The Chinese giant’s modern wearables have become the benchmark for accessibility and functionality in the electronics market, with smart watches and activity trackers allowing you to monitor your health, notifications and athletic performance right from your wrist, but the first and most important step for the wearer is to properly synchronize the device with your smartphone.
The setup process can be confusing for a beginner because of the many applications and firmware versions. Xiaomi has changed software over the years, which sometimes causes confusion in the initial launch process. Understanding the logic of the system will help avoid unnecessary movements and errors.
In this article, we will discuss in detail how to pair, which application to choose for your model and what to do if the gadget is not visible in the list of available devices. A competent initial setup is the key to stable operation of all functions in the future.
Preparation of the device and smartphone for pairing
Before you search for a device in Bluetooth settings, you need to make sure that both gadgets are ready to work. Often the problems arise precisely because of the banal battery discharge or the lack of updates on the phone. Charge the bracelet to a level of at least 50% so that it does not turn off at a critical moment of updating.
Make sure your smartphone has a wireless module on. For Android devices, it’s important to check for Google Play services, and for iOS, it’s important to check for the operating system version. Bluetooth should be activated and visible to other devices, although modern versions of the OS hide this option in deep menus.
⚠️ Warning: Do not try to connect the bracelet directly through the standard Bluetooth menu in the phone settings.This will result in a pairing error and the device will lock for the app.
You should also free up space in the phone’s memory and close the background applications, which can intercept the signal or interfere with the installation of the necessary software. A stable Internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile traffic) will be required to download dial profiles and basic settings immediately after activation.
Choosing the Right Application for Management
One of the most common questions is about software choice: Xiaomi’s ecosystem uses different platforms depending on the year of the device’s release and its series, and for older models like the Mi Band 4 and earlier, Mi Fit was used, which has now been transformed.
For current models, including the Mi Band 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and the Watch and Watch S series, the main application is Mi Fitness (formerly Zepp Life), which provides full access to settings, firmware updates and data synchronization with health.
Why are apps changing?
Download the program should be exclusively from official stores: Google Play for Android or App Store for iPhone. APK-Files can lead to data leakage or incorrect synchronization.
- 📱 Mi Fitness – the main application for new models of bracelets and watches.
- ⌚ Zepp Life – Legacy app supported for old activity trackers.
- 🏃 Xiaomi Wear – an app for Wear OS (Watch 2 Pro watches work differently.
Step-by-step connection instructions via Mi Fitness
The activation process in the official application is unified, but requires careful consideration when choosing the type of device. After installing and launching Mi Fitness, you need to log in through your Xiaomi, Google or Apple ID account. This will create a cloud profile to store your statistics.
In the main menu of the application, go to the Devices tab (or Profile) and click the add button of a new gadget. The system will request permission to use Bluetooth and geolocation - these rights are mandatory for the search and stable operation of the fitness tracker.
☑️ Checklist before connection
When you start searching, you'll see a list of available devices on your smartphone screen. Select your model from the list. On the bracelet screen, you may see a request to confirm pairing — click the confirmation button. Then you'll start the initial synchronization process and possibly update the firmware.
| Model of the device | Recommended annex | Android OS (min) | iOS (min) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mi Band 8 / 9 | Mi Fitness | Android 6.0+ | iOS 12.0+ |
| Mi Band 7 | Mi Fitness / Zepp Life | Android 6.0+ | iOS 12.0+ |
| Mi Band 6 | Mi Fitness / Zepp Life | Android 5.0+ | iOS 10.0+ |
| Watch S1 / S3 | Mi Fitness | Android 6.0+ | iOS 12.0+ |
It is important not to interrupt the update process if it started immediately after the connection. The firmware can be updated for several minutes, at which time the bracelet screen may go out or flash.
Setup for iPhone: features of iOS
Apple smartphone owners face stricter security restrictions, and Xiaomi’s iPhone needs to give the app full access to Bluetooth, notifications and, critically, background activity to work properly.
When you first launch, iOS will ask for multiple permissions, and if you accidentally deny access to notifications, you won't be able to get your hands on the messengers for the watch, and you can fix this in the phone's privacy settings.
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For stable work on your iPhone, go to Bluetooth settings, find the connected bracelet, press “i” and make sure the “Show Notifications” switch is activated.
It’s also worth noting that widgets on iOS work differently than on Android. To display steps or pulse data on the main screen of the iPhone, you need to add the Mi Fitness app widget manually through the home screen editing mode.
Synchronize health data through the standard Apple Health app. In the Mi Fitness settings, find the integration section and allow all types of data to be recorded so that the statics are not lost and accumulated in a single database.
Solving search and connection problems
There are times when the phone just can't see the bracelet, even though it's on and blinking. Often the reason is because the device has already been "remembered" by the phone or other app. The pairing conflict is a common problem when re-setting.
Go to your smartphone's Bluetooth settings. If you have a Mi Band or similar name on your saved device list, click "Forget the device" or "Untie" before you do the search in the app.
⚠️ Note: If the bracelet was previously linked to another Xiaomi account, it must be untieable in the previous owner’s app, otherwise the new user will not be able to activate it.
Another reason could be a crowded Bluetooth cache on Android, in which case it helps to reboot the smartphone or clear the cache of the Bluetooth system service through the developer menu (although this is rarely required). Resetting the bracelet to factory settings through the menu of the device itself often solves the problem of the suspended communication module.
- 🔄 Reboot your smartphone and bracelet.
- ❌ Remove the device from the Bluetooth phone list.
- 📲 Reinstall the Mi Fitness app.
- 📍 Make sure the bracelet is near the phone (up to 1 meter).
Configure notifications and functions after connection
Once paired successfully, the personalization phase begins. By default, many features can be disabled to save power. Go to the device card in the app and select Application Notifications.
You can choose which programs will duplicate messages on the wrist: WhatsApp, Telegram, VK, calls and SMS. For each application, you can adjust the vibration or disable the display completely.
It is also recommended to set up sleep and heart rate monitoring, including the option of “Continuous pulse measurement” or set an interval of 10-30 minutes for more accurate statistics, although this will increase battery consumption.
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The optimal balance between autonomy and functionality is achieved by turning off the constant measurement of SpO2 (oxygen in the blood) and raising the wrist to turn on the screen at night.
Be sure to set the current time and format for displaying it (12/24 hours), and also choose the interface language if it is not determined automatically. For some models, additional dials are available to download, which allows you to change the appearance of the watch beyond recognition.