The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 fitness bracelet remains one of the most popular gadgets for tracking activity, despite the release of new models. Its owners often face the question of how to properly sync a device with a Samsung phone, especially if they have previously used smartphones of other brands. In this article, we will examine not only the standard connection procedure, but also the nuances of working with the Mi Band 5 firmware on Android devices from Samsung, including solutions to typical errors.
It’s important to understand that the Mi Band 5 officially supports connection to any Android 5.0 or higher smartphone, but Samsung owners may have specific problems due to the features of the One UI shell and energy saving policy. We tested the process on Galaxy S22, A53 and Note 20 models — all instructions are relevant for firmware 2026. If you previously tried to connect the bracelet and encountered errors such as “Cannot find the device” or “Sync failure”, in this article you will find working solutions.
1.Preparing Samsung phone for Mi Band 5 connection
Before you start syncing, you need to make sure that your Samsung smartphone meets the minimum requirements and is configured correctly.
- 📱 Android Version: 5.0 or later (on Samsung it's One) UI 2.0 and higher. You can check the settings → Telephone information → Android version.
- 🔄 Bluetooth: version 4.2 or higher.Outdated modules may not support low-energy protocol BLE, It uses the Mi Band 5.
- 📶 Internet connection: stable Wi-Fi or mobile internet for downloading the app and bracelet firmware updates.
- 🔋 Energy saving: Turn off battery optimization for the Mi Fitness app (instruction below).
Pay particular attention to the permissions for the Mi Fitness app. On Samsung with One UI, access to geolocation or notifications in the background is often blocked.
- Go to Settings → Applications → Mi Fitness → Permissions.
- Enable geolocation, contacts (for notifications) and storage.
- Activate the option "Allow background activity".
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If you have a Samsung Galaxy with Adaptive Battery, add Mi Fitness to the exclusion list. This will prevent the application from being automatically shut down by the system.
2. Installation and configuration of the Mi Fitness application
The official Mi Band 5 management app is called Mi Fitness (formerly Mi Fit), which can be downloaded from Google Play, but Samsung users sometimes have trouble installing due to regional restrictions or conflicts with Samsung Health's branded services.
If Mi Fitness is not available in the Play Market in your area, use alternative methods:
- 🌍 APK-File: Download the latest version from a trusted source (e.g. APKCombo). Make sure that the security settings allow installation from unknown sources (Settings) → Biometrics and safety → Install unknown applications).
- 🔄 VPN: Connect to a server in the country where the app is available (such as India or Singapore) and try downloading it via Play Market.
- 📱 Samsung Galaxy Store: Sometimes the app appears in the Samsung store.
After installing Mi Fitness, perform the initial setup:
- Open the app and select the language (we recommend English or Russian – other localizations may not work properly).
- Sign up or sign in through your Xiaomi, Google, Facebook or Apple ID account.
- In the profile menu (Profile) → Add device: Select Mi Smart Band 5.
3. Step-by-step connection of Mi Band 5 to Samsung phone
Now, let's move directly to synchronization. Follow the instructions carefully, because skipping steps can cause failures.
Turn on Bluetooth on your phone | Charge Mi Band 5 to 50% or more | Make sure the bracelet is near your phone (no more than 1 meter) | Close other Bluetooth-enabled apps (e.g. Samsung Health)
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Step 1: Activate Bluetooth and search for the device
- On a Samsung phone, turn on Bluetooth via the Quick Settings Panel or in Settings → Connections → Bluetooth.
- In the Mi Fitness app, click Add device → Mi Smart Band 5.
- On the bracelet, press the touch button to wake up the screen, then swipe right to the "Connect" item (phone icon) and confirm the selection.
Step 2: Synchronize and update the firmware
Once the connection is successful, the app will prompt you to update the bracelet firmware. Discard the update at this stage – complete the initial setup first, otherwise the process may be interrupted due to an unstable connection. The update can be launched later in the Device Profile → Firmware Update.
Step 3: Set up notifications and settings
- 🔔 Allow notifications to be accessed in Phone Settings → Annexes → Mi Fitness → Notifications.
- ⏰ Set up automatic data synchronization in the background (enable the option in the application settings).
- 🔒 Install. PIN-bracelet code to protect data from unauthorized access.
What if the Mi Band 5 is not a phone?
4. Solving typical connection problems
Even if you follow the instructions correctly, Samsung users may encounter errors, and consider the most common ones and how to fix them.
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| "Can't find the device" when searching | Conflict with Samsung Health or other fitness apps | Close all Bluetooth-enabled apps and re-search. Remove Samsung Health if necessary. |
| The bracelet is connected, but the data is not synchronized | Constraints on energy saving of One UI | Add Mi Fitness to battery optimization exceptions (Settings → Device Service → Battery → Background Activity). |
| The application gives an error "Communication failure" | Outdated firmware bracelet or phone | Update your Mi Band 5 firmware through Mi Fitness and check for updates for One UI. |
| The bracelet vibrates, but notifications are not displayed | No notifications available for Mi Fitness | Check permissions in Settings → Notifications → Mi Fitness and enable notifications to show. |
If none of these methods worked, try alternative bracelet management apps:
- 📲 Notify & Fitness for Mi Band – Supports Advanced Notification Features.
- 📲 Mi Band Master – allows you to adjust the vibrations and screen of the bracelet.
- 📲 Tools & Mi Band 5 - Specialized application for Mi Band 5.
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If the bracelet discharges quickly after connection, turn off constant data synchronization in the background. It is enough to update the statistics 1-2 times a day manually.
5. Set up notifications and calls on Mi Band 5 with Samsung
One of the key features of the Mi Band 5 is displaying notifications from a smartphone. On Samsung, this feature requires additional configuration due to the peculiarities of handling notifications in One UI.
How to enable notifications:
- In the Mi Fitness app, go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 5 → Notifications.
- Activate the "Call Notifications" and "Application Notifications" switch.
- Select applications that must be duplicated on the bracelet (for example, WhatsApp, Telegram, Gmail).
Solving notification problems:
- 📵 If notifications don’t come, check to see if the “Do Not Disturb” mode on your phone is blocking them.
- 🔕 On Samsung with Android 12+ You may need to manually allow Mi Fitness to access notifications in Settings → Notifications → Additionally. → Access to notifications.
- 🔄 If notifications are duplicated, turn them off in the app itself (for example, on WhatsApp, turn off "Show notifications").
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For stable notifications, turn off the “Adaptive Notifications” function in One UI (Settings → Notifications → Additional).
6. Optimize the Mi Band 5 with a Samsung phone
After successful connection, it is recommended to perform several actions to improve the stability of the connection and extend the life of the bracelet:
- 🔋 Energy saving: Turn off automatic data synchronization in the background if you don't need to keep up to date with statistics.
- 📶 Bluetooth: In the One settings UI Turn off the “Automatic Bluetooth Shutdown” function so that the connection does not break when the screen is locked.
- 🔄 Updates: Regularly check for firmware updates for Mi Band 5 via Mi Fitness.New versions often fix Samsung compatibility bugs.
- 🛡️ Security: Install PIN-bracelet code to protect personal data (stepmeter, pulse, notifications) when you lose your device.
For advanced users, additional settings are available through the bracelet's engineering menu:
- In the Mi Fitness app, go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 5 → Lab.
- Activate the “Unlock Screen” option to unlock your Samsung phone with your bracelet (requires settings → Lock Screen → Smart Lock).
- Set up control gestures (such as raising your hand to turn on the screen).
How to reset Mi Band 5 to factory settings?
7. Alternative ways of connecting (without Mi Fitness)
If the official Mi Fitness app doesn’t work or isn’t available in your area, you can use third-party programs.They often offer advanced features, but may be less stable.
Top.-3 alternative:
- Notify & Fitness for Mi Band: Supports Mi Band 5 and new models, allows you to adjust vibrations for different types of notifications, there is a function to answer calls from the bracelet (requires Android 9+).
- Mi Band Master: Advanced screen settings (brightness, timeout), support for custom dials, sleep monitoring with detailed statistics.
Tools & Mi Band 5
- Specialized in Mi Band 5.
- It can export data to Google Fit.
- There's a built-in pedometer with calibration.
When using third-party applications, consider:
⚠️ Note: Some applications may request excessive permissions (e.g. access to the SMS Check developer reviews and reputation before installing, and third-party software may not support the latest Mi Band 5 firmware updates.