Owners of the Chinese giant’s modern wearable gadgets often encounter a cryptic message on a screen or in an app that reads “Pair First,” a phrase that can be confusing even for an experienced user accustomed to automatic device synchronization.
Pair First is a fundamental step in setting up any new Mi Band or Mi Watch device. Without successfully completing this step, the gadget will remain in standby mode and will not be able to transmit health, notifications or pulse data. Understanding the mechanism of this protocol will help avoid many connection problems in the future.
In this article, we will discuss in detail why the system requires initial pairing, how to perform this procedure correctly for Xiaomi Mi Band 7, Mi Band 8 and newer versions, and what to do if the process freezes or interrupts. We will look at the technical nuances of the operation of Bluetooth protocols in the MIUI and HyperOS shell.
The essence of the primary interface protocol
Pair First is a mandatory process for establishing a trusted connection between two devices before exchanging data. In the Xiaomi ecosystem, this is a critical step, as it generates a unique encryption key, which allows the watch and phone to “recognize” each other on subsequent connections without the need for re-authorization.
Many users mistakenly believe that it is enough to turn on Bluetooth and devices will find each other. However, modern security standards implemented in Android and iOS require explicit user confirmation. The system needs to make sure that you connect to your watch, not to the neighbor's fitness tracker. So requesting Pair First is a security mechanism.
The process is initiated when you first turn on a new watch or after a full Hard Reset, at which point the device goes into visibility mode and waits for commands from the control application. It is important to understand that without completing this stage, the functionality of the gadget will be limited only to displaying time and basic functions that are not related to the smartphone.
⚠️ Warning: Interrupting the Pair First process at the stage 90-99% This can cause the clock to freeze in standby mode, requiring both devices to restart.
Technically, this process involves exchanging data packets about the firmware version, MAC-address and profile of the user, if you use a smartphone with a shell MIUI HyperOS, the system may additionally request permissions to access geolocation and contacts, which is also part of the security protocol.
Annexes and preparations required
To successfully complete the Pair First stage, it is not enough to have Bluetooth installed. The key role is played by software that acts as an intermediary. The main application for most modern devices is Mi Fitness (formerly known as Zepp Life for some older models, but new ones require Mi Fitness).
Before starting the procedure, you need to make sure that your software is updated to the latest version. Older versions of the applications may not support the new encryption protocols used in the Mi Band 8 Pro or Xiaomi Watch S3.
It’s also important to check the settings of the smartphone itself. Android operating systems from version 12 and later, and iOS 14+, require additional permissions, in particular, you need to activate location access (GPS), even if you don’t plan to use cards on the clock, this requirement is due to the peculiarities of Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) scanners.
- 📱 Install the official Mi Fitness or Xiaomi Wear app depending on your device model.
- 🔋 Charge your watch and smartphone to at least 40% to avoid being turned off at a critical moment.
- 📍 Turn on geolocation (GPS) and give the application permission to access the location ("Always" or "When using»).
- 🚫 Turn it off. VPN Proxy servers that can block local connection between devices.
If you have previously used a watch with another phone, be sure to break the connection (Unpair) in the application on the old device. Trying to connect the watch that is “registered” on another account will cause a Pair First error with the device conflict code.
☑️ Preparation for interface
Step-by-step instruction for connecting the clock
The process of activating Pair First looks the same for most models, but there are nuances in the sequence of actions: first you need to launch the application on your smartphone and log in to your Xiaomi Account. Without an account, data synchronization is impossible.
After authorization, click on the icon «+» Or add the device button in the main menu, and the app will start scanning the space, and at that point, the watch screen may appear. QR-If you see a sign on a watch that says "Scan" or "Connect," it's a signal to action.
Sometimes the system offers scanning. QR-The phone's camera code. Other times, you just have to click on the device name in the list of found devices, and then you'll see a pop-up on the smartphone screen asking for pairing, and you'll click "Plug" or "Pair».
Important point: the watch will also have a confirmation code on the screen, the numbers on the phone and the watch should match, confirm the action by clicking on the tick or button on the touch screen / case of the watch, only after that the process of setting profiles and synchronizing time will begin.
Sequence of action:
1. Open Mi Fitness → Profile → Add the device
2. Select a model from the list or scan the QR
3. Confirm code matching on both screens
4. wait until the end of resource loading (0-100%)The whole process takes 1 to 3 minutes depending on the speed of the Bluetooth module and the number of updates that need to be downloaded.
Solving Device Detection Problems
The most common problem that users face is that the phone simply does not see the watch despite the activated pairing mode. This may be because the device is already “memorized” by the Bluetooth system, but not associated with the application. In such cases, you need to go to the Bluetooth settings of the smartphone, find the device in the list and choose “Forget” or “Unpair”.
Another common reason is the aggressive energy savings characteristic of MIUI shells. The system can "kill" the background search process, considering it an unnecessary battery consumption. You must manually add the Mi Fitness application to the exceptions ("No restrictions") in the "Battery" or "Activity Control" section.
You should also pay attention to the Bluetooth version. Current Mi Band models require Bluetooth 5.0 or higher to work, and if your smartphone is older than 2016, it may not physically support the necessary communication protocols, leading to endless search or connection error.
⚠️ Warning: If the device search lasts more than 2 minutes, restart Bluetooth on your phone (turn off/on) and restart the app.
Sometimes cleaning the app cache helps. Go to Settings → Applications → Mi Fitness → Memory → Clear the cache. This won’t delete your data, but it will reset temporary files that may have been corrupted.
- 🔄 Perform a full clock reset via the settings menu on the device itself.
- 📡 Reboot your smartphone to reset the Bluetooth protocol stack.
- 🔍 Make sure the watch is no more than 1 meter away from the phone.
- 📲 Check if the watch is connected to another phone in the background.
Specificity of working with different models
Different Xiaomi devices have their own features in the Pair First procedure. For example, the Mi Band bracelets often require confirmation through vibration, while the Xiaomi Watch smartwatch can have a full interface with buttons. Understanding these differences helps you navigate the menu faster.
NFC models like Mi Band NFC or Xiaomi Watch Color can request region settings when first connected, a critical parameter that determines which payment cards and services will be available, and it is often impossible to change the region after initial setup without a complete reset.
For children's Mi Bunny watches or specialized models, the procedure may differ in the scanning requirement. QR-In this case, the camera of the phone is used as the main identification tool, and Bluetooth is only a data channel.
| Model of the device | Annex required | Feature of connection | Bluetooth version |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mi Band 8 / 8 Pro | Mi Fitness | Quick pairing through a pop-up window | 5.3 BLE |
| Xiaomi Watch S3 | Mi Fitness | Requires confirmation on the clock screen | 5.2 BLE |
| Mi Band 7 | Mi Fitness / Zepp Life | Support for both applications | 5.2 BLE |
| Redmi Watch 4 | Mi Fitness | Strict GPS requirements at first entry | 5.3 BLE |
Importantly, trying to use the Zepp Life app for new models (8 Series and newer) will result in a report of incompatibility, and in such cases, the system will insist on switching to Mi Fitness to complete the Pair First procedure.
Why do old models work in Zepp Life and new models don’t?
Configure access rights and permissions
Successful completion of the Pair First phase is only half the battle: To keep the watch running properly, you need to configure access rights in the smartphone operating system, without this notification, there will be no coming, and sleep and activity tracking will be interrupted.
First of all, check the permissions for the app. It should have access to: contacts (to display callers' names), call log, SMS, location, physical activity and microphone (if there is a voice input feature). Android 13+ also requires permission for Close Devices.
You have to pay special attention to auto-start, because on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO phones you have to manually turn on auto-start for the watch, otherwise, after you reboot the phone, the connection with the watch will be lost, and you will have to reconnect it every time.
💡
For stable operation, pin the Mi Fitness application in memory (Lock in the menu of recent applications) so that the system does not unload it from RAM.
It is also recommended to enable notifications on the locked screen, which will allow the watch to read text messages even when the phone is in a pocket with the screen gone.
- 🔓 Allow notifications to be accessed in system settings Android/iOS.
- 🏃♂️ Give access to health sensors (stepmeter, pulse) in the section "Fitness».
- 📞 Allow access to the phone book for contact synchronization.
- 🔔 Enable the display of notification banners for all important applications.
If you use an iPhone (iOS), the rights setting process is more stringent, the system will repeatedly request confirmations every time you update the app or change your privacy settings, which is normal and part of Apple's security policy.
Frequent errors and methods of their elimination
Even if you follow all the instructions, you can crash, and one of the most common mistakes is, "Failed to connect" after 99% of the progress, most often due to an unstable Internet connection, as at this point the app tries to download the dials or update the firmware of the watch.
Another problem is time desynchronization. If the clock is not matching, check the time zone in the phone settings. The clock takes time from there, and if the phone is automatically detecting and the watch is manual, there will be a conflict.
In rare cases, cleaning the conjugated device list in the phone's Bluetooth menu itself helps. Remove all old, unused devices. A crowded list can interfere with the proper operation of the Pair First protocol.
⚠️ Warning: Do not try to connect the watch to two different Mi accounts at the same time.This will lock the device until the next reset.
If nothing works, do a full Factory Reset, which is usually done on bracelets via the System menu» → «Reset. After that, you have to start from the beginning.
💡
90% of connection problems are solved by completely removing the device from the phone’s Bluetooth memory and re-installing the Mi Fitness app.