How to change the time on Xiaomi fitness bracelet: all ways 2026

Incorrect timing on Xiaomi Mi Band is one of the most common problems faced by owners of fitness bracelets. Watches can rush, lag behind or even show a date from the last century, especially after resetting, changing the battery or changing the time zone on the smartphone. Unlike classic wristwatches, smart wristbands Xiaomi automatically synchronize time through the application, but sometimes this process fails.

In this article, we will look at all the current ways to change the time on models from Mi Band 3 to Mi Band 8, including manual adjustment through Mi Fitness (formerly Mi Fit) and Zepp Life, as well as solutions for cases when synchronization does not work, and pay special attention to the typical errors that cause the bracelet to “forget” the right time, and how to fix them without going to the service center.

If your bracelet shows the wrong date or hour, don’t panic: 90% of the time, the problem is solved in 2-3 minutes.The main thing is to know where to look for the right settings and how to get the device to update data. Next, you will find step-by-step instructions with pictures (for visual understanding), a table of compatibility of models and applications, as well as answers to frequent questions that users have.

Why is Xiaomi Mi Band running out of time?

Before you change the time manually, it's important to understand why the bracelet shows the wrong data.

• 📱 The bracelet receives time from the phone via Bluetooth. If communication is interrupted (for example, due to a Bluetooth switched off or a malfunction in the application), the clock freezes at the last known value.
• ⚡ Battery discharged, lower charge level 10% The bracelet may not work properly, including time failure, especially for the Mi Band. 3/4 battery-powered.
• 🌍 If you're traveling or manually changing your phone's time zone, the bracelet may need to be forced to sync.
• 🔄 Reset: After reset, the bracelet returns to factory settings, including the date and default time (often January 1, 2000).
• 📲 Older versions of the bracelet software (Mi Band 5 and below) had time-synchronization bugs that were patched with updates.

Fun fact: Xiaomi bracelets don't have their own GPS module or connection to time servers (unlike smart watches) and they depend entirely on the data that the smartphone transmits through the app, so if the phone is at the wrong time, the bracelet will also be wrong.

Important: Mi Band 7 and later bracelets can lose time when switching between devices (for example, if you connected the bracelet to another phone), in which case only forced synchronization will help.

How to change time on Xiaomi Mi Band with Mi Fitness (Zepp Life)

The main way to update the time is to force synchronization through the official application. The instructions are suitable for all models, including the Mi Band 3-8, Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro and others. The algorithm is the same, but the names of menu items may vary slightly depending on the version of the application.

Steps for Mi Fitness (formerly Mi Fit):

1. Open the Mi Fitness app on your smartphone.
2. Make sure the bracelet is connected (the device model and charge level should be displayed at the top of the screen).
3. Go to the Profile tab (the human icon in the lower right corner).
4. Select your bracelet from the list of devices.
5. Scroll down and click Sync Data (or Update in older versions).
6. Wait until the process is completed (usually 5-10 seconds).

For the Zepp Life app (relevant to the Mi Band 7/8 and new models):

1. Launch Zepp Life and wait for the bracelet to connect.
2. Slip the bracelet icon on the main screen.
3. Select Device Settings → Additionally.
4. Click Sync Time (or Update Data).

If the time has not changed after the synchronization, try the following steps:

• 🔄 Reset the bracelet: Press the touch button for 10-15 seconds before the Mi logo appears.
• 📱 Restart the Mi app Fitness/Zepp Life and repeat synchronization.
• 🔗 Disable and reconnect the bracelet in the Bluetooth settings of the smartphone.

Bluetooth enabled on your phone|The bracelet is charged at least to 20%|Application Mi Fitness/Zepp Life updated|The bracelet is located next to the smartphone (in radius). 1 square)|The phone has the correct date and time-->

Manual time setting without synchronization

In some cases (e.g., without a smartphone or app issues), you can manually set the time directly on the bracelet. However, this method only works on Mi Band 6 and later (including Mi Band 7/8 and Smart Band 7 Pro). On Mi Band 3/4/5, manual time setting is not possible - only through the app.

Instructions for Mi Band 6-8:

1. Scroll the screen to the right to the point More (or More).
2. Select Settings (cog icon).
3. Scroll down to the date and time and tap it.
4. Turn off the autosynchronization option (if it is active).
5. Manually set the Time Zone, Time Format (12/24 hours) and current Date/Time.
6. Save the changes and return to the main screen.

⚠️ Warning: After manually setting up, the time on the bracelet may be lost again the next time you connect to the phone, as the app will try to sync the data. To avoid this, turn back on Auto Sync after setting the correct time.

On the Mi Band 5 and older, there is no manual time setting. The only way out is to sync through the app or reset the bracelet to factory settings (see next section).

Resetting the bracelet as a last resort

If neither synchronization nor manual tuning works, you'll have to reset the bracelet completely, and that will bring the device back to factory settings, including the right time (if the smartphone passes it correctly), and it works for all Mi Band models, but keep in mind that you'll have to reset notifications, alarms, and other settings once it's reset.

How to drop an bracelet:

• 📱 Through the app: Open Mi Fitness/Zepp Life. Go to the bracelet settings. Select to turn off the device or delete the bracelet. Confirm the action and wait until the process is complete. Reconnect the bracelet as a new device.
• 🔧 Hardware reset (for Mi Band 3-7): Disconnect the bracelet from your phone in Bluetooth settings. → About the device → Reset (path may be different) Confirm reset by holding the touch button for 3 seconds.

⚠️ Note: On Mi Band 8 and Smart Band 7 Pro, hardware reset is performed via Settings → System system → Reset. Once reset, the bracelet will reset and show the code to re-bind.

After discharge:

1. Connect the bracelet to your phone via Mi Fitness/Zepp Life.
2. Wait for automatic time synchronization (can take up to 1 minute).
3. Check that the phone has enabled the option Automatic date and time (in the system settings).

Table of compatibility of models and methods of setting time

Not all Xiaomi bracelets support manual time settings, and the table below shows the current ways for each model:

Note that for the Mi Band 6 and later, manual time setting is only available when auto sync is disabled, otherwise the bracelet will automatically adjust to the data of the smartphone.

Solving problems with time synchronization

If the time on the bracelet does not update even after several attempts of synchronization, use these tips:

• 📵 Check Bluetooth connectivity: Make sure Bluetooth is on on your phone. Remove the bracelet from the list of associated devices and reconnect. Turn off battery savings for the Mi app Fitness/Zepp Life (in the phone settings).
• 🔄 Update the firmware: Open the Mi app Fitness/Zepp Life. Go to bracelet settings. Select firmware update and follow the instructions.
• 📱 Set the time on your phone: Check that the smartphone has Automatic Date and Time enabled. If you use manual settings, make sure the time zone matches your region.
• 🔋 Battery problems: Charge the bracelet to 100% - low charge can cause failures. If the bracelet discharges quickly, check battery wear (relevant for models over 2 years old).

💡

If the Mi Band 7/8 bracelet shows the wrong time after the firmware update, try rolling back the software to the previous version. To do this, in the Zepp Life app, go to the bracelet settings → Firmware Update → Roll back (if the option is available).

For Mi Band 5 and older owners: If time synchronization is unstable, try changing the region in the app. Sometimes Xiaomi servers fail in certain countries.

1. Open Mi Fitness.
2. Go to Profile → Settings → Region.
3. Choose another country (e.g., the United States or Germany).
4. Restart the application and sync the bracelet.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many users make the same mistakes when trying to change the time on the Xiaomi Mi Band, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

• ❌ Ignoring app updates: Older versions of Mi Fitness or Zepp Life may not sync time correctly. Always update the app to the latest version via Google Play or App Store.
• ❌ Synchronize with the Internet off. The app needs to communicate with Xiaomi servers to transfer time correctly. Turn on mobile Internet or Wi-Fi.
• ❌ Use of informal firmware. Castom firmware (e.g. from Amazfit) may conflict with the original bracelet software, causing time disruptions.
• ❌ Connecting the bracelet to multiple phones. If the bracelet is tied to two devices at the same time, it can get mixed up in data.

💡

If the bracelet shows the time with a difference of several hours, check the time zone settings on the phone. For example, in Russia, the UTC+3 belt may be active (Moscow), and the bracelet may use UTC+0 by default.

Another common problem is that once you've changed the battery, the bracelet resets time, which is normal, because when you shut down the power, the internal clock resets, and in that case, you just have to re-synchronize the device with the smartphone.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions