Connecting Mi Band 5 to Xiaomi phone: full instructions with pictures and tips

The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 fitness bracelet remains one of the most popular activity-tracking gadgets, despite the release of new models, with its main advantages being an accurate pulsemeter, 11 sports modes and up to 14 days of autonomy. But before first using the bracelet, you need to connect it correctly to your smartphone, and users often wonder what app to install, why the device does not find, or how to transfer data from an old Mi Band 4.

In this article, we will look at all the synchronization methods, from the standard procedure through Mi Fitness to alternative methods for older versions of MIUI. We will focus on common errors (for example, when the bracelet is not determined by the phone) and give unique tips for speeding up connection, which are not in the official documentation. If you just unpacked the Mi Band 5 or want to reconnect it to a new phone, this guide is for you.

What app you need for Mi Band 5 in 2026

Since the Mi Band 5 was released in 2020, Xiaomi has changed its branded wearable management apps several times, and only one solution is officially supported today, Mi Fitness (formerly Mi Fit).

• 📱 For Xiaomi phones on MIUI 12/13/14 — Use Mi Fitness from Google Play or AppGallery (for models without Google services).
• 🌍 For users outside of China, only the version from Google Play (Chinese Mi Fitness does not support Russian).
• ⚠️ For older smartphones (on Android) 6-8) — installation may be required APK manually from apkmirror.com.
• 🚫 Do not use Zepp Life (formerly Amazfit) – it is not compatible with Mi Band 5, despite similar functionality.

Importantly, if you upgrade from Mi Band 4, the data will automatically be transferred to Mi Fitness when you first connect the new bracelet, but for that, both devices must be linked to the same Xiaomi account.

⚠️ Note: Mi Fitness requires a mandatory registration of Xiaomi account. Without it, the bracelet will only work as a pedometer without data synchronization.

Step-by-step: connecting Mi Band 5 to Xiaomi

The synchronization process takes no more than 5 minutes, if you follow a clear algorithm, and we break it down into steps with explanations for each step.

1. Download Mi Fitness from the official store: 📲 Google Play for global versions MIUI). 📱 AppGallery (for phones without Google services, for example, Redmi Note 11) SE).

Account registration

When you first start up, Mi Fitness will offer you to sign in via Xiaomi Account, Google or Apple ID. Select a Xiaomi account, which guarantees the safety of data when changing your phone. If you do not have an account, register it directly in the application.

Activation of Bluetooth

Turn on Bluetooth on your phone (Settings → Connections → Bluetooth) and allow Mi Fitness to use it in the background (Settings → Apps → Permissions → Mi Fitness → Bluetooth).

Searching for an bracelet

In the app, click Add Device → Bracelet → Mi Smart Band 5. The bracelet should flash white light (if not, press the button on it).

Pairing.

Confirm the code on your bracelet and phone (usually a 4-digit PIN displayed on the Mi Band 5 screen).

Firmware update

Once connected, the app will prompt you to update the bracelet software, so don't interrupt the process, because it can cause a failure.

Charge the bracelet to 50%+

Update Mi Fitness to the latest version

Enable geolocation (needed for accurate jogging tracking)

Shut down. VPN (It can block Xiaomi servers)-->

If the bracelet is not present, try:

• 🔄 Reboot your phone and bracelet (press the button on Mi Band 5 for 10 seconds).
• 📱 Remove the Mi Fitness app cache (Settings) → Annexes → Mi Fitness → Warehouse → Clear the cache).
• 🔗 Connect to another Wi-Fi network (sometimes corporate networks block Xiaomi servers).

Mi Band 5 is not connected to the phone

Even with the right actions, synchronization can end in error.-5 reasons and ways to eliminate them, based on the analysis of user reviews of Xiaomi for 2023–2026 years:

Special case: if you see a message saying "Device not supported", it means that your phone is not certified to work with Mi Band 5.

1. Install Mi Fitness version 5.6.0 (download here).
2. Turn on the developer mode on your phone and activate the debugging option over USB.
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: adb shell pm grant com.xiaomi.hm.health android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS

⚠️ Note: If the bracelet was previously linked to another Xiaomi account, you must first untie it through Settings → My devices are in the Mi Fitness of the old phone, and without that, the new connection is impossible.

How to Reset Mi Band 5 to Factory Settings

Reset is required in three cases:

• 🔄 The bracelet glitches or does not respond to touch.
• 🔒 You forgot. PIN-unlock.
• 📱 Want to sell/give a bracelet and delete all data.

There are two ways to discharge:

Method 1: Through the menu of the bracelet

1. On the bracelet, scroll down to the Settings point (cog icon).
2. Select Resetting Settings → Confirm.
3. The bracelet will reboot and show the code for the new connection.

Method 2: Through the Mi Fitness app

1. Open Mi Fitness → Select your Mi Band 5.
2. Go to Device Settings → Untie the device.
3. Confirm the action - the bracelet will automatically reset.

After the reset, all data (steps, sleep history, workouts) will be deleted from the bracelet, but will be saved to the Xiaomi account if sync was enabled.

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If the bracelet does not turn on after reset, connect it to charging for 30 minutes - sometimes a discharged battery blocks the start.

Alternative ways to connect (without Mi Fitness)

The official Mi Fitness app isn't always convenient: it consumes a lot of battery, contains ads and requires registration.

1. Notify & Fitness for Mi Band

Application from third-party developers with advanced functions:

• 🔔 Set up notifications for any application (including Telegram and VK).
• 📊 Detailed sleep statistics with graphs.
• 🚫 No binding to Xiaomi account.

You can download it on Google Play. The minus is there is no Russian language, but the interface is intuitive.

2. Gadgetbridge (for advanced users)

Open source software for managing wearables without cloud services.

• 🔧 Manual firmware update.
• 📥 Data export in format CSV.
• 🛡️ Complete confidentiality (data is stored only on the phone).

Instructions for setting:

1. Install Gadgetbridge from F-Droid.


2. Enable the developer mode on the bracelet (5 times tap the version number in Settings → About the bracelet).




3. Connect the bracelet via Gadgetbridge → Add the device → Mi Band 5.

⚠️ Note: When using third-party applications, certain features (e.g. measurement) SpO₂ It may not work properly, and there is no official support from Xiaomi.

How to transfer data from old Mi Band to new

If you upgrade from the Mi Band 4 or earlier, the data transfer will take only a few steps, and the main condition is that both bracelets must be linked to the same Xiaomi account.

Transfer algorithm:

1. Connect the new Mi Band 5 to your phone via Mi Fitness (as described above).
2. At the first start, the application will prompt Import Data – confirm the action.
3. Wait for synchronization (can take up to 10 minutes depending on the amount of data).
4. Check out the history in the Activity section, which should show the steps, sleep and workouts of the last 30 days.

If the data is not transferred:

• 🔄 Make sure that both bracelets are connected to the same account.
• 📱 Update Mi Fitness to the latest version.
• 🔗 Manually export data from an old bracelet to Google Fit, then import it to Mi Fitness.

Tips for Optimizing Mi Band 5 with Xiaomi

To ensure that the bracelet works stably and economically consumes charge, follow these recommendations:

• 🔋 Battery savings: Turn off the constant pulse (Settings) → Heart monitoring → Sleep mode. Reduce screen brightness by up to 50% (Settings) → Display. disable notifications from unnecessary apps.
• 📶 Accuracy of data: For training on the street GPS Wear the bracelet 2-3 fingers above your wrist (the sensors work more accurately). Calculate the pedometer once a month (Settings) → Stepper → Sizing).
• 🛡️ Security: Install PIN-bracelet code (Settings) → Security → Screen lock. Turn off automatic synchronization on public Wi-Fi networks.

For owners of Xiaomi phones with MIUI 14, additional integration is available:

• 🔗 The bracelet can be unlocked by the phone (configure in Settings). → Lock screen → Unlocking the Mi Band).
• 📱 Quick responses to notifications directly from the bracelet screen (works with the SMS and Messenger).

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Regularly update the bracelet firmware via Mi Fitness – this fixes sensor errors and adds new features (for example, support for new sports).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Mi Band 5