How to connect Mi Band 3 to another phone if the bracelet is already tied to Xiaomi

Switching to a new smartphone is always an exciting process, especially when it comes to syncing smart devices. Xiaomi Mi Band 3, despite its age, remains a popular fitness tracker, but its binding to the Mi Account often raises questions. Many users face a problem: the bracelet refuses to connect to a new phone, requires data from an old device or even gives an error “device is already tied”.

In this article, we will look at all the working ways to transfer the Mi Band 3 to another phone, from a standard shutdown through the Mi Fit app to a forced reset. We will focus on common errors (such as the Error 10008 or Unable to bind device) and explain why the bracelet may not see a new smartphone even after a reset. If you are afraid of losing your step data or sleep, don’t worry: we will tell you how to save your activity history.

It is important to understand that the Mi Band 3 is not tied to a phone, but to a Xiaomi account, which means that it is not enough to install the application on a new device to successfully transfer it, you need to properly untie the bracelet from the old profile. In some cases, you may even need to return to your old phone temporarily (for example, if you forgot your password from your account).

Before proceeding with the instructions, check:

• 📱 Application version: Mi Fit must be at least 4.6.0 (older versions may not support device portability).
• 🔋 Bracelet charge: Make sure the Mi Band 3 battery level is above 20% – with low charge, synchronization may be interrupted.
• 📶 Bluetooth: The new phone must be enabled with Bluetooth 4.0 or higher (check in settings).

If you've tried to plug in the bracelet before and you've got an error, don't panic. 90 percent of the time, the solution is one of the methods described below, and let's start with the easiest and most reliable way.

Method 1: Standard Mi Fit shutdown (if old phone is available)

This is the safest method that is guaranteed to store all your activity data, and it is suitable if you have access to an old phone that was previously tied to the bracelet.

Algorithm of action:

1. Open the Mi Fit app on your old phone.
2. Go to Profile → My Devices (or Devices depending on the version of the app).
3. Click on the Mi Band 3 icon in the list.
4. Select the option to Disable the device (or Remove the device).
5. Confirm the action - the bracelet will be untied from the account.

You can now connect Mi Band 3 to your new phone:

• 📲 Install Mi Fit on your new device and log in to the same Xiaomi account.
• 🔍 In the main menu of the application, click Add the device.
• 🔄 Select Mi Band 3 from the list and follow the instructions on the screen.

If the bracelet is not a new phone after turning off, try:

⚠️ Warning: Before re-binding, reboot the Mi Band 3, holding the touch button for 10 seconds until vibration appears.

Method 2: Forced reset of Mi Band 3 (if the old phone is not available)

If you lose access to a previous device (for example, a phone breaks or sells), you have to reset the bracelet to the factory settings, which removes all data from the tracker, but allows you to link it to a new account.

Resetting instructions:

1. On the bracelet, go to the menu by swiping your finger up the screen.
2. Find the Settings (cog icon) and select it.
3. Scroll down to Reset (or Reset).
4. Confirm the action by clicking the tick. The bracelet vibrates and reboots.

After discharge:

• 🔄 On the new phone, open Mi Fit and click Add Device.
• 📱 Select Mi Band 3 from the list and wait until sync is complete.
• ⚠️ If the bracelet is not, check that the phone is enabled Bluetooth and geolocation (necessary for finding devices).

A common mistake when resetting is the bracelet "hangs" on the Mi logo.

⚠️ Warning: If the Mi Band 3 screen fails to respond after reset, plug it into charging for 30 minutes.

Method 3: Uncoupling through the web version of Mi Account (alternative method)

Few people know, but Xiaomi devices can be managed via a web-based account interface, which is useful if the old phone is not available, but you remember the details for signing in to Mi Account.

Step-by-step:

1. Go to account.xiaomi.com from any device.
2. Sign in with the same account to which the bracelet is attached.
3. In the menu, select Devices → Smart devices.
4. Find Mi Band 3 and click Delete.
5. Confirm the action by SMS or email (if two-factor authentication is enabled).

After that, the bracelet will be untied from the account, and you can connect it to the new phone via Mi Fit.

• 🌐 The web version can display devices with a delay of up to 24 hours. If the bracelet is not on the list, try it later.
• 🔒 If you have a phone number binding enabled, you will need input to remove the device. SMS-code.

Critical detail: Once removed via the web interface, the bracelet is automatically reset to factory settings. All local data (steps, pulse) will be lost, but the history in the Mi Fit cloud will remain.

Connection errors and their solutions

Even after a proper reset, the Mi Band 3 may not connect to a new phone, and let’s look at some of the most common bugs and how to fix them.

Table of typical problems:

If none of these methods worked, try the "hard" reset bracelet:

1. Connect the Mi Band 3 to the charger.
2. Hold the touch button for 15 seconds (up to double vibration).
3. Turn off the charger and try to connect again.

💡

If the bracelet after reset gives an Error 2003 error, it means that its firmware is damaged, in which case only the firmware through Mi Fit (in the section "Firmware Update") will help.

How to save steps and sleep data when reconnecting

Many users fear losing their activity history when changing their phone.Thankfully, Mi Fit syncs data to Xiaomi's cloud, but there are nuances.

What is saved automatically:

• 📊 Steps, sleep and pulse statistics for the last 30 days.
• 🏆 Achievements and records (if they were synchronized previously).
• ⚡ Settings alarm clocks and notifications (if the bracelet was untied via Mi Fit).

What can get lost:

• 📉 Local data on the bracelet (if there was no synchronization with the cloud).
• 🔄 Unsaved workouts (if not completed in the app).

To ensure that history is preserved:

💡

Before turning off the bracelet, be sure to perform forced synchronization: open Mi Fit, pull the screen down to update the data and wait for the process to be completed (the cloud icon should turn green).

1. On an old phone, open Mi Fit and wait for full sync (the cloud icon at the top of the screen should turn green).
2. Export data to Google Fit or Apple Health (in Mi Fit → Sync with other services).
3. Take screenshots of key statistics (e.g. weekly reports).

Frequent questions about reconnecting Mi Band 3

We will discuss the most pressing issues that arise when users change their phone.

Alternative apps for Mi Band 3 (if Mi Fit doesn't work)

If the standard Mi Fit app refuses to connect the bracelet, you can use third-party programs. They do not always support all functions, but they will help in emergency situations.

Popular alternatives:

• 🔹 Notify & Fitness for Mi Band – supports notifications, sleep and foot monitoring.
• 🔹 Mi Band Master - Extended settings for Mi Band 3, including custom dials.
• 🔹 Tools & Mi Band – This allows you to bypass some of the limitations of official software.

How to connect with Notify & Fitness:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Turn on Bluetooth and allow access to notifications.
3. In the main menu, click Connect the device and select Mi Band 3.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen (resetting the bracelet may be required).

Warning:

⚠️ Warning: Third-party apps may not support data sync with Xiaomi cloud.If you care about activity history, use them only for a temporary connection, and then return to Mi Fit.

Conclusion: which way to choose?

The choice of method depends on your situation:

• ✅ I have access to the old phone? → Use the standard Mi Fit shutdown (Method 1.
• ❌ There's no old phone? → Reset the bracelet to factory settings (Method 2) or remove it through Mi Account (Method 3).
• 🔄 Connection errors? → Check the error table in Section 4 and try alternative applications (Section 6).

If you plan to sell or transfer the bracelet to another person, be sure to complete a full reset and untie it from your account, which will protect your data and allow the new owner to connect the device without any problems.

Remember, the Mi Band 3 is a reliable tracker, but its firmware does not always handle the change of devices correctly. If none of these methods worked, contact Xiaomi with the serial number of the bracelet (located on the back of the case under the strap).