How to set up Xiaomi Mi Band 3 watch: full instruction from connection to hidden features

The Xiaomi Mi Band 3 fitness bracelet remains one of the most popular activity tracking gadgets despite the release of new models, its main advantages are ease of use, long battery life (up to 20 days), and wide functionality for a modest price. However, many users face difficulties when first setting up: the bracelet does not connect to the phone, does not show notifications or counts steps incorrectly.

In this article, you’ll find step-by-step instructions for setting up the Mi Band 3 from scratch, from pairing with a smartphone to subtle options like automatic sleep tracking or dial customization. We’ll also reveal hidden features that aren’t written about in the official documentation, such as how to turn on the weather display or adjust vibration for specific applications.

1. Preparation for setting up: what to do before connecting

Before you start pairing the bracelet with your phone, follow a few mandatory steps, which will save you from the typical mistakes like loss of communication or incorrect sensors.

• 📱 Update your smartphone firmware. An outdated version of Android (below 6.0) or iOS (below 12.0) may not support current versions of the Mi Fitness app.
• 🔋 Charge the bracelet. The charge level should be at least 30%. At low charge, the Mi Band 3 can turn off during setup.
• 📲 If you used Mi Fit before, delete it — now the official app is called Mi Fitness (or Zepp Life in some regions).
• 🔄 Turn on Bluetooth and geolocation. Without it, the bracelet won't be able to connect to your phone, even if you see it on your device list.

Pay special attention to the application permissions. Once installed, Mi Fitness will request access to:

• 📍 Geolocation – for accurate jogging tracking.
• 📱 Notifications – to transmit them to the bracelet.
• 📁 Storage – to save training data.

If you disable at least one of the permissions, some of the features of Mi Band 3 will not be available, for example, without access to notifications, you will not be able to receive alerts about calls or messages in messengers.

2. Connecting Mi Band 3 to the phone: step-by-step instructions

The process of pairing the bracelet with the phone takes no more than 5 minutes, if you follow the algorithm, the main thing is not to miss steps, otherwise the Mi Band 3 may not appear in the list of available devices.

Turn on the bracelet by pressing the touch button below the screen, and the Mi logo will appear on the display.

1. Download the app: 🤖 For Android: Mi Fitness on Google Play. 🍎 For iOS: Mi Fitness in the App Store.

Register or enter.

Xiaomi

Add the device.

• Click Profile → Add Device → Bracelet → Mi Smart Band 3.
• Allow the app to use Bluetooth.
• Confirm the pairing on the bracelet - the code will appear on the screen, which you need to compare with the code in the application.

If Mi Band 3 is not available, try:

• 🔄 Reset the bracelet: Press the touch button for 10 seconds until vibration appears.
• 📱 Update Bluetooth module on your phone (in Bluetooth settings, select "Update Device List").
• 🚫 Shut down. VPN — It can block the connection to Xiaomi servers.

3. Basic settings: time, date, notifications

Once you've successfully connected, you need to set up the basic parameters without which the bracelet will not work properly. Start by syncing time — if the watch on the Mi Band 3 is in a hurry or lags, that's the problem.

Open the Mi Fitness app, go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 3 → Settings of the device and perform:

Pay special attention to the notification settings. By default, Mi Band 3 only shows alerts for calls.

1. Go to the Device Settings → Notifications from the annexes.
2. Select the desired applications (for example, WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber).
3. Turn on the option to show content to see the text of messages.

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If notifications don't come, check your phone's power saving settings. Some manufacturers (e.g. Xiaomi, Huawei) block the background of apps to save battery. Add Mi Fitness to the exception list.

4. Set up a pedometer and track activity

The Mi Band 3 is equipped with a 3-axis accelerometer and an optical heart rate sensor that counts steps, calories and sleep monitoring. However, by default, the accuracy is poor - the bracelet can count steps while driving or working at a computer.

To improve accuracy:

1. Please provide personal data: In Profile → Personal details enter your exact weight, height, gender and year of birth. Select activity level (low, medium, high).
2. Calibrate the pedometer: Come on 20–30 Take steps with your phone in your hand, then compare the data in Mi Fitness and Google Fit/Apple Health, if the difference is greater 10%, Calibrate the bracelet into Settings → Stepper → Sizing.

Set up goals

• In profile. → Set your daily rate of steps (8000–10,000 recommended).

To track running, walking and cycling:

• 🏃 Enable automatic activity recognition in Settings → Activity recognition.
• 📊 Activate. GPS (Android only – the bracelet will be used GPS router.
• ⚠️ Turn off battery saving for Mi Fitness, otherwise data may not be saved.

5. Sleep and heart rate monitoring: Hidden opportunities

Mi Band 3 can track sleep phases (deep, light, REM) It's a real-time heart rate, but these functions often don't work properly without additional adjustments, such as a bracelet that might not capture daytime naps or show unrealistically high heart rate.

To set up sleep tracking:

1. Enable the option of Automatic Sleep Tracking in Settings → Son.
2. Set the sensitivity to High (if you sleep restlessly) or Low (if the bracelet fixes false awakenings).
3. Activate the Smart Alarm – it will wake you up in the light sleep phase 30 minutes before the set time.

For monitoring heart rate:

• 🩺 Include Continuous pulse measurement in Settings → Heart rate (discharges the battery faster).
• ⚠️ Set a high pulse warning (e.g. 120 beats/min) – the bracelet vibrates when it is above normal.
• 📈 Check the accuracy of the sensor: compare the readings with a tonometer or other pulsemeter.

Mi Band 3 can track sleep apnea (stop breathing), but this feature is hidden in Chinese firmware.

1. Install alternative software (e.g., Amazfit via Notify & Fitness for Mi Band).
2. Enable the Sleep Apnea Detection option in manual mode.

Xiaomi does not officially support this feature on global firmware.

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To accurately track sleep, wear a bracelet on your non-working hand (for right-handers, on your left) and tighten the strap so that the sensor fits tightly to your skin, but does not transmit blood vessels.

6 Additional functions: alarm clocks, weather, phone search

Beyond the basic features, the Mi Band 3 supports a few useful hidden features that many don’t know about: For example, the bracelet can show weather forecast, control music on your phone, or even unlock a Xiaomi smartphone without entering a password.

How to set up:

• ⏰ Alarm clocks: Add up to 10 alarm clocks to Settings → Select the days of the week and the type of vibration (Short/Long). Activate Repeat if you need to wake up at the same time daily.
• 🌦️ Weather: Enable the Weather option in Settings → Screen. → Weather. Select the city manually or allow geolocation. On the bracelet, swipe up the screen to see the 3-day forecast.
• 🎵 Music control: Turn player control into settings. Now, when you play music on your phone, you can swipe tracks across the bracelet screen.
• 🔍 Phone search: Activate device search in settings. If the phone is lost, click on the icon 🔍 on the bracelet - the smartphone will emit a loud signal.

For owners of Xiaomi smartphones, a unique unlock function on the bracelet is available:

1. Open the phone settings → Passwords and security → Unlocking with Mi Band.
2. Tie the bracelet to the device.
3. Now, when you bring the Mi Band 3 to the screen, the phone unlocks without input. PIN-code.

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If the phone search function doesn’t work, check if your smartphone is Bluetooth enabled and within 10 meters of the bracelet. Also make sure that Mi Fitness allows geolocation and microphone access (required for an audible signal).

7. Customization: dials, wallpaper and gestures

The look of the Mi Band 3 can be completely changed, from the dial to the way you interact with the screen. The official app offers a limited selection of themes, but with the help of third-party tools (for example, Notify & Fitness for Mi Band), thousands of designs are available.

How to change the dial:

1. Open Mi Fitness and go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 3 → Topics.
2. Choose your favorite dial from the suggested ones (usually 5-10 options).
3. Click Apply - the theme will be loaded on the bracelet.

For the installation of custom dials:

• 🎨 Download the Amazfit Watchfaces app or Mi Band Master app.
• Choose a design and export it to Mi Fitness.
• ⚠️ Make sure the bracelet firmware version supports third-party themes (relevant for firmware above 1.1.0.44).

Gesture settings:

• 👆 Raising your hand to turn on the screen: activate in Settings → Screen. → Raising your hand.
• 🔄 Screen Autoturn: Turn on in the same settings if you wear a bracelet on your right hand.
• 🔒 Screen lock: set up PIN-code → Screen lock (4 digits).

If the screen of the bracelet is too dim or, conversely, blinds at night, adjust the brightness:

1. Go to Settings → Screen → Brightness.
2. Choose level 1 to 5 (recommended 3-4 for daytime).
3. Activate Auto Brightness if you want the bracelet to adjust to the lighting itself.

8 Problems and Solutions: What to Do When Mi Band 3 is Not Working

Even after setting up correctly, the Mi Band 3 can be unstable, not syncing, discharging quickly, or not showing notifications, and 90% of the time, problems are solved with simple actions.

Typical faults and ways to eliminate them:

If the bracelet does not respond to touch, try:

• 🧼 Wipe the screen with an alcohol wipe (fat or sweat can block the sensor).
• 🔌 Connect to charging for 10 minutes - sometimes the sensor "hangs" at low charge.
• 🔄 Reset the settings to factory (Settings) → Reset).

Firmware warning:

⚠️ Note: If you decide to update your bracelet firmware manually (via Mi Band Tools or Notify & Fitness), use only files for your model (XMSH07HM global version, XMSH08HM Inconsistency of firmware can lead to complete loss of functionality and the need to contact a service center.

If none of these methods worked, check the bracelet for physical damage:

• 🔋 Check the charging contacts – they should be clean and not bent.
• 💧 Make sure that there is no moisture inside the body (despite the stated IP68, Long-term exposure to water can damage the cost).
• 🔧 Check the strap – if it is too tightly tight, the pulse sensor may not work properly.

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Before resetting the bracelet settings to factory, export the data to Mi Fitness (section Profile) → Exporting data: This will preserve the history of activity that can be restored after reconfiguring.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions