The Chinese giant’s modern wearables have become some of the most popular in the world due to their excellent price-to-function ratio. However, after buying the device, many users face difficulties in their first launch, as without the right initial configuration, the gadget turns into a regular electronic watch with a limited set of functions.
The process of getting ready for work takes no more than ten minutes, but requires attention to detail, especially when choosing applications and allowing system access. In this article, we will discuss in detail how to activate a smartwatch, choose the right application for your model, and avoid common errors that often lead to data synchronization failures.
This stage should not be ignored, as it lays the foundation for the stable operation of the activity tracker, notifications and other smart functions in the future, the correct setting will ensure the accuracy of pulse, steps and sleep measurements, and will extend the battery life by optimizing background processes.
Before you start setting up, make sure your device is fully charged.Many models, such as the Xiaomi Mi Band or Amazfit, can come with a discharged battery, and turning on a low charge can cause the system to malfunction or freeze when updating the firmware.
Choosing the Right Application for Management
The first and most critical step is to choose the right software, as Xiaomi’s ecosystem is fragmented and uses different applications for different product lines.A mistake at this stage can result in the watch simply not seeing the phone or operating with restrictions.
For most fitness trackers of the Mi Band series (generation 4-7) and some watch models, the main application remains Mi Fit (Zepp Life), however, new devices such as the Xiaomi Watch S1 or Mi Watch Lite often require the installation of the Zepp app or even Mi Fitness (formerly Xiaomi Wear).
- 📱 Zepp Life (Mi Fit): Suitable for Mi Band 4, 5, 6, 7, Mi Scale, Amazfit Bip.
- ⌚ Zepp: Necessary for Amazfit GTR, GTS, T-Rex and the new Xiaomi Watch.
- 🏃 Mi Fitness: used for the latest models such as Mi Band 7 Pro, Watch S1 Active.
- ⚙️ Xiaomi Wear: an outdated application that is gradually replaced by Mi Fitness for WearOS devices.
Download apps exclusively from official Google Play or App Stores to avoid malicious code. After installing the app, take your time to turn on Bluetooth on your watch, first create an account in the app.
⚠️ Note: When registering for an account, indicate your real region of residence. If you choose the wrong country, the server may not synchronize weather data or a map of the area, which will affect the accuracy of the steps and distance counting.
For owners of devices based on Wear OS (for example, Xiaomi Watch 2), you will also need to install a standard Google Wear OS application for initial configuration of the Google system, after which management is transferred to the profile application of the brand.
Process of pairing and activation of the device
Once you install the software and register your account, you can move to the direct connection of the gadget to the smartphone. It is important to follow the sequence of actions, since trying to save the device through the standard Bluetooth menu of the phone before setting up in the application often leads to errors.
Turn on Bluetooth on your smartphone, but don't try to find the watch in the list of available devices just yet. Open the installed app (like Zepp Life) and go to Profile, then select Add Device. The system will prompt you to select the type of device from the list.
Put the watch next to your smartphone at a distance of no more than one meter. If the device is new, it should automatically go to search mode. QR-pairing-code.
☑️ The algorithm of successful pairing
When you connect, you'll be asked to access geolocation and notifications on your smartphone screen, and without these rights, the fitness tracker won't be able to correctly display your jog route or show incoming calls.
If automatic search doesn't work, try rebooting Bluetooth on your phone or turning off and on the watch itself.Relatively, you need to reset your network settings on your smartphone, but that's a last resort.
Configure notifications and system permissions
One of the main reasons for buying a smartwatch is the ability to receive notifications from the phone to the wrist. However, Android and iOS operating systems aggressively save battery power, which often leads to the fact that the companion applications are killed by the system and stop transmitting data.
To work smoothly, you need to manually configure permissions. Go to your smartphone Settings, find the Application section and select the application you use (Zepp, Mi Fit, etc.) Here you need to activate auto-start and prevent the system from saving charge for this process.
- 🔔 Notifications: Allow access to contacts, call log and SMS.
- 📍 Geolocation: Select the “Always Allowed” or “When Used” mode to make tracking workouts work correctly.
- 🔋 Battery: Set “No Limits” mode for the application’s background.
- 📲 Bluetooth: Make sure the app is allowed to work with Bluetooth devices in the background.
In the app itself, under Profile -> Notification settings, you can select the specific apps you want to see on your watch, which can be WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber or standard calls.
Note that you will not be able to respond to a message directly from the clock (if the model does not support keyboard or voice input), you will only be able to view the text or reject the call. For full operation of notification functions, the smartphone screen must be unlocked at least periodically.
⚠️ Attention: On shell devices MIUI or HyperOS must be fixed application in memory (lock in the menu of running applications), so that the system does not close it forcibly when cleaning memory.
Some users experience a delay in notifications, often by turning off the power saving mode for the companion app itself and turning Bluetooth on permanently.
Why aren't the notifications coming?
Personalization of dials and interface
The visual component is what makes the use of the gadget enjoyable. Today's smartwatch allows you to change the watch faces in a few touches, downloading thousands of options from the cloud.
In the app, go to Profile -> My dial (or similar) and see the catalog of available images, and you can choose a static picture, animated background, or even set your own photo from the gallery.
When choosing a dial, pay attention to the complications you want (widgets on the screen) that can be pulse, pace, weather, date or phase of the moon, and not all dials support output of all data at the same time.
| Type of dial | Battery consumption | Informativeness | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Static (picture) | Low. | Medium | For maximum autonomy |
| Animated | High-pitched | Medium | For beauty, but the battery will go down faster |
| Difficult (data) | Medium. | Tall. | For athletes and performance monitoring |
| Photo dial | Medium. | Low. | For personalization to the mood |
You can also change the order of the cards, the measurement system (metric/imperial) and the time format (12/24 hours) in the interface settings, which are synchronized with the phone, but can be changed independently.
For models with AMOLED-The screens recommend setting the screen timeout and Always On Display if supported, allowing you to see time without lifting your wrist, but increasing energy consumption.
Calibration of sensors and health setting
To make your activity data reliable, you need to get the right anthropometrics, and height, weight, age and gender all influence calorie, step and sleep counts.
In the app profile, find the personal data section and update the information. If you plan to use the watch for professional training, you can further calibrate the pulse sensor.
To calibrate, run the Walk or Run training mode in an open area with GPS on your phone (if the clock doesn't have built-in GPS), run a known distance (for example, 400 meters in the stadium) and compare the data.
- ❤️ Pulse: adjust the frequency of measurements (every minute, every 10 minutes or smart mode).
- 💤 Sleep: Turn on sleep phase monitoring and REM-phases for detailed statistics.
- 🩸 SpO2: Activate night blood oxygen monitoring (available on new models).
- 🚶 Objectives: Set realistic daily goals by steps.
It's important to understand that optical sensors on the wrist have a margin of error, especially when you're moving or tattooing your arm, and for maximum accuracy, the watch should fit tightly to your skin, but not squeeze blood flow.
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Wear the watch 1-2 cm above the wrist bone, which will improve the operation of the optical pulse sensor and reduce the number of false positives when moving the hand.
Check firmware updates in the app regularly. Manufacturers often release patches that improve sensor algorithms and correct error in step counting.
Solving common problems when connecting
Even if all instructions are followed, technical difficulties can arise, most often involving a conflict of Bluetooth versions or an application cache.
If the watch doesn't connect, try removing the device from the Bluetooth list in your phone's settings, then uninstall the app and install it again.
Time desynchronization is a common problem. Make sure the app has the option "Sync Time with Phone" on. The watch doesn't have its own real-time watch with long-term autonomy and takes time from the network via phone.
⚠️ Warning: If the watch is stuck and does not respond to touch, set it on charge. On many models, connecting to the charger automatically reboots the system.
In case of permanent connection breaks, check if other Bluetooth devices (headphones, speakers) are used simultaneously. Overloading the communication channel can lead to unstable operation of the data protocol.
If nothing works, reset your watch completely through the device menu or app, which will return the gadget to factory status and remove any accumulated configuration errors.
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Stability of the smart watches on 90% It depends on the correct permissions in the system. Android/iOS and version of the companion app.