How to Start Using Xiaomi Smart Watches: A Complete Guide for Beginners

Xiaomi smartwatches are not just accessories, but full-fledged assistants for sports, health and everyday tasks. But after buying, many people are faced with the questions: how to turn them on, connect them to the phone, adjust notifications or calibrate the pedometer?

We will not overload you with technical details, but will focus on practical steps that work for most models: Mi Band 7/8 Pro, Xiaomi Watch S3/S4, Redmi Watch 4 We'll focus on common mistakes that beginners make, like why your watch doesn't sync with your phone or run out quickly. If you've just bought a gadget and you don't know where to start, read on!

1. Unpacking and first switching on: what to do immediately after purchase

Start by inspecting the equipment. In the box with the Xiaomi watch should be:

• 📦 The watch itself (sometimes with a strap already installed)
• 🔌 Charging cable (usually magnetic, with USB-Type-C or proprietary connector)
• 📄 Short instructions in several languages (including Russian)
• 🔋 In some models - a spare strap or protective film

The first switch is simple: hold the watch to the charger. Most Xiaomi models activate automatically when connected to the power. If the screen does not respond, press and hold the physical button (if any) or touch the sensor for 3-5 seconds. The Mi logo will appear on the screen, which means that the device is ready to be set up.

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If the watch doesn't turn on after 10 minutes on charging, check the cable and power supply. Sometimes the problem is low current - try charging from a computer or the original Xiaomi adapter.

Important point: before you sync with your phone for the first time, make sure that the clock has enough charge (minimum 20%), otherwise the process may stop and you will have to start over, the battery level is displayed on the screen when you turn on or in the Status menu.

2.Install Mi Fit or Zepp Life: Which to Choose and Why

Xiaomi watches don't work autonomously, but you need an app to be fully used, and the company offers two official options:

How do you choose? If you have a Mi Band. 7 Or older, it's enough Mi Fit. For Xiaomi Watch. S3/S4 You can install Zepp Life, and you can do more data analysis, and you can do it with Android. 6.0+ iOS 12+, But on iPhones, some features (such as quick responses to notifications) may be limited.

Warning: Don't download apps from third-party sources! there were cases in 2023 where fake versions of Mi Fit stole user data.Install only from Google Play or the App Store.

3. Synchronization of the clock with the phone: step-by-step instructions

Now, we're going to connect the watch to the smartphone, and the process is the same for most models.

Open the Mi Fit/Zepp Life app

Click "Add device» (+)

Select a watch model from the list

Scanner. QR-Code (point the camera to the watch screen)

Confirm the pairing in the app and on the clock

Wait for the synchronization to end (5-10 minutes)-->

If the clock is not there, check:

• 📶 Bluetooth is on on your phone (and the clock is 10 meters away)
• 🔄 The clock is activated pairing mode (usually in the Settings menu). → Bluetooth)
• 📱 The phone allowed access to geodata and notifications for the application
• 🔋 Charge level of the clock is not lower than 15%

Critical error: If the synchronization message appears “Device is not supported”, check the region of the Mi Account. Watches purchased in China may require changing the region to “Russia” or “Global” in the application settings.

4. Customization of the main functions: pedometer, pulse, notifications

Once synchronized, we'll set up key settings. Go to the app and select your watch from the device list.

Stepper and activity:

• 👟 Set a goal by steps (we recommend starting with 8,000-10,000 per day)
• 📏 Calibrate the step length: Profile → Physical data → Length of step
• 🏃 Enable automatic recognition of workouts (running, walking, cycling)

Health monitoring:

• ❤️ Turn on a constant pulse measurement (but remember that this reduces battery life)
• 😴 Set up sleep tracking: specify the usual time of off and wake up
• 🩺 Activate notifications of high pulse or low blood oxygen levels (SpO₂)

Notifications:

• 📱 Allow notifications to be accessed in phone settings (Settings) → Annexes → Mi Fit → Notifications)
• ✉️ Select which apps to show alerts (messengers, calls, calendar)
• 🔕 Set up “Do Not Disturb” for sleep or appointments

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To accurately measure the pulse, wear a clock 2-3 fingers above the wrist and tighten the strap so that the sensor is snugly attached to the skin, but does not transmit blood vessels.

5. Managing music, weather and other chips

Xiaomi’s modern watches are much more than just time-reporting, and here are some useful features that many people don’t know about:

Music management:

• 🎵 From the clock you can switch tracks, adjust volume and pause (works with Spotify, YouTube Music, Apple Music)
• 🔊 Some models (e.g. Xiaomi Watch) S4) There is a built-in speaker for receiving calls

Weather and forecast:

• 🌤️ For the weather widget to work, the application must specify your city and allow access to geodata.
• ☔ Set up alerts for rain or extreme temperatures

Voice assistant:

• 🎤 On a microphone watch (such as the Watch 2 Pro), you can activate Alice or Google Assistant with a long press of the button.
• 🗣️ Before first using, go through the voice settings in the Settings menu. → Voice assistant

Payment from hours:

• 💳 On the model with NFC (For example, Mi Band 8 Pro can be linked to a bank card via Mi Pay or Google Pay.
• 🏦 To add a map, go to Settings. → Contactless payments and follow the instructions

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If the watch does not recognize gestures (for example, raising your hand to turn on the screen), check the settings in the Screen. → Sometimes it helps to reset the motion sensor settings.

6. Extension of battery life: practical tips

One of the most common complaints about Xiaomi watches is that the battery is running out quickly.

Optimization of settings:

• 🔋 Turn off your pulse measurement (leave only on schedule, for example, every 30 minutes)
• 📱 Reduce the brightness of the screen to 50-60% and reduce the backlight time to 5 seconds
• 🛌 Enable energy saving mode for the night (Settings) → Battery → Night mode)

Physical factors:

• 🌡️ Avoid overheating or overcooling of the clock (optimal temperature: 0)°–35°C)
• 🔌 Use only the original charging cable – cheap analogues can damage the battery
• 🔄 Fully discharge and charge the watch up to 100% once a month to calibrate the battery

Software life hacks:

• 🔄 Regularly update the firmware of the watch (via Settings) → System system → Update of the PO)
• 🚫 Remove unnecessary widgets and background apps
• 📴 Disable notifications from underutilized apps

- Mi Band 7/8: 10–15 days (with a permanently disabled pulse)

- Xiaomi Watch S3: 5-7 days

- Redmi Watch 4: 7-10 days-->

⚠️ Warning: If the battery runs out in 1-2 days even after optimization, check the watch for software failures. Sometimes resetting to factory settings helps. If the problem persists, contact the service center (possible battery defect).

7. Solving typical problems: the clock does not synchronize, does not count steps, etc.

Even after you've set it up properly, you can have some failures.

Problem 1: The clock is not synced to the phone

• 🔄 Reboot both devices
• 📱 Check if the antivirus or power saving mode is blocking Mi Fit
• 🔗 Remove the device from your phone’s Bluetooth settings and connect again

Problem 2: Improperly counting steps or calories

• 👟 Calibrate the step length manually (see Section 4)
• 📏 Wear your watch on your non-working hand (for right-handers, on your left, and vice versa)
• 🏃 Reset the pedometer data in the app and start over.

Problem 3: Notifications are not received

• ✉️ Check if notifications for Mi Fit are allowed in your phone settings
• 🔕 Make sure the watch is not activated with “Do Not Disturb” mode»
• 📱 Reinstall the Mi Fit app (sometimes helps)

Problem 4: The clock doesn't determine the workout

• 🏊 Enable automatic recognition in training settings
• 📱 Update the watch to the latest version
• 🔄 If the sensors are buggy, reset the motion sensor settings

⚠️ Note: If after updating the firmware watch began to slow down or turn off, try to roll back to the previous version. → Settings → Update of the PO → Recoil (not available on all models).

8.Useful accessories and upgrades for Xiaomi watches

To make the use of the watch even more convenient, consider these accessories:

If you're a sports person, look for a chest pulseometer (like the Xiaomi Mi Band Heart Rate Monitor) that's more accurate than the wrist sensor, especially during intense exercise, and you can use a waterproof case to swim, which protects the strap from chlorine and salt water.

⚠️ Note: when buying straps, check their compatibility with your watch model. For example, the straps for the Mi Band 7 will not work for the Mi Band 8 Pro due to a different mounting.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions