Connecting Xiaomi Mi Band 3 to iPhone: full instruction with error solutions

Why iPhone owners are choosing Mi Band 3 in 2026

The Xiaomi Mi Band 3 fitness bracelet, released in 2018, is still in demand among iPhone users — for good reason. First, it is one of the most affordable devices with 20-day autonomy, 5 waterproof. ATM and OLED-Second, despite its age, it supports all the key functions: heart rate monitoring, pedometer, call and text notifications, and most importantly, it can be connected to iOS without losing functionality.

But many users have difficulty syncing for the first time, because Xiaomi regularly updates its app (now Mi Fitness, formerly Mi Fit), and the connection algorithms for Android and iPhone are different. In this article, we’ll look at how to connect the Mi Band 3 to an iPhone with the latest iOS 17/18 updates, and also solve typical problems, from the “failed to find the device” error to the lack of notifications.

Before you get to the instructions, check two key points: 1. Your iPhone is running iOS 12 or later (Mi Band 3 does not support older versions). 2. The bracelet is charged at least 20% - at low charge it may not appear in the list of available devices.

Preparing for connection: what to do before synchronization

Before you connect the Mi Band 3 to your iPhone, follow a few steps that will save you from most of the mistakes you make in the device search phase.

• 📱 Update iOS: Go to Settings → Mainstream → Update the software and install the latest version. Older iOS builds may conflict with Bluetooth 4.2, which uses a bracelet.
• 🔄 Reboot both devices: Turn off Mi Band 3 (press the touch button for 10 seconds) and reboot the iPhone.This will reset the Bluetooth cache.
• 🚫 Disable Other Wearables: If your Wiphone already has an Apple Watch, headphones or other fitness bracelet connected, temporarily unplug them in Settings → Bluetooth.
• 🌐 Check out the Apple region ID: Mi Fitness App May Not Work If Your Apple ID You're tied to China. Change region to any other region in Settings. → [Your name] → Country/region.

Pay special attention to permissions: Mi Fitness will require Bluetooth access, Notifications, Health (to synchronize step data) and Geolocation (to accurately track jogging). If any of the permissions are blocked, the bracelet will connect, but some of the features will not work.

Step-by-step: how to connect Mi Band 3 to iPhone

Now, to the synchronization process itself, follow the instructions strictly in steps, and skipping any point can lead to an error.

1. Download the Mi Fitness app Remove older versions of Mi Fit or Zepp Life (they are incompatible with Mi Band 3 on iOS). Install the current version of Mi Fitness from the App Store. Once installed, open the app and register through Xiaomi Account, Google or Apple ID.

If you find a device error that says “I couldn’t find Mi Band 3” during the search phase, try the following:

• 🔌 Turn off/turn on Bluetooth on your iPhone.
• 🔄 Restart the Mi Fitness app (remove it from multitasking).
• 📱 Reset network settings on iPhone: Settings → Mainstream → Removing or resetting iPhone → Reset → Reset the network settings.

Set up notifications and basic functions after connecting

After successful synchronization, the Mi Band 3 will appear in the Mi Fitness device list, and you need to configure the key parameters to make the bracelet work correctly:

Important: On iOS, notifications only appear on the bracelet if the Mi Fitness app is running in the background, and closing the application through multitasking will cause synchronization to stop.

For stable work, we recommend:

• 🔒 Ban battery optimization for Mi Fitness: iPhone settings → Battery. → Battery status → Mi Fitness → Turn off Charging Optimization.
• 📶 Enable background update: Settings → Mainstream → Content updates → Mi Fitness.

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If notifications come with a delay, turn off the power saving mode on the iPhone: Settings → Battery and deactivate the option Saving charge.

Common mistakes and their solutions

Even with the right connection, iPhone users face typical problems, and let's look at the most common ones and how to fix them.

⚠️ Warning: If after updating iOS or Mi Fitness bracelet stopped syncing, remove it from the list of devices in the application and reconnect.

1. Bracelet connects but does not show notifications

Reasons:

• 🚫 Mi Fitness does not include notifications for specific applications.
• 🔕 iPhone has blocked notifications for Mi Fitness.
• 📵 App closed in the background.

Decision:

1. Check notification settings in iPhone Settings → Notifications → Mi Fitness (Sounds, Badges and Banners must be enabled).
2. In Mi Fitness, go to Device Profile → Notifications and re-select the desired applications.
3. Restart Mi Fitness and wait for sync (the bracelet icon in the app should stop flashing).

2 Mi Band 3 is not identified by search

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

• 🔋 Check the bracelet charge (at a level below 10% it is not visible for connection).
• 🔄 Reboot Mi Band 3: Press the button 15 seconds before vibration.
• 📱 Reset your network settings on your iPhone (see instructions above).
• 🔄 Remove Mi Fitness, reboot your iPhone and install the app again.

3.Step or sleep data is not synchronized

The problem is often related to the conflict between Mi Fitness and the standard Health app:

1. Open iPhone Settings → Privacy → Health → Apps → Mi Fitness.
2. Make sure that Steps, Walk/Run Distance and Sleep are allowed.
3. In Mi Fitness, go to Profile → Settings → Data Sync and enable the Apple Health option.

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If the bracelet still doesn’t sync after all the manipulations, try connecting it to another smartphone (for example, on Android) to check its health. If the problem persists, the Mi Band 3 itself is defective.

How to Reset Mi Band 3 to Factory Settings

If the bracelet is unstable or you plan to sell it, reset to factory settings, which will delete all data from the device and break the connection with Mi Fitness.

Method 1: through application

1. Open Mi Fitness and go to your Mi Band 3 profile.
2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Remove the device.
3. Confirm the action – the bracelet will be reset automatically.

Method 2: via bracelet (if the application is not available)

1. On the Mi Band 3 home screen, swipe up to open the menu.
2. Find the Settings (cog icon) and select it.
3. Scroll down to Reset (the trash bin icon) and confirm the selection.
4. The bracelet vibrates and resets - the reset is complete.

⚠️ Note: After reset, the Mi Band 3 will appear as a new device in Mi Fitness.You will need to re-enter the connection process as described above.

Mi Band 3 Compatible with the Latest iOS Versions (2026)

Although the Mi Band 3 Released is in 2018, it remains compatible with iOS 17/18, but with some caveats:

• ✅ Supported functions: notifications, heart rate monitoring, pedometer, alarm clocks, music control (pause/playback).
• ❌ Unavailable Features: Voice Message Responses (on Android only). Xiaomi Pay (not running on iOS due to Apple restrictions); Automatic sync with Apple Health in the background (requires you to open Mi Fitness manually).

For stable operation on iOS 18, we recommend:

If you’re planning to upgrade to iOS 18, pre-check user reviews in the App Store for Mi Fitness – sometimes newer versions of iOS temporarily break compatibility with older devices.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions