How to untie Xiaomi Mi Band 5 from a phone without a smartphone: all the ways of 2026

The situation when you need to untie the Xiaomi Mi Band 5 from the phone, but the smartphone itself is not available (lost, broken or sold), familiar to many users. the bracelet continues to request a link to the old account, blocks synchronization with the new device or simply hangs on the authorization screen. Unlike the newer models (Mi Band 6/7), the fifth version has security vulnerabilities that allow you to bypass the binding without the original phone.

Complicating the problem is that the official way, through the Mi Fit or Zepp Life app, requires access to an old smartphone or username/password from Mi Account. If this is not available, the bracelet becomes a brick with limited functionality. However, there are alternative methods, from hardware reset to third-party utilities. It is important to understand that some of these can lead to loss of step, pulse and training data stored in the device's memory.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to untie the Mi Band 5 without a phone, including step-by-step instructions, possible risks and recommendations for restoring functionality. All methods are tested on firmware 2020-2026 and are relevant for bracelets with any region of sale (CN, Global, RU).

1 Hard Reset (Hard Reset) through the button

The easiest and safest way is to reset hardware to factory settings, which deletes all account-related data, but saves the bracelet firmware, and works even if the Mi Band 5 is blocked by an authorization request.

To perform the discharge:

• 🔋 Charge the bracelet to at least 50% - with a low charge, the reset can be interrupted.
• 📱 Turn off Bluetooth on any nearby phone to avoid automatic connection.
• 🔄 Press and hold the touch button under the Mi Band 5 screen for 10-15 seconds until the Xiaomi logo appears.
• ⚙️ After the reboot, the bracelet will suggest setting it up as new.

⚠️ Note: Some firmware (especially Chinese versions) CN) Hard reset does not remove the binding to the Mi Account. in this case, additional software will be required (see section 3).

Charge the bracelet to 50%+

Turn off Bluetooth on all devices nearby

Make sure there are no active notifications on the screen

Prepare a pin to remove the capsule (in case of error)-->

If the bracelet requests authorization in the old account again after the reset, then the binding is saved in the Xiaomi cloud.

2. Reset via engineering menu (for firmware up to 1.0.3.56)

Older versions of the Mi Band 5 firmware (released before mid-2021) contain a hidden engineering menu that allows you to reset without a phone, a technique that doesn’t work on all devices, but can help if a hard reset doesn’t work.

Instructions:

1. Go to the bracelet menu, swiping the screens to the right until you find Settings → About the bracelet.
2. Slip the firmware number 5-7 times until the Developer mode enabled sign appears.
3. Go back to the main menu and find a new Engineer Menu item (can be called Debug or Test).
4. Select Reset Band or Unbind Device and confirm the action.

⚠️ Warning: On firmwares newer than 1.0.3.56, the engineering menu is blocked. Attempting to activate it can lead to a permanent synchronization error with the phone.

3. Use of third-party utilities (Mi Band Tools, Notify & Fitness)

If the hardware methods don’t work, you’ll need to connect the bracelet to another phone (borrowed or temporary) and use specialized applications that bypass Mi Account locking and link Mi Band 5 to a new account.

The best utilities to unlock:

The following is a step-by-step guide for Mi Band Tools:

• 📱 Install the app on any phone with Android 8.0+.
• 🔗 Connect Mi Band 5 via the original Mi Fit app (even if it asks for an old account).
• 🛠️ Start Mi Band Tools and select Unlock Mi Band from the menu.
• 🔑 Follow the instructions on the screen – the utility will automatically reset the binding to the Mi Account.

Mi Fit/Zepp Life|Mi Band Tools|Notify & Fitness|Gadgetbridge|Other-->

⚠️ Note: Apps like Gadgetbridge require root rights on the phone, and their use can lead to a ban on Xiaomi account for “unofficial” connection.

4. flashing the bracelet through Gadgetbridge (for experienced users)

If all previous methods failed, the radical method remains to flash the Mi Band 5 with the removal of the binding data, which is suitable for users willing to risk the device's performance.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/Linux and established ADB.
• 📱 Phone with root rights (for example, Xiaomi with unlocked bootloader).
• 🔌 Cable to connect the bracelet to the PC (need an adapter to remove the module from the strap).
• 📁 Firmware for Mi Band 5 (can be downloaded from amazfitwatchfaces.com).

Instructions:

1. Remove the bracelet capsule from the strap (gently tuck the latches with a pin).
2. Connect it to your PC via an adapter (e.g. USB-TTL on 3.3V).
3. Run Gadgetbridge on your phone and select Flash firmware.
4. Specify the path to the firmware file (for example, miband5_1.0.3.56.bin) and wait for the process to be completed.

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Before flashing backup the bracelet data via Mi Fit (if it connects in any way). To do this, select Data Export in the application settings and save the file to Google Drive.

⚠️ Warning: Wrong firmware can permanently incapacitate the bracelet.If you are not sure about your skills, contact Xiaomi Service Center (although they do not officially provide such services).

5.Backing the lock by creating a new Mi Account

If the bracelet is locked at Mi Account level, but you have access to an email linked to an old account, you can try to "cheat" the system, which works if the original account was not deleted.

Algorithm of action:

• 📧 Go to Mi Account and restore access to your old account via email.
• 📱 Install Mi Fit on your new phone and log in under your restored account.
• 🔄 In the bracelet settings, select Untie the device.
• 🆕 Create a new Xiaomi account and link it to Mi Band 5.

If email is not available, try contacting Xiaomi’s support team (via the official website) and provide proof of ownership (checks, photos of the box with the serial number), and in 30% of cases they go to meet and remove the lock.

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Creating a new Mi Account with the same email as the old one won't help -- the system recognizes a duplicate. Use a different email address.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even after a successful reset, users face problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

If none of the methods worked, it is possible that your Mi Band 5 is tied to a corporate account (for example, it was bought from a Xiaomi dealer as a test device), in which case unlocking is possible only through the official service.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions