Xiaomi Mi Band 4 Step-by-step setup: from connectivity to hidden features

The Xiaomi Mi Band 4 fitness bracelet remains one of the most popular wearables due to its balance of price and functionality. Even in 2026, this model is popular among users who value reliable activity monitoring, long battery life and convenient notification management. However, many face difficulties when first setting: the bracelet does not connect to the phone, data is not synchronized or alerts do not work. In this article, we will examine all the stages of settings, from basic connection to subtle parameters like automatic sleep recognition or dials.

It’s important to understand that the Mi Band 4 works in tandem with your smartphone through the official Mi Fit app (or alternatives like Notify & Fitness). Without proper synchronization, you won’t be able to use even half the device’s capabilities. We’ll look at not only the standard features like a pedometer or a pulse meter, but also hidden settings — like how to turn off annoying long-seat notifications or adjust your swim bracelet. If you’ve just unpacked the box or want to double-check your current settings, this will help avoid typical errors.

Preparation for setting up: what to do before connecting

Before you start syncing the Mi Band 4 with your phone, make sure all the prerequisites are met, which will save you from common problems such as not being able to find the bracelet in the list of devices or crashing when updating your firmware.

First, check the compatibility of your smartphone. Mi Band 4 officially supports Android 5.0 devices+ or iOS 10.0+, But for stable operation, more recent versions of the OS are recommended.+ You may need a manual resolution for the Mi Fit background – this is often forgotten and then wondered why the bracelet doesn’t fix steps or vibrate when notified.

• 📱 Update your phone’s operating system to the latest version (especially relevant for iPhone with iOS).
• 🔋 Charge the bracelet to at least 50% – with a low charge, some functions (for example, firmware updates) will be blocked.
• 🌐 Connect your phone to the Internet via Wi-Fi or mobile data – without this, you will not be able to download firmware or synchronize data with the Xiaomi cloud.
• 📲 Remove old versions of Mi Fit if they were installed earlier. Often conflicts arise due to residual files.

Also worth considering is that the Mi Band 4 comes with factory firmware, which may be outdated. Once connected to the app, the system will automatically prompt you to update — don’t ignore this notification. Updates not only add new features (such as support for additional dials), but also correct critical errors like incorrect heart rate counting or spontaneous reboots.

⚠️ Note: If you are using Xiaomi Mi Band 4 NFC, Mi Pay is only available in China and some Asian countries, and in Russia and Europe, it can only be used to unlock doors (if supported) or identify smart homes.

Installation and configuration of the Mi Fit application

The official Mi Fit app is the control center for your bracelet. Without it, the Mi Band 4 becomes a regular pedometer without synchronizing data. You can download the program for free from Google Play or the App Store, but there are a few nuances that many people don't know about.

When you first start up, Mi Fit will suggest you sign up or sign in through your Xiaomi account. If you don't have one, create one in advance — without accounting, you won't be able to save data to the cloud or use some features like competing with friends. When you register, provide a real email address: you'll need it to restore access if you forget your password.

Download the latest version of the app (not beta!)

Allow all requests for access to contacts, notifications and geodata

Disable battery optimization for Mi Fit (in Android settings)

Log in to one Xiaomi account on your phone and bracelet-->

After authorization, the application will suggest adding a new device. → Mi Smart Band 4. Here many users make the mistake of trying to connect via Bluetooth manually, bypassing the Mi Fit. This will not work - the bracelet uses a special synchronization protocol, which is only available through official software.

If Mi Fit does not find the bracelet, follow the following steps:

1. Make sure that the Mi Band 4 is on (click on the touch button below the screen).
2. Reboot Bluetooth on your phone (turn off and turn on again).
3. In Bluetooth settings, delete all previously saved devices with the name MI Band 4_....
4. Close Mi Fit through Task Manager and start again.

Mi Band 4 (classic)

Mi Band 4 NFC

Mi Band 5 or newer

Another fitness bracelet

I haven't bought it yet.-->

Basic setting: time synchronization, user profile and notifications

Once the connection is successful, Mi Fit will offer you to adjust the basic parameters, at which point many users miss important details, which later encounter problems - for example, the bracelet shows the wrong time or does not record sleep.

The first thing you need to do is to put your personal profile data on your sex, age, weight and height, which affects calorie counts, sleep quality and activity recommendations, for example, if you put the wrong weight, the bracelet will understate or overstate the calorie burns. To change these settings later, go to Profile → Personal data.

Next, set up time synchronization. The Mi Band 4 takes time from your phone by default, but if you have a frequent time zone change (for example, when traveling), turn on the Auto-Update time zone option in the bracelet settings. This will save you from manual adjustment.

• ⏰ Time format: Select 12- or 24-hour bracelet settings → Display.
• 🔔 Notifications: Allow alerts to be accessed in your phone settings (without this, the bracelet will not vibrate when calling or texting you).
• 🌙 Do Not Disturb: Set your schedule so that the bracelet doesn’t wake you up at night with a vibration.

Pay special attention to setting up notifications. In Mi Fit, you can choose which apps the bracelet will receive alerts from, SMS And some messengers, but you can add any program from WhatsApp to VK. To avoid spam, disable notifications from unnecessary apps (such as games or newsletters).

⚠️ Note: On iPhone due to iOS restrictions, the bracelet can only show notifications from standard apps (calls, SMS, For other messengers, you will need to use workarounds like Notify & Fitness for Mi Band.

Set up activity monitoring: pedometer, pulsemeter and training

The Xiaomi Mi Band 4 is equipped with sensors to track steps, distance, calories burned and heart rate. However, by default, many parameters are set suboptimal — for example, the bracelet can overstate the number of steps or misrecognize activity. Let's figure out how to fix this.

The stepmer and distance are calibrated automatically, but for greater accuracy, it is recommended to manually specify the step length. To do this, walk 10-20 steps with your phone in your hand, measure the distance (for example, from door to wall) and enter it into the bracelet settings. → Steps. → This is especially important for people who walk outside the box or wear a bracelet on their belts rather than their wrists.

The heart rate sensor in the Mi Band 4 works on the principle of photoplethysmography, but its accuracy depends on the correct position of the bracelet.

• 🩺 Wear a bracelet 2-3 fingers above the wrist bone.
• 💦 Avoid measurements immediately after showering or exercising intensely (wet skin distorts the signal).
• ⏱️ For accurate measurement, stay still 1-2 minutes.

To track your workouts, go to the Mi Fit Training section and select the type of activity you want (running, cycling, swimming, etc.) The bracelet automatically recognizes the beginning and end of your workout, but sometimes it makes a mistake, such as taking stairs for climbing stairs. To avoid this, manually start your workout mode before you start your classes.

💡

If the bracelet does not recognize swimming, select the "Swimming" mode manually before training in the pool. Automatic determination only works when you are in intense movements.

Sleep monitoring and activity reminders

One of the most useful features of the Mi Band 4 is sleep tracking, which analyzes the phases of deep, light, REM sleep, as well as waking up, but many users complain that the data does not match the actual state of health, most often due to incorrect settings.

To improve the accuracy of sleep monitoring:

1. Wear the bracelet on your non-working hand (for right-handers on your left, for left-handers on your right) and this reduces the number of false positives.
2. Turn on Sensitive Sleep Mode in the bracelet settings if you sleep restlessly.
3. Make sure the bracelet fits tightly to the wrist, but does not clamp your hand (this distorts the pulse sensor data).

Beyond sleep, Mi Band 4 can remind you to stretch if you sit still for too long, and by default, this notification appears every hour, but it can be configured or turned off:

1. Open the bracelet settings → A reminder of a sedentary lifestyle.
2. Set the interval (30 minutes to 2 hours) or turn off the function completely.
3. Choose the days of the week when reminders should work (for example, weekdays only).

⚠️ Note: If you use a daytime sleep tracking bracelet (e.g., after lunch), note that Mi Fit only takes into account nighttime sleep from 22:00 to 8:00. To record daytime rest, manually mark it in the app as "Dreaming".

Additional features: alarm clocks, phone search and music management

The Xiaomi Mi Band 4 has a lot more to do than count steps, and in this section we’ll look at the less obvious but useful features of the device that many users don’t use.

The alarm clocks on the bracelet are customizable regardless of the phone. You can create up to 10 repeating alarm clocks with a vibration or an audible signal (if the bracelet is connected to the phone).

1. Open the bracelet settings → Alarm clocks.
2. Click Add an alarm clock and specify the time.
3. Choose the days of the week and the type of signal (single or repeated).
4. Activate the Smart Alarm option if you want to wake up in light sleep 30 minutes before your set time.

Another useful feature is finding your phone, so if you lose your smartphone at home, you can make it ring right off your bracelet.

1. Swipe down the Mi Band 4 screen to open the menu.
2. Select the phone search icon (the phone with waves is pictured).
3. The phone will start ringing at maximum volume, even if it was in silent mode.

For music lovers, the bracelet has player control, so you can switch tracks, pause or adjust volume directly from the Mi Band 4 screen.

• 🎵 Run music on your phone (any player, including Spotify or YouTube Music).
• 📱 Make sure that Mi Fit has access to player notifications.
• 🎧 On the bracelet, swipe down and select the Music icon.

💡

The bracelet can only control the player that is currently playing the sound. VK Music, and you opened YouTube, the management will work for YouTube.

Customization: changing the dials and setting the screen

One of the main advantages of the Mi Band 4 is the ability to change faces. The standard options are quickly boring, but Mi Fit has a store with free and paid designs, but not everyone knows how to install and customize them correctly.

To change the dial:

1. Open Profile → Mi Smart Band 4 → Dials.
2. Choose your favorite design from the list (you can filter by category: sports, minimalism, anime, etc.).
3. Press Download and wait for sync with the bracelet (usually takes 10–30 seconds).
4. Once installed, the dial is activated automatically. To return the standard, select Basic in the list.

Some dials support additional widgets, such as weather, battery levels, or moon phases, to keep them running:

• 🌤️ Allow Mi Fit to access geodata (for weather).
• 🔋 Turn on the option to Show battery power in the dial settings.
• 📊 Update data manually by swiping down the bracelet screen (unless the widgets are automatically updated).

You can also set the clock to automatically change the dials depending on the time of day or type of activity, for example, by day displaying the dial with steps, and at night with time and charge level.

1. Download a few dials in advance.
2. In the bracelet settings, select the Automan of the dials.
3. Specify the conditions (time, day of the week or type of activity).

⚠️ Warning: Changing the dials too often (e.g. every hour) can reduce battery life by 10 to 15 percent.

Update firmware and reset settings

Regular firmware updates fix bugs and add new features to the Mi Band 4. However, many users are afraid to upgrade for fear of "breaking" the bracelet.

To update the firmware:

1. Make sure the bracelet is at least 50% charged.
2. Connect your phone to a stable Wi-Fi network (update via mobile internet may be interrupted).
3. Open Profile → Mi Smart Band 4 → Update firmware.
4. If a new version is available, click Update and wait until it is completed (the bracelet will reboot automatically).

If after the update the bracelet began to work incorrectly (for example, does not respond to touch or shows errors), reset to factory settings:

1. On the bracelet, go to Settings → Additional → Reset.
2. Confirm the action by clicking on the icon of the tick.
3. After restarting, connect the bracelet to the Mi Fit again.

Resetting is also useful if you are handing over the bracelet to another person or want to delete all personal data.

• 🔄 All settings will return to factory.
• 📊 Steps, sleep and workout data not synchronized with Mi Fit will be lost.
• 🔑 Bracelet will be untied from the account Xiaomi.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions