Connecting Xiaomi Watches to Honor 8: Full Instruction with Error Solutions

Introduction: Are Xiaomi and Honor compatible?

Xiaomi smartwatches and fitness bracelets (including Mi Band, Amazfit and Xiaomi Watch) are officially designed to work with phones running Android 5.0+ or iOS 10.0+. Honor 8, released in 2016, originally ran on Android 6.0 Marshmallow with a proprietary shell EMUI 4.1, which on paper should ensure compatibility. However, in practice, users face nuances: from the lack of notifications to the complete impossibility of pairing.

The problem lies in two key points: wearables manufacturers often optimize software for current versions of Android, ignoring older devices, and Huawei/Honor actively blocks background activity of third-party applications through energy-saving settings. In this article, we will examine not only the standard connection process, but also workarounds for stable operation, including manual adjustment of permissions and alternative firmware for watches.

What Xiaomi Watches Does the Honor 8 Support?

In theory, the Honor 8 should sync with all Xiaomi smartwatch models released before 2022.

• ✅ Full compatibility: Mi Band 1/2/3/4, Amazfit Bip, Amazfit Cor – work without complaints, as they use the Bluetooth protocol 4.0 They do not require new libraries.
• ⚠️ Limited support: Mi Band 5/6, Xiaomi Watch S1 — You may not be able to display notifications due to conflict with EMUI, But the basic functions (stepmeter, pulse) work.
• ❌ The problem models: Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro, Amazfit GTR 4 – Require Android 8.0+ They may not be connected at all or may work with errors.

It is important to consider the firmware version of the watch: for example, Mi Band 4 with firmware 1.0.8.54 works steadily with Honor 8, while version 1.0.9.36 can cause crashes. Check the current firmware can be in the Settings menu → About the device on the watch itself.

Preparing the Honor 8 phone for connection

Prior to pairing, you need to optimize the settings of Honor 8, otherwise the system can block the connection or limit the background operation of the application.

Turn off power saving mode for Mi Fit or Zepp

Allow auto-run for these apps in phone settings

Enable Bluetooth 4.0 and Geodata (even if the clock is not GPS)

Update Google Play Services to the latest version-->

Please check further:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Mi Fit/Zepp → Permissions and enable all items, including Phone, Contacts and Warehouse.
2. In Settings → Battery → Launch applications turn off manual control for Mi Fit.
3. Make sure that the phone has the latest version of Android 6.0 (update via Settings → System → Software Update).

⚠️ Note: If the Honor 8 has previously installed custom firmware (for example, LineageOS), the Bluetooth function may not work properly.

Step-by-step instructions for connecting

Consider the process using the example of Mi Band 5 and Mi Fit application (similar to other models adjusted for the interface):

1. Download Mi Fit (for Mi Band) or Zepp (for Amazfit) from Google Play. Avoid APKs from third-party sources - they may contain legacy libraries.
2. Account registration: Register with Xiaomi Account (use a real email – no confirmations are received for temporary mail).
3. Bluetooth Activation: Turn on Bluetooth on your phone and wait until your watch name appears on the list of available devices (e.g., watch name, MI Band 5_XXX).
4. Pair: In the app, click Profile → Add Device → Select Model → Connect. On the watch, confirm pairing by pressing the touch button.
5. Set up notifications: Go to Device Settings → Notifications and manually enable alerts for the desired applications (e.g. WhatsApp, Viber).

If the clock is not set, try:

• 🔄 Reboot Honor 8 and Watch (on Mi Band, press the touch button for 10 seconds).
• 📱 Remove the Mi Fit app cache in Settings → Annexes → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
• 🔗 Connect via another app (e.g. Notify & Fitness for Mi Band for basic features).

Addressing common mistakes

Even with a successful connection, Honor 8 users face typical problems. Below is a table of errors and their solutions:

⚠️ Note: If after the Mi Fit update, the watch stops connecting, roll back the application version. APK 4.6.0 (Stable for Android 6.0) from APKCombo.

Alternative ways of connecting

If the standard method doesn’t work, try the workarounds:

1 Use Notify & Fitness for Mi Band

This third-party app supports Mi Band of all generations and often runs more stable than the official Mi Fit.

1. Remove Mi Fit and install Notify & Fitness from Google Play.
2. Turn on Bluetooth and allow the app to access notifications in Settings → Special features → Notify & Fitness.
3. Connect the watch through the app menu (it may take several attempts).

2. Gadgetbridge connection (for advanced users)

Gadgetbridge is an open source software for wearables without official apps, suitable for Amazfit and old Mi Bands, minus the lack of notification support from instant messengers.

1. Download Gadgetbridge from https://gadgetbridge.org/


2. Enable USB debugging on Honor 8 (Settings → About Phone → Assembly Number → 7 taps)




3. Connect the watch via Bluetooth to Gadgetbridge

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If Xiaomi watches are not defined by any app, try resetting them to factory settings. To do this, on the Mi Band, press the touch button 20 seconds before vibration appears. On Amazfit, go to Settings → System → Reset.

Optimizing work after connection

To keep the clock running smoothly, set it up:

• 🔋 Energy consumption: In Settings → Battery → Optimize add Mi Fit to the list of protected applications.
• 📶 Sync: Turn off Auto-Update data in the clock settings and update statistics manually 1-2 times a day.
• 🛡️ Security: C Settings → Privacy Disable Unsafe Connections Permits if the Watch Connects via Public Wi-Fi Networks.

To extend the life of the battery hours:

• Turn off the lifting of the hand to activate the screen (consumes up to 20% of the charge per day).
• Reduce your pulse rate to 30 minutes instead of 1 minute.
• Use dials without animation (they consume less power).

💡

On the Honor 8 with EMUI 4.1, notifications from Xiaomi watches can come with a delay of up to 5 minutes.This is normal and due to the optimization of background work in Huawei firmware.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions