Connecting Xiaomi Mi Band 5 to another phone: full instruction with problem solving

Xiaomi Mi Band 5 remains one of the most popular fitness trackers due to the balance of price and functionality, but many users face difficulties when trying to transfer it to a new smartphone. Unlike more modern models (Mi Band 6/7 or Smart Band 8), the “five” requires a special approach due to outdated firmware and changes in the proprietary applications Mi Fitness and Zepp Life.

This article provides a step-by-step guide to how to untie the bracelet from an old phone, connect it to a new one (including iPhones and Android devices), and what to do if the system produces errors like “Device is already tethered” or “I couldn’t connect.” We also look at the hidden settings of the bracelet that allow you to reset it without the original smartphone, and explain why flashing is sometimes required.

Preparation: What to do before connecting

Before you start syncing the Mi Band 5 with your new phone, follow a few critical steps that can lead to loss of data (steps, pulse, sleep history) or locking the bracelet.

First, check the firmware version of the bracelet.

1. Open the Mi Fitness app (or Zepp Life if you use it).
2. Go to Profile → My Devices → Mi Band 5 → Settings → Firmware Update.
3. If the version is below 1.0.6.14, upgrade it and it will eliminate most plug-in bugs.

Second, export data from the old app if it's important. In Mi Fitness, it's done through Profile → Settings → Data Export. In Zepp Life, a similar option is hidden in Account → Data Management.

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If you’re using an iPhone, before connecting the Mi Band 5, turn off the Bluetooth Limit feature in the iOS settings (Settings → Bluetooth → i (information) → Bluetooth Limit).This will prevent the bracelet from automatically turning off after 10 minutes.

Finally, make sure that on the new phone:

• 📱 Mi Fitness (for Android) or Zepp Life (for iOS) app installed. note: from 2023, Xiaomi officially recommends Zepp Life for all Mi Band models.
• 🔄 Bluetooth 4.2 or later enabled (check Settings) → The phone. → Bluetooth version).
• 🌐 There is a stable Internet connection (to authorize your Xiaomi account).
• 🔋 Bracelet charge not lower than 50% (at low charge synchronization may be interrupted).

Step 1: Untie the bracelet from the old phone

The most common mistake is trying to connect the Mi Band 5 to a new phone without removing it from the old one, which leads to a binding conflict and the error "Device already added to another account."

Method 1: Through the original application

If you have access to an old phone:

1. Open Mi Fitness or Zepp Life.
2. Go to Profile. → My devices.
3. Click on Mi Band 5 and select “Delete Device” (or “Untie”).
4. Confirm the action - the bracelet will be reset to factory settings.

Method 2: Hard reset bracelet (if you don't have access to your old phone)

If the original phone is lost or the app is not installed, perform a hardware reset:

1. Remove the bracelet capsule from the strap.
2. Connect it to the charger.
3. Press and hold the touch button on the bracelet screen for 10-15 seconds until the Xiaomi logo appears.
4. Release the button and the bracelet will reset and be ready for a new binding.

Charge bracelet at least 30% | Disable Bluetooth on old phone |Prepare a new phone with Mi Fitness/Zepp Life|Prepare a new phone with Mi Fitness/Zepp Life|Make sure there are no active notifications on the bracelet-->

⚠️ Warning: After a hard reset, all the data on the bracelet (steps, sleep history, alarm settings) will be permanently deleted. If you care about statistics, try first to restore access to your old Xiaomi account.

Step 2: Install and configure the app on your new phone

The choice of application depends on the operating system of the new phone:

After installation of the annex:

1. Launch it and log in to the same Xiaomi account you used before (if you want to save your data history).
2. If you do not have an account, register a new one (but then your activity history will be lost).
3. Turn on Bluetooth and geolocation (required for Android 10+).
4. Allow all application requests (notifications, access to contacts, auto-start).

⚠️ Note: If you use an iPhone, go to iOS Settings after installing Zepp Life → Confidentiality → Geolocation services and select the "Always" mode for the application, otherwise the bracelet will turn off when the screen is locked.

Step 3: Find and connect the bracelet to a new phone

Now, to the synchronization process itself, the algorithm is the same for Android and iOS, but there are nuances:

1. Activate Bluetooth on your new phone and make sure the bracelet is charged.
2. In the app (Mi Fitness or Zepp Life), click Add Device (+ icon in the upper right corner).
3. Choose from the Mi Smart Band 5 list.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen: confirm the pairing on the phone and on the bracelet (touch the ticks on its display).
5. Wait until the synchronization is complete (it can take up to 5 minutes).

If the bracelet is not present:

• 🔄 Reboot the Mi Band 5 (hold the 10 seconds button).
• 📱 Restart Bluetooth on your phone.
• 🔌 Try connecting elsewhere (possibly interference from other devices).
• 🛠️ Update the bracelet firmware through Settings → Update of the PO.

After successful connection:

• 🔧 Set up the basic parameters: hours, units of measurement (km/mile), goals by steps.
• 🔔 Activate notifications for calls and messages (in Settings) → Notifications).
• 💤 Set up sleep monitoring (turn on Smart Alarm for a smooth wake-up call).

Solving common connection errors

Even with the right actions, users face errors, and we'll look at the most common ones and how to fix them:

Error: “The device is already linked to another account”

The reason: the bracelet was not properly untied from the old phone.

Decision:

1. Complete a hard reset of Mi Band 5 (see Step 1).
2. If the reset doesn’t help, log in to the app under the same Xiaomi account you used before.
3. In Mi Fitness, go to Profile → My Devices and manually remove Mi Band 5.

Mistake: "Can't connect. Try again."

Reasons:

• Incompatible version of Bluetooth (needs 4.2+).
• Conflict with other devices (headphones, smart watches).
• The bracelet's outdated firmware.

Decision:

• 📵 Disconnect all other Bluetooth devices from your phone.
• 🔄 Update the bracelet firmware through Settings → Update of the PO.
• 📥 Reinstall the Mi app Fitness/Zepp Life.

Error: Bracelet connects but does not sync data

Reason: problems with Xiaomi account or phone settings.

Decision:

• 🔄 Reboot your phone and bracelet.
• 🌐 Check your internet connection (synchronization requires access to Xiaomi servers).
• 📋 In Mi Fitness go to Profile → Settings → Synchronize data and click on “Sync Now».

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If none of these methods worked, try connecting the bracelet to a phone running Android 8-9 (these versions have fewer compatibility issues).

Transferring data from one phone to another

If you want to keep a history of activity (steps, sleep, exercise), there are two ways:

Method 1: Sync through Xiaomi account

The most reliable method is to use the same Xiaomi account on both phones:

1. On your old phone, open Mi Fitness and wait for full cloud sync.
2. Sign in to the new phone under the same account.
3. Once you connect Mi Band 5, the data will automatically be downloaded from the cloud.

Method 2: Export/import via Google Fit (Android only)

If you are using Android, you can transfer data via Google Fit:

1. On your old phone in Mi Fitness, go to Profile → Settings → Connected apps and activate sync with Google Fit.
2. On the new phone, install Google Fit and log in under the same Google account.
3. In Mi Fitness on the new phone, also connect Google Fit – the data will start to sync.

⚠️ Note: Zepp Life does not support exporting data to Google Fit or Apple Health for Mi Band 5.If you used this app on an old phone, transferring the history is only possible through your Xiaomi account.

Additional settings after connection

After successful synchronization, it is recommended to adjust the bracelet to your needs.

Notifications and calls

To receive alerts about calls and messages:

1. In Mi Fitness, go to Profile → Mi Band 5 → Notifications.
2. Activate the “Call Notifications” switch.
3. Select the apps you want to see notifications from (such as WhatsApp, Telegram).
4. On Android, additionally allow the app to access notifications in the system settings.

2. Sleep monitoring and alarm clocks

For accurate sleep tracking:

• 🛌 Enable “Automatic Sleep Mode” in the bracelet settings.
• ⏰ Set up a “smart alarm clock” – it will wake you up in the phase of light sleep.
• 📊 In profile. → You can see detailed statistics for the last 30 days.

3. Energy conservation

To extend the bracelet’s operating time:

• 🔋 Turn off the “Raise of the Hand to Activate the Screen” (saves up to 20% charge).
• 📴 Reduce the brightness of the screen to 50%.
• ⏱️ Set the data sync interval to “Every 30 minutes” instead of “Continuously».

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If you are swimming, activate the pool mode in your training settings. Mi Band 5 automatically recognizes swimming style and counts circles, but manually specify the length of the pool (25 or 50 meters) for accuracy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)