How to change the time on the Xiaomi bracelet: 5 working ways

Xiaomi fitness bracelets are some of the most popular wearables, but even they sometimes fail users with a basic function: displaying the exact time. If your Mi Band or Smart Band shows the wrong clock, ahead / behind by a few minutes (or even hours), the problem is solved in 5-10 minutes. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways of synchronizing time, from automatic setting through the application to manually resetting when crashes.

The reasons for incorrect time on the Xiaomi bracelet are different, from banal battery discharge to software errors after a firmware update. For example, the Mi Band 5 and 6 often knock down the watch at a low charge (below 10%), and the Mi Band 7/8 can “hang” after disconnecting from the smartphone for a long time. We tested all methods on models from 2020-2026 and identified those that work steadily.

Important: if the bracelet shows a time of a few seconds, that's fine -- the synchronization error over Bluetooth is up to 30 seconds, but if the difference is greater than 1-2 minutes, it's time to act.

1. Automatic time synchronization through Mi Fitness/Zepp Life

The easiest way to update the time is to get the bracelet to sync with your phone.

• 📱 Open the Mi Fitness app (for older models) or Zepp Life app (for Mi Band) 6/7/8 newer).
• 🔄 Scroll down to the Device section and select your bracelet.
• 🔍 Find the item “Sync data” or “Update” (in new versions of the application it can be hidden under the icon). ⚙️ «Settings»).
• ⏳ Wait for the process to be completed – synchronization animation will appear on the bracelet screen.

If there is no “Sync” button, try to force the data to update:

1. Go to the profile of the bracelet in the application.
2. Slap the icon. ↻ (update) in upper right corner.
3. Wait 10-15 seconds – the time should be updated automatically.

⚠️ Warning: If the bracelet is not synced, check if Bluetooth is on on the phone and if the gadget is within range (up to 10 meters). Also make sure that the smartphone settings allow automatic device search (Android: Settings) → Connected devices → Bluetooth → Additionally).

2. Manual time change via app (for Mi Band 3/4/5)

Older bracelet models (Mi Band 3-5) allow you to manually adjust time through a hidden menu in the application, which is relevant if automatic synchronization does not work:

1. Open Mi Fitness and go to your bracelet profile.
2. Press three points. ⋮ in the upper right corner and select “Additional settings».
3. Scroll down to the Time and Date section (it's called Time Settings on some firmware).
4. Turn off the autosynchronization option and enter the current date/time manually.
5. Save the changes and wait for the vibration of the bracelet - this is a signal of a successful update.

In Mi Band 6 and later, manual time settings through the app are not available – use the methods in the following sections.

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If after manual settings time again is lost, try to calibrate the battery: discharge the bracelet to 0% and charge to 100% without interruptions.

3.Reset bracelet settings to restore time

If neither synchronization nor manual adjustment helps, the cause may be a software failure, in which case resetting the bracelet to factory settings will help.

Instructions for all Xiaomi models:

1. On the bracelet, go to Settings → About Device → Reset (for Mi Band 6/7/8, the path may differ: Settings → System → Reset).
2. Confirm the action by clicking on the tick ✓.
3. Once rebooted, the bracelet will return to factory settings, reconnect it to your phone via Mi Fitness/Zepp Life.

If the bracelet does not respond to touch, perform a hardware reset:

• 🔋 Turn off the bracelet from charging.
• 👆 Press the touch button for 10-15 seconds until you feel vibration.
• 📱 Connect to the phone again.

⚠️ Note: On the Mi Band 8 and Smart Band Pro, the hardware reset is performed differently: you need to tap the screen 5 times quickly, then hold your finger for 5 seconds. If the bracelet does not vibrate, try again or check the battery charge (should be at least 20 times%).

Disable the bracelet from charging |Sync data with your phone |Remember the current alarm settings |Recharge the bracelet to at least 30% |Confirm a stable Bluetooth connection

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4. Check regional settings and time zone

Xiaomi bracelets take time data not only from your phone, but also from the app's regional settings. If you're traveling or have recently changed time zones, this can cause crashes.

• 🌍 In Mi Fitness/Zepp Life go to profile bracelet → «Settings of the device» → «Time zone».
• 🕒 Make sure your current time zone is selected (for example, UTC+3 Moscow).
• 🔄 If the belt is incorrect, update it manually or enable the “Autodetermination” option».

On Android, check your phone’s settings as well:

1. Go to Settings → System → Date and time.
2. Activate Automatic Date and Time and Automatic Time Zone.
3. If the options are already on, turn them off, restart the phone, then turn them on again.

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If the bracelet shows the time with a difference of exactly 1-2 hours, in 90% of cases the problem is in the wrong time zone on the phone or in the application.

5. Update the bracelet firmware to correct time errors

Sometimes time disruptions are due to outdated bracelet firmware, such as the Mi Band 7 before version 1.10.5.0, where time was lost after disconnecting from the phone for 12+ hours.

1. Open Zepp Life (or Mi Fitness for older models)
2. Go to the profile of the bracelet → “Firmware update”.
3. If a new version is available, click “Update” and wait until it is completed (the bracelet will reboot).

Important:

• 🔋 Make sure the bracelet is at least 50 times charged%.
• 📶 Connect your phone to stable Wi-Fi (mobile internet updates may interrupt).
• ⏳ Do not disconnect the bracelet from your phone until the end of the process (it takes 5-15 minutes).

⚠️ Note: After updating the firmware on the Mi Band 8, some users experience a time freeze, in which case forced synchronization (see section 1) or resetting (section 3) will help).

6. Alternative methods: changing time through third-party applications

If standard methods don't work, you can try third-party tools to control the bracelet, for example, the Notify & Fitness for Mi Band app (available for Android) allows you to manually adjust the time even on new models.

1. Download Notify & Fitness from Google Play.
2. Connect the bracelet via the app (you need to disconnect it from Mi Fitness/Zepp Life).
3. Go to Settings → Device → Time and Date.
4. Turn off Autosynchronization and enter the correct time manually.

Advantages of this method:

• 🔧 Works for the Mi Band. 6/7/8, where manual time setting is blocked.
• 📊 Allows you to adjust the format of time (12/24 hourly) separate from the telephone.
• 🔄 Supports forced synchronization on demand.

Disadvantages:

• ⚠️ Requires to disable the official application (at the same time, the bracelet can be connected to only one program).
• 📱 Some features (such as Mi Pay) may not work well.

7. Hardware causes of incorrect time and their elimination

If the software methods didn't work, the problem could be the hardware of the wristband.

• 🔋 Battery discharge: When charged below 5%, the bracelet goes into energy-saving mode and can reset time. Charge the gadget to 100% and sync.
• 🌡️ Overheating or hypothermia: if the bracelet was in the cold (below) -10°C) or in direct sunlight, the quartz resonator (time-responsible) could fail.
• 💧 Moisture: Even if the bracelet has 5 protections ATM, Condensate inside the enclosure can disrupt electronics. Put the gadget in a dry place for 24 hours (for example, in a bag with silica gel).

If neither of these methods worked, the RTC (real time) module may have failed, leaving two options:

1. Contact the Xiaomi service center (if the bracelet is warranty).
2. Buy a new bracelet - repair will cost more than buying a fresh model (for example, Mi Band 8 costs ~2-3 thousand rubles).

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Before visiting the service center, reset the bracelet and check its work with another phone - this will help to eliminate software errors.

FAQ: Frequent questions about setting up time on Xiaomi