Connecting Xiaomi Mi Band 5 to iPhone: full instruction with error solutions

The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 fitness bracelet remains one of the most popular gadgets for tracking activity, despite the release of new models. iPhone owners often face questions: how to properly sync a device with iOS, what applications to use and why the connection may be interrupted. In this article, we will discuss the step-by-step process of connecting, the nuances of setting notifications, as well as typical errors and their solutions.

Unlike Android, where syncing with the Mi Band is usually smooth, Apple’s ecosystem has its own peculiarities: for example, the official Mi Fitness app (formerly Mi Fit) requires additional permissions, and some features may not work well due to iOS limitations. We tested the process on the iPhone 12 and iPhone 15 Pro with the latest software versions — all the steps are relevant for 2026.

Preparation for connection: what will be needed

Before you start syncing, make sure you have everything you need:

• 📱 iPhone with iOS 12.0 or later (older systems may not install the app).
• 💻 Xiaomi Mi Band 5 with a battery charge of at least 20% (at low charge, the bracelet can turn off during settings).
• 📲 Official Mi Fitness app (you can download it from the App Store).
• 🔌 Bluetooth 4.2 or higher (all current iPhones support this version).

Also check that your iPhone has Bluetooth and geolocation enabled (the latter is needed for some functions, such as jogging tracking), if you have previously used another fitness bracelet, remove it from the list of devices in your iPhone settings to avoid conflicts.

Important: If you upgraded the Mi Band 5 to the last firmware through an Android smartphone, reset the bracelet to factory settings before connecting to your iPhone. This will prevent synchronization failures. You can do this from the bracelet menu: Settings → Reset.

Installation and configuration of the Mi Fitness application

The official Mi Band 5 management app is called Mi Fitness (formerly Mi Fit), which is free to download from the App Store, and then follow the steps:

1. Open the app and select Sign up (if you already have a Xiaomi account, sign in).
2. Specify the country “Russia” (or your real region) – this is important for the correct operation of synchronization servers.
3. Confirm registration via email or phone number (we recommend the phone – it is easier to restore access).
4. In the app menu, click “Add device” and select Mi Smart Band 5.

When first launched, Mi Fitness will request permission to access:

• 📍 Geolocations (to track jogging routes).
• 📱 Notifications (to have the bracelet show incoming calls and messages).
• 🏃 Health data (to synchronize steps, sleep and pulse with Apple Health app).

Appendix Mi Fitness| installed

Is Bluetooth enabled on iPhone|?

Is Mi Band 5 charged (minimum 20%) |

Are Mi Fitness Notifications Allowed in iOS Settings-->

If you don't give these permissions, some of the bracelet's features will be unavailable, for example, without access to notifications, you won't be able to see incoming messages from WhatsApp or Telegram on the Mi Band 5 screen.

Step-by-step: how to connect Mi Band 5 to iPhone

Now, let's move directly to synchronization. Follow the instructions carefully, any missed step can lead to a connection error.

1. Activate Bluetooth on your iPhone: Go to Settings → Bluetooth and turn on the switch.
2. Launch the Mi Fitness app and click Add Device (+ icon in the upper right corner).
3. Select from the Mi Smart Band 5 list (if there is no model, update the app).
4. Press "Plug in" and wait for the iPhone to find the bracelet. This can take up to 30 seconds.
5. When a 6-digit code appears on the Mi Band 5 screen, confirm it in the app.
6. Wait for the synchronization to be completed (progress will be displayed in the app).

If you have a “Can’t Find the Device” error at the connection stage, try:

• 🔄 Reboot Bluetooth on iPhone (turn off/on in settings).
• 📱 Re-launch the Mi Fitness app.
• 🔋 Reboot the bracelet itself (press the touch button for 10 seconds).

💡

If the Mi Band 5 isn’t identified, try connecting it to another phone (like Android) and then back to the iPhone.

