How to Connect Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 to Xiaomi Smartphone: A Complete Guide to Problem Solutions

Matching the Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 with a Xiaomi phone is a task that seems simple at first glance, but in practice faces a number of nuances.The fact is that both brands use different ecosystems: Samsung is focused on Wear. OS (Google’s own modification, and Xiaomi has traditionally worked with the company. MIUI This difference often leads to connection errors, lost connection or limited functionality.

In this guide, we’ll look at all the ways you can connect, from standard pairing through Galaxy Wearable to third-party workarounds, how to avoid common bugs (e.g., “Device Unconnected” or “Device Unsupported”), what settings you need to change on Xiaomi in advance, and what to do if the clock goes off after a few minutes, and what features the Watch 4 will work 100% and which will remain unavailable due to manufacturer restrictions.

If you’ve already tried to connect the watch and you’ve got an error, don’t rush to reset it to factory settings. 90% of the time, the problem is solved by adjusting your Bluetooth settings, updating your firmware or installing additional software. And for those who are just planning to buy, we’ve prepared a comparison table of compatibility of the Galaxy Watch 4 with popular Xiaomi models (from Redmi Note 10 to Xiaomi 14 Ultra).

Why Samsung Watch 4 doesn’t want to connect to Xiaomi: the main reasons

The problems with pairing the Galaxy Watch 4 and Xiaomi smartphones arise due to three key factors: software constraints, conflicts of Bluetooth protocols and outdated versions of the software.

First, Samsung initially optimizes its watches for Android devices, but with an eye on its own smartphones (Galaxy S, Note, Z Fold). The Galaxy Wearable app, which is essential for controlling the Watch 4, can block connections to other brands’ phones, especially if they use custom shells like the one used by the company. MIUI This is not Samsung’s official policy, but an actual limitation that users face.

Second, Xiaomi is known for aggressive background optimization. MIUI, It often kills background processes, including connecting to wearables, for example, if you plug in a watch and it's gone 10 to 15 minutes later, that's the fault. OS.

Finally, outdated firmware on a watch or phone can cause conflicts. OS 3.5 may not work properly with Xiaomi MIUI 13, but stably connect to the same phones on MIUI 14 or HyperOS.Be sure to check the relevance of updates before pairing.

⚠️ Note: If your Xiaomi runs on Android 10 or lower, connecting the Galaxy Watch 4 may not be possible due to a lack of Wear support OS 3+. Minimum version of Android for stable operation - Android 11.

• 📱 Software limitations: Galaxy Wearable can block the connection to the Internet-Samsung device.
• 🔄 Bluetooth conflicts: MIUI Uses non-standard protocols, which leads to a connection break.
• 🔧 Outdated software: Firmware watches or phones older than 2022 may not be compatible.
• ⚡ Optimizing the battery: MIUI Automatically closes background processes, including the connection to the clock.

Preparing Xiaomi phone for connection: mandatory settings

Before you start pairing, you need to configure the Xiaomi smartphone so that it interacts correctly with the Galaxy Watch 4. This stage is often missed, which leads to errors like “Can not find the device” or “Connection is unstable”.

The first thing you need to do is turn off all the power-saving functions for the watch-related applications.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Galaxy Wearable and Google Play Services.
3. In the menu of each application, select the Battery. → No restrictions.
4. Activate Auto Start and Background Activity.

Two, update your phone and watch firmware. On Xiaomi, check the relevance. MIUI or HyperOS in Settings → The phone. → System Update.For Galaxy Watch 4, the update is available via Galaxy Wearable (after successful connectivity) or manually via Samsung Members.

Third, reset your Bluetooth settings if you've tried to connect other devices before.

1. Open Settings → Connections → Bluetooth.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Reset Settings.
3. Reboot the phone.

Disable battery optimization for Galaxy Wearable|Update MIUI/HyperOS last-minute|Reset your Bluetooth settings|Install Google Play Services (if removed)|Reboot the phone-->

Method 1: Standard Connection with Galaxy Wearable

This is the official method from Samsung that should work on most Xiaomi devices with Android 11.+. However, even here there are nuances that you should know in advance.

Step 1: Installation of the required applications

Download two apps from Google Play:

• Galaxy Wearable (basic for watch management)
• Samsung Accessory Service (an additional pairing service).

⚠️ Note: If your Xiaomi does not have Google Play Services (e.g., Chinese firmware), standard connectivity will not be possible.

Step 2: Starting the pairing

1. Turn on the Galaxy Watch 4 and wait for the welcome screen to appear.
2. On your phone, open Galaxy Wearable and click Start.
3. Select the Galaxy Watch 4 and confirm pairing on both devices.
4. Wait until the synchronization is complete (it can take up to 10 minutes).

Step 3: Setup the permission

Once connected, Galaxy Wearable will request a number of permissions:

• Access to contacts (for notifications);
• Access to the telephone (for calls);
• Access to location (for weather and GPS);
• Access to storage (for setting dials).

We recommend that you provide all permissions, otherwise some features (such as displaying notifications or tracking sleep) will not be available.

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If after connecting the clock is constantly turned off - check the settings of energy saving in the MIUI Turn off optimization for Galaxy Wearable.

Method 2: Connecting through Wear OS (alternative)

If Galaxy Wearable refuses to work, you can try connecting through the standard Wear app. OS This is less stable, but sometimes it saves you when Samsung's official software blocks pairing.

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ It works on Xiaomi with custom firmware (for example, LineageOS);
• ✅ Less restrictions on the brand of the device;
• ✅ Supports basic functions (notifications, pedometer).

Disadvantages:

• ❌ No access to Samsung branded features (e.g. Samsung Health);
• ❌ Possible delays in data synchronization.

Instructions:

1. Remove the Galaxy Wearable (if installed).
2. Download Wear OS Google Play.
3. Launch the app and select “Connect New Device.”
4. On the clock, go to Settings. → Connections → Bluetooth and activate the pairing mode.
5. Wait until the phone finds the Galaxy Watch 4 and confirm the connection.

After successful pairing, basic applications will be installed, but for full operation you will need to install:

• Google Fit (to track activity)
• Google Messages (for Google Messages) SMS-notice);
• Spotify or YouTube Music (for music management)

Method 3: Connecting through third-party applications (for Chinese firmware)

If your Xiaomi is running on Chinese firmware without Google Play Services (e.g., Google Play Services, MIUI China ROM), And if you do that, you can use the Wear Installer or Bugjaeger app, which allows you to bypass the constraints and plug in the watch manually.

Important: This method requires an unlocked bootloader on Xiaomi and installing Magisk (for root rights). ADB, Which is inconvenient for everyday use.

Instructions for Wear Installer:

1. Download Wear Installer with XDA Developers.
2. Install. APK phone and provide all the requested permissions.
3. Connect the watch to charging and activate Developer Mode (as in Method 2).
4. In Wear Installer, select Connect via Bluetooth and follow the instructions.
5. Once connected, install Galaxy Wearable via Wear Installer (the app will offer you to download the compatible version).

Warning: Using Wear Installer may result in:

• ⚠️ Instable notifications;
• ⚠️ Loss of features (such as Samsung Pay);
• ⚠️ Frequent connection breaks.

This method is only suitable for experienced users who are ready for experimentation.

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If the clock does not sync data after connecting via Wear Installer, try to disable it. VPN On the phone, some Samsung servers block traffic from certain regions.

Solving Typical Errors When Connecting

Even if you set it up properly, you can run into errors, and below are the most common problems and ways to solve them.

Error: “I couldn’t connect to the device”

Reasons:

• 📵 Bluetooth on your phone or watch is disabled;
• 🔄 Conflict with other connected devices;
• 📱 An outdated version of the Galaxy Wearable.

Decision:

1. Reboot both devices.
2. Remove all saved Bluetooth devices in Settings → Connections.
3. Update Galaxy Wearable and Samsung Accessory Service.
4. Try connecting in Flight Mode (by disabling the mobile network).

Error: "The device is not supported"

Reasons:

• 📱 Phone on Android 10 or lower;
• 🔧 Google Play Services is not available;
• 🌍 Regional restrictions (e.g. watches for the U.S., telephone for China).

Decision:

• Update your phone to Android 11+.
• Install Google Play Services via APKMirror.
• Change the region of the phone to the US or South Korea in Settings → Additionally. → Region.

Problem: The clock shuts down after 5-10 minutes

Reason: Aggressive battery optimization in the MIUI.

Decision:

1. Open the Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Galaxy Wearable.
2. Choose the Battery. → No restrictions.
3. Activate Auto Start and Background Activity.
4. Add Galaxy Wearable to Secure Applications (in the MIUI It's the settings. → Battery → Secure applications).

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If none of these methods worked, try resetting the Galaxy Watch 4 to factory settings (Settings) → General. → Reset) and reconnect.

What features of the Galaxy Watch 4 will work with Xiaomi (and which will not)

Even after a successful connection, not all of the features of the Galaxy Watch 4 will be available on Xiaomi. MIUI. Below is the full list.

✅ Working full-time:

• 📱 Notifications of calls and SMS;
• 🏃 Tracking activity (steps, calories, heart rate);
• 🌦️ Weather (synchronized with Google Weather);
• 🎵 Music Management (Spotify, YouTube Music);
• ⏱️ Timers and alarm clocks;
• 🔋 Battery level of charge.

⚠️ Working with constraints:

• 💳 Samsung Pay – only if the phone supports NFC region coincides;
• 📞 Calls in hours – delays in response are possible;
• 🏠 Samsung SmartThings – some smart home devices may not show up;
• 🔄 Automatic data synchronization – sometimes requires manual updates.

❌ It's not working:

• 📡 Bixby (Samsung's voice assistant);
• 📎 Some dials from the Galaxy Store;
• 🔒 Find My Watch (Look for the Watch);
• 📊 Detailed sleep analytics (partially replaced by Google Fit).

Important: If you use Xiaomi with firmware without Google Play Services (e.g., the Chinese version) MIUI), The number of functions running will be reduced by 30-40%, in which case we recommend installing Google Services Framework via Magisk or reflashing the phone to the global version.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Samsung Watch connectivity 4 Xiaomi