FreeStyle Libre 3 app recall: update to version 3.6.10

Health Canada has posted a recall for the FreeStyle Libre 3 app, the smartphone app many people with diabetes use to read glucose data from their sensors. The fix is an app update, and the department says users should install it right away.

The recall covers the FreeStyle Libre 3 app on both Android and iOS. According to Health Canada’s recall notice (number RA-82855), the affected app versions are 3.6.4, 3.6.5, 3.6.6, 3.6.7 and 3.6.8. The manufacturer, Abbott Diabetes Care Ltd., initiated the recall on Oct. 16, 2026, and Health Canada published and updated its listing on Oct. 26.

Health Canada classifies the recall as Type II. The department sorts recalls into three types based on the level of risk, and Type II is the middle category.

What went wrong

The notice explains that Abbott released an app update to address a security issue known as a sensor impersonation vulnerability. That update, in turn, “introduced an unintended defect that, under certain conditions, can result in prolonged loss of communication” between the app and the sensor, according to the company’s description on the Health Canada page.

In plain terms, a security fix meant to protect the connection between the sensor and the phone caused a different problem. Under some conditions, the app can stop receiving information from the sensor for a long stretch. The Health Canada notice names that loss of communication as the hazard. It does not describe any further harm, and it does not say how many people are affected or how often the problem has happened.

What Health Canada says to do

The advice in the notice is short. Customers are told to “immediately update their app to the latest version 3.6.10 to rectify the issues.”

For most people, that means opening the Apple App Store or Google Play on their phone, looking up the FreeStyle Libre 3 app, and installing the update if one is offered. If you have automatic app updates turned on, your phone may already have done this. It is still worth opening the app and confirming it is running the current version. If you are not sure how to check which version you have, a family member, your pharmacist or your diabetes care team may be able to help you find it in the app or in your phone’s settings.

Health Canada also points readers to the manufacturer’s website for more details: librecheck.com.

Why this matters for people using a glucose sensor

Continuous glucose monitoring systems let people see their glucose readings throughout the day without a finger prick every time. The app is the screen where those readings show up. When the app and the sensor stop talking to each other, the readings can stop appearing, even though the sensor itself may still be on your arm.

That is why a “prolonged loss of communication” is worth taking seriously, even in a recall that Health Canada has placed in its middle risk category. Anyone who relies on the app for day-to-day decisions should know what their backup plan is if readings stop coming through. Your doctor, pharmacist or diabetes educator is the right person to ask about what that plan should look like for you. This article cannot give personal advice on that.

If you have a caregiver who follows your readings on their own phone, the same advice applies: check that the app on their device is also up to date.

If you notice a problem

If your readings drop out, or the app and sensor will not reconnect, you can contact the manufacturer through the details on its website. You can also report a problem with a health product to Health Canada through its MedEffect Canada program. Reports from the public help the department track safety issues with medical devices.

Health Canada lists this alert as a health product recall for the general public, so it is not limited to health professionals. The department’s recalls and safety alerts database is searchable by product name, which makes it easy to check for any updates to this notice.

What we do not know yet

The Health Canada listing is brief. It does not say how many app users in Canada were running an affected version, whether any harm has been reported in Canada, or whether further versions of the app will be updated. It also does not say whether the problem affects other Libre products. Readers who want more detail should consult the Health Canada notice and the manufacturer’s page directly rather than rely on secondhand summaries. We will update this article if Health Canada revises its notice.

Quick summary: If you use the FreeStyle Libre 3 app and it is running version 3.6.4 to 3.6.8, update it to version 3.6.10 through the App Store or Google Play. Check that anyone who follows your readings has done the same, and talk to your care team about what to do if readings ever stop appearing.

This article is based on official guidance from Health Canada and is provided for general public information. It’s not a substitute for medical advice, if you have questions about how this applies to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.

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Sources: Health Canada, Recalls and Safety Alerts: FreeStyle Libre 3 App (RA-82855); MedEffect Canada.