How to set the time on the fitness bracelet Xiaomi Mi Band 5: synchronization, time zones and error elimination

The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 fitness bracelet automatically synchronizes time with the connected smartphone, but sometimes users face problems: improper display of the clock, failure after a flight or battery drain. In this article, we will analyze all the ways to adjust time, from basic synchronization through the Mi Fit application (or Zepp for new versions) to manually fixing time zones and solving typical errors.

The thing about the Mi Band 5 is that it doesn't have its own interface to change time, because it's all controlled via a smartphone, which makes it easier for most users, but makes it difficult if the synchronization fails.

• 🔄 How to forcefully update time through the app
• ⏰ Why the bracelet shows the wrong time and how to fix it
• ✈️ Setting up time zones during flights
• 🔋 Effect of battery discharge on clock accuracy

All instructions are relevant for Mi Band firmware 5 2026 year-round Android/iOS. If your bracelet after the update stopped displaying the time correctly - at the end of the article there is a section with a solution to this problem.

1. Basic time synchronization through Mi Fit/Zepp

By default, Xiaomi Mi Band 5 receives time data automatically when you connect to a smartphone.

1. Make sure your smartphone has Bluetooth enabled and location permission enabled (required for Mi Fit to work properly).
2. Open the Mi Fit app (or Zepp for newer versions) and wait for the bracelet to connect.
3. Go to the Profile section → Mi Smart Band 5.
4. Check that the Connected status is displayed at the top of the screen.

If the synchronization is not automatic:

• 📱 Restart the app (close it in the multitasking menu and reopen it).
• 🔄 Click on the bracelet icon in the main menu of the application and select Sync data.
• ⚙️ Check your phone settings: Settings → Date and time → Automatically (must be enabled).

Make sure Bluetooth is on on your smartphone |

Check out the version of the Mi app Fit/Zepp (update if necessary)|

Allow the app to access the location |

Reset the bracelet (press the touch button for 10 seconds)-->

Important: If you use Zepp Life instead of Mi Fit, the algorithm is the same, but the path to sync may be different. In Zepp, click on the bracelet icon → Device settings → Data Sync.

2.Why is Mi Band 5 showing the wrong time?

There are several reasons why a bracelet can display the wrong time:

A critical feature of the Mi Band 5 is that when the discharge is below 5%, the bracelet can reset the time settings to factory (00:00 January 1, 2020), which is not a breakdown, but a feature of energy saving.

⚠️ Note: If the bracelet shows a time difference of exactly 1-2 hours, check the settings of summer/winter time on your smartphone.

3. Manual time zone change (for travel)

When flying to another time zone, the Mi Band 5 must automatically update the time via your smartphone, but sometimes you need to manually adjust:

1. On your smartphone, go to Settings → System → Date and time.
2. Turn off the option to automatically determine the time zone.
3. Select the desired time zone manually (for example, GMT+3 for Moscow).
4. Open Mi Fit/Zepp and wait for sync.

If the bracelet still shows the old time:

• 🌍 Reboot your smartphone and bracelet (press the button for 10 seconds).
• 📲 Remove the bracelet from the list of devices in the phone’s Bluetooth settings and connect again.
• ⏳ Wait 5-10 minutes – sometimes synchronization occurs with a delay.

💡

If you travel frequently, add the Time Belt widget to your smartphone’s home screen, which will help you switch between the two without having to make deep adjustments.

4. Update firmware to correct time errors

In older versions of the firmware Mi Band 5 (below 1.0.3.54), there was a bug that could have caused time to be lost after disconnecting from the phone.

1. Open Mi Fit → Profile → Mi Smart Band 5 → Update firmware.
2. If an update is available, connect the bracelet to charging (charge must be >50%).
3. Click Update and wait until it is completed (don’t turn off Bluetooth!).

After the update:

• 🔄 The bracelet will reset automatically.
• ⏱️ The first time synchronization can take up to 2 minutes.
• 📱 Check the firmware version in Settings → The bracelet.

⚠️ Warning: Do not interrupt the upgrade process, this may cause the bracelet to freeze. If the update lasts longer than 15 minutes, restart both the bracelet and the smartphone.

5. Reset bracelet settings with constant time errors

If none of these methods worked, do a full reset of the Mi Band 5:

1. Open Mi Fit → Profile → Mi Smart Band 5 → Untie the device
2. On the bracelet, go to Settings → Reset (scroll down and click on the icon with the wrench).
3. Confirm the reset by pressing the bracelet screen.
4. Connect the bracelet again via Mi Fit → Add the device.

After discharge:

• 🔋 Charge the bracelet to 100% – this will speed up the first synchronization.
• 📲 Allow all application requests (notifications, location, Bluetooth).
• ⏰ Check the time 5-10 minutes after connecting.

💡

Resetting is a last resort, and try all other methods before you do this, as after resetting you will have to adjust the bracelet from scratch (alarm clocks, notifications, user profile).

Frequent questions and decisions

Let’s look at the typical situations that Mi Band 5 owners face:

7. Additional tips for accurate time operation

To avoid time issues on Mi Band 5, follow these guidelines:

• 📵 Do not turn off Bluetooth on your smartphone for a long time – the bracelet loses communication and can “forget” time.
• 🔋 Charge the bracelet at least once every 5-7 days (at a discharge below 5%, the settings are reset).
• 📲 Update the Mi app regularly Fit/Zepp bracelet.
• ✈️ When flying, update the time zone on your phone before departure - this will speed up synchronization.

If you use the Mi Band 5 with multiple smartphones (e.g., a work and a personal), connect it to only one device at a time.

💡

For travelers, Zepp has a Flight Mode feature that temporarily disables notifications but keeps time synchronized, which is useful if you don't want to receive messages in another country, but you need your clock to work properly.

8. Alternative synchronization methods (for advanced users)

If standard methods do not work, alternative solutions can be tried:

• 🔧 Notify & Fitness for Mi Band (Third-Party Android App).
• 🖥️ Synchronization through Xiaomi Wear (official PC software).
• 📡 Forced reboot of the Bluetooth module on a smartphone (in the engineering menu).

For use with Notify & Fitness:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Connect the bracelet through it (by turning off the Mi Fit beforehand).
3. In the application settings, find the Force time sync option.

⚠️ Note: Third-party applications may conflict with official software. Before using them, back up the bracelet data in Mi Fit.