How to connect Xiaomi smart watches to the smartphone Redmi 8 Pro: full instruction with error solutions

Why can’t you connect Xiaomi watches to Redmi 8 Pro?

Have you just purchased a Xiaomi smartwatch — whether it’s the Mi Band 7 Pro, Xiaomi Watch S3 or earlier — and you’ve had a problem syncing with a Redmi 8 Pro phone? This is a familiar situation for many users, especially if you’re trying to connect for the first time. The main reasons for failure are incorrect Bluetooth settings, an outdated version of the app, or conflicts with other gadgets.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can connect, from standard synchronization via Mi Fitness (formerly Zepp Life) to alternative methods for older firmware versions, and how to solve common bugs (e.g., error code 1006 or endless “device search”), and what hidden settings in Redmi 8 Pro can block the connection. If you’ve tried to connect but the watch never appeared on the device list, don’t close the page: there’s a solution!

Before you go to the instructions, make sure your Redmi 8 Pro meets the minimum requirements:

• 📱 Version MIUI: not lower than 10.3 (for stable operation with the latest watch models)
• 🔄 Bluetooth: version 4.2 or later (Redmi 8 Pro has Bluetooth 5.0 installed, which is enough)
• 📲 Free space: at least 500 MB for installing the application and cache

If your phone matches these parameters, you can start connecting, and let's start with the simplest method, which is through the official Mi Fitness app.

Method 1: Connect via Mi Fitness (Zepp Life)

The official Mi Fitness app (formerly Zepp Life) is the main tool for syncing Xiaomi smartwatches with your phone. Even if you have an older version called Mi Fit, the algorithm of actions will remain the same.

1. Install the app: 📥 Download Mi Fitness from Google Play (for Redmi 8 Pro on Android). ⚠️ Avoid third-party APK — they may contain viruses or outdated versions.

Register an account:

When you first start up, the app will prompt you to sign in via Xiaomi Account, Google or Apple ID. If you already have a Xiaomi account (for example, for purchases in the Mi Store), use it.

Turn on Bluetooth on your phone:

Go to Settings → Connected Devices → Bluetooth and activate the feature. Make sure that Visibility for All mode is on (at least for 2 minutes).

Add a new device:

In the Mi Fitness app, click on the profile icon (top right) → Add device → select your watch model. If your model isn’t listed, select Another device.

Synchronize the clock:

The watch will display a QR- code or connection confirmation request, hold the phone to the clock (if scanning is required) or confirm pairing manually.

If there is an error during the connection stage, try the following steps:

• 🔄 Reboot Bluetooth: Turn off and turn on the module on your phone again.
• 📵 Remove old devices: In Bluetooth settings, remove all previously connected Xiaomi gadgets.
• 🔧 Update the watch firmware: If the watch has already been in use, check the relevance of its software through Settings → About Phone → System Update (on the clock).

Install Mi Fitness|Registering a Xiaomi Account|Turn Bluetooth on the Redmi 8 Pro|Remove old devices from the pairing list|Charge the clock to 50% or more-->

Method 2: Connect via Mi Home (for older watch models)

If you have a Mi Band 3/4 or earlier, it may not be supported in Mi Fitness, in which case use the Mi Home app, Xiaomi’s universal smart device management center.

Connection algorithm:

1. Download Mi Home from Google Play.
2. Sign in with the same Xiaomi account as you do with Mi Fitness (this is important for data synchronization).
3. Click Add Device (+ in the upper right corner) → select Smart Watch category.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen. You may need to enter the PIN- code from the clock (usually 0000 or 1234).

An important caveat: in Mi Home, some of the watch’s functions may be limited, such as real-time sleep and heart rate tracking only works through Mi Fitness, so after a successful connection, we recommend that you switch to the main app.

Solving Typical Errors When Connecting

Even with the right actions, Redmi 8 Pro users often encounter errors, and let’s look at the most common ones and how to fix them.

If none of these methods helped, try resetting the clock to factory settings:

1. On the clock go to Settings → System → Reset.
2. Confirm the action (usually hold the button for 3-5 seconds).
3. Repeat the connection process again.

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If Xiaomi watches are not determined in any way, try connecting them to another phone (albeit temporarily) to help identify if the problem is in the watch or in your Redmi 8 Pro.

Setup of notifications and data synchronization

Once you've successfully connected, you need to set up notifications and synchronize data to make the clock work as efficiently as possible.

1. Allow notifications: 📱 In Mi Fitness, go to Profile → Notification Settings. 🔕 Enable the option to Show notifications on your device. 📵 In your phone settings (Applications → Mi Fitness → Notifications), allow notifications to be accessed.

Set up automatic synchronization:

In Settings → Data Synchronization, enable Auto Sync and set the interval (recommended 1 hour).

Add the watch widget to the main screen:

This will allow you to quickly view statistics (steps, pulse, sleep) without running the application. To do this, hold your finger on the home screen → Widgets → select Mi Fitness.

If the notifications don't come in at the clock, check:

• 🔄 Is not the Do Not Disturb mode on the phone enabled?
• 📵 Whether notifications for specific applications (such as WhatsApp or Viber) are blocked.
• 🔋 Whether the clock is sufficiently charged (below 20% some functions are turned off).

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For stable notifications on Xiaomi Watch S3 and later requires Android 8.0+. Redmi 8 Pro meets this requirement (Android 9.0), but on older watch models there may be delays.

How to check the compatibility of Xiaomi watches with Redmi 8 Pro

Not all Xiaomi smartwatches work equally well with the Redmi 8 Pro. Here’s the compatibility table for popular devices:

If your model is not listed, check it out on Xiaomi’s official website.Please note that Chinese versions of the watch (such as those with the CN suffix) may require additional manipulations to operate outside of China.

How to determine the version of the watch?

On the box or in the device settings (About the phone), look for the marking:

• 🌍 Global - international version (supports Russian language).
• 🇨🇳 CN is a Chinese version (may not have Google services).

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If you have a Chinese version of the watch, check if it supports Russian before buying it. Some models (such as the Xiaomi Watch Color 2 CN) require firmware to change region.

Alternative ways to connect (if nothing works)

If standard methods don't work, try one of the alternatives, which is for power users or when the clock is determined by the phone but not synchronized.

Method 1: Connect via Notify & Fitness (for Mi Band)

Notify & Fitness for Mi Band is a third-party tool with advanced settings, and it supports even outdated watches.

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Turn on the Developer Mode on the clock (for this, 5 times click on About phone in the settings of the clock).
3. At Notify & Fitness, select a watch model and follow the instructions.

Advantages:

• 🔧 More notification settings (you can choose which apps to show the alerts from).
• 📊 Support for older models (Mi Band 1/2).

Disadvantages:

• ⚠️ No official support - bugs are possible.
• 🔋 Increased battery consumption on the phone.

Method 2: Manual pairing through Android settings

If the watch is defined as a Bluetooth device but is not connected via an app:

1. Go to Settings → Connected devices → Bluetooth.
2. Find the watch in the list and click Hide.
3. If you need a PIN, enter 0000 or 1234.
4. After pairing, open Mi Fitness and try adding the device again.

This method works in 30% of cases where a standard connection is not possible, but some features (such as firmware updates) may not be available.

Frequent questions and answers

Conclusion: What to do if nothing helps?

If you’ve tried all the ways, but Xiaomi’s watch never connected to the Redmi 8 Pro, the problem may be:

• 🔧 Hardware malfunction of a watch or Bluetooth phone module.
• 📵 Software conflict (e.g., after an unofficial firmware of the phone).
• 🌍 Regional restrictions (Chinese versions of watches may not work with global firmware MIUI).

In such cases:

1. Contact the Xiaomi Service Center (if warranty is valid).
2. Try connecting the watch to another phone (for diagnosis).
3. Check out forums (like 4PDA) – there may be unofficial firmware or patches for your model.

If you are sure the phone is a problem, try resetting your network settings on the Redmi 8 Pro:

Go to Settings → System → Additional → Network reset. This will delete all stored Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections, but often helps with persistent connection errors.

Finally, if you bought the watch with your hands, make sure it’s not tied to another Xiaomi account. To do so, reset it to factory settings (as described above) and try reconnecting it.