Connecting Xiaomi smart watches to Android: full instruction with error solutions

Xiaomi’s smartwatches are no longer exotic — they’re now full-fledged assistants for sports, health, and everyday tasks. But even experienced users sometimes have trouble connecting a gadget to an Android smartphone for the first time, especially when it comes to new models like the Watch 2 Pro or Mi Band 8, where the synchronization process is different from the usual circuits.

In this article, we will not only examine the basic connection through the official Mi Fitness app (formerly Zepp Life), but also the nuances of working with different versions of Android, solving typical errors like “the clock does not see” or “the connection is constantly breaking.”

If you just unpacked the box with the new Xiaomi Watch S3 Or try to revive the old Amazfit Bip U Pro after reset, this guide will help you avoid hour-long Google and experiment with Bluetooth settings.

What Xiaomi smart watches support Android connection

Before you start syncing, make sure your watch model is Android compatible. Most Xiaomi devices and its sub-brand Amazfit work with Google's operating system, but there are nuances:

• 📱 Mi Band Series (from Mi Band 5 and later) – full support for Android 6.0+, But the Mi Band 8 requires Android 8.0.
• ⌚ Xiaomi Watch Series (Watch) S1/S2/S3, Watch 2 Pro – officially working with Android 7.0+, But for stable synchronization, Android is recommended. 9.0.
• 🏃 Amazfit series (Bip U Pro, GTR 4, GTS 4) - compatible with Android 5.0+, But some features (like voice assistant) require Android 10.+.
• ⚠️ Outdated models (Mi Band) 1/2/3, Amazfit Pace – can be connected, but without firmware updates and with limited functionality.

Important: Watches Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro and later use the Bluetooth 5.2 protocol, which is not supported by smartphones older than 2018 release (for example, Redmi Note 5 or Samsung Galaxy). S8). Before buying, check the specifications of your phone.

⚠️ Note: If your smartphone is running on custom firmware (such as LineageOS or MIUI Global ROM For Chinese devices, there may be problems with Google Play services, in which case, before connecting the watch, install the original Google Play Services via APKMirror.

Preparing a smartphone before connecting

To avoid synchronization errors, make presets on your phone:

1. Update the operating system. Go to Settings. → System system → Update the software and install the latest security patches. Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro requires Android 9.0 or later.
2. Install the official app. Download Mi Fitness (formerly Zepp Life) from Google Play. Avoid third-party apps APK — They may contain viruses or outdated versions.
3. Turn on Bluetooth and geolocation. Xiaomi Watches use Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE), which requires location access for a stable connection. → Annexes → Mi Fitness → Permits and activate: 📍 Location (required for Android 10)+) 🔄 Auto-start (so that notifications arrive without delay) 📱 Display over other windows (for quick access to watch functions)

Turn off the power saving modes.

Settings → Battery

Mi Fitness

Xiaomi/Redmi

Optimizing MIUI

For Samsung smartphone owners: In Bluetooth settings, turn off the “Visibility for Nearby Devices” function – it can conflict with the connection of Xiaomi watches.

Bluetooth and geolocation enabled|

The latest Mi Fitness update (version 5.12.0)+)|

Appendix has all the necessary permissions |

Power saving modes for Mi Fitness are turned off|

Rebooted smartphone (recommended before first connection)-->

Step-by-step instructions for connecting the watch to Android

Now, to the synchronization process itself, the instructions are suitable for most models, but we will specify the nuances for the Mi Band and Xiaomi Watch separately.

Step 1: Launching the Mi Fitness app

Open Mi Fitness and click "Add Device" (Icon "+" If you have already connected the watch before, remove it from the list of devices (Profile) → My devices. → Delete).

Step 2: Choosing a watch model

In the list of devices, find your own model.

• For the Mi Band 8, select "Mi Smart Band 8".
• For the Xiaomi Watch S3 — "Xiaomi Watch S3".
• For Amazfit. GTR 4 — "Amazfit GTR 4".

Important:

Mi Fitness

Step 3: Synchronization over Bluetooth

Click "Connect" and wait until the watch appears in the list of available devices.

• 🔄 Reset the clock (for Mi Band – press the touch button for 10 seconds).
• 📱 On your phone, turn off/on Bluetooth.
• 🔍 Make sure the watch is at least 20% charged (when it is low, it doesn’t show up in search).

Step 4: Confirmation of connection

Once you've successfully connected, a notification with a code (e.g., 1234) will appear on the watch screen, compare it to the code in the app and click "Confirm." If the codes don't match:

• 🔄 Reconnect the clock.
• 📲 Remove the device from the Bluetooth list in your phone settings and try again.

Step 5: Update the firmware

Once synchronized, the app will suggest updating the watch firmware. Don't refuse — new versions fix connection errors and add features. Update will take 5-15 minutes. If the process is stuck at 0% or 100%, do not turn off the clock from charging and do not close the application — wait at least 30 minutes.

Configure notifications and basic functions

Once connected, the watch will show the time and steps, but for full operation you need to set up notifications, alarm clocks and a fitness tracker.

Notifications from the annexes

To receive alerts about calls and messages:

1. In Mi Fitness go to Profile → My devices. → [watch] → Notifications.
2. Turn on the "Call Notifications