Xiaomi’s wearables have been a market leader for several years, and the Mi Band 4 has become a real bestseller for its price-to-function ratio. Many users purchase this gadget to track physical activity, sleep and receive notifications from their smartphone, but the initial setup often raises questions for beginners. The process of synchronizing the device with the Android operating system requires several sequential actions, skipping which can lead to connection errors.
In this detailed guide, we’ll break down all the steps from smartphone preparation to fine-tuning in-app notifications.You’ll learn why standard Bluetooth search in phone settings doesn’t work for a first run and what software is required for a tracker to run smoothly.For Mi Band 4 to work properly on Android 10 and up, it’s critical to give the intermediary app all the permissions you’re asking for, including geolocation access.
We’ll look at the typical problems that gadget owners face and suggest proven methods to solve them. Regardless of which smartphone you have – a flagship or a budget model, the right software configuration will ensure the long-lasting performance of the wristband from one charge and the accuracy of the collected health data.
Preparation of the smartphone and choice of application
The first step before trying to pair devices is to install the necessary software. Unlike conventional Bluetooth headsets, Xiaomi fitness trackers do not connect directly through the Bluetooth system menu, but require a special manager. The main application for working with the fourth version of the bracelet is Zepp Life (formerly known as Mi Fit), which can be downloaded for free from the official Google Play store.
Once you install the app, you need to register an account or log into an existing Xiaomi profile, which is a mandatory requirement to save statistics and customize user profiles. Make sure that your smartphone has Bluetooth enabled and geolocation (GPS) activated, since without permission to access the location, the application will not be able to detect the device in search radius.
💡
It is recommended that you remove old Mi Fit or Mi Band Tools versions before installing Zepp Life to avoid version conflicts and synchronization errors.
It is also important to check your phone’s operating system version. Android version 5.0 and higher is recommended for stable operation, although current versions of Android 12-14 may require additional permissions for background work. If you have an aggressive energy-saving mode, it is better to temporarily turn it off for the duration of the initial setup.
The process of pairing the device
Once the software is ready, you can move to a physical connection, remove the tracker from the charger if it has been discharged, and wait for the welcome screen or Mi Band logo to appear on the display. Hold the bracelet close to the smartphone, at a distance of no more than 10-15 centimeters, so that the signal is sure.
Launch the Zepp Life app and go to the Profile tab, then select Add Device. From the list of available gadgets, find and click on Mi Band 4. The smartphone screen will see a pairing request, and the bracelet screen will see a vibration signal and confirmation icon. Press the touch button on the tracker to confirm the action.
- 📱 Make sure the bracelet is not connected to other smartphones in the background.
- 🔋 The charge of the tracker must be at least 20% for a successful firmware update.
- 📶 The screen of the smartphone should be unlocked at the time of searching for the device.
- 🔄 If the search lasts more than a minute, reboot Bluetooth on your phone.
☑️ Checking before connection
During the initial connection, the device's firmware can automatically update. Don't interrupt this process and keep the smartphone screen on. Interrupting the update can cause the bracelet to stop responding to commands and require a factory reset via the app.
Setup of permissions and notifications
To make full use of the Mi Band 4 functionality, you need to configure the right access rights in Android. The operating system often restricts the operation of background applications to save energy, which can lead to the loss of notifications about calls or messages. You will need to manually allow the Zepp Life application to work in the background.
Go to your smartphone settings, search for Apps, and select Zepp Life. In Notifications, turn on all the switches available. Pay special attention to Autostart and Background Operations, which must be active. Without that, the system can kill the sync process when the phone screen is turned off.
| Type of notification | Permission required | Where to set up |
|---|---|---|
| Incoming calls | Contact, Telephone. | Settings of the Zepp Life app |
| SMS and Messages | SMS, Access to storage | Tab Profile -> Notifications |
| Social media notifications | Access to notifications | Android system settings |
| Geolocation | GPS (always allowed) | Android system settings |
In the app itself, under the "Application Notifications" section, you can select specific programs that will duplicate messages on your wrist, such as Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber or system notifications, and it is recommended that you do not include too many sources to avoid overloading the bracelet processor and saving battery life.
Solving Typical Connection Problems
Despite the simplicity of the procedure, users sometimes face situations where the phone does not see the bracelet or the connection is constantly cut off. One common reason is the “junk” in the list of stored Bluetooth devices. If you previously tried to connect the tracker and the process was interrupted, the device may remain in the phone’s memory as “conjugated”, but not working.
⚠️ Note: If the Mi Band 4 appears in the phone’s Bluetooth device list as paired but doesn’t work, be sure to click “Forget the device” or “Unpair” before retrying to connect via the app.
Another common problem is Bluetooth version conflict: Some older smartphone models may not work properly with the new encryption protocols used in the updated bracelet firmware, which can be helped by resetting the network settings on the smartphone or temporarily disabling VPNs and antivirus programs that can block local traffic.
Hidden bracelet reset
Also, you should consider signal interference, and if you're in an area with a lot of Wi-Fi routers or other Bluetooth gadgets running, the signal may be unstable, and try to do the primary pairing in another room or away from sources of high-power electromagnetic radiation.
Calibration and personalization
Once successfully connected, the customization phase for the user's individual needs begins. Mi Band 4 allows you to customize the dials, the order of the displayed data and the sensitivity of the sensors. In the Zepp Life app, a dial store is available, where you can choose a static image or animated background that will be displayed on the screen. OLED-screen.
An important aspect is setting activity goals, and the app will ask you to set your daily step rate, and you can set up sedentary reminders, and you can set time intervals in which the bracelet will vibrate if you don't take a certain number of steps per hour, which is especially useful for office workers.
- ⌚ Set up the wrist lift to turn on the screen: sensitivity can be changed.
- 💧 Set reminders about drinking during working hours.
- 🌙 Activate the “Do Not Disturb” mode at night automatically.
- 🏃 Choose the sports that will be displayed in the quick menu.
For users who are engaged in sports, you can choose the type of activity (running, walking, exercise bike), and the bracelet will track the corresponding metrics in real time, the data is synchronized with the phone immediately after the session, forming a load history.
Features of working with Android 12, 13 and 14
Modern versions of Android have implemented stricter privacy and power management policies, and owners of Android 12 and later smartphones need to be careful when they first run, and the system can request permission to search for devices nearby, a new type of access that must be confirmed for the app’s Bluetooth scanner to work.
In addition, newer versions of Android have changed the way background processes work, and even if you have given all permissions, the system can limit background activity of Zepp Life. It is recommended to add the app to the list of Unlimited or Unlimited in the battery settings, which will prevent notifications from coming after you have not opened the app for several hours.
💡
On Android 13+, access to Bluetooth devices and geolocation is divided into two separate requests, both of which require user confirmation for the tracker to work smoothly.
The new OS also changes the notification management interface, so that apps can explicitly request access to other programs' notifications, and when you first log in to the Zepp Life notifications section, you'll be taken to the system menu, where you'll need to find Zepp Life on the list and allow it to "Access Notifications," without which the bracelet will be silent when incoming messages.