How to connect Xiaomi fitness bracelet to your phone: the full guide

The Chinese giant’s wearable electronics have long been the benchmark for accessibility and functionality in the gadget market, and its fitness trackers offer an impressive array of health-monitoring features ranging from heart rate tracking to sleep phase analysis. But new device owners often face challenges in the first phase of initial activation and pairing.

Synchronizing the Mi Band or the more advanced Xiaomi Smart Band with a mobile device can seem confusing due to frequent changes in software and application names. In this article, we will take a closer look at current connectivity methods relevant for 2026-2026 and help avoid the typical errors that lead to malfunctions.

Correct settings are necessary not only for displaying time, but also for the full operation of all sensors and alert systems. Without the right link to your account, the device will remain just a beautiful accessory with limited functionality, unable to save your activity history.

Preparation for pairing: choosing the right application

The first and most critical step is to install the right software on your smartphone.In recent years, Xiaomi has divided the ecosystem of its applications, and the choice of a specific program depends on the model of your tracker. For the latest models, such as the Mi Smart Band 7, 8, 9 and Xiaomi Watch series, the main application has become Mi Fitness (formerly known as Zepp Life in some regions or Xiaomi Wear).

Older models, in particular Mi Band 4, 5 and 6, can work through the classic Mi Fit application, but support for legacy devices is gradually being transferred to new shells. Use of third-party APK-Files can lead to data leakage or incorrect synchronization.

• 📱 For new models (Band) 7/8/9, Watch S/S1/S2) — Download the Mi Fitness app.
• ⌚ For older models (Band) 3/4/5/6) — Try Mi Fit or Zepp Life if Mi Fitness can't see the device.
• 🌏 Regional settings – when registering an account, select the country corresponding to your region so that the servers work stably.

Once you install the app, you need to register for a Xiaomi Account or log in through a Google/Apple profile, which is a mandatory requirement to store statistics in the cloud. Without authorization, the security system will not allow you to start the search process for devices.

⚠️ Warning: Before you start searching, make sure the phone is on GPS (In the Android operating system, Bluetooth Low Energy protocol (BLE) requires access to a location to scan nearby devices. GPS The search can go on indefinitely.

Step-by-step instruction for connecting via Bluetooth

The process of directly connecting the gadget to the smartphone requires a sequence of actions. First, you need to turn on the tracker itself. If you have just unpacked the device, it may be in sleep mode. Connect it to the charger for a few minutes to activate the screen and see a welcome message or QR-code.

Open the Mi Fitness app installed and go to the Devices tab (usually the bottom menu). Click the Add Device button or the plus button in the corner of the screen. The system will start scanning the space. At this point, a request for confirmation of pairing may appear on the bracelet screen - tap the tick or confirmation button on the tracker touch screen.

Sometimes automatic search doesn't work the first time, and then you can use manual search. QR-On the bracelet screen (if the model supports) or the instructions often indicate the code for manual addition. In the application, select "Add manually" and scan the code or enter ID After a successful connection, the firmware update will begin.

Updating firmware is a must. Don't interrupt this process and keep your phone next to your wristband. New versions of the software fix Bluetooth stack errors and improve pedometer accuracy. If the update is stuck, restart both devices and try again.

Set up access rights and permissions in Android and iOS

Modern mobile operating systems strictly control the access of applications to resources. To work smoothly, the Mi Band must provide the Mi Fitness application with a full set of permissions. In Android, this is especially important, since the system can kill background processes to save energy, which leads to a connection break.

Go to your phone's settings, look for the Apps section, and select Mi Fitness. In the Permissions menu, make sure that Location, Bluetooth, Notifications, Physical Activity are activated. Without the right to track activity, the app will not be able to read the steps and calories correctly.

For iOS users, the situation is easier thanks to Apple’s strict policies, but there are nuances here: When you first launch, iOS will ask for permission to use Bluetooth and send notifications, and it is also important not to block the application from the background in the battery settings.

💡

On smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO be sure to turn on Auto Start for the Mi Fitness application and fix it in the memory (lock app) so that the system MIUI/HyperOS did not close the tracker to save charge.

Problem Solving: The bracelet is not in or connected

The fact that the phone doesn't see a fitness bracelet is one of the most common is that the device has been paired with another phone or the phone itself, but the connection hasn't been broken correctly. The Bluetooth module of the bracelet may be busy.

Go to your smartphone's Bluetooth settings. If you see a device called Mi Band or something similar, click "Forget this device" or "Untie it." Then turn off the Bluetooth on your phone completely, wait 5 seconds and turn it on again. Reboot the bracelet itself through the settings menu on the screen.

⚠️ Warning: Never try to connect the bracelet directly through the Bluetooth system menu in your phone settings.Pairing should only happen via the Mi Fitness application interface.Putting directly through the OS settings will result in data synchronization errors.

If the problem persists, try clearing the Mi Fitness app cache. Go to Settings → Apps → Mi Fitness → Storage → Clear the cache. In extreme cases, resetting the bracelet to factory settings (Factory Reset) through the menu on the tracker itself, after which it must be added as a new device.

Another reason could be energy-saving modes: If the phone is on Ultra-Energy Saving or Flight Mode (even partially), scanning of new devices may be blocked by the system.

Set up notifications and personalize the interface

Once successfully connected, the fine-tuning phase begins, and the smart bracelet’s main value is the ability to receive notifications about calls, messengers and calendar events right on your wrist. In the Mi Fitness app, go to Profile → Notifications.

Here you will see a list of all the apps installed on your phone. Activate the switches opposite the programs you want to receive the alerts from (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber, calls, SMS). Note that the text of the message may not display if you have not given the Mi Fitness app permission to read the notifications on Android.

• 🔔 Vibration – adjust vibration strength and repeat reminders if you missed a notification.
• 🌅 Dials – in the dial store (more than 1000 options) you can choose a design that displays the weather, pulse or steps.
• 🏃 Sport – Set goals by steps, motion reminders and auto-defining workouts.

You should also set a Do Not Disturb schedule, which automatically turns off the screen light and the bracelet vibration at a given time (such as at night while sleeping) so that you do not wake up with a bright light when an incoming call is made.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions