How to connect a smart watch Haylou to a Xiaomi phone: full instructions with error solutions

Xiaomi Ecosystem’s Haylou smartwatch has become a popular choice among users due to its combination of functionality and affordable price. However, many Xiaomi smartphone owners face difficulties when connecting devices for the first time — the watch does not find the phone, the app does not see the gadget, or synchronization is interrupted halfway through the process. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways of connecting (via Mi Fit, Zepp Life and standard Bluetooth), as well as solve typical problems that arise when pairing.

The Haylou watch is a feature that uses a communications protocol optimized for the Xiaomi ecosystem, but requires the right resolution setting on the phone, such as the Haylou Solar LS05 or GT1 Pro models, which may not connect if the MIUI settings disable access to geodata for the companion app, and we'll go through every step from preparing the phone to final data synchronization.

1. Preparing Xiaomi phone for connection

Before you start pairing, you need to configure the Xiaomi smartphone so that it can interact correctly with the Haylou watch.The main problems at this stage are related to the power saving limitations in MIUI and insufficient permissions for applications.

First, make sure your phone has the latest firmware installed. Go to Settings → About Phone → System Update. If an update is available, install it. Older versions of MIUI (below 12.5) may not support newer Haylou, Released watches after 2022.

Second, activate Bluetooth and geolocation (even if the watch doesn’t use GPS directly, some apps require this access to work correctly). Also check that the security settings (Settings → Apps → Permissions → Autostart) for the Mi Fit or Zepp Life app enable autostart. Without this, the watch can shut down minutes after pairing.

• 📱 Update. MIUI Up to the latest version (minimum 12.5 for new watches).
• 📡 Enable Bluetooth and geolocation in the control panel.
• 🔒 Give me permission to the Mi app. Fit/Zepp Life in Settings → Annexes → Permit management.
• 🔄 Turn off the power saving mode for the companion app in Settings → Battery. → Choice of applications.

2.Select the app for connection: Mi Fit vs Zepp Life

Haylou officially supports two watch management apps: Mi Fit (developed by Xiaomi) and Zepp Life (formerly Amazfit), depending on your watch model and firmware version:

• 🔹 Mi Fit – suitable for most Haylou models (e.g. Solar) LS05, GT1), It has a reduced functionality compared to Zepp Life.
• 🔹 Zepp Life – Recommended for new devices (e.g. Haylou Watch) GS or RT2), Supports advanced training settings and notifications.

Importantly, some models (such as the Haylou LS01) only work through the Mi Fit, and trying to connect via Zepp Life will lead to an error.

Critical information: If your Haylou RT2 watch is newer or newer, but it is not defined in Zepp Life, update the watch firmware through the official Haylou Fun software (available only for Windows).

3. Step-by-step instructions for connecting via Mi Fit

If you have chosen Mi Fit, follow this instruction and make sure that the phone has the latest version of the app installed (at least 4.6.0 for MIUI 13+).

1. Install Mi Fit from Google Play or AppGallery.
2. Sign up or sign in to your Xiaomi account (required! without an account, data sync will not work).
3. Turn on Bluetooth on your phone and wake up the Haylou watch (press a button or tap the screen).
4. In the Mi Fit app, click Profile → Add Device → Watch → Haylou [your model].
5. Confirm the pairing on the phone and on the clock (if required).
6. Wait until the synchronization is complete (it can take up to 5 minutes).

Download the latest version of Mi Fit|Sign in to your Xiaomi account|Enable Bluetooth and geolocation|Charge the clock to a minimum of 50%|Shut down. VPN (It can block Xiaomi servers)-->

If the device is not in the search stage of the clock:

⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi phones with MIUI 14+ This may trigger a background lock for applications. Go to Settings → Special facilities → Notifications and status bar → Manage floating window resolutions and allow Mi Fit to display on top of other apps.

Connecting through Zepp Life: nuances and problem solving

The Zepp Life app offers more customization options, but also requires more permissions. The main problem when connecting via Zepp Life is that the Haylou watch may not appear on the list of available devices, even if it is on and nearby.

Decision:

1. Remove Mi Fit if it is installed (app conflict).
2. In Zepp Life, click Devices → Add Device → Watch → Haylou.
3. If the model doesn’t show up, select Another device and enter the name manually.
4. Confirm the code on the watch (usually 0000 or 1234).

If the connection is suspended during the "Data Synchronization" stage:

• 🔌 Reset the clock (press the button for 10 seconds).
• 📵 Turn off and turn on Bluetooth on your phone again.
• 🗑️ Clear the Zepp Life app cache in Settings → Annexes → Zepp Life → Warehouse → Clear the cache.

5. Solving common connection errors

Even with the right setup of your phone and watch, there can be errors, and let's look at the most common ones and how to fix them.

If none of these methods worked, try resetting the clock to factory settings:

1. On the watch, go to Settings → System → Reset (or press the button for 15 seconds for a hard reset).
2. Connect again as if to a new device.

⚠️ Note: After reset, all data on the watch (steps, training, settings) will be deleted. If the watch is tied to a Xiaomi account, data can be recovered from the cloud within 30 days.

6. Set up notifications and additional functions

Once you have successfully connected, you are advised to configure notifications and basic watch functions. In the Mi Fit or Zepp Life app, go to the device management section and activate:

• 📱 Notifications – select apps that will duplicate alerts on the clock (for example, WhatsApp, Telegram, VKontakte).
• 🔔 Alarms – set up vibration or beep.
• 🏃 Activity tracking – enable automatic recognition of walking, running, sleeping.
• 🔋 Energy saving – adjust the pulse rate (recommended every 10 minutes to save battery life).

For models with NFC (for example, Haylou Solar LS05), you can link a bank card for contactless payments.

1. Open the Mi Fit app.
2. Go to Profile → Haylou LS05 → NFC → Add a map.
3. Follow the instructions of the bank (Sberbank, Tinkoff, VTB are supported).

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If notifications are late, check the power saving settings for messenger apps. In MIUI, some apps are put into “sleep mode” by default, which blocks timely delivery of alerts.

7.The Haylou Watch firmware update

Regular firmware updates fix connection errors and add new features. Check the relevance of the software version on your watch:

In the Mi Fit/Zepp Life app, go to Device Profile → Firmware Update. If a new version is available, follow the instructions on the screen.

• 🔋 The battery charge of the watch should be at least 60%.
• 📶 Connect your phone to stable Wi-Fi (mobile internet updates may interrupt).
• ⏳ Do not interrupt the process – this can lead to the “bricking” of the device.

For Haylou RT2 and later, the update may require a PC connection via Haylou Fun. Download the utility from the official website and follow the instructions:

1. Connect the watch to the PC via the USB- cable (use the original cord).


2. Launch Haylou Fun and select your model.




3. Click "Check for updates" and wait for the process to complete.




4.Do not turn off the clock until the message "Update successful" appears.

⚠️ Note: If Haylou Fun fails during the upgrade (e.g., the cable goes off), the watch may stop turning on. In this case, contact the service center - self-restore firmware requires special equipment.

8. Alternative ways of connecting (without Mi Fit/Zepp Life)

If standard apps don’t work, you can try connecting a Haylou watch as a normal Bluetooth device without syncing data, which is suitable for basic functions (calls, notifications), but will not allow you to use a fitness tracker or settings via your phone.

Instructions:

1. On the phone go to Settings → Bluetooth.
2. Turn on the search mode on the clock (usually hold the 3 second button until the indicator blinks).
3. From the list of available devices, select Haylou [model] and confirm pairing.
4. Allow access to contacts and call logs (to display notifications).

Limitations of this method:

• ❌ No synchronization of steps, pulse, sleep.
• ❌ You can not change the dial or screen settings.
• ❌ Notifications may come without text (appendix name only).

For advanced management without official apps, you can use third-party utilities such as Notify & Fitness for Mi Band (available on Google Play), which supports most of Haylou's features, including dial customization and advanced notifications.

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Connecting via standard Bluetooth is a temporary solution. To fully work the Haylou watch, you need to use Mi Fit or Zepp Life.

FAQ: Frequent questions about connecting Haylou to Xiaomi