Owning devices from different ecosystems is common practice for many users. You could buy a flagship smartphone from Xiaomi for its functionality, and a smart watch Samsung Galaxy Watch for their design and capabilities. However, the question often arises before the new owner: how to make these two devices work in pairs if they are not “native” to each other? Fortunately, engineers have envisaged this possibility, but the process requires care.
Samsung’s Android and watch compatibility is flexible, but the MIUI or HyperOS operating shell has aggressive energy saving algorithms that can interfere with the stable operation of background processes. That’s why a simple Bluetooth switching procedure often isn’t enough to make all the tracker functions work properly. You’ll need to make a number of additional adjustments to ensure that notifications arrive on time and sensors don’t shut down arbitrarily.
In this article, we will take a closer look at every step of the setup, from preparing gadgets to fine-tuning permissions in the system. We will also look at the typical errors that users encounter when trying to sync. A critical point is to install the official Galaxy Wearable app from Google Play, rather than using the built-in search tools of Xiaomi devices. Ignoring this rule is the most common reason for unsuccessful pairing attempts.
Preparation of devices for the first pairing
Before you start looking for devices, make sure both gadgets are ready to go. Charge the Galaxy Watch and your Xiaomi phone to at least 50-60%. Low battery power can cause the watch to go into power saving mode and become invisible to external devices or interrupt the setup process halfway through.
Make sure your smartphone is Bluetooth enabled and geolocated. Android requires access to the smartwatch to work properly. GPS-The module, even if you don't use navigation directly in the watch app, can go on forever or end up with an error without that permission.
Check the operating system version on your phone. Android 8.0 and higher is recommended for stable operation. If your Xiaomi device hasn't been updated in a long time, you should go to the settings and check for system updates. Older versions of firmware may have vulnerabilities in the Bluetooth stack that interfere with the connection.
- 🔋 Charge both devices to at least 60% before starting.
- 📡 Enable Bluetooth and Geolocation (GPS) smartphone.
- 🔄 Update Android to the current version through Settings.
- 📶 Make sure that mobile internet or Wi-Fi is enabled.
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If you’ve previously used a watch with another phone, be sure to complete a full reset on the watch through the settings menu before connecting to Xiaomi.
Installation and configuration of the Galaxy Wearable app
The centerpiece of watch management is the Galaxy Wearable app. Unlike some other brands, Samsung doesn't let you control the watch through the standard Bluetooth Android menu.You'll definitely need to install special software.
Search for "Galaxy Wearable." Make sure the developer is Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. Sometimes, the search results may contain third-party clone apps that don't have access to the clock's system functions. Download and install the official app. During the installation process, it may request permission to install additional plugins — that's okay, agree.
Once installed, launch the app. It will automatically start searching for nearby devices. If the watch is new, it should be in default pairing mode. If you reset the old watch, search animation should appear on the screen. The app will suggest updating the watch software — don't miss this step. New firmware versions often contain compatibility patches with different Android models.
☑️ Pre-installing check
In the initial setup process, the app will request access to contacts, call log, microphone and location. To fully work, the Galaxy Watch must provide all the permissions requested. If you refuse access to contacts, you will not be able to see the names of the callers on the wrist, but only the number.
The process of pairing a watch and a smartphone
When the Galaxy Wearable app detects your watch, a confirmation code will appear on your smartphone screen. The same code will appear on the watch face. Compare the numbers. If they match, click "Confirm" on both devices. This security mechanism prevents you from connecting to other devices within range.
Then you start the process of synchronizing data. The phone will transmit to the time, language and basic profile setting hours, during which time do not move far from the phone and do not block the screen of the smartphone, as the data transfer process can be interrupted when you go to sleep. Wi-Fi connection at this stage will speed up the loading of dials and updates.
Once paired successfully, you will be prompted to log into your Samsung Account, a requirement for the Galaxy Store app store to work on your watch and some health features, and if you don’t have a Samsung account, you can create it right in the setup process using your email.
⚠️ Note: During the pairing process, a request may appear on the watch screen to install the plugin "Samsung Accessory Service". Be sure to allow the installation and operation of this service, without it, the connection between Xiaomi and the Galaxy Watch will be unstable.
If the process is stuck in the Connection phase, try restarting both devices and starting over by pre-deleting the Bluetooth watch in your phone’s settings, often solving the problem of stuck handshakes.
Critical settings MIUI and HyperOS
This is the most important section for Xiaomi owners: Aggressive battery optimization in MIUI and HyperOS shells often kills the background processes of applications that are not system. To make the Galaxy Watch work around the clock, you need to manually configure permissions for three components: the Galaxy Wearable app itself, the watch plugin, and the Samsung Accessory Service.
Go to Settings → Applications → All apps. Find the Galaxy Wearable list. Click on Activity Control (or Energy Saving). Select No Limits. This will prevent the system from forcibly closing the app to save charge. Repeat the same procedure for the Samsung Accessory Service app and your watch model plugin (it will appear in the app list after pairing).
You also need to set up autostart. In the same app settings menu, find Autostart and activate it, which will allow Samsung services to start immediately after the phone is turned on, allowing you to instantly connect the clock when you leave the house.
- 🔋 For Galaxy Wearable: Activity Control → No restrictions.
- 🚀 For Samsung Accessory Service: Enable AutoRun.
- 🔒 For the Plugin of the clock: Allow work in the background.
- 🔔 Notifications: Allow display on the lock screen.
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Without settings, there are no restrictions on all three components of Samsung’s system, the watch will be permanently disconnected from Xiaomi in the background.
Remember to also pin important apps to the multitasking menu. Open a list of running apps, find Galaxy Wearable, and click on the lock or lock icon to lock it into memory. This is an additional barrier against the system's memory cleanup.
Set up notifications and permissions
After you've set up the content, open the Galaxy Wearable app on your phone and go to Notifications, and here you'll see a list of all the apps you've installed on your phone, and you can flexibly configure which apps you're getting your wrist vibrations from.
For instant messengers like Telegram, WhatsApp or Viber, it is recommended to enable the display of full text. However, be careful with bank applications or chats - the information on the watch screen is visible to others. In the settings of each application, you can hide the content in the notification section, leaving only the name of the application.
Special attention should be paid to the permission to access the microphone, if you plan to answer calls from the clock (if the model supports the speaker) or use voice input, this permission is necessary, without it, the function of dictating messages will not work.
| System component | Permission required | Purpose of setting |
|---|---|---|
| Galaxy Wearable | Contact, Telephone. | Synchronization of calls and names |
| Samsung Accessory | Background mode | Stable Bluetooth connection |
| Clock plug-in | Notifications | Transfer of alerts to the wrist |
| Health (opt.) | Fitness tracker | Transfer of steps to Google Fit |
Also in the notification menu is a function "Do not disturb" You can adjust the watch so that it does not vibrate at night or during meetings, synchronizing with the phone calendar or "Do not disturb" mode on Xiaomi itself.
Solving Typical Connection Problems
Despite the smooth process, there are some crashes. One of the common problems is that the watch is visible in Bluetooth, but the Galaxy Wearable app doesn't see it. In this case, go to the standard Bluetooth Android settings, find your watch there, click on the gear and select "Forget the device" or "Unpair the pairing."
Another common problem is time or date desynchronization, which is almost always solved by rebooting both devices. If time is constantly lost, check the date and time settings on your phone: it should be the "Use Network Time" option and the correct time zone. Automatic time synchronization occurs with each successful connection.
If notifications don't come in, even though the settings are correct, check if the watch is on "Do Not Disturb" or "Theatre Mode." Also make sure that the phone itself for a particular app (such as Instagram) allows notifications on the Android system. The watch only broadcasts what comes to the phone.
⚠️ Note: If after all settings the clock is still turned off 10-15 Check if you have a third-party memory cleaner or antivirus that can block Samsung system services.
In rare cases, cleaning the cache of the Galaxy Wearable app helps. Go to Settings → Apps → Galaxy Wearable → Memory and click Clear Cache. Don't confuse it with Clear Data, as this will reset the app's settings.
Additional functions and widgets
Once you've set up successfully, you'll see a customization world. The Galaxy Store on the watch (available through the app on your phone) offers thousands of dials. You can set up the weather, currency, or pulse data directly on the lock screen.
For Xiaomi users, integration with Google Fit will be especially helpful. While the native Samsung Health app doesn't sync directly with Google Fit at the account level, there are third-party bridges (like Health Sync) that allow you to transfer step and sleep data from Samsung Health to Google Fit.
Don't forget widgets. A swipe to the left or right on the dial opens the widget bar, you can add an alarm clock, a timer, a voice recorder or music control, and you can adjust the order and composition of the widgets through the Galaxy Wearable app in the "Clock Screen" section" →"Widgets".