Connecting Xiaomi Watches to Honor Phone: Full Instructions with Problem Solutions

Why Xiaomi Watches Don’t Want to Be Friends with Honor and What to Do About It

Xiaomi smartwatches are some of the most popular wearables on the market, but their connection to Honor smartphones often raises questions among users.The problem lies not in the incompatibility of brands (both run on Android), but in the features of firmware and branded shells. Honor uses Magic UI, which can block the background activity of applications, and Xiaomi requires a constant connection to synchronize data.

In this article, we will discuss three official ways of connecting (via Mi Fitness, Zepp Life, and Google Fit), and how to avoid common errors like “Device Unable to Find” or “Connect Interrupted.” We will focus on the Honor power saving settings that most often interfere with the stable operation of the watch. If you have already tried to sync devices and got an error, skip the first section and go straight to the solution.

⚠️ The important thing is that if your Honor works on the EMUI 12+ (magic UI 7+), Before connecting, be sure to turn off the Battery Optimization function for the watch application. Otherwise, the sync will break every 10-15 minutes.

Compatibility: What Xiaomi Watches Work With Honor

Before you try to connect devices, check their compatibility. Most Xiaomi models support Honor smartphones, but there are exceptions:

• ✅ Full compatibility: Mi Band 3/4/5/6/7/8, Xiaomi Watch S1/S2, Amazfit GTR/GTS 2/3/4, Redmi Watch 2/3.
• ⚠️ Limited support: Xiaomi Watch Color 2 (may not display notifications in Magic) UI 6).
• ❌ Incompatible: Xiaomi Mi Band 1/2 (obsolete Bluetooth protocols 4.0).

Also consider the Android version on your Honor:

Critical information: If your Honor is upgraded to Magic UI 7.1+, be sure to turn off the Allow System Settings feature from the Settings → Apps → Special Access menu before you connect the watch. Otherwise, the Mi Fitness app will not be able to save the settings.

Preparing Honor Phone for Connection

Before you start syncing, you need to configure your smartphone, and skipping this stage is the main cause of connection errors.

1. Update your firmware: go to Settings → System → Software Update and install the latest patches. Honor with Magic UI often comes out with Bluetooth patches.
2. Turn on Bluetooth and geolocation: Xiaomi watches require Bluetooth 4.2+ and location access for the pedometer to work properly.
3. Turn off energy saving: in Settings → Battery → Power saving mode, select “High performance”.

⚠️ Note: If your Honor has Smart Resolution enabled (in the app settings), the watch app may lose access to Bluetooth after restarting:

Settings → Applications → Permissions Management → Smart Resolution → Disable

Additional settings for Magic UI 7+:

• 🔧 Allow auto-start for Mi Fitness/Zepp Life in Settings → Annexes → Auto-start.
• 🔄 Turn off Battery Optimization for the same apps in Settings → Battery → Launching applications.
• 📱 Enable "Show Notifications" in the settings of the watch app.

Step-by-step: how to connect the clock

Consider two main ways to connect – through the official Xiaomi app and through Google Fit (relevant to older watch models).

Method 1: Mi Fitness (for Mi Band, Xiaomi Watch)

1. Download the app: 📱 Mi Band 3-8 and Xiaomi Watch: Mi Fitness. 📱 For Amazfit: Zepp Life.

Register:

Xiaomi

Google

Mi

Add the device:

"Add device"

Confirm the connection:

⚠️ Warning: If the clock doesn't sync after you've connected, reboot Honor and re-activate Bluetooth. UI 7 Sometimes Caching Bugs With Bluetooth Connections.

Method 2: Google Fit (for older models)

If your watch is not supported by Mi Fitness (such as Mi Band 2), use Google Fit:

1. Install Google Fit and Mi Fit (an outdated version).
2. In Mi Fit, select “Connect to Google Fit” in your account settings.
3. Follow the pairing instructions – the watch should be defined as a “fitness device”.

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If the watch is not detected through Google Fit, try connecting it first through Mi Fit and then syncing the data to Google Fit manually.

Set up notifications and calls

By default, Xiaomi watches only show notifications from standard apps (Messages, Phone).To enable alerts from WhatsApp, Telegram or other messengers, follow the following steps:

1. Open Mi Fitness → Go to Profile → Device Settings → Notifications.
2. Activate the "Show notifications" switch.
3. Select the apps you want to see on your watch.
4. In Honor settings, allow Mi Fitness to access notifications: Settings → Notifications → Application permissions → Mi Fitness → Enable

⚠️ Attention: Honor with Magic UI 7 notifications can be duplicated if the clock settings have enabled the option "Vibration at notifications" and the phone has activated the mode "Do not disturb.

How to set up the display of calls:

• 📞 In Mi Fitness, turn on "Call Alerts".
• 🔊 In the phone settings, allow the app to access the Call Log:
• 📱 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Mi Fitness → Permits → Call magazine.

Solving problems: the clock is not connected or switched off

If the sync is interrupted or the clock is not determined, use this instruction:

If the clock is connected but does not update the data:

1. Remove the device from the Bluetooth list in Honor settings.
2. Reboot your phone and watch (on the Mi Band, press the 10 seconds button).
3. Re-add the watch through Mi Fitness.

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In 90% of cases, the connection problem is solved by disabling battery optimization for Mi Fitness and restarting both devices.

How to Save Your Watch Battery while Working with Honor

Synchronizing with Honor can drain your watch faster because of the frequent data exchange.

• ⚡ Turn off "Constant pulse" in the clock settings (saves up to 30% charge).
• 🔔 Reduce the frequency of notifications: leave only important (calls, SMS).
• 🌙 Turn on the "Sleep Mode" on the clock at night.
• 📶 Turn off Auto Weather Update (renew manually).

⚠️ Note: If your Honor is in Ultra-Energy Saving mode, the watch will shut down every 2-3 hours:

Settings → Battery → Energy Saving Mode → Exceptions → Mi Fitness

Comparison of battery consumption:

Frequent questions