libre system a complete failure and would never recommend it to anyone.

Premise: me and my husband don’t have diabetes or any other particular problem. My husband and I are using FreeStyleLibre3 only to understand what happens to our blood sugar levels and body when we eat certain foods. The high or low glucose alarm can be turned off except for "urgent low glucose" or below 55 mg/dl. THANKS to this last alarm that rang 3 times in the first night, we found out what my husband was eating wrong to make his glucose drop so much and we immediately corrected it and now the problem is solved. We are now on our fourth day and we have already learned several interesting things and for this FreeStyleLibre3 is valid. However, if I had some pathology, I would certainly like to have some more possibilities, such as being able to enlarge the screen to see the graph in more detail or being able to view the exact time with the exact glycemic rate in the current graph but also in the past one. I have iOS 16.4.1 and FreeStyleLibre3 works perfectly.

Other users have mentioned this… why can’t we customize the alarms??? This is such a simple programming fix and would make use of this device so much better. You guys charge an arm and leg for these things… fix this. I have been using these for almost a year now and multiple times they have had errors and just stop working. Needless to say this is pretty unacceptable for how much they cost and how important they are. I understand it’s a newer technology and there are growing pains but when my insurance only pays for 2 a month and 1 of them craps out after a day…. I have attempted to contact Abbott about this issue and to say they were dismissive would be an understatement. Finally, why are they so hard to find?? I’ve had to transfer my prescription 3 times to find a pharmacy that has them in stock. Is this America? Don’t pharmaceutical companies print money in this country? Use your vast wealth of resources to fix these problems, I’m not asking for a lot.

If we’re going based off functionality alone, I would give this thing five stars. It’s simple to control, gives you a tutorial on how to connect your sensors, how to customize options when you first open FreeStyleLibre3 , and how to share your info with your doctor and or other people with the connected apps.

However, since it technically is more than just functionality, I have to give it 4 stars. Which I’d be glad to change if certain features become implemented. I’d like to see better alarm sounds, like custom ones instead of your phone’s default sound or the one freestyle provides. Mostly because I’d rather have two different sounds for if my sugar goes below 70 and one for if it goes below 55.

Secondly, I’d like to see some Apple Watch pairing OR some widgets for the phones home screen. It’s hard to have to get my phone out while I’m working out to check my sugar, I’d like to just be able to look at my watch or look at the Home Screen to see where I’m at.

Finally, and this is just a pet peeve, I’d like to have some Omnipod connectivity. Dexcom is expensive and honestly I like the freestyle a whole world more because it’s tiny and I don’t notice it. Unfortunately, Dexcom is the only CGM that works with Omnipod right now and I’d like to see that change.

Overall though, it’s a good app that just needs some quality of life improvements!

My dr prescribed the Freestyle Libre 2 for me and the pharmacist told me I would have to have a separate reader so I asked my dr to write an Rx for the Libre 3 so it would work with my phone. After waiting for it to come in, read all the info on how to use it, applied the first sensor, it wouldn’t work. I bled through the hole in the sensor. I went to the pharmacy and was told to call the customer service number so they could replace it because it was defective. After an hour on the phone I got no where. The CS rep couldn’t understand me, I speak clear, plain English, she was middle eastern. She asked me the same questions over and over and had no idea what my problem was because she wouldn’t listen to me. She refused to let me speak with a supervisor until I had to be insistent. Supervisor informed me the Libre 3 will not work with lates IOS! It only goes up to IOS 16 and I have IOS 16.5. How irresponsible on Abbots part to not have a up to date app?? They’re advice to me was to “find an old phone” to use. They promised a replacement or a voucher for a new sensor but never sent either one. Back to pricking my finger all day. So disappointed!

So to be completely fair, I’m not sure if my complaint is with FreeStyleLibre3 or the sensors themselves, as I have never used any previous versions of the sensors/app.

So far, I have used 4 sensors and only once have they worked the full two weeks. The first sensor was a sample, so I can’t really complain there, but the sensor actually stopped connecting to FreeStyleLibre3 after 6 days usage. The second sensor stopped communicating after 7 days. The third sensor actually went the full two weeks. I have now had the fourth sensor stop working after only 3 days.

My insurance thinks this is an extravagance and therefore doesn’t cover it. I’m happy to pay for the devices because with my other health issues, it is extremely important that I know how my outside influences and food are affecting my blood sugar. Keeping my blood sugar at an even state is extremely important, and medications are causing them to fluctuate too much. Right now I am having to continue pricking my finger at regular intervals just to ensure I know what is going on.

I need to be able to trust that when I insert a new sensor, that it will actually work the full two weeks. That being said, Abbot has been very responsive and has already sent replacement sensors for the first two that were defective, and I sent back one of them that I still had so they could perform diagnostics to determine what went wrong.

I upgraded from Libre 14 Day to Libre 3 only to find out I can’t do something as simple as enter my BG in the logbook. REALLY?? That was a feature in the Libre 14 Day!! Come on Abbott, take a few dollars of your huge profits that we pay and develop an app that is informative to the users of this very expensive CGM. Also, the daily graphs are useless, you can’t do something as simple as drill down to specific glucose readings. Sure you can get a general trend, but there is no way to tell if your glucose is even within +/-20 points of a reading for a specific time. That can be a huge difference in decisions we need to make. Sure you tell us to take a BG reading before making adjustments which I do, but to be able to see more detailed readings on the graph would be very beneficial to your customers. It can’t be that hard to program your app to do this. I know, I know, it would cost you precious profits, but you would have much happier and probably more users of your CGM. Maybe we should switch to DEXCOM!! At least DEXCOM has the ability to calibrate and their app is much more informative!!!

My husband just got the Libre 3 and has had it for 3 days now. We’ve had nothing but trouble with the connection between the sensor and the phone. Since I’m helping him, we have FreeStyleLibre3 on both phones.
We try logging off, turning blue tooth off & on but it won’t pick up. I hold it right next to the phone and nothing. Then all of a sudden it works again. There doesn’t seem to be a way to scan it other than holding it near and that doesn’t work.
We haven’t been able to get it to work on my husband’s phone other than when we first added FreeStyleLibre3 . Not great when I have to be back at work and can’t monitor him. He will end up having to resort to finger sticks which is what we are trying to minimize as he is on blood thinners and his poor fingers are so bruised.
Please, fix this connectivity issue and have a way to initiate a scan like the first time you set it up. Also, update so that it works when IOS is updated!

I've been wearing the Freestyle Libre sensors for years. I was very excited to try the 3 due to its much smaller size, but then I read the reviews on FreeStyleLibre3 and I waited 2 months before deciding to give it a try. The first day, I had alarms going off constantly, lost signals...my husband went on the Abbott website, he told me to just let FreeStyleLibre3 run in the background and not to close it. That worked! No more alarms out of nowhere, readings are always there. And just an FYI, there is now a reader available to go with the 3 if the phone app isn't working for people. I would like to be able to also see my readings on my Apple watch, but it sounds like it may be coming in the future. (Possibly Series 8?) So far I'm very happy now with FreeStyleLibre3! UPDATE: I spoke with Abbott customer service today, there are watches that will allow alerts to be sent to them, but at this time there aren't any that will show the actual glucose level at this time, if that helps anyone.

Abbott has not released an update for FreeStyleLibre3 in almost a year! Considering this is a literally life saving product, of which consumers must use FreeStyleLibre3 to access critical health data using their smartphones, you would think that app updates would be a priority. Unfortunately, that’s not the case here.

There are additional security and troublesome issues with Abbott’s failure to provide an update of FreeStyleLibre3 for its consumers. The current app is NOT compatible with up to date device operating systems. This means consumers who rely on Abbott’s product are unable to update their devices with the most recent and important operating systems, leaving them open and vulnerable to security issues. Along these same lines, since consumers who rely on FreeStyleLibre3 for their health are unable to update their devices, they are also “stuck” having the inability to utilize other apps and services which require the newer operating systems as well.

It is extremely disappointing that the company providing the very product/app combo which can be incredibly useful in improving its consumers’ quality of life, and even helping to save lives, would be neglected for so long. Clearly, Abbott is more focused on making money off of selling the pricey sensors used with FreeStyleLibre3 , than they are in maintaining their services to actually help and retain consumers. It is almost sickening.

I was very surprised to find, when I started using FreeStyleLibre3, that you can’t see a detailed view of your graph with your blood sugar level at specific intervals. As a user, I want to zoom in on the graph and see what my blood sugar level was at, at least, half hour intervals, if not 15 min intervals. The only way you can capture your specific blood sugar level at a certain time and be able to view it later is to make a note at that specific time. For a continuous blood glucose app, it makes much more sense if FreeStyleLibre3 captures this historical data for you so you can go back and see what certain meals did to your levels without having to remember to check it at an hour or two hours out from a meal. If I wanted to do that, I would just use a regular blood glucose monitor at those time intervals. The graph is basically useless because it’s so small and can’t be zoomed so you can’t even tell to what level your blood sugar spiked. Very disappointed at the limitations this software provides when it could easily be so much better and more useful. Seems like an easy fix to recode FreeStyleLibre3 to allow more detailed data and time intervals. Something as simple as upgrading this software could make this device go from a nice to have to a must have for tracking blood sugar levels.

So I have been using this now for nearly a month. These sensors will not stay linked to FreeStyleLibre3 in the phone. If I even go 5 feet away from my phone, it disconnects and tells me sensor is unreadable. And then I can’t get it to reconnect again. So now I have to get a new sensor and put it on. These things are not cheap, and I cannot afford to keep paying this money when these sensors fail. They last all of maybe 6-8 days - if that - and then for some reason they just stop talking to FreeStyleLibre3 . I’ve been averaging about six days. And I’m already through three of the sensors in a month.

Now, for the bulk of FreeStyleLibre3 : The concept is fantastic, and I really had hoped that this would work well. But FreeStyleLibre3 does nothing but read your blood sugars - when it can stay connected. There is no way to go back and look at my history unless I just want to read my average glucose reading over a week long time frame. That’s not what I want. I may want to go back four days to see what it was at a specific time of day. There’s no way to log what I’ve been eating to see if that’s what’s causing it. Or my activity…or whatever.

This is great for reading your glucose – if it could stay connected to the sensor. Other than that, that’s all it’s good for. And if that’s what they planned… OK great, then it does it’s job… When it can stay connected to a sensor.

(and yes, I am near my phone all day, so it’s not me leaving my phone too far away.)

I recently switched from the Freestyle Libre 14-day to the Libre 3, and on the whole, I've been pretty pleased with the upgrade. The user interface of FreeStyleLibre3 is reasonably intuitive for an old guy like me. FreeStyleLibre3 and the sensor integrate pretty well, but they do lose connection quite frequently.

Here are my major sticking points and requests:
1. When the sensor and the phone lose bluetooth connection for some reason, there does not appear to be a way to force an instant glucose read by touching the phone to the sensor. This was an aspect about the 14-day that I really appreciated, especially during times when my blood sugar was crashing and I couldn't fiddle with getting them to connect. It would also be very helpful for times when your phone battery is low and you would want to turn off bluetooth to conserve battery. If this is something that could be added with a software update, I would be overjoyed if you could implement a bluetooth-override force contact read feature in a future update.

2. As someone who also wears an Apple Watch with fall detection, it would be so nice to have the IOS app integrate with an Apple Watch. It would allow me to see the readings immediately on my wrist, and I wouldn't have to worry about always having to have my phone on me. Plus, in the event of a detected fall event, it would be wonderful to have the option to auto-display the current/last-read glucose reading.

Update: though I still believe the ability to see a close up of the graph is very important in increasing my low score to a 4 because I love this device and though I can’t see specific spikes like I would love to see it has been instrumental in controlling my diabetes better. I have been able to lower my A1c from 6.6 to 6.0 in the course of a few months by changing my diet significantly. I no longer feel controlled by cravings or the need to have desserts or sweet drinks and carbs.
I really believe this device should be an over the counter product for anyone struggling with diabetes, insulin resistance, food sensitivities etc. changing your diet with this diet is the key to motivation to stay on track and see results whether it’s from lowering blood sugar levels or weight loss etc.

I do appreciate FreeStyleLibre3 and the libre 3 cgm, however as a newly diagnosed type 2 diabetic I am trying very hard to lower my A1C to the normal range. My numbers aren’t terrible but when something causes a spike and I miss seeing what it topped out at it would be nice to see the individual numbers. It would also be nice to see the time range between spikes and how long it takes to lower because I believe that plays a big part in your bodies ability to heal insulin resistance and metabolic disorders. Please consider making these changes in FreeStyleLibre3.

Update
As I am finishing my first 2 weeks with a Libre 3 sensor and app. What FreeStyleLibre3 needs is a little button in he corner like the scan button on the Libre 2 app. This button would be a one touch save of the current reading. If it had something like that, it would be so much better.

Original review
Seriously, as a former Libre 2 user for well over a year, now that my doctor has moved me to the Libre 3, I feel that I took a step forward and maybe 2 steps back. I enjoy picking up my phone and there my reading is ready for me without the scan. The step forward. But what was it a half hour ago when I looked last time? Except for the hard to read graph, who knows. That is the one step back. But considering that even with my Bluetooth finger stick meter I have specific historical data points to see but with my fancy Libre 3 CGM I don’t, how is that not 2 steps back. FreeStyleLibre3 looks nicer than the Libre 2 and the smaller sensor is nice, but I may consider going back to the Libre 2 or possibly consider the Dexcom G7. FreeStyleLibre3 is not a serious app. And don’t mention that lack of updates. Really, I hope that someone in app development management wakes up.

Doesn’t work with iPhone 12 Pro with iOS v17.0.2 or 17.0.3 Stuck at critical alerts when the option isn’t available. —-- update- I had to uninstall FreeStyleLibre3 even thought I had a sensor running. Happily I was able to reinstall and log back in. When I logged back in - unlike v2- it asked for notification permission then it showed up in notifications and I could turn on critical notifications. It also imported my sensor from the login and I was able to see it again. ——However anyone linked to it via their other connected app no longer get alerts on sugar levels. I assume they will need to unlink and relink. ——Developer: please update FreeStyleLibre3 to trigger a “ask for permission for notifications “ button or something from your critical alerts are required screen because iOS 17v2+ breaks FreeStyleLibre3 if notification settings are reset.——also is it I can see my history using Libre connect but can’t scroll the line in this version?

My husband had the first libre and he was able to touch the graph on the screen and check what his numbers were while he was sleeping so great, why would you take it away in the upgraded versions? Now I have gestational diabetes, and have the libre 3, as well as my husband. I only got it because I saw how easy he could check his numbers with the libre instead of pricking my finger all the time. Now sometimes my doctor wants me to check what my numbers were at 3 am but I figured since the sensor had continuous reading I could just tap the screen after I got up in the morning like my husband used to. We found out that is no longer an option. We have to log everything on our own!! PLEASE BRING IT BACK!!! The sensor is making my life easier in one way but harder in another it’s like I have to do a lot of the work and that I thought I was getting away from with the manual machine. Also, the alarms don’t seem to work for iPhone 14 or 15 models which my husband and I have. Please update the software and it would be so great for a lot of people.

Starting to appreciate the value of FreeStyleLibre3 .
First impression was not good, couple items still need to be fixed upon first sensor application (first few hours) BUT after using for about a week now along side the physical reader of the older model I am appreciating the benefits of FreeStyleLibre3 .
1. Just learned the difference between custom and standard alerts WITHOUT Override. Recommend NOT having Override on for standard low blood sugars because it forces an audible alert. This was NOT INTUITIVE for me. I was hearing too many alerts that all sounded the same. When I turned Override OFF for standard first warning of low it only vibrated which is GOOD to help me know a low is coming. THEN when really low is occurring I get the obnoxious audible alarm which can be life saving.
2. Also NOT INTUITIVE, my phone HAS to be plugged in at all times to stay charged. Because if my phone does so does the meter. Which is different than the physical meter. Battery life on my phone is really bad, so it does often. Physical reader battery life was about a week. My phone battery maybe last half a day if it is on without charging. Not optimal but also not a deal breaker. Just recommend all users realize you HAVE to keep your phone charged or meter is dead too. No phone no meter. Which is slightly a negative.

FreeStyleLibre3 would be so much better if detailed data points were available. It’s strange that the LibreLink app has the capability to slide over the graph to get individual readings, but the main app does not. (I downloaded it as a workaround) Although the LibreLink app may allow you to do this, but does not have historical data, so you can only see one day at a time. So currently there’s no way to really analyze past spikes or drops. I was hoping that this would also integrate into Apple Health, but it does not, which is incredible disappointing. If FreeStyleLibre3 could integrate with Apple Health, then the data would at least be visible from there without any major changes to the Libre app. I’ve also had situations where I get alarms for specific levels, and go back and they are not indicated on the graph at all. For instance, I had 4-5 low alarms over night once, but when I woke up in the morning, the graph never showed my levels going below 75 at all. I’ve had the same experience with some higher levels as well—the data I see in the moment is altered when I go to look at it later. I’m not sure why this is.

During my vacation I had this all next 14 days and they asked me to be connected on cellular network! I let it do it, but I didn’t release, thay lower my glucose reading for 50 points! I tought I was doing fine I was bit releaxed, but in reality I was always 150 or 160! It leads my straight to diabetes! It’s criminal behavior and it shouldn’t be done like this, playing with my health and I paid this sensor for $98 to fool me like that! When I got from vacation back I checked it out with my strips and showed me things I should concern! It’s really bad, bad, bad things they did it! I never ever going to buy and use this CGM again! I have one more sensor left and I don’t know if I going to use it or not, I know it’s going to misinform me… UPDATE After they give me phone number! I try it but all phone in US worked perfectly, but as soon as they connect me to some outer country, I couldn’t hear their voice or they just hung up on me! Horrible!
Guys don’t buy this CGM, don’t waste your many on something It’s doing set up your reading regardless of your actual reading! I find out more these apps and a lot cheaper, half price of dis one!
Do your homework and try search for better one and cheaper one!

Good concept bad application irresponsible manufacturer. If it was possible I would have given -5 ⭐️ to this company and product support. Abbott doesn’t care for the end user!!!! I have been using Libra, Libre 14, Libre 2 and now Libre3 since Libre3 came out it worked fine on my iPhone 1 ProMax until Apple updated iOS to 16.3+ FreeStyleLibre3 stopped working. I had made several calls to tech support they suggested switch off auto updates of iOS which I did they said app will not support any iOS over 16.0 to which they said downgrade your iOS I checked with Apple and AT&T they said there is no provision in iOS of downgrading the version. So I was forced to use my iPhone X with iOS 15.3 which worked until this morning that my iPhone / iOS is not compatible with Libre3 app. I called Abbott for this issue they said if I update to iOS 16.7 which is next update available to me it app will not work I have bought 90 days of sensors 6 pcs in cash as insurance will not cover this. I have been carrying 2 phones everywhere but I tried to have faith in Abbott to come up with update but we are still same place with Libre3 app after a year. As owner of iPhone would you use this product. I will let media investigate this. Thank you.

It is infuriating and such an inconvenience to anyone leading a busy life or sleeping in the same bed as their partner to have FreeStyleLibre3 going off constantly without the ability to silence the alarms going on. When my blood sugar rises or drops outside of my target range, I want the alarms to sound and I welcome it.

What I don’t welcome, is them continuing to sound for 10-15 minutes after the fact after the correction, whether insulin or having a snack, has been made. There should be a very easy way to click and say “I have corrected this and the number should be affected soon” and the alarm to only sound in a self set amount of time if the correction has not taken effect ie 30 minutes.

I find myself eating extras sweets to shut the alarm up before bed to spare my partner their nights sleep, only to wake up with a high blood sugar myself. This is not right or healthy. This needs to have the ability to be silenced and have the user state “I have done work to correct this.”

I just switched from the Libre 2 to Libre 3, and I like the Libre 3 a lot. The fact it will scan automatically, without pressing "scan" and then holding it next to the sensor, is very nice. (BTW, the Libre 2 app had gotten a lot more glitchy over the past 6 months or so before I switched over, but the Libre 3 app seems a lot less so. For example, the libre 2 lately would have a significant delay on the scanning function, and sometimes I'd have to try multiple times to get a successful scan. The Libre 2 was not always like that but it was getting pretty annoying the past few months. Anyway I haven't had any of those issues with the Libre 3. It automatically scans right when you open FreeStyleLibre3 , with no delay, and almost always works the first try.)

One difference I've noticed between the Libre 2 & Libre 3 is, Libre 2 app would automatically add an entry to the logbook every time you scanned, with the time & blood sugar. And of course there was the option to add a note related to insulin, exercise, or miscellaneous. But the Libre 3 seems to *only* record an entry in the logbook if (a) it is the first scan you've made after crossing from target range into high/low range, or (b) if you add a comment. This is probably to avoid adding tons of logbook entries that you don't need. Some people may like this better, others may prefer the way the Libre 2 did it.

As a diabetic this has changed my life for the better knowing where I am in order to make better choices regarding how many units to take and the freedom to travel without carrying a whole kit to check my blood … I am very thankful for that. There are issues that may be fixed with software because more often than not the meter goes on and off on readings not being available or the meter saying it lost connection Another thing I would love to request is how FreeStyleLibre3 notifies, wish we could silent the sound as it can be very annoying at times . Abbott wants us to be notified and for that notification to not be ignore and I see the sense in that . But we should have an option for the sound to be silence if preferred. Another feature request would be to have better graphs as the readings progress through out the day similar to what we see in “Robinhood” the stock app would be golden Another feature would be once a dangerous reading is set off allow us to input whether we used units to bring blood sugar low or have had something to place sugar up and have FreeStyleLibre3 give some time before making the decision to annoy again with it’s alarm a 15 min break would be ideal ABBOTT I LOVE YOU GUYS FOR MAKING THIS AFFORDABLE AND and have all this power in such a small SIZE . Consider adding this features and fix these bugs .