Music on Xiaomi Mi Band 5: how to set up control of the player from the bracelet in 5 minutes

Introduction: Why do you need music on a fitness bracelet?

The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 fitness bracelet is not only a pedometer and a pulsemeter, but also a handy remote control for controlling music from your wrist. Imagine you're running in the park, your phone is in your jacket pocket, and you don't have to pull it out to switch tracks or pause. Just a couple of taps on your wristband screen, which is especially useful for athletes, jogging enthusiasts and those who prefer to listen to music during training without unnecessary distractions.

However, not all users know how to set up this option correctly. Unlike newer models (such as the Mi Band 7 or Smart Band 8), the fifth version has its own nuances: there is no built-in speaker, and control is only through a connected smartphone. In this article, we will discuss the steps of synchronizing the bracelet with a music player, configuring controls and solving typical problems, from the lack of buttons to connection failures.

It's important to understand that the Mi Band 5 doesn't play music on its own, it just duplicates the functions of the smartphone player, which means that without a connected phone within Bluetooth range, you can't control tracks, but this approach saves battery power and does not require additional memory to store audio files.

Requirements for customizing music on Mi Band 5

Before you start setting up, make sure your device meets the minimum requirements, and without that, the music functions may not work properly or even start at all.

• 📱 Smartphone on Android 5.0+ or iOS 10.0+. The official Mi Fitness app (formerly Mi Fit) supports both platforms, but the iPhone’s functionality may be limited.
• 🔄 Up-to-date version of the bracelet firmware. Check the updates in the application: Profile → Mi Band 5 → Firmware updates. Outdated software often causes failures.
• 🎵 Installed music player. The bracelet is compatible with standard applications (Google Play Music, Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube Music) and most third-party applications (e.g. Poweramp, VLC).
• 🔋 Battery charge is above 20%. At low charge, some functions are automatically turned off.
• 📶 Stable Bluetooth connection: The distance between the bracelet and the phone should not exceed 10 meters (no obstacles).

If at least one of the conditions is not met, the musical controls may not appear on the screen of the bracelet. For example, iPhone users sometimes find that the control buttons are not displayed due to the limitations of iOS, in which case reconnect the bracelet or reset settings will help.

Step-by-step: how to turn on music management

It takes no more than 5 minutes to set up, if you follow a clear algorithm, you don’t need to install additional apps, everything is done through standard Xiaomi software.

1. Install the Mi Fitness app (you can download it from Google Play or the App Store). Sign in with your Xiaomi account (or create a new one).
2. Connect the bracelet to your phone via Bluetooth. Go to Profile → Add Device → Mi Smart Band 5 and follow the instructions on the screen.
3. Activate the music control function: Open the Mi Band 5 tab in the app. Select the bracelet screen → Music control. Move the slider to the On position.

Set up the display

Play/Pause

Previous track

Next track

Loudness

Run the player on your phone

Important: On iPhone, music control buttons may not work with some third-party players (like Spotify in the background).

What players are supported: full list

The Mi Band 5 bracelet recognizes most popular music apps, but there are nuances: for example, with Spotify on Android everything works stable, and on iOS there may be delays.

If your player isn’t on the list, try running it and check if buttons appear on the bracelet. Mi Band 5 recognizes standard Android/iOS media commands, so theoretically should work with any application that uses the system API to control playback.

⚠️ Attention: Some bracelet firmware may not display the volume button even when activated in the settings, due to Bluetooth protocol limitations.

What if the music is not controlled from the bracelet?

Music management issues on the Mi Band 5 are usually due to one of three factors: incorrect settings, outdated firmware, or application conflict.

1. Control buttons do not appear

• 🔄 Reset the wristband. Press the touch button 10 seconds before the Mi logo appears.
• 📱 Reconnect Bluetooth. In your phone settings, forget your Mi Band 5 device, then reconnect via Mi Fitness.
• 🔧 Reset the bracelet settings. In the app: Mi Band 5 → Additionally. → Resetting settings.

2.The bracelet does not respond to pressing

If the buttons are displayed but do not work:

• 🎵 Check the player. Some applications (e.g, VK Music) block the external controls. Try a standard player.
• 📲 Turn off the power saving mode on your phone.It can limit background work Mi Fitness.
• 🔄 Update the firmware. There were bugs in the old versions with media command processing.

3.Music is interrupted when operating from the bracelet

This is typical of the iPhone and some Samsung models.

• 🔌 Turn off Bluetooth accessories (earphones, speakers), except for the bracelet.
• 📵 Turn on the plane mode on your phone, then activate Bluetooth again.
• 🔧 In Bluetooth phone settings, turn off the Absolute Volume option (if any).

Hidden Functions: How to Customize Music Management

Few people know, but Mi Band 5 has hidden options for more flexible customization of musical elements. These are not documented in the official instructions, but are available through Mi Fitness or third-party utilities.

1. Change of button order

By default, the buttons on the bracelet screen are displayed in the order: Play/Pause → Previous → Next. To swap them:

1. In the Mi Fitness app, go to Mi Band 5 → Bracelet Screen → Music Management.
2. Click on the pencil icon (✏️) top-right.
3. Drag the buttons in the right order and save the changes.

Addition of volume control

This feature is not available on all firmware, but it can be activated manually:

• Make sure you have firmware 1.0.3.54 or later installed.
• Turn on the option to Show volume in the music control settings.
• If you don’t have an option, upgrade the Mi Fitness app to the latest version.

3.Gestural music control

Mi Band 5 supports gestures to switch tracks (if enabled in the settings):

• 👆 Swipe up - next track.
• 👇 Swipe down - previous track.
• 👆👆 Double swipe up - pause / playback.

To activate gestures, go to Mi Band 5 → Gestures → Music Control.

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If you don’t have the standard controls, try Notify & Fitness for Mi Band (available on Google Play), which allows you to set up additional activities, such as double-pressing a player on a bracelet or displaying album covers.

Xiaomi’s Comparison with Other Models: Which Is Best for Music?

If you are choosing between the Mi Band 5 and the newer models, it is important to understand the differences in musical features.

As you can see from the table, all Xiaomi fitness bracelets (except the Watch S1) control music only through a connected smartphone. If you need offline work, consider models with offline support, for example, the Amazfit GTR 4 or the Huawei Band 8.

⚠️ Note: There are instructions on the Internet to "firmware speaker" on the Mi Band 5 to play music directly. This is a scam - the bracelet is not physically equipped with a speaker or memory for audio files.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions

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Music control on the Mi Band 5 works only with an active Bluetooth connection to the phone. The bracelet does not play sound on its own and does not store audio files - it only duplicates commands from a standard player.