Xiaomi Mi Band 5 Connection to Android: Full Instruction with Problem Solutions

The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 fitness bracelet remains one of the most popular wearables thanks to its combination of functionality and affordable price. However, even with such a simple device, the process of connecting to a smartphone can raise questions - especially if you encounter Xiaomi's technology for the first time. Unlike newer models (such as the Mi Band 7 or Smart Band 8), the fifth version has its own synchronization features associated with outdated firmware and changes in the branded application.

In this article, we will examine not only the basic pairing steps, but also the nuances that are often missed in standard instructions: from choosing the right version of the Mi Fitness application (formerly Mi Fit) to solving problems with Bluetooth 5.0 connection. Particular attention will be paid to errors like “Device not found” or “failed to connect” that occur on Android 12+ phones due to new restrictions on access to geolocation and background processes.

If you've tried to plug in the bracelet and you've had trouble, skip the first section and go straight to solving typical problems, and for beginners, start by preparing your phone and bracelet for first sync.

Preparation of the phone and bracelet for connection

Before pairing, make sure your smartphone meets the minimum requirements for working with the Mi Band 5:

📱 Android version: 5.0 and above (recommended) 7.0+ For stable operation. On Android 13/14 Additional permissions may be required.
🔵 Bluetooth: version 4.2 or later. The bracelet supports Bluetooth 5.0, but is compatible with older standards as well.
📲 Free space: at least 100 MB for installation of Mi Fitness app and data cache.
🔋 Bracelet charge: at least 20% (at a level below 10%, synchronization may be interrupted).

Also check that the phone has power-saving mode turned off for apps in the background – this is a common reason for connection breakage. On Xiaomi/Redmi with MIUI shell, additionally open Settings → Apps → Permissions → Autostart and enable autostart for Mi Fitness.

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If you have a Samsung phone with Optimized Battery Usage, add Mi Fitness to the exclusion list, which will prevent the bracelet from automatically disconnecting from the phone after 10-15 minutes of inactivity.

The bracelet itself must be removed from the packaging before connecting and the protective film from the charging contacts (if any). If the Mi Band 5 has already been used, reset to the factory settings: press the touch button on the bracelet screen for 10 seconds until the vibration and the Mi logo appear.

Installation and configuration of the Mi Fitness application

The official Xiaomi bracelet management app is called Mi Fitness (formerly Mi Fit), and it is important to download the current version, as older releases may not support Mi Band 5 or contain vulnerabilities.

🤖 Google Play for the majority of users)
📱 Huawei AppGallery (for phones without Google services)
🌐 Official Xiaomi website (APK manually)

After installation, start Mi Fitness and follow the following steps:

Select the region of Russia (or your country) and accept the terms of use.
Register a Xiaomi account (if you don’t have one) or log in through an existing one. Without an account, synchronization between devices will not be possible.
Click Add Device (+) and select the Bracelet → Mi Smart Band 5.
Allow the app to access geolocation, notifications and contacts (the latter is needed to display the names of the callers on the bracelet).

Download Mi Fitness from official source |

Allow all requested permits |

Disable the power saving mode for the application-->

If an app requests access to phone calls or SMS, that’s fine: the bracelet can show notifications of incoming calls and messages, but on Android 10+, these permissions will have to be given manually in the system settings.

Connecting Mi Band 5 to the phone

Now, to the interface process itself, make sure that the bracelet is next to the phone (no further than 1 meter) and is on. If the bracelet screen is out, tap the touch button to wake it up.

Instructions for connection:

In the Mi Fitness app, click Connect (Mi Smart Band 5 should appear in the list of available devices).
The bracelet will have a 4-digit code -- compare it to the code in the app. If the codes match, confirm the connection on the phone.
Wait until the sync is complete (it can take up to 2 minutes) and a tick will appear on the bracelet screen. ✅.
Update the bracelet firmware if the app suggests doing so (recommended for bug fixing).

If the bracelet is not displayed in the list of devices:

🔄 Reboot Bluetooth on your phone (turn off and turn on again).
📴 Make sure the bracelet is not connected to another device (e.g., a tablet).
🔋 Check the bracelet’s charge – at levels below 15%, it may not broadcast the signal to pair.

Mi Band 5|

Mi Band 6|

Mi Band 7|

Smart Band 8|

Another model.-->

After successful connection, the application will offer to configure the main parameters of the bracelet: hours, notifications, goals for steps, etc. We recommend that you immediately activate automatic synchronization in the bracelet settings (Device Profile → Data Synchronization) so that the statistics are updated every 30 minutes.

Setup of the bracelet after connecting

To make the Mi Band 5 work as efficiently as possible, you should set up a few key settings after connecting: Open the Profile tab in Mi Fitness, select your bracelet and go to Device Settings.

The main settings that are worth checking:

Parameter	Recommended value	Explanation
Time zone	Automatically.	The bracelet will sync the time with the phone
Units of measurement	Metric system	Kilometers and kilograms instead of miles and pounds
Notifications	Included (selectively)	Turn off unnecessary apps so that the bracelet doesn’t shake
Raising your hand to activate	Included.	The screen will light up when you move your hand.
Automatic sleep detection	Included.	For accurate tracking of sleep phases

Pay special attention to setting notifications. By default, the bracelet vibrates with each incoming message, which can quickly drain the battery.

📞 Calls (with display of number)
💬 Messages from messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp)
⏰ Alarm clocks and reminders

How to disable notifications from unnecessary applications?

Go to Device Settings → Application Notifications in Mi Fitness. Here you will see a list of all applications that can send notifications to the bracelet. Uncheck the boxes against unnecessary ones (such as games or social networks). Please note that some system notifications (such as low phone charge) cannot be turned off.

It is also useful to activate the “Find Phone” function, which allows you to find a smartphone if it is lost within the range of Bluetooth. To do this, in the bracelet settings, turn on the “Find Phone” option and assign a gesture to it (for example, hold the touch button).

Solving Connection Problems

Even when set up correctly, Mi Band 5 users sometimes encounter pairing errors, and let’s look at the most common problems and how to fix them.

1.The bracelet is not on the device list.

⚠️ Attention: On Android phones 12/13 Qualcomm Snapdragon chips (e.g. Xiaomi) 11T, Samsung Galaxy S22) Solution: Turn off Wi-Fi before you connect, and turn on flight mode. 10 Then go back to the search for the devices.

🔹 Make sure the bracelet is not connected to another device (e.g., a tablet or a second phone).
🔹 Reboot the phone’s Bluetooth module: Turn it off, wait 30 seconds, turn it on again.
🔹 Check if the connection is blocked by an antivirus (for example, Avast or Kaspersky).

2.The connection is cut off in a few minutes.

This problem is typical for phones with aggressive battery optimization (especially Xiaomi, Oppo, Vivo).

Open Settings → Applications → Mi Fitness → Battery.
Select “No restrictions” or “Allow background activity”.
Add the app to the auto-start list.

3. "Unable to connect" error (code 8002 or 8004)

These errors are usually due to the incompatibility of the bracelet firmware versions with the application.

🔄 Update Mi Fitness to the latest version.
🔄 Update the bracelet firmware through the device settings → Firmware update.
🔄 Reset the bracelet to factory settings (hold the touch button for 15 seconds).

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If none of these methods worked, try connecting the bracelet via another phone (like a friend’s), and if the connection is successful, the problem is with your smartphone settings, not the bracelet.

Update of the firmware Mi Band 5

Regular firmware updates fix bugs, add new features and improve compatibility with the latest versions of Android.To update the Mi Band 5:

Open Mi Fitness and go to the profile of the bracelet.
Select the device settings → Update the firmware.
If a new version is available, click “Update”.
Wait until the process is complete (the bracelet will reboot automatically).

Important points in the update:

🔋 The charge level of the bracelet should be not lower than 50%.
📶 The phone must be connected to stable Wi-Fi (update via mobile Internet may be interrupted).
⏳ If the update takes more than 10 minutes, wait until it's done.

What to do if the update is suspended?

If the update progress bar doesn't move for more than 20 minutes: Restart your phone and bracelet. Remove the bracelet from the device list in Mi Fitness and plug it back in. Repeat the update attempt. If the error repeats, contact Xiaomi with logs (they can be exported in the app settings). In extreme cases, you can try to update the firmware manually through ADB, but this requires technical skills.

After the update, check the firmware version in the bracelet settings. Current version at 2026 is 1.0.9.54 or later. If your version is older but no updates are available, your bracelet may be from the Chinese version (referred to as Mi Band 5 NFC), for which updates are less common.

Optimization of the battery consumption of the bracelet

The average lifetime of the Mi Band 5 on a single charge is 10-14 days, but with active use (constant synchronization, notifications, sleep tracking), this period can be reduced to 5-7 days.

🔋 Turn off the permanent pulsemeter (only turn it on during exercise).
🔕 Reduce the number of notifications (leave only important ones).
🌙 Turn off automatic sleep detection if you don’t use this feature.
📶 Reduce the automatic synchronization frequency to 1 time per hour.

If the bracelet starts to run out in 1-2 days, it may be worn out, and you can check its health through apps like AccuBattery (root access on your phone is required).

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To quickly check the charge level of the bracelet without starting the application, just tap the touch button on the home screen – the battery indicator will appear at the top.

If the bracelet does not hold charge even after optimization, try calibrating the battery:

Discharge the bracelet to 0% (until it turns off).
Charge up to 100% without interruptions (use the original cable).
Repeat the cycle 2-3 times.

Frequently asked questions

Can you connect Mi Band 5 to two phones at the same time?

No, the bracelet only supports connection to one device at a time. To reconnect it to another phone, first remove the bracelet from the Mi Fitness app on the first device, then pair it on the second.

Why does the bracelet vibrate for no reason?

Random vibrations are usually associated with: 📲 Background notifications (check notification settings in Mi Fitness). ⏰ Reminders of inactivity (disabled in bracelet settings). 🔋 Low battery charge (below 10%) If vibrations continue, drop the bracelet to factory settings.

How to Reset Mi Band 5 if It Does Not Respond to Touch

If the bracelet screen doesn't respond, do a forced reset: Connect the bracelet to charge. Hold the touch button for 20-30 seconds until you feel the vibration. Release the button, the bracelet will reset and reset to factory settings. If it didn't work, the problem may be sensor damage (repair required).

Can I use Mi Band 5 without a phone?

The bracelet can work independently, but with limitations: ✅ Counts steps, calories, controls sleep. ✅ Shows the time and alarm clocks. ❌ Not synchronizing data without a phone. ❌ No notifications or weather. For full use, sync the bracelet to your phone at least once in a while. 2-3 day-day.

How to transfer data from Mi Band 5 to a new phone?

The data is stored in the Xiaomi account, so when you change your phone: Install Mi Fitness on a new phone. Sign in to the same Xiaomi account. Connect the bracelet - all data (steps, sleep, workouts) will be downloaded automatically. If the data does not appear, check if sync with the cloud is enabled in the app settings.