Xiaomi Mi Band 4 is one of the most popular fitness bracelets on the market, combining affordable price, stylish design and extensive functionality. Launched in 2019, it is still a hot choice for those who want to track health, sports and daily activities without extra costs. But what exactly does this gadget do? What hidden features lurk beneath its compact body? And how to use it to unlock its full potential?
In this article, we will take a look at all the features of the Mi Band 4, from basic (stepmeter, pulsemeter) to advanced (music control, weather notifications), learn how the bracelet works with notifications, what sports modes it supports, how to set alarms and reminders, and what hidden chips are in the firmware, and we will give practical tips for increasing battery life and solving typical problems.
If you are just planning to buy or already own Mi Band 4, but do not use it to the fullest, this guide will help you understand all the nuances. FAQ answering the most frequent questions.
Design and Specifications: What’s Inside the Mi Band 4
Before diving into the features, it’s worth figuring out what’s hidden under the plastic body of the bracelet.The Xiaomi Mi Band 4 has seen significant improvements over the previous model, especially in terms of display and sensors.
Main technical characteristics:
- 📱 Display: 0.95" AMOLED permittingly 120×240 pixels, touch, supports swipes and touches.
- 🔋 Battery: 135 mAh, declared autonomy up to 20 days (real - 7-14 days with active use).
- 💓 Sensors: optical pulsemeter (PPG), accelerometer, gyroscope.
- 🌊 Defense: 5 ATM (Waterproof up to 50 meters, you can swim).
- 📶 Communication: Bluetooth 5.0 BLE, Compatibility with Android 4.4+ iOS 9.0+.
- 📦 Weight and size: 22.2 d (with strap), body — 46.9 × 17.9 × 12.5 mm.
The display has become a key update: now it is a full-fledged color AMOLED-The screen with support for custom dials (you can download them through the Mi Fit app), the body is made of matte plastic, and the strap is made of thermoplastic elastomer (TPU), It's more secure, it's more secure, it's now fixed by a latch, not just inserted into the groove, like in Mi Band 3.
It is important to note that the Mi Band 4 was released in two versions: standard and NFC (for the Chinese market). NFC-The model supports contactless payments via Alipay, but in Russia and Europe this feature does not work due to service limitations. Both versions are compatible with the official Mi Fit application, but some functions (for example, managing a smart home) may differ depending on the regional firmware.
Health Tracking: Heart rate, sleep and real-time activity
The Mi Band 4 is designed to monitor health, and the wristband is equipped with an optical heart rate sensor that measures your heart rate every 5 to 30 minutes (the interval is customizable in the app), and the accuracy of the measurements is comparable to more expensive devices, but there are nuances.
What does a bracelet do in terms of health:
- ❤️ Continuous pulse monitoring with alerts about excess of the norm (configured in Profile) → Notifications of heart rate).
- 😴 Sleep analysis: phase separation (deep, light, REM), recording of awakenings and sleep with detailed statistics.
- 🚶 Stepmer and calories: automatic step count, distance, calories burned (algorithm takes into account weight, height and age).
- 🔥 Activity level (PAI): A personal index that measures your daily workload and gives recommendations.
The Mi Band 4 captures not only the duration but also the quality of sleep, highlighting phases and offering tips for improvement. For example, if you wake up often at night, the Mi Fit app will show you a schedule and recommend going to bed earlier. However, for accurate analysis, you need to wear the bracelet on the wrist of a non-dominant hand (for right-handers on the left, for left-handers on the right) and tightly, but not squeezing the skin.
There are limitations: the pulse sensor can malfunction during intense exertion (for example, while running or cycling), and sleep analysis does not take into account the daytime rest (SpO₂) — This feature only appeared in the Mi Band 5.
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For a more accurate pulse measurement, wet your skin under the sensor with water or an ultrasound gel (no alcohol!) before exercising, which will improve contact and reduce error.
Sports modes: what types of activity supports the bracelet
Mi Band 4 offers 6 built-in sports modes that are activated via the bracelet menu or automatically (when synchronized with the Mi Fit app).
Affordable sports modes:
| Regime. | What's tracking | Features |
|---|---|---|
| 🏃 Running outside | Distance, pace, pulse, calories | Uses it. GPS smartphone |
| 🚶 Walking | Steps, distance, time, pulse | Suitable for hiking and trekking |
| 🚴 Cycling | Speed, distance, pulse. | Requires a connection to a smartphone for GPS |
| 🏊 Swimming | Pool length, number of strokes, calories | It only works in the pool (not for open water) |
| 🏋️ Gym room | Exercise time, pulse, calories | Not fixed specific exercises |
| 🧘 yoga | Time, pulse, calories. | Suitable for static loads |
To activate the mode, you need:
- Go to the bracelet menu (swipe up from the main screen).
- Select the item Training (icon with a running man).
- Click on the sport and confirm the start (button on the screen).
After training, the data is automatically synchronized with the Mi Fit, where you can see detailed statistics, including heart rate charts and recommendations for recovery. GPS (Unlike the Mi Band 7 with built-in modules, the phone must be with you to track your distance accurately when running or cycling.
How to add a custom sports mode?
Notifications and smart functions: calls, messages, weather
The Mi Band 4 not only monitors health, but also works as a miniature smart display for notifications. The bracelet syncs with the smartphone and shows incoming calls, SMS, Messages from messengers and even alerts from social networks.
What notifications are supported:
- 📞 Calls: name or number of the subscriber, the ability to reset the call (on the bracelet).
- 💬 Communications: SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber, Facebook Messenger, etc. (list is configured in Mi Fit).
- 📧 Email: Alerts from Gmail, Outlook and other email clients.
- 🌦️ Weather: current temperature, forecast for the day (updated at synchronization).
- 🔔 Calendar: Event reminders from Google Calendar or the Standard Calendar.
To set up notifications:
- Open the Mi Fit app and go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 4 → Notifications.
- Turn on the Call Notification and Notifications from the apps switch.
- Select the applications you want to see on the bracelet.
- Set up the Vibration and Screenlighting when you receive new notifications.
Important: The Mi Band 4 only shows text notifications, but does not allow you to respond to them (unlike a smartwatch), and the bracelet does not support voice assistants (for example, Google Assistant or Alice) – this requires more advanced models like the Mi Band 7 Pro.
Turn the vibration on to maximum.|Add only important messengers to the white list|Turn off unnecessary alerts (e.g. from games)|Set up automatic weather synchronization every 3 hours-->
Autonomy and battery: how to extend the life of the bracelet
Xiaomi officially says the Mi Band 4 lasts up to 20 days on a single charge, but in practice this figure varies from 7 to 14 days depending on the intensity of use.
How to increase the working time:
- 🔄 Reduce the pulse rate to 30 minutes (in Profile) → Settings of the device → Monitoring of heart rate).
- 📵 Disable unnecessary notifications (especially from social media and games).
- 🌙 Use dark dials (AMOLED-The screen consumes less energy when displaying black).
- 🔌 Turn off the bracelet while you sleep if you don’t need monitoring (double press the button). → Turn it off).
It takes about 1.5 to 2 hours to charge.
- Remove the capsule from the strap.
- Connect it to the charging cable (includes).
- Insert USB-plug-in.
The critical nuance is that if the bracelet is discharged to 0%, it may not turn on after recharging, in which case you need to hold it on charging for 10-15 minutes, and then press and hold the button until the logo appears.
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Optimal mode for autonomy: monitoring the pulse every 30 minutes, disconnected notifications from social networks and a dark dial, in which the bracelet will work for 12-14 days.
Hidden features and life hacks for Mi Band 4
Beyond the standard features, the Mi Band 4 has a few hidden features that many users are unaware of, and can be activated through informal apps or special action combinations.
Top.-5 latent:
- 🔍 Phone search: if you lost your smartphone, you can start the signal from the bracelet (menu) → More. → Find the phone).
- 🎵 Music control: pause/play, track switching (works with most players).
- 🔋 Battery percentage: Displays on the home screen after updating the firmware to the latest version.
- 🌓 Night mode: the screen will not turn on when you turn your wrist (configured in Mi Fit).
- 🔄 Quick change of dial: swipe left on the main screen → selection.
For advanced users, there is the option to install custom firmware (such as Amazfit Mod), which adds:
- Support for new dials (including animated ones).
- Advanced notification settings.
- Activation of hidden sports regimes.
⚠️ Warning: Installing unofficial software can lead to loss of warranty and unstable bracelet operation.
Another useful life hack: if the bracelet stopped synchronizing with the smartphone, try:
- Reset the bracelet (hold the button for 10 seconds).
- Remove it from the list of devices in the phone’s Bluetooth settings.
- Update the Mi Fit app to the latest version.
Comparison with other models: whether to buy the Mi Band 4 in 2026
Although the Mi Band 4 was released in 2019, it is still in demand due to its low price and balanced functionality, but it has both advantages and disadvantages over the new models.
The pluses of Mi Band 4:
- ✅ Price: In 2–3 Cheaper than Mi Band 7/8.
- ✅ Display: AMOLED sun-readable.
- ✅ Autonomy: Longer to run than new models with color screens.
- ✅ Simplicity: No unnecessary functions, everything is intuitive.
Cons compared to the Mi Band 5/6/7:
- ❌ No measurement. SpO₂ (oxygenation).
- ❌ Fewer sports modes (there are 30 in the new models)+).
- ❌ No built-in GPS (only through the smartphone).
- ❌ No support for Always-On Display (Constantly On Screen).
⚠️ WARNING: If you need blood oxygen, stress tests, or a voice assistant, consider the Mi Band 7 or Mi Smart Band Pro. But if the main tasks are pedometer, pulse, and notifications, then the Mi Band 4 is still a great choice for the money.
The cost of the new Mi Band 4 in 2026 ranges from 1,500-2,500 rubles, which makes it one of the most budget fitness bracelets with a high-end performance. AMOLED-In the secondary market, you can find a device even cheaper, but it is worth checking the status of the battery (it loses capacity over time).