How to set up a fitness bracelet Xiaomi Mi Band 4: video + detailed guide

The Xiaomi Mi Band 4 fitness bracelet remains one of the most popular trackers even years after its release, thanks to the balance of price, functionality and reliability. However, many users face difficulties when connecting for the first time: the bracelet does not sync with the smartphone, does not display notifications or quickly discharges. In this article, we will analyze the step-by-step setting of the Mi Band 4 with all the nuances, and also provide video instructions for visual perception.

The Mi Band 4 feature is the lack of physical buttons (except touch on the screen), which confuses beginners. In addition, the device requires binding to the official Mi Fitness app (formerly Mi Fit), without which most of the features will not be available. If you bought a used bracelet or after resetting, the settings process may be different — we took into account these scenarios.

At the end of this article, you’ll find answers to a lot of questions, including connection issues with iOS and Android, and tips for extending battery life. For convenience, we’ve broken the guide into logical blocks, from unpacking to fine-tuning workouts and alerts.

1. Preparation for setting up: what to do before turning on the bracelet

Before you start syncing, make sure you have everything you need. Xiaomi Mi Band 4 is compatible with most smartphones, but there are important limitations:

• 📲 Mi Fitness app: download it from Google Play or App Store.
• 🔄 Xiaomi account: if not, register in advance (you can use Google or Facebook).

Note that if you upgrade from Mi Band 3, the old Mi Fit app will have to be removed — Mi Fitness does not support data migration between different generations.

• 📶 Bluetooth (Visibility Mode for All Devices).
• 📡 Geolocation (required for accurate tracking of activity).
• 🔔 Notifications for the Mi Fitness app (in phone settings).

⚠️ Warning: If you use an iPhone, open Settings before connecting the bracelet → Confidentiality → Geolocation services and select "Always" for Mi Fitness. Without this step, the bracelet will not correctly track sleep and steps.

2. First activation and charging of the bracelet

Xiaomi Mi Band 4 comes with a partial charge, but before setting it up, it is recommended to charge it to 100%.

1. Remove the bracelet capsule from the strap, pulling it towards the screen.
2. Connect the capsule to the charging cable – the magnets must match (polarity is not important).
3. Connect the cable to the power source (better to use) 5V/1A adapter).
4. Wait for the charging icon (battery with lightning) to appear on the screen.

The full charge time is about 1.5-2 hours. Do not interrupt the process, even if the indicator is 100%: the bracelet may require an additional 10-15 minutes to calibrate the battery.

• 🔄 Click on the touch button below the screen to turn on the bracelet.
• 📱 Make sure the screen displays time (if not, synchronization is required).

⚠️ Warning: If the bracelet doesn't respond to touch after charging, try resetting it to factory settings: press the touch button for 10-15 seconds until vibration appears. This will solve the problem in 90% of cases.

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

Now, the most important step is to tie the bracelet to a smartphone, which is different for Android and iOS, but the general scheme is as follows:

For Android:

1. Open the Mi Fitness app and sign in to your Xiaomi account.
2. Press "Add device" →"Bracelet" →"Mi Smart Band 4".
3. Allow the app to access contacts, notifications, and geolocation.
4. The bracelet will appear 6-digit code - confirm it in the application.

For iOS:

1. In Mi Fitness, select "Profile" → Add device".
2. In the list of devices, find the Mi Band 4 (may appear as "Mi Band").
3. Confirm pairing in the Bluetooth settings of the phone (a request will appear).
4. Enter the code from the bracelet screen (if it does not appear, reboot the bracelet).

If the bracelet is not present, try:

• 🔄 Restart Bluetooth on your phone.
• 📱 Remove the bracelet from the list of conjugated devices in the phone settings and repeat the search.
• 🔋 Remove the bracelet capsule from the strap and insert it back (sometimes resetting the connection helps).

💡

If the bracelet is connected but the data is not synchronized, try Mi Fitness to go to Profile. → Mi Smart Band 4 → Synchronize data manually.

4. Set up the main parameters: time, notifications, alarm clocks

Once you've successfully synchronized, you'll start personalizing. Go to Mi Fitness, select your bracelet, and open Settings.

⏰ Time and date

The bracelet automatically pulls up time from the phone, but if it gets lost:

1. In Mi Fitness go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 4 → Additionally. → Time and date.
2. Activate the "Autosynchronization" option.
3. If time zones don’t match, manually select your region.

🔔 Notifications

To make the bracelet vibrate when calling and texting:

• 📱 In Mi Fitness, open notifications → Management of notifications.
• 🔄 Turn on the switch for the desired applications (WhatsApp, Telegram, SMS etc.).
• 🔔 Set up a “Do Not Disturb” mode on a schedule (for example, during sleep).

⚠️ Note: Notifications may not be coming on iPhone due to iOS restrictions. To fix this, go to Notifications in your phone settings → Mi Fitness and enable the option "Show on the lock screen".

⏰ Alarm clocks

Mi Band 4 supports up to 10 alarm clocks, including one-off and repeat alarm clocks.

1. In the app, select Alarms → Add an alarm clock.
2. Specify the time, days of the week and the type of vibration (short/long).
3. Activate the Smart Alarm – the bracelet will wake you up in the light sleep phase 30 minutes before the set time.

