Support
Frequently Asked Questions
Browse your frequently asked questions to quickly get support for your Accu-Chek products.
FAQ Categories
Test strips
<p>The Accu-Chek Guide meter uses Accu-Chek Guide test strips.</p>
<p>Yes, as with any test strip, heat, humidity and other environmental conditions can affect strips. Close the vial immediately after removing a test strip.</p>
<p>The Accu-Chek Active meter uses Accu-Chek Active test strips.</p>
<p>The meter detects if too little blood is applied and, after a few seconds, gives an acoustic warning with three beep sounds. You can then apply an additional drop of blood.</p>
<p>The Accu-Chek Active meter detects the color change in the test pad area. If the test pad is checked too early, the glucose reaction may not yet be finished. If it is done too late, the color may have already changed due to drying.</p>
Power
<p>If you suspect your child has swallowed a battery, seek medical attention immediately – prompt action is critical. Don’t wait for symptoms to develop.</p><p>Battery ingestion or insertion into the body may cause chemical burns, perforation of soft tissues, and death. Batteries, as small parts, are a choking hazard. Keep them away from children under the age of 3 years.</p><p>If the battery compartment does not close securely, stop using the product and keep it away from children. Contact Accu-Chek Customer Care.</p>
<p>This Accu-Chek Guide meter uses two 3-volt lithium coin cell battery (type CR2032).</p>
<p>The meter can be turned on by pressing and releasing the power button or inserting a test strip.</p><p>The meter can be turned off by pressing and releasing the power button.</p><p>Possible causes and solutions for lack of power include:</p><p>Issue: The meter has been exposed to extreme temperatures outside the meter's operating temperature range.<br>Solution: Move to an area where the temperature is within the system's operating temperature range (between 43 - 113°F / 4 - 45°C). Wait at least 15 minutes for the meter to equilibrate.</p><p>Issue: The meter is connected to a computer using a USB cable. If the meter times out while connected via USB, it may not respond to button presses or strip insertion until the USB cable is disconnected.<br>Solution: Disconnect the cable and attempt to turn the meter on by pressing and releasing the power button.</p><p>Issue: One or both batteries are installed incorrectly.<br>Solution: Confirm both batteries are inserted into the meter under the black tabs with the “+” sign facing up (visible).</p><p>Issue: The batteries are dead or battery power is too low for the meter to turn on<br>Solution: Install two new 3 volt lithium, CR 2032 coin cell batteries. Replace both batteries at the same time and with the same brand.</p><p>Issue: Battery tabs are damaged or defective.<br>Solution: Please contact Accu-Chek Customer Care.</p><p>Issue: The meter is damaged or defective.<br>Solution: Please contact Accu-Chek Customer Care.</p>
<p>Possible causes and solutions for sudden power loss include:</p><p>Issue: The meter automatically turns off after 90 seconds of inactivity.<br>Solution: Turn the device back on when you’re ready to use it again.</p><p>Issue: After completion of a test, the meter automatically turns off 15 seconds after strip removal.<br>Solution: Turn the device back on when you’re ready to use it again.</p><p>Issue: The battery compartment or battery door is faulty or damaged.<br>Solution: Please contact Accu-Chek Customer Care.</p><p>Issue: The meter has been stored in extremely cold conditions (below 30°F / - 1°C).<br>Solution: Move to an area where the temperature is within the system's operating temperature range. Wait at least 15 minutes for the meter to equilibrate.</p><p>Issue: The meter is connected to a computer via the USB cable and a compatible software application is not installed on the computer.<br>Solution: Disconnect the cable and attempt to turn the meter on by pressing and releasing the power button.</p><p>Issue: The meter is connected to a computer via the USB cable and a compatible software application has turned off the meter.<br>Solution: Disconnect the cable and attempt to turn the meter on by pressing and releasing the power button.</p>
<p>No. Memory is retained. If the battery change is done according to the user instructions (empty battery stays in the meter until new battery is available to be inserted) the time and date settings remain stored in the meter as well.</p>
Device Settings
<p>You can set up to 4 general test Reminders per day to remind you to test. A series of beeps sound and a bell is displayed for reminders set in the meter.</p><p>About Guide Me reminders:</p><ul><li>Turn off by inserting a test strip or pressing any button.</li><li>Are postponed until the next test reminder if a test was performed within 15 minutes of a test reminder.</li><li>Do not appear/beep if the meter is on at the test reminder time (including when the meter is connected to a USB cable).</li><li>Do not appear/beep if the meter is connected and communicating to a Continua Certified® manager.</li><li>Do not beep if the meter beeper is set to off.</li><li>Do not appear/beep if the batteries need to be replaced.</li></ul><p><br>About pre-set reminders:</p><ol><li>Reminder times are pre-set in the meter for 8:00 am, 12:00 pm, 6:00 pm, and 10:00 pm. You may change reminder times by following the instructions below.</li><li>If a general test Reminder is set for the same time as a Post Meal reminder, the Post Meal reminder will appear/beep instead of the general Reminder.</li></ol><p>Changing pre-set test reminder times:</p><ol><li>Turn the meter on by briefly pressing the “OK”.</li><li>Press down to highlight Settings. Press “OK"".</li><li>Press down to highlight More Options. Press “OK”.</li><li>Press down to highlight Reminders. Press “OK”.</li><li>Pre-set reminder times appear on the display. Press down to highlight the time you want to edit. Press “OK”.</li><li>Press down to highlight Edit time. Press “OK”.</li><li>Press up or down to adjust each field.</li><li>Press “OK” to move to the next field.</li><li>Press “OK” to return to the previous menu.</li></ol>
<p>Go into the Settings menu, then Wireless, then Flight Mode. Press OK to disable Bluetooth communication.</p>
<p>1. Turn the meter on by briefly pressing “OK.” From the main menu, press the arrow key to highlight settings. Press “OK.”<br>2. Time/date is highlighted. Press “OK.”<br>3. Press the up or down arrows to adjust each field. Press “OK” to set and proceed to the next field. Set AM or PM if necessary.<br>4. Press “OK” to save and return to the previous menu.</p>
<p>When the result is shown, you can use 4 different flags by pressing the M or S button. Options are:<br>- Before meal<br>- After meal<br>- Control solution<br>- General</p>
<p>It is not possible to delete stored results.</p>
General questions
<p><strong>Whatever type of Accu-Chek meter you have, cleaning and disinfecting are important for good maintenance.</strong><br>While cleaning is simply removing dirt from the meter, disinfecting refers to removing as much of the disease-causing microorganisms and other germs as possible.</p><p><strong>When to clean or disinfect your Accu-Chek Meter:</strong><br>You should clean and disinfect your meter once a week, or any time blood gets on it. You should also clean your meter before allowing anyone else to handle it.</p><p><strong>What to use when cleaning and disinfecting your Accu-Chek Meter:</strong><br>Use mild dishwashing liquid mixed with water to clean your meter and 70% isopropyl alcohol to disinfect your meter.</p><p><strong>The parts of your Accu-Chek meter you should keep clean:</strong><br>Be sure to clean the areas around slots and openings, while being careful not to get any moisture in them.<br>You should also wipe down the entire meter surface, including the meter display.</p><p>Learn more about cleaning and disinfecting your meter in the user manual.</p>
<p>All information is saved when you change the batteries of any Accu-Chek meter, including the memory, your logbook data, test results, diary information and settings, however you should check that the time and date are correct when you’ve inserted new batteries.</p>
<p>Performing a control test lets you know the meter and test strips are working properly.</p><p>Reasons to perform a control test include, but are not limited to:<br>1. You open a new test strip box.<br>2. Your test result does not match how you feel.<br>3. The test strips were stored in extreme temperatures or high humidity.<br>4. The test strip container was left open.</p>
<p>There’s no need to manually code any of our meters, so you have fewer steps in testing.</p>
<p>The Accu-Chek Instant meters has a fast test time of less than four seconds.</p>
Accuracy
<p>Performing a control test lets you know the meter and test strips are working properly.</p><p>Reasons to perform a control test include, but are not limited to:<br>1. You open a new test strip box.<br>2. Your test result does not match how you feel.<br>3. The test strips were stored in extreme temperatures or high humidity.<br>4. The test strip container was left open.</p>
<p>The Accu-Chek Active system fulfills the ISO 15197:2013 / EN ISO 15197:2015 standards.¹</p>
<ol><li>Check the Use By date on the test strip container and the control solution bottles. Do not use test strips or controls past the Use By date. Controls expire three months from the date of opening.</li><li>Remove the control bottle cap. Wipe the tip of the bottle and discard the first drop of the solution into a tissue.</li><li>Inert the metallic end of the test strip into the meter. The meter turns on. Place the meter on a flat surface.</li><li>Apply the control solution you want to test, using either Level 1 or Level 2 control solution.</li><li>When you see the flashing blood drop appear on the display, squeeze the bottle until a tiny drop forms at the tip of the bottle.</li><li>Touch the drop to the yellow edge of the test strip.<br>a. Do not put the control solution on top of the test strip. The flashing hourglass appears when you have enough solution in the test strip.</li><li>The control result, the bottle symbol, and the flashing L1 or L2 appear on the display.</li><li>Press the left or right arrow buttons to alternate between L1 and L2.</li><li>Press and release the power button on the side once the correct L1 or L2 is displayed on the screen.<br>- “OK” appears if the control result is within range.<br>- “Err” appears if the control result is out of range.</li><li>Wipe the tip of the bottle with a tissue and cap the bottle tightly.<br> </li></ol><p>You can also confirm your control results are within range by referring to the Control level 1 and Control level 2 ranges printed on the test strip container.<br><br>If the control results are “Out of Range,” reference the Troubleshooting Checks table below.</p>
<p>Performing a control test lets you know the meter and test strips are working properly.<br><br>Reasons to perform a control test, but are not limited to:<br>1. You open a new test strip box.<br>2. Your test result does not match how you feel.<br>3. The test strips were stored in extreme temperatures or high humidity.<br>4. The test strip container was left open.</p>
<p>The Accu-Chek Instant system fulfills the ISO 15197:2013 / EN ISO 15197:2015 standards.¹</p>
<p>The Accu-Chek Active blood glucose meter has a built-in USB (Universal Serial Bus) port for transferring test results to a computer that is equipped appropriately. Roche offers diabetes management software to healthcare professionals. They can use this to better understand your blood glucose control using graphs and tables to visualize the data.</p>
<p>The required USB cable is a standard Micro-USB cable available from most electrical retailers. The meter kit does not include a standard Micro-USB cable. For more information, please contact customer support. </p>
Getting started
<p>Pairing your Accu-Chek meter to the mySugr app allows you to automatically log your blood sugar readings into the app, saving you tons of time.</p><p>Follow the steps below to pair your Accu-Chek Guide Me meter to the mySugr app:</p><ol><li>If you are using an Apple device, make sure Bluetooth® is turned on.<br>Bluetooth should turn on automatically for Android users at the beginning of the pairing process.</li><li>Ensure Location Services are turned on for the mySugr app during the pairing process. (You can turn it back off once you're done. Settings > Apps > mySugr > Location Services.)</li><li>Open the mySugr app and go to the “Connections” tab in the bar menu located at the bottom of the screen.</li><li>Select your meter — Accu-Chek Guide Me or Accu-Chek Instant — and follow the steps on the screen to activate it.</li><li>You'll then receive a message that pairing was successful, meaning your meter is now connected to your mobile device.</li><li>You can return to the mySugr home screen by tapping on ""My trend"" in the tab menu located at the bottom of the screen.</li></ol>
<p><strong>Using your Accu-Chek Softclix lancing device:</strong></p><ol><li>First, you will need an Accu-Chek Softclix lancet and device.</li><li>Remove the cap from the lancing device.</li><li>Insert the lancet into the lancet holder at the bottom of the device – push it all the way in until it clicks in place.</li><li>Twist and remove the protective cap from the lancet to expose the needle.</li><li>Place the cap back onto the lancing device, ensuring that the notch of the cap aligns with the mark on the device.</li><li>Set the penetration depth to match your skin type, by turning the dial on the cap.</li><li>To use the lancing device, prime it by pressing the plunger all the way down. The release button on the side of the device should turn yellow, indicating that it is ready to use.</li><li>Place the device up against your finger firmly, and press the release button to release the lancet.</li><li>Be sure to replace the lancet every time you use your device, as they are not reusable and become unsterile after one use.</li><li>To remove the used lancet, take off the cap from the lancing device and slide down the ejector over a sharps disposal bin. Then replace the cap.</li></ol>
<p>The most comfortable setting of your Accu-Chek Softclix lancing device will depend on a few things:</p><ul><li>Your skin – softer, thinner skin requires a shallower setting than thicker skin.</li><li>The required blood sample – the more blood you require, the higher the setting you'll need.</li><li>The optimal penetration depth is a combination of both. Start with a low setting when using the device for the first time. Adjust to a higher setting until the blood volume is correct.</li></ul>
<p>It is important to dispose of used lancets so they do not cause injury. Whilst used Accu-Chek Softclix lancets can safely be disposed of in household waste, some local councils provide a sharps disposal service by supplying individuals with sharps bins and collecting them when they are full. Check with the local council which disposal services are available.</p>
<p>It’s important to keep the lancing device clean and disinfected, as it may come into contact with blood during normal testing.</p><p><strong>Cleaning and disinfecting tips to ensure proper care without damaging your device:</strong></p><ol><li>Remove the lancet before cleaning and disinfecting.</li><li>Clean and disinfect the lancing device once a week, or when it has visible signs of dirt or other material.</li><li>Clean and disinfect the lancing device before allowing anyone else to handle it, for instance if you have someone assisting you. Do not allow anyone else to use your lancing device to obtain their blood sample.</li><li>Use mild dishwashing liquid mixed with water to clean your device and 70% isopropyl alcohol to disinfect it.</li><li>Let it air dry. </li><li>You might notice a slight discoloration of the lancing device after multiple cleanings. This does not affect its functionality.</li></ol><p><strong>How to clean and disinfect the entire lancing device surface and cap:</strong></p><ol><li>Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.</li><li>Wipe the entire lancing device surface. Make sure that no liquid enters any opening, as it could damage the device.</li><li>Remove and wipe the inside of the cap.</li><li>Dry the lancing device and cap with a soft cloth or gauze. Make sure that no solution is seen in any opening.</li><li>Repeat these steps with 70% isopropyl alcohol to fully disinfect the lancing device.</li><li>Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.</li></ol>
Connecting to mySugr
<p>The Accu-Chek Instant meter implements BLE Pass Key Pairing security.</p>
<p>Yes. Blood glucose results and diabetes data transferred from the meter to the app are stored in the mySugr app. You can view this data when the meter is off and not actively connected via Bluetooth.</p>
<p>Yes, at least 720 results will remain in the meter’s memory at all times, despite the transfer of data to an app or online portal.</p>
<p>The Accu-Chek Instant meter and mobile device must be within 3 meters for the automatic data transfer to occur. If the distance between the devices exceeds 3 meters during blood glucose test(s), any new meter data will synchronise with the app when the devices are within range and Bluetooth is turned on.</p>
<p>The meters can transfer results using Bluetooth Low Energy to compatible smartphone apps like mySugr. Additionally, the micro-USB can be used with compatible diabetes management solutions such as Accu-Chek Smart Pix or Accu-Chek Care.</p>
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