Step-by-step connection of Xiaomi Mi Band 5 to Samsung phone: from pairing to fine-tuning

The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 fitness bracelet remains one of the most popular wearables thanks to its combination of functionality and affordable price. However, Samsung smartphone owners often face nuances when first connecting, from the lack of a device in the pairing list to problems with data synchronization. This guide will help avoid typical errors and configure the bracelet as efficiently as possible, even if you have not previously used a smartwatch.

Unlike newer models (such as the Mi Band 7 or Smart Band 8 Pro), the fifth version requires a special approach when working with phones based on Android 12.+, We will analyze not only the basic connection, but also hidden settings for advanced users, which Xiaomi does not advertise in the official documentation.

1.Preparing Samsung phone for connection

Before pairing with the Mi Band 5, you need to optimize your smartphone settings to avoid conflicts with energy-saving modes or background activity restrictions. UI 4.0 and later, where the background processes of third-party applications are blocked by default.

First, check:

• 📱 Android Version: Go to Settings → The phone. → Android Version. Android 6.0 or higher is required for stable operation, but Android 9 is recommended+ Fully synchronized notifications.
• 🔄 System Updates: If your Samsung is running on old firmware, update it via Settings → Older versions may not support Bluetooth 5.0 protocols required for the Mi Band 5.
• 🔋 Power saving mode: turn it off in Settings → Caring for the device → Battery → Power saving mode: otherwise, the connection will break every 10-15 minutes.

Also make sure your phone is Bluetooth enabled (not only in the notification panel, but also in the system settings) and geolocation allowed (required for the pedometer to work correctly).If you have previously connected other wearable devices (such as the Galaxy Watch), you should forget them in the Bluetooth menu to avoid conflicts.

2. Installation and configuration of the Mi Fit application

The official Mi Band 5 management app is Mi Fit (available on Google Play), but many Samsung users are faced with the problem that the app doesn't see the bracelet even after several pairing attempts.

• 🚫 Older version of Mi Fit (requires 5.6.0 or later).
• 🔒 Blocking permissions with Samsung Knox.
• 📱 Conflict with other fitness apps (such as Samsung Health or Google Fit).

To avoid mistakes:

1. Download Mi Fit via direct link (avoid clones!).
2. After installation, don’t launch the app right away – set up permissions manually first: 📍 Geolocation: Settings → Confidentiality → Permits → geodata → Mi Fit → Allowed always. 📱 Bluetooth: In the same resolutions, find Bluetooth and enable access. 🔔 Notifications: Settings → Notifications → Mi Fit → Turn it on. 🔄 Autostart: Settings → Annexes → Mi Fit → Auto-start → Turn on.

Mi Fit

Russia

Xiaomi Account

Google

Apple ID

Install the latest version of Mi Fit|Set up geolocation (always allow)|Enable auto-start for the application|Turn off the power saving mode|Remove other fitness apps (optional)-->

If the bracelet is not found after these actions, try an alternative method:

⚠️ Note: On some Samsung models (e.g. Galaxy) S22 Ultra) requires you to manually add Mi Band 5 to the list of trusted Bluetooth devices. → Connections → Bluetooth → Additional settings → Trusted devices and add the bracelet manually MAC-address (indicated on the box).

3.Pairing Mi Band 5 Step-by-step with phone

When the preparation is complete, we move to the connection itself, and it is important to follow the instructions strictly in order, since skipping the steps can cause synchronization to fail.

Algorithm of action:

1. Turn on the bracelet: press the touch button Mi Band 5 (one short press).
2. Activate the pairing mode: in the bracelet menu, find the Connect item (phone icon) and confirm the choice of the swipe to the right.
3. Add the device to Mi Fit: Open the Mi Fit app. Click Profile → Add the device → Bracelet → Mi Smart Band 5. Confirm permission to access contacts and notifications (this is necessary for synchronizing calls).

Confirm the code on the bracelet.

Mi Band 5

Confirm

Update the firmware

Mi Fit

Do not interrupt the process – this can lead to the “bricking” of the device

If at the interface stage there is an error "Can not connect", follow the following steps:

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If the bracelet still does not connect, try using the developer mode on the phone: activate it (7 taps by build number in Settings). → About the phone, then in Settings → System system → For developers, turn on Bluetooth debugging and reboot the device.

4. Set up notifications and calls

One of the key features of the Mi Band 5 is to display notifications from the phone, but on Samsung, this feature often doesn’t work properly due to the features of the One shell. UI. To keep the notifications stable:

Step 1. Permissions for Mi Fit:

• 🔔 Enable Show notifications in the application settings (Settings) → Notifications → Mi Fit → Allow notices).
• 📵 Turn off Do Not Disturb for Mi Fit in Notification Settings.
• 🔄 In the Mi Fit application itself, go to the Profile → Mi Smart Band 5 → Notifications about applications and select those applications from which alerts you want to see on the bracelet.

Step 2: Configure calls:

To display incoming calls:

1. In Mi Fit go to Profile → The device → Call notifications and enable the option.
2. On the phone, open Settings. → Annexes → Phone. → Permissions and make sure that Mi Fit has access to the call log.
3. If calls don't show, check if Samsung Knox blocks them. To do this, temporarily turn off Knox Protection in Settings. → Biometrics and safety → Other security parameters.

For Samsung Galaxy with Android 13+ Additional adjustments may be required:

⚠️ Note: In the latest versions of One UI notifications for third-party applications (including Mi Fit) are grouped by default and do not appear on the lock screen. → Notifications → Additional settings → Notification style and select for Mi Fit mode Detailed.

5. Data synchronization with Google Fit and Samsung Health

The Mi Band 5 collects step, sleep and pulse data, but by default it is only stored in Mi Fit. To move it to Google Fit or Samsung Health, you will need additional setup.

Sync with Google Fit:

1. Open Mi Fit and go to Profile → Settings → Accounts and Sync.
2. Select Google Fit and log in through your Google account.
3. Allow access to activity and health data.
4. Include the options Steps, Sleep, Heart Rate and Weight.

Sync with Samsung Health:

Officially, Mi Fit doesn’t support direct integration with Samsung Health, but there’s a workaround through Google Fit:

1. First, sync your data with Google Fit (as described above).
2. Open Samsung Health, go to Settings → Connected services.
3. Select Google Fit and log in.
4. Enable data import from Google Fit for all categories available.

Note that synchronization can take up to 24 hours and sleep data is sometimes mistransmitted. For accurate tracking, it is recommended to use one application (for example, only Mi Fit).

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If you want to be as accurate as possible, avoid syncing with multiple services at once, and each app (Mi Fit, Google Fit, Samsung Health) can interpret steps and sleep differently, leading to discrepancies in statistics.

6. Bracelet Optimization: Battery and Performance

The Mi Band 5 is famous for its long run time (up to 14 days on a single charge), but in practice, Samsung users often face a quick discharge.

• 🔋 Frequent synchronizations due to background limitations of One UI.
• 📶 Continuous search GPS (if it's routing enabled).
• 🔔 Active notifications from multiple applications.

How to extend the life of the battery:

To change the settings:

1. In Mi Fit go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 5 → Settings of the device.
2. Turn off Automatic Sleep Detection and set a fixed time.
3. In the Notifications section, leave only critical applications.
4. In the Display, reduce the lighting time and brightness.

If the bracelet is discharged in less than 5 days, check:

• 🔌 Battery status: If the bracelet is older than 2 years, the battery may have degraded, and you can check its health through the Mi Band Master app (available on Google Play).
• 📲 Background Processes: On Samsung Phone, Open Settings → Annexes → Mi Fit → Battery and make sure the application is allowed to work in the background.

7. Solving common problems

Even after a successful connection, Mi Band 5 and Samsung users may experience problems, and consider typical scenarios and ways to fix them.

Problem 1: The bracelet shuts down in a few minutes

Reason: Samsung’s energy-saving mode forcibly shuts down Bluetooth connection.

Decision:

1. Open the Settings. → Caring for the device → Battery → Background activity.
2. Find Mi Fit in the list and enable the option to Allow Background Activity.
3. Add Mi Fit to the list of Not Optimize (Settings) → Annexes → Mi Fit → Battery → Optimize battery use → Off.).

Problem 2: Notices are not coming.

Causes and solutions:

Problem 3: The bracelet is not updated

If Mi Fit offers to update the firmware, but the process freezes:

1. Make sure the bracelet is more than 50% charged.
2. Connect your phone to a stable Wi-Fi network (update via mobile internet may be interrupted).
3. If the update is hanging, don’t turn off the bracelet – wait 10-15 minutes. If nothing happens, reset the bracelet (hold the touch button for 10 seconds).
4. If the error is repeated, remove the bracelet from Mi Fit (Profile) → The device → Remove) and reconnect.

8.Alternative applications for Mi Band 5

If Mi Fit is unstable or you lack features, you can use third-party apps. They offer advanced customization options, but require more access rights.

Top.-3 alternatives:

• 📊 Notify & Fitness for Mi Band: Support for custom dials (over 1,000 options); Advanced notification settings (keyword filtering); Data export to Google Sheets. Minus: Requires ADB-permissions for full functionality.
• 🔧 Mi Band Master: Shows the level of battery wear. Allows you to disable Xiaomi restrictions (for example, the number of notifications); Support for automatic change of dial by time of day. Minus: interface in English, no Russian language.
• 🛡️ Tools & Mi Band: Locking the phone screen when the bracelet is removed. Customizing gestures (e.g., double tapping to start the camera); Supporting custom vibrations for different types of notifications. Minus: paid version requires a one-time payment (~300 rubles.).

To install alternative applications:

1. First, untie the bracelet from Mi Fit (profile) → Remove the device).
2. Install the selected application from Google Play.
3. Follow the connection instructions (usually you need to allow Bluetooth access and notifications).
4. If the application requests ADB-permissions, follow the official instructions for their setting.

⚠️ Note: Using third-party apps can result in a loss of warranty on the bracelet if they modify the firmware.In addition, some features (such as contactless payment) work only with the official Mi Fit.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Mi Band 5 and Samsung