5. Fitness functions tuning: pedometer, pulse, training

Xiaomi Mi Band 4 tracks steps, heart rate, calories burned and 6 types of workouts. To be accurate, the data requires the correct calibration:

👟 Stepper and distance

By default, the bracelet counts steps with error ±10% to improve accuracy:

• 📏 In Mi Fitness go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 4 → Steps.
• 👤 Specify your height, weight and step length (measured manually: walk 10 meters and count the number of steps, then divide 10 by that number).
• 🔄 Enable the "Auto-Determination of Walking" option to filter false positives.

❤️ Pulse and sleep

The bracelet automatically measures the pulse every 30 minutes, but you can adjust the manual mode:

• ❤️ B Settings → Monitoring your heart rate, choose “Continuous” (discharges the battery faster) or “Car".
• 😴 To track sleep, activate Sleep Monitor and set the time of rest/wake-up.

The critical feature of the Mi Band 4 is that if you wear the bracelet too loose, the pulse sensor will show incorrect data. The optimal density is one finger between the strap and the wrist.

🏃 Training.

The bracelet recognizes running, walking, cycling, gym, swimming and an ellipsoid.

1. On the bracelet, swipe to the right to the icon. 🏃.
2. Select the type of activity and confirm by touching.
3. After training, sync your data to your phone (manually or automatically).

💡

For accurate tracking of running and cycling, connect Mi Band 4 to a phone with it on GPS. The bracelet will use data from the smartphone to calculate the distance.

6 Additional features: weather, music, phone search

Mi Band 4 has more than just counting steps, and here are the hidden possibilities that many people don't know about.

🌦️ Weather.

To see the weather forecast on the bracelet screen:

1. In Mi Fitness, open a profile → Mi Smart Band 4 → Weather.
2. Activate the "Show the Weather" option.
3. Select a city (by default is taken from the geolocation of the phone).

🎵 Managing music

The bracelet can switch tracks and adjust volume:

• 🎧 While playing music on your phone, swipe right on the bracelet to the icon. 🎵.
• 🔄 Touching on screen: left → previous track, right → next, center-on → pause.

📱 Phone search

If you lose your smartphone, the bracelet will help you find it:

1. On the bracelet, swipe to the right to the icon. 🔍.
2. Click on it – the phone will emit a loud signal (even if it is silent).

💡

To save power, turn off unnecessary features like weather or music control, for example, if you are not listening to music from your phone, deactivate the appropriate option in the bracelet settings.

7. Advanced settings: firmware, dials, battery saving

For experienced users, the Mi Band 4 offers additional features, including changing the firmware and installing custom dials.

🔄 Firmware update

Xiaomi regularly releases updates for the bracelet to check the relevance of:

1. In Mi Fitness, open a profile → Mi Smart Band 4 → Firmware update.
2. If a new version is available, connect the bracelet to charging and confirm the installation.
3. ⚠️ Do not turn off the bracelet from charging during the upgrade! this can lead to "bricking".

⌚ Change of dial

You can install one of the 5 standard dials in the bracelet or download custom ones through third-party apps (for example, Notify & Fitness for Mi Band):

• In Mi Fitness, select a Profile. → Mi Smart Band 4 → Dial.
• View the available options and click "Install".
• For custom dials, download the.bin file and upload it via Notify & Fitness.

🔋 Battery savings

The life of the Mi Band 4 on a single charge is up to 20 days, but with active use it can be reduced to 5-7 days.

• 🔄 Turn off continuous pulse monitoring (leave "Auto").
• 📵 Reduce the brightness of the screen to 2-3 divisions.
• 🔔 Disable notifications from unnecessary applications.
• 🌙 Activate sleep at night (turns off screen and vibration).

⚠️ Warning: If the bracelet discharges in 1-2 days, check for moisture under the capsule. Condensation can cause short circuit. To dry, put the bracelet in rice for 12 hours (do not turn on!).

8. Problem Solving: The bracelet doesn't sync, doesn't vibrate, doesn't count steps

Even after setting up correctly, the Mi Band 4 can malfunction.

🔄 The bracelet is not synchronized.

Causes and means of elimination:

• 📱 Bluetooth problem: Reboot your phone and bracelet, then re-patch them.
• 🔋 Battery discharge: charge the bracelet to 50% and repeat the synchronization.
• 📲 Outdated software: update Mi Fitness and bracelet firmware.

🔕 The bracelet doesn't vibrate.

If the alerts do not work:

1. Check in Mi Fitness if notifications are enabled for a specific application.
2. Make sure that your Mi Fitness phone allows notifications (Settings) → Annexes → Mi Fitness → Notifications).
3. Reset the bracelet (press the button for 10 seconds).

👟 The bracelet doesn't count steps

A common problem related to:

• 👕 Incorrect position: wear a bracelet 2-3 cm above the wrist, tightly attached to the skin.
• 📏 Incorrect step length: Recalibrate it manually (see Section 5).
• 🔄 Sensor failure: reset the bracelet to factory settings and reconnect.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi Mi Band 4