Modern wearables from Xiaomi, such as the Mi Band or Smart Band, have become an integral part of the lives of millions of users, tracking activity and sleep. However, even the most reliable devices can sometimes encounter software errors, freeze or stop responding to touch.
Rebooting is a universal way to fix temporary crashes in the tracker operating system, clear the cache and return the gadget to its former responsiveness. It is important to understand the difference between simply turning off the screen, software rebooting through the application and a complete hardware reset, since each method affects the device in different ways. In this article, we will detail all the available ways to reanimate your tracker without losing important data.
Before we take any drastic measures, we need to make sure that the problem is software, not a dead battery. Often the cause of a dead screen is a deep battery discharge that requires a long connection to the charger. If the bracelet is on but is not behaving correctly, the methods we have tested for restarting it are described below.
Software reboot via Mi Fitness app
The safest and most common way to reboot a smart wristband is to use the official smartphone app. Modern models like the Mi Band 7, Mi Band 8 and later are controlled through the Mi Fitness app (formerly known as Zepp Life for some regions), a technique that allows you to perform a soft reboot of the system without losing user data and settings.
First, you open the app on your smartphone and go to the Profile tab, and here you'll see a list of connected devices, select your bracelet from the list to go to the gadget management menu. The interface may vary slightly depending on the firmware version and the regional version of the app, but the logic remains the same.
In the device menu, find the "Bracelet Settings" or "Management" section. Inside this menu, the "Reboot" or "Reboot" option is usually hidden. Pressing this button will send a command to the tracker, and after a few seconds the screen will go out, and then light up again with the manufacturer's logo.
- 📱 Open the Mi Fitness or Zepp Life app on your smartphone.
- 🔗 Go to the Profile section and select the connected bracelet.
- ⚙️ Find the item "Bracelet settings" and click "Reset".
- ⏳ Wait for the Mi logo to appear on the tracker screen.
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Make sure that Bluetooth on your smartphone is on and within a 1-2 meter radius of the bracelet while performing the reboot command.
It is worth noting that the reboot button may be inactive if the bracelet is currently synchronizing data or updating the firmware, in which case the system will block the command to avoid damaging the file system. It is also important that the battery level is at least 15-20%, otherwise the device may simply turn off instead of restarting.
Hardware reset via the device menu
If the smartphone connection is not possible or the app is not responding, you can try rebooting directly through the interface of the wristband itself, a technique that is suitable for models with a touch screen starting with the Mi Band 4 and above, and is especially relevant when the Bluetooth connection is unstable.
To access system features, you need to unlock the tracker screen and scroll through the menu to the very end or find a special option “Settings” (often indicated by the gear icon). In newer models such as the Mi Smart Band 8 Pro, the settings menu is displayed in a separate widget or is available with a swipe down.
Inside the settings menu, look for System or About. That's where the Reboot or Turn off button is usually located. Pressing on it initiates the restart process, and if the touch screen doesn't respond to touch, this method, alas, won't work, and you'll have to resort to other options.
⚠️ Warning: Don't confuse "Reset" with "Factory Reset"; the second option will completely delete all your settings and break the pair with your smartphone.
Some firmware versions of Xiaomi have implemented a forced reboot function through a combination of actions, although this is rare. For example, holding a virtual button on the screen for 10-15 seconds can cause an emergency shutdown menu.
Forced reset when getting stuck
When the bracelet screen is on but not responding to touch, or the device is completely stuck on the logo, it's called a software wedge, and in this case, the software methods through the menu may not work, and in this case, there's a forced reboot method that emulates battery extraction.
Since most Mi Band models don't have a physical button, the main control lever is the sensor or the charging contact. If the sensor doesn't work, the only way to influence is to manipulate the power. Connect the bracelet to the charger. In some cases, the current supply causes the system to restart automatically.
If charging doesn't work, you can try the "discharge" method. Leave the device on until the battery runs out completely and the bracelet shuts down itself. Then put it on charge. When turned on after full discharge, the system often undergoes a self-test procedure and starts normally.
- 🔌 Connect the tracker to the original charger.
- 📉 Leave the device to full battery discharge if other methods do not help.
- 🔋 After turning off, set on charging for automatic switching on.
There is also a method that works on some button models (such as the Mi Watch or Redmi Watch) that holds the power button for 20-30 seconds can lead to a hard reset. For touch bracelets without buttons, this method is not applicable, but knowledge of it is useful for owners of larger devices in the Xiaomi line.
☑️ Diagnosis of freeze
Resetting to factory settings: when necessary
Sometimes a simple reboot doesn’t solve the problem, especially if the crashes are caused by corrupt system files or a setting conflict, and this requires a full Factory Reset, which will put the device back out of the box by removing all user data, dial settings, and activity history stored on the wristband itself.
It's important to understand that the steps and pulse data that have already been synced to the cloud or the app on the phone will not be lost, but local settings, such as the selected dial, alarm clocks installed directly on the bracelet, and notification settings, will be lost.
You can reset via the Mi Fitness app in the same menu where the reset button is located by selecting Untie or Reset. On some models, this option is also available from the bracelet menu: Settings → System → Reset. Confirm action and the device will begin the cleaning process.
| Action. | Data retention | Necessity of soldering | Risk of data loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reboot (Reboot) | All data saved | Not required | Absent. |
| Annex decoupling | Data in the appendix remains | Not required | Minimum |
| Reset settings (Reset) | Bracelet settings are removed | New pairing is required | Local settings |
| Flip-flashing | Depends on the method. | PC and tools required | High on error |
⚠️ Before performing a full reset, make sure that the last sync with the application was successful so as not to lose your current day activity history.
Updating the firmware as a way to eliminate errors
A common cause of smart bracelets’ instability is bugs in the current software version. Xiaomi developers regularly release updates that fix bugs, improve Bluetooth connectivity stability, and optimize power consumption. If your bracelet is behaving strangely, checking for updates is a must.
Update can only be done via the Mi Fitness or Zepp Life app. Make sure your smartphone is connected to the internet and the bracelet has a charge of at least 50%. Go to the device profile, and if an update is available, you will see a corresponding notification or red dot next to the software version.
The upgrade process takes 5 to 15 minutes, during which time the bracelet screen may go out and light up, and the progress bar will display the status of the boot, which is absolutely impossible to interrupt, as this can lead to the "bricking" of the device.
What to do if the update is suspended?
In the rare cases when a regular update does not pass, enthusiasts use third-party utilities to flash through the PC, but for the average user this is fraught with high risk.
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Regular firmware updates are the best prevention of software failures and interface freezes.
Typical problems and their solution
Even after a reboot, users may face a number of specific problems, and understanding the nature of these problems helps to choose the right method of solving them, for example, if the bracelet does not vibrate when notified, the problem may not be in the system, but in the permission settings of the application itself on the smartphone.
A common problem is time-dissynchronization. If the bracelet time goes wrong after the reset, check the time zone settings in the app and force the synchronization to start, and it's also worth checking if the phone is running a power-saving mode that blocks the background work of the Mi Fitness app.
If the bracelet screen is out and not responding to charging, the contacts may have oxidized. Wipe the tracker back and charging pins with a soft dry cloth. Sometimes it's enough to just press the magnetic charger tightly to make contact come back and the device comes alive.
- 📉 Bracelet discharges quickly: turn off constant monitoring of the pulse and raise the wrist.
- 📡 No notifications: Check the permissions in Bluetooth settings and the app itself.
- 🌡 Device warms up: This is normal when charging or upgrading, but not in standby mode.