Connecting Xiaomi Watches to New Phone: Full Instruction with Error Solutions

Switching to a new smartphone always involves reconfiguring all your gadgets — and Xiaomi’s smartwatch is no exception. Even if you’re an experienced user, connecting a Mi Band fitness bracelet or Xiaomi Watch to a new device can cause complications, from synchronization errors to loss of activity data. In this article, we’ll look at not only the standard pairing procedure, but also the nuances that the manufacturer does not mention in official instructions.

Xiaomi watches are a feature of being linked to a Mi Account account, not a specific phone, which means that when you change your device, you don’t have to reset your bracelet to the factory settings, but you need to transfer the data correctly. We’ll look at options for Android and iOS, as well as solutions to typical problems: when the watch is not on the list of available devices, there is a “failed to connect” error or the step data after changing the phone.

It is important that you use the Mi Band. 7/8 Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro, the connection process may be different from older models due to the updated Mi Fitness app (formerly Mi Fit). 2026 year.

1.Preparation for connection: what to do before pairing

Before you start connecting, follow a few mandatory steps, which will save you from most errors during the synchronization stage.

1. Update the firmware of the watch. Outdated software may conflict with the new smartphone. Check the relevance of the version through the official application (path: Device Profile → Firmware Update). For Mi Band 8, the minimum supported version of Android is 8.0, for iOS - 12.0.

2. Make sure to be compatible. Not all Xiaomi watch models work with iPhones. For example, Xiaomi Watch S3 requires Android 6.0+ and does not support iOS.

3. Reset the Bluetooth cache. On the new phone, go to Settings → Apps → Show all apps → Bluetooth and select Clear Cache. This eliminates conflicts with previous connections.

⚠️ WARNING: If you switch from Android to iPhone (or vice versa), your steps and sleep data from days past won't be automatically transferred. Fit/Apple Health before changing phone.

2. Installation and configuration of the Mi Fitness application

The official Xiaomi watch management app is Mi Fitness (formerly Mi Fit), which you need to download before you connect the device.

• 📱 Android (Google Play)
• 🍎 iOS (App Store)

After installation:

1. Open the app and log in to your Mi Account (if you don't have one, sign up) and use the same account as your old phone, otherwise the data won't sync.
2. Click "Add device" and select your watch model from the list.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen. At the interface stage, the code will appear on the watch — confirm it in the app.

An important nuance for iPhone: in iOS settings, go to Bluetooth and make sure that the "Pair with other devices" option is enabled.

• 📍 Geolocation (for accurate jogging tracking)
• 📱 Notifications (to see) SMS and clock calls)
• 🔋 Background activity (for real-time data synchronization)

3. Step-by-step instructions: how to connect the watch to a new phone

Consider the process on the example of Mi Band 8 and Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro. For other models, the steps are similar, but the names of menu items may differ.

Step 1: Activate the pairing mode on the clock:

• 🔄 For Mi Band: swipe the screen to the right to "More" → "Pairing".
• ⚙️ For Xiaomi Watch: Go to Settings → Bluetooth → Add the device.

Step 2. Search for the device in Mi Fitness:

1. In the application, click "Add device" → select the model.
2. Wait until the watch appears on the list of available devices (it can take up to 30 seconds).
3. Confirm the pairing on both devices.

Step 3: Synchronization of data:

After you connect, wait for automatic synchronization (the indicator is the rotating icon of the cloud in the application).

• 🔄 Reboot the watch (for Mi Band: press the touch button for 10 seconds).
• 📱 In Mi Fitness go to Profile → Settings → Synchronize data.
• 🔌 Turn off/turn on Bluetooth on your phone.

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If the Xiaomi Watch S3 is not in the list of devices, try to connect through the Settings menu → About → Software version and tap 5 times on the version number – this will activate the hidden pairing mode.

4. Data transfer from an old phone: how not to lose your activity history

When changing your phone, the main risk is losing your steps, sleep and workout data.

For Android users:

1. On your old phone, export data to Google Fit: Mi Fitness → Profile → Settings → Data Export → Google Fit
2. On your new phone, import data back: Mi Fitness → Profile → Settings → Data Import → Google Fit

For iPhone users:

• 🍎 Export data to Apple Health on your old phone.
• 🔄 On the new iPhone, sign in to the same iCloud – Health data synced automatically.
• 📱 In Mi Fitness, allow access to Health (Settings) → Annexes → Mi Fitness → Insert all categories).

⚠️ Attention: pulse and stress data (for models with sensors) PPG) Not carried over through Google Fit/Apple Health: These can only be saved through backup in Mi Fitness (not available for all regions).

5. Solving common connection problems

Even with the right actions, there can be mistakes, and let's look at the typical cases and how to fix them.

Problem 1: The watch is not on the list of devices

• 🔌 Reboot the phone’s Bluetooth module (turn off/on in settings).
• 📱 Remove the Mi Fitness app cache (Settings) → Annexes → Mi Fitness → Memory. → Clear the cache).
• 🔄 Reset the clock settings to factory (for Mi Band: Settings) → Reset).

Problem 2: Unable to connect (code 1006)

This error is caused by a conflict of Bluetooth versions.

1. Update the watch firmware through Mi Fitness.
2. On Android, turn on the developer mode and select "Bluetoothooth Version: AVRCP 1.6" (path: Settings → About Phone → Assembly Number (shoot 7 times) → Developer Settings → Audio).

Problem 3: Notifications don't come on the clock

For Android:

• 📱 In your phone settings, allow Mi Fitness to access notifications (Settings) → Annexes → Mi Fitness → Notifications → Permission).
• 🔕 In the application itself, enable the option “Show notifications on your device” (path: Device Profile) → Notifications).

For the iPhone:

• 🍎 Notifications of calls and SMS Mi Band on iOS is not supported (Apple restriction).
• 📧 Only notifications from apps (WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.) work if alerts are allowed in their settings.

💡

If the Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro does not sync the weather after you connect, check the geolocation access for the Mi Fitness app and enable the “Weather Auto Update” option in the watch settings.

6. Additional settings after connection

After successful pairing, it is recommended to configure:

Notifications:

• 📧 Select applications that will duplicate notifications on the clock (Mi Fitness) → Device profile → Notifications).
• 🔔 Set the vibration: In the same notification settings, you can choose the duration and intensity.

2. Lock screen (for smart watches Xiaomi Watch):

• 🔒 Activate unlocking your phone from your watch: Mi Fitness → Device profile → Unlocking the phone.
• ⚠️ On the iPhone, this feature does not work.

Sport and health:

• 🏃‍♂️ Add frequently used training to "Favorites" on the clock.
• ❤️ Set up high pulse alerts: Mi Fitness → Device profile → Heart monitoring → Warnings.

Battery and performance:

• 🔋 Turn on Power Saving Mode if the charge lasts less than 3 days: Settings of the clock → Battery → Energy saving regime.
• 📶 Turn off automatic weather synchronization if you don’t need it (saves up to 15% charge).

7. Features of connection for different watch models

The pairing process can vary depending on the model. Let's look at the key nuances.

Mi Band 7/8:

• 🎨 Supports interchangeable dials (loaded via Mi Fitness).
• 🔊 No speaker, so notifications are vibration-only.
• 🏊‍♂️ Water resistance 5 ATM — you can swim, but you can't dive.

Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro:

• 📞 Supports calls in hours (there is a microphone and speaker).
• 🎵 There is a built-in player (you can listen to music without a phone).
• 🔋 The battery lasts up to 7 days in standard mode.

Xiaomi Watch S3:

• 📱 Compatible with Android only.

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The Mi Band 8 has a hidden Night Mode feature that turns off the screen backlight from 22:00 to 7:00. Activated via Settings → Display → Night Mode.

FAQ: Frequent questions about connecting Xiaomi watches