Xiaomi Mi Band 5: Mi Fit or Zepp Life app – what to choose and how to set up?

Why it’s important to choose the right app for Mi Band 5

The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 fitness bracelet remains one of the most popular gadgets for tracking activity, sleep and health – despite the release of new models. However, many users face confusion: which app officially supports this model and where to download it?

If you’ve just bought a used bracelet or decided to reinstall the software, it’s important to understand that Mi Band 5 officially works with two apps, Mi Fit (obsolete) and Zepp Life (relevant), but the functionality is different. In this article, we’ll look at which software to choose, how to set it up and what pitfalls can occur when you synchronize.

Xiaomi Mi Band 5: Mi Fit vs Zepp Life

Since 2020, when Mi Band 5 was released, Xiaomi has been gradually migrating users from Mi Fit to a new app, Zepp Life (formerly known as Amazfit), but both options are still available in app stores.

  • 📱 Mi Fit is an old Xiaomi, supports all Mi Band models, but updates are rare, PAI or SpO₂) They may work unstablely.
  • 🌟 Zepp Life is a modern solution with advanced sleep, exercise and stress analytics, supports synchronization with Apple Health and Google Fit, but requires registration of a Zepp account.
  • ⚠️ Regional restrictions: In some countries (e.g. China), Mi Fit may not be available and Zepp Life may be blocked for certain features.

Important: Mi Band 5 doesn’t support Xiaomi Wear (it’s designed for newer models starting with the Mi Band 6). If you install it by mistake, the bracelet simply won’t connect, and you should avoid unofficial apps like Notify & Fitness or Mi Band Master – they can read data incorrectly or even block the original software.

📊 What app do you use for Mi Band 5?
Mi Fit
Zepp Life
Both in turn
Other (write in the comments)
I don't know which one to choose.

How to Download and Install the Right App

To avoid compatibility issues, follow this instruction:

  1. On the box or in the device settings (About the bracelet), check the model: XMSH10HM (global version) or XMSH11HM (Chinese). The Chinese version may require a Mi Fit with a Chinese account.
  2. Download the application from official sources: 📲 Mi Fit for Android 📲 Mi Fit for iOS 📲 Zepp Life for Android 📲 Zepp Life for iOS

Register an account

Mi Fit

Zepp Life

⚠️ Attention: If you download APK-file from third-party sites (e.g. APKMirror), check the version of the application. Too old versions (below 4.6.0 for Mi Fit) may not support Mi Band 5 or contain vulnerabilities.

☑️ Preparation for the connection of Mi Band 5

Done: 0 / 5

How to connect Mi Band 5 to your phone

The connection process is the same for both applications, but there are nuances. Consider Zepp Life:

  1. Open the app and click Profile → Add the device.
  2. Choose the Mi Smart Band 5 (not to be confused with Mi Band 6!).
  3. Allow access to notifications, location, and contacts (this is necessary for functions like alarm clocks or phone searches to function properly).
  4. Synchronize data: After you connect, wait for the bracelet firmware update (if available), which can take up to 10 minutes.

For full use, the application is required.

How to transfer data from Mi Fit to Zepp Life?
There is no official way to migrate data, but you can: Export your story from Mi Fit to Google Fit; Connect Zepp Life to Google Fit; Wait for sync (can take up to 24 hours). ⚠️ Sleep and exercise data may not be fully transferred.
Why is there no Russian language in Zepp Life?
If the app is displayed in English: Check the language settings in the app itself (Profile → Settings → Language); Update Zepp Life to the latest version; Reinstall the app by clearing the cache beforehand. If the problem persists, try changing the region of your Zepp account to Russia (in the web version of the service).
Can you connect Mi Band 5 to two phones at the same time?
Officially, no. The bracelet is tied to one device, but there are workarounds: Use Mi Fit on one phone and Zepp Life on another (but the data will diverge); Manually sync data through Google Fit; Use third-party utilities like Mi Bandage (risk of blocking an account).
How to reset Mi Band 5 if it doesn’t connect to your phone?
Perform hardware reset: Charge the bracelet to at least 50%; Press the touch button for 15-20 seconds until vibration appears; Release the button - the bracelet will reset and reset to factory settings. After reset, connect again through the application.