Xiaomi Mi Band 4: How to turn on Bluetooth and set up communication

Modern wearables have become an integral part of the digital ecosystem, and the Xiaomi Mi Band 4 remains one of the most popular fitness trackers on the market. Many users face bewilderment when trying to find a wireless switch directly on the device itself, but the Xiaomi Mi Band 4 bracelet is designed differently than smartphones or tablets. It does not have a classic settings menu where you can manually activate the communication module, since it works in a constant connection wait mode.

Proper activation of Bluetooth is critical for synchronizing health data, receiving notifications, and managing music. The setup process depends not so much on what you do with the tracker screen as on the correct operation of the companion app on your smartphone, and it is through the software that the communication module wakes up and the devices first pair.

In this article, we will discuss in detail the algorithm of actions that will allow you to quickly establish communication between gadgets, you will learn why you should not look for the button on the wristband menu, and what system resolutions you need to provide the application for stable operation. Understanding these nuances will save you unnecessary movements and save time during the initial setup.

Bluetooth in the Mi Band 4

Unlike a full-fledged smartwatch, the Xiaomi Mi Band 4 tracker is designed with a focus on maximum energy efficiency. The wireless module here runs in Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) mode, which means constant but very economical background scanning of the signal. The device does not “turn off” in the usual sense of the word if it is charged, but only goes into deep sleep to save battery power.

When you bring a charged bracelet to a phone with an application running, an automatic handshake encryption key exchange occurs. Bluetooth activation on the Mi Band 4 occurs automatically when you first connect to your smartphone via the Mi Fit or Zepp Life app, and a separate “Enable” button on the device itself is not provided by the developers, this is done to simplify the user experience and prevent accidental discharge.

It should be noted that the visible indicator of communication activity is the phone icon on the tracker screen. If this icon is crossed out or flashed, it signals a connection break, not a module turned off. The Mi Band 4 power management system itself adjusts the frequency of the network survey depending on the distance to the phone and the user's activity.

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If the bracelet is new and completely discharged, set it on charge for 10-15 minutes before the first attempt to connect, even if the screen responds to touch.

Preparing a smartphone for pairing

Before you try to “enable” a connection with the bracelet, you need to make sure that your smartphone is ready for this interaction. Often the problem lies not in the tracker itself, but in the settings of the phone’s operating system, which block the detection of new devices. To successfully synchronize, the Xiaomi Mi Band 4 requires several preconditions to be met.

First of all, make sure that the Bluetooth module is activated in the smartphone settings. This seems obvious, but many people forget that simply switching on is not enough to work with wearable electronics (GPS), Since in modern versions of Android and iOS scanning BLE-Devices are linked to location services.

The next important step is to install an official app, which is currently the main app for this generation of trackers, Zepp Life (formerly Mi Fit), which should be downloaded exclusively from official Google Play or App Stores to avoid malware and compatibility issues.

• 📱 Make sure that Android is at least 5.0 or iOS is at least 10.0 for drivers to work properly.
• 📍 Enable geolocation and give the application permission to access the location “Always” or “When using».
• 🔋 Check that the smartphone’s charge level is above 20%, as the initial setup process can be energy-intensive.

After installing the application, sign up for an account or log in to an existing one. Only after logging in will the system allow you to add a new device. If you miss this step, the search for the bracelet may not be successful, since the server will not be able to identify your user.

Step-by-step instructions for connecting

The process of first pairing Xiaomi Mi Band 4 with the phone requires sequential execution of actions. Errors at any stage can lead to the fact that the devices will not “see” each other.

Open the Zepp Life app on your smartphone and go to the Profile tab. At the top of the screen, look for the Add Device button or the + icon. The app will start scanning the surrounding space for available trackers, at which point a request for confirmation of pairing may appear on the bracelet screen.

When you see "Mi Band 4" on the list of devices you've found, click on it, the vibrator icon will light up on the tracker screen, and you'll see a suggestion to confirm the binding, click on the touch area of the bracelet to confirm the action, and then you'll start the process of synchronizing the time and loading the dials.

It is important not to try to connect the bracelet through the standard Bluetooth menu in the phone settings. If you do this, the application may not see the device, since the communication port will be occupied by the Android or iOS system process.

⚠️ Warning: If your phone’s Bluetooth list already has a “Mi Band 4” entry but the connection is not working, click “Forget the device” or “Sever the pairing” in your phone’s settings before trying again.

Configuring permissions and accesses

It is not enough to have a Bluetooth connection that devices are idle to work properly. Mobile phone operating systems, especially Android, have strict security policies that can block the tracker’s background operation, which causes the bracelet to “fall off” minutes after being connected.

You need to manually check access rights for the Zepp Life app. Go to your smartphone settings, search for Apps, and select Zepp Life. Here you need to make sure notifications are allowed, contact access is allowed (to display callers' names), and critically, permission to work in the background.

Some MIUI, EMUI or ColorOS shells have aggressive energy saving mechanisms that kill processes that aren’t in use right now. For the Xiaomi Mi Band 4, it’s lethal because constant connectivity requires a background service. You need to add the app to the exclusion list or battery optimization whitelist.

Ignoring these settings is the most common reason users think they have “not turning on Bluetooth.”In fact, the module works, but the system forcibly breaks the connection to save the phone’s charge. Set these settings once to forget about communication problems.

Addressing common problems

Even if you follow all the instructions, there may be technical difficulties. If the Xiaomi Mi Band 4 does not turn on the search mode or connect to the phone, try resetting the tracker itself. To do this, find the Reset or Unbind option in the bracelist menu, if available, or press the touch button for 15-20 seconds (if the model supports).

A common problem is Bluetooth version conflict: Make sure your smartphone doesn't start connecting to other audio devices or watches at the same time that can intercept channel priority, and rebooting the smartphone itself, which clears the Bluetooth stack cache, also helps.

If the bracelet was previously connected to another phone, it may try to connect to it automatically. In the application on the old phone, you need to select "Untie the device." Only after that, the Mi Band 4 will go into visibility mode for the new owner. Without this procedure, the new phone may not see the tracker.

• 🔄 Complete reset of the bracelet through the menu "Settings" → System system → Reset».
• 📱 Remove the Zepp Life app, restart your phone and install the app again.
• 🔌 Charge the bracelet to 100%, as at low charge the communication module can work unstablely.

⚠️ Attention: If you reset the bracelet, all the accumulated steps and sleep data that did not sync with the cloud will be irretrievably lost.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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The main secret of stable operation of Mi Band 4 is not to find the power button, but to properly configure permissions for a companion application on Android or iOS.