Connecting Xiaomi Mi Band 4 to a smartphone: full instructions with pictures and tips

The Xiaomi Mi Band 4 fitness bracelet remains one of the most popular activity-tracking gadgets years after its release, its simplicity, long battery life, and rich functionality (stepmeter, pulsemeter, notifications) appeal to users, but beginners often have difficulty connecting first — especially when it comes to synchronizing with non-Chinese firmware or outdated versions of the Mi Fit app.

In this article, we will discuss all the stages of connection - from installing the program to setting up notifications, as well as consider typical errors (for example, when the bracelet is not detected by the phone or constantly breaks the connection). 14/iOS 17 and workarounds for regions where official support for the Mi Band 4 discontinued.

1. Preparation for connection: what will be needed

Before you start syncing, make sure you have everything you need:

• 📱 Smartphone on Android 5.0+ or iOS 10.0+ (Bluetooth 4.0 support LE mandatory).
• 🔋 Xiaomi Mi Band 4 with a charge of at least 20% (at low charge, the bracelet may not be turned on).
• 🌐 Stable Internet connection (for downloading the application and updating the bracelet firmware).
• 📲 Xiaomi or Mi Account (can be created during setup).

If you bought the bracelet in China or on AliExpress, check the firmware region: some versions of the Mi Band 4 have country restrictions, in which case you will need to change the region in the application (instruction below). Also note the version of the bracelet - it is listed on the box or in the About bracelet menu (if it is already on). There are models with and without NFC - this does not affect the connection process, but may require additional settings for contactless payments.

2. Installation and configuration of the Mi Fit application

The official Mi Band 4 management app is Mi Fit (developed by Huami).

• 🤖 For Android: from Google Play or APKPure (unless you have access to the Play Market).
• 🍎 For iOS: from the App Store.

After installation:

1. Open Mi Fit and select the language (English or Russian is recommended – other languages may have translation errors).
2. Click Sign up or Sign in if you already have a Xiaomi account.
3. Select the region (or Mainland China if you have a Chinese version of the bracelet).
4. Fill out the profile: gender, age, weight (this data is needed for correct calorie counting and sleep).

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If the app doesn’t run on Android 14, try disabling battery optimization for Mi Fit in the phone settings: Settings → Apps → Mi Fit → Battery → No restrictions.

Important: if you use the Chinese version of the bracelet (with the Mi logo instead of Xiaomi on the box), in the settings of the Mi Fit account, you will have to manually change the region to China, otherwise the bracelet will not be found when searching.

1. Open Mi Fit and go to Profile → Settings → Region.
2. Choose Mainland China.
3. Restart the app.

3. Step-by-step instruction for pairing the bracelet

Now, to the connection itself, follow the instructions carefully, and this is where errors are most common.

Turn on Bluetooth on your phone

Charge the Mi Band 4 to at least 20%

Make sure the bracelet is on (vibration when pressing the button)

Remove old devices from Mi Fit (if you have previously connected)-->

Step 1. Turn on the bracelet

If the Mi Band 4 is new, it must be turned off.

1. Place the bracelet on charge (even if the battery is charged) - it will automatically turn on.
2. Or press and hold the touch button under the screen for 3-5 seconds until you feel the vibration.

The Mi logo will appear on the screen, then the main menu.

Step 2: Find the bracelet in Mi Fit

1. In the Mi Fit app, click + (Device Add icon) or Add Device.
2. Choose from the Mi Smart Band 4 list (not to be confused with the Mi Band 5/6/7!).
3. Press Hide and wait for the phone to find the bracelet.

Step 3: Confirmation of connection

The bracelet will have a 4-digit code on its screen. Compare it to the code in the app -- if they match, click Confirm on your phone and tap the button on the bracelet.

4.Configure the main functions after connection

After successful pairing, the Mi Band 4 will need to configure:

• ⏰ Time and date (synchronized automatically, but sometimes confused when changing time zones).
• 🔔 Notifications – Select which apps can send alerts to the bracelet (calls, SMS, messengers).
• 🏃 Activity goals – steps, calories, sleep time.
• 🔒 Unlocking your phone (if supported by your smartphone model).

To set up notifications:

1. In Mi Fit, go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 4 → Notifications.
2. Turn on the Notification switch.
3. Select the apps you want to see on your bracelet (such as WhatsApp, Telegram).
4. Set up the display style: only vibration, notification text or app icon.

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For proper operation of notifications on Android, you need to manually allow Mi Fit access to alerts: Phone settings → Applications → Mi Fit → Notifications → Allow.

If you have an iPhone, consider the following:

• Notifications come only from standard applications (Calls, SMS, Calendar).
• For instant messengers (such as Viber), you will need to enable Notification Forwarding in the iOS settings: Settings → Bluetooth → Mi Band 4 → (i) → Notification Forwarding.
• The function of unlocking the phone with a bracelet on iOS does not work.

5. Update firmware and problem solving

Once connected, Mi Fit may offer to update the bracelet firmware, and we recommend that you agree that new versions fix errors and add features (for example, support for new languages or gestures).

How to update firmware:

1. Connect the bracelet to charge and make sure the charge is at least 50%.
2. In Mi Fit, go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 4 → Firmware Update.
3. Click Update and wait until it is completed (don’t turn off Bluetooth!).

If the update is hanging:

• 🔄 Reset the bracelet (hold the button for 10 seconds).
• 📱 Restart Mi Fit and check the internet connection.
• 🔌 Connect the bracelet to charging and try again.

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If the bracelet has stopped syncing data after the update, reset it to the factory settings: Bracelet settings → Additional → Reset. After that, you will have to reconnect it.

Common mistakes and their solutions:

6 Additional settings and secret functions

Xiaomi Mi Band 4 supports a number of hidden features that many people don’t know about:

• 🎵 Music management: you can switch tracks directly from the bracelet (included in Settings) → Managing music).
• 🔦 Flashlight: Swipe down on the home screen includes screen lighting for 5 seconds.
• 🏊 Swimming mode: activated manually in the bracelet menu (disables touch buttons to avoid false taps in the water).
• 🔋 Saving Charge: Turn off the constant pulse and inactivity notifications to keep the bracelet running for up to 20 days.

You can also change the dial:

1. In Mi Fit, go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 4 → Dials.
2. Choose your favorite design from the ones offered or download custom through Amazfit Watch Faces (requires registration).
3. Some dials support displaying weather, charge level and steps.

For customization enthusiasts, using the Notify & Fitness for Mi Band app (available on Google Play) you can:

• Set up vibrations for different types of notifications.
• Add quick responses to messages (e.g., “I’ll call you later”).
• Turn on the display of emoji in notifications.

7 Compatibility with other devices and services

Mi Band 4 can be connected not only to smartphones, but also to other gadgets:

• 💻 Laptops / PC: via Bluetooth adapter and Gadgetbridge (open source software for fitness bracelets).
• 🏠 Smart speakers: for example, Xiaomi Smart Speaker can voice data from the bracelet (requires settings in Mi Home).
• 🚴 Bike computers: Some models (e.g. Bryton) support synchronization with the Mi Band via the ANT+.

To sync with Google Fit or Apple Health:

1. In Mi Fit, go to Profile → Settings → Data Synchronization.
2. Select the right service and log in.
3. Set up what data to transmit (steps, sleep, pulse, etc.).

If you’re using Mi Band 4 with multiple devices (like a phone and tablet), consider:

• The bracelet can only be connected to one device at a time.
• When changing the phone, you will need to reset the bracelet to factory settings.
• The activity data is stored in the Xiaomi account, so the history will not be lost when you reconnect.

8. Security and confidentiality

Like any smart device, the Mi Band 4 collects data about your activity to protect your privacy.

• 🔐 Use a complex password for your Xiaomi account.
• 📵 Turn off sync with Google Fit/Apple Health if you are not using it.
• 🗑️ Periodically clear your data history in Mi Fit (Profile) → The device → Clear the data).
• 🚫 Do not connect the bracelet to public Wi-Fi (such as in fitness clubs) – this can lead to data leakage.

If you sell or transfer the bracelet to another person, make sure to reset:

1. In Mi Fit, remove the device from the list (Profile → Mi Smart Band 4 → Delete the device).
2. On the bracelet itself, go to Settings → Additional → Reset.
3. Confirm the reset - the bracelet will return to factory settings.

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After the reset, all data from the bracelet will be deleted, including activity history, but it will remain in your Xiaomi account (if sync was enabled).

If you are worried about tracking through a bracelet, remember:

• Xiaomi says that the activity data is anonymized and not tied to the user’s identity.
• Geolocation is not tracked – the bracelet does not have GPS-module (only tethered to the phone).
• For full control, you can turn off automatic synchronization in the Mi Fit settings.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi Mi Band 4