How to connect Xiaomi smart watch to your Android phone: full instructions with pictures and tips

Why Xiaomi Smart Watches Don’t Connect to Android and How to Fix It

Xiaomi smartwatches and fitness bracelets are some of the most popular wearables on the market due to their combination of price, functionality and compatibility with Android. However, even with such proven gadgets, users often face problems when connecting the device for the first time: the application does not see the device, synchronization is interrupted, or the watch refuses to update. In this article, we will analyze all the ways of connecting – from the standard procedure through Mi Fitness to alternative methods for older models.

It’s important to understand that the process can vary depending on the watch model (e.g. Mi Band 7 vs Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro), the Android version (starting with Android 8.0 requires permission to access notifications), and even the device’s firmware region.

If you've already tried to connect your watch and you get an error like "Device failed" or "Synchronization failed" - do not rush to reset the settings. 80% of the time, the problem is solved by updating the firmware or changing the region in the application settings.

What Xiaomi Watches are compatible with Android

Before connecting, make sure your watch model officially supports sync with Android. Here is the current list of devices (data for 2026):

• 📱 Mi Band Series: from Mi Band 3 to Mi Band 8 (including Mi Band 8 Pro)
• ⌚ Xiaomi Smart Watch: Xiaomi Watch, Watch S1/S2, Watch 2 Pro, Watch S3
• 🔴 Redmi Watch: Redmi Watch 2/3/4, Redmi Watch 2 Lite
• 🏃 Fitness bracelets: Xiaomi Smart Band Pro, Mi Band Lite (limited functionality)

Note that some models (e.g. Xiaomi Watch S1 Active) require firmware updates via Mi Fitness before first connecting, and Chinese versions of devices (with CN firmware) may not support Russian in the interface, but data synchronization will work.

If your model is not in the table, check compatibility on the official Xiaomi website or in the instructions for the device. For Chinese versions (for example, with the CN suffix in the model), you may need to change the region in the application settings.

Preparing the phone before connecting

To avoid synchronization errors, follow these steps before connecting the clock:

Turn on Bluetooth and GPS

Allow access to notifications for Mi Fitness

Disable the power saving mode for the application

Update Mi Fitness/Zepp Life to the latest version

Reboot your phone (if the clock is not determined)

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Pay special attention to app permissions. Starting with Android 10, the system blocks access to geolocation and notifications in the background, so that the watch correctly displays incoming calls and messages:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Mi Fitness → Permissions.
2. Turn it on: 📍 Geolocation (for tracking jogging) 📱 Notifications (for alerts) 🔄 Auto-run (to keep synchronization running in the background)

Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization

Mi Fitness

⚠️ Note: If you use custom firmware (e.g. LineageOS), some watch features (e.g., payment through the service) NFC) It may not work due to the lack of Google Play services.

Xiaomi Watch S2 and later will also require a Xiaomi account (not to be confused with Mi Account!) which can be created directly in the Mi Fitness app or on account.xiaomi.com.

Step-by-step: how to connect Xiaomi watches to Android

Consider the standard way to connect via the official Mi Fitness app (formerly Mi Fit), which works for most models, including the Mi Band 7, Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro, and Redmi Watch 3.

Step 1: Installation and configuration of the application

1. Download Mi Fitness from Google Play or AppGallery (for Huawei devices).

2. Launch the app and log in to Xiaomi account (or create a new one).

3. Press "Add device" (the icon "+" in the upper right corner).

Step 2: Finding and pairing the clock

1. Turn on Bluetooth on your phone and make sure the watch is at least 20% charged.

2. in the app, select your model from the list (e.g. Mi Smart Band 7).

3. Press "Connect" and confirm the pairing on the watch (usually you need to click on the touch button).

4. wait until the synchronization is completed (it can take up to 5 minutes).

Step 3: Set up notifications and functions

After successful connection:

• 🔔 Set up alerts under Notifications (select the apps you want to receive notifications from).
• 🏃 Activate activity tracking in the Profile → Settings of the device".
• 🔒 For models with NFC (For example, Xiaomi Watch S1 Pro) add a bank card to "Mi Pay".

⚠️ Note: On Samsung phones with One UI Additional permission may be required for Mi Fitness in the "Special Access" menu → Battery optimization. Otherwise, synchronization will break.

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If the watch does not show notifications after you connect, check if the Do Not Disturb mode on the phone or in the app itself blocks them (the "Do Not Interfere" section in Mi Fitness).

Alternative ways of connecting

If the standard method doesn’t work, try these options:

Method 1: Connect via Zepp Life (for Redmi Watch)

Some Redmi Watch models work better with Zepp Life (formerly Amazfit) app. Download it from Google Play and re-connect.

Method 2: Manual pairing via Bluetooth

If the app doesn't see the clock:

1. Open the Settings. → Bluetooth on your phone.
2. Find a device called the MI Band X or Xiaomi Watch.
3. Connect to it manually, then return to Mi Fitness and try again.

Method 3: Resetting the clock to factory settings

If the watch was previously connected to another phone:

1. On the clock go to Settings → System → Reset.
2. Confirm the reset (usually by holding the button).
3. Reconnect the connection again.

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If Xiaomi watches are not connected to Android, 90% of the time the problem is solved by changing the app (Mi Fitness → Zepp Life), resetting the watch or updating the firmware through the PC.

Update the firmware of the watch through Android

Outdated firmware is one of the main reasons for the unstable operation.

1. Open Mi Fitness and go to the device profile.
2. Click on "Firmware Update" (if available).
3. Confirm the download and wait until it is completed (don’t turn off Bluetooth!).

For Mi Band 5 and older models, the update is automatic.

• 🔄 Reset the clock (hold the 15 second button).
• 📱 Remove the Mi Fitness app cache.
• 🔌 Connect the clock to charging and try again.

⚠️ Note: Do not interrupt the firmware update - this can lead to a "brick" of the device (the clock will stop turning on).If the process is delayed for more than 20 minutes, contact Xiaomi support.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Let’s look at the typical problems and ways to solve them:

Error: "I was unable to connect to the device"

Reasons:

• 📱 The watch is already tied to another phone.
• 🔄 Bluetooth phone module is not working smoothly.
• 🌍 The watch firmware region does not match the Xiaomi account region.

Solution: Reset the clock to the factory settings and reconnect. If the problem is in the region, change the clock settings to Europe or Russia.

Error: "Data synchronization failed"

This error often occurs due to:

• 📵 No Internet on your phone (data synced through the cloud Xiaomi).
• ⏳ Too much data (for example, after a long period of inactivity).
• 🔋 Low battery charge watches (less than 15%).

Solution: Connect the watch to charging, check the internet connection and restart the Mi Fitness app.

Error: The watch does not show notifications

Check it out.

• 🔔 Permissions for Mi Fitness in phone settings.
• 📵 Do Not Disturb on the clock.
• 🔄 Synchronization settings in Xiaomi account (section "Notifications").

FAQ: Answers to popular questions