Once the app is successfully connected, it will offer to update the bracelet firmware, and we recommend you agree that this will fix any bugs and add new features. The update takes 5-10 minutes, do not interrupt the process and do not turn off Bluetooth.

Configure notifications and basic functions

By default, Mi Band 5 only shows notifications about calls. To configure the display of messages from messengers and other applications, follow the following steps:

1. In Mi Fitness, go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 5 → Application Notifications.
2. Turn on the "Notification" switch.
3. Select the apps you want to see on your bracelet (e.g. WhatsApp, Telegram, Gmail).
4. Configure the display style: you can choose to show only the app icon or the full text of the message.

Also in the bracelet settings, additional functions can be activated:

Note that on iPhone, some features of the Mi Band 5 are limited, such as not answering calls via an armband (unlike Android), and notifications are displayed with a delay of up to 5 seconds.

💡

For the notifications on the iPhone to work smoothly, the Mi Fitness app needs to be constantly active in the background, and closing the application via swipe can interrupt synchronization.

Typical errors and their solutions

Even with the right connection, iPhone users often face problems.

⚠️ Note: If the Mi Band 5 does not sync data (steps, sleep, pulse) after connecting, check if the Settings option is enabled in the iPhone settings. → Confidentiality → Geolocation services → Mi Fitness → Without it, some functions will be blocked.

Problem 1: The bracelet plugs in, but shuts off after a few hours.

• 🔋 Check the battery power of the Mi Band 5 – at a level below 10%, the connection can break.
• 📱 In the iPhone settings, go to Bluetooth, find Mi Band 5 and click “Forget this device”, then connect again.
• 🔄 Update the bracelet firmware through Mi Fitness.

Problem 2: Notifications from messengers are not coming.

• 📱 Make sure that notifications are allowed in the iPhone settings for Mi Fitness: Settings → Notifications → Mi Fitness.
• 🔔 In the Mi Fitness app itself, check if notifications are enabled for the right apps.
• 🔄 Reboot your iPhone and bracelet.

Problem 3: The app doesn’t find the bracelet when it first connects.

• 📱 Make sure that Mi Band 5 is not connected to another phone.
• 🔋 Reset the bracelet to factory settings (press the button for 20 seconds).
• 📲 Reinstall the Mi Fitness app.

Synchronization with Apple Health: how to transfer data

One of the key benefits of the Mi Band 5 is the ability to export data to Apple Health, the standard iPhone health monitoring app, to set up syncs:

1. Open Mi Fitness and go to Profile → Settings → Connect with Apple Health.
2. Turn on the switches for the data you want to export (steps, sleep, weight, pulse).
3. Confirm access in the Apple Health window that appears.
4. Wait for the first synchronization (it can take up to 10 minutes).

Important: Apple Health does not support importing all types of data from the Mi Band 5 (SpO₂) And sleep data can be duplicated if you use other trackers.

If the synchronization is not working:

• 🔄 Reboot both apps (Mi Fitness and Apple Health).
• 📱 Check that the iPhone for Mi Fitness allows access to Apple Health.
• 🔋 Update both programs to the latest versions.

How to extend the battery life of Mi Band 5 on iPhone

Owners of the Mi Band 5 often complain that when connected to the iPhone bracelet discharges faster than with Android, this is due to the peculiarities of interaction between iOS and Bluetooth LE.

• 🔋 Turn off continuous heart rate monitoring (only during exercise).
• 📴 Reduce the frequency of notifications – leave only the most important messengers.
• 🌙 Activate Do Not Disturb on the wristband overnight if you don't need sleep monitoring.
• 🔄 Update the firmware – in new versions, energy consumption is optimized.

The average lifetime of the Mi Band 5 on a single charge when connected to an iPhone:

If the bracelet discharges in less than 2 days, check it for background processes. For example, constant synchronization with Apple Health or a firmware failure can lead to increased power consumption, in which case a reset will help.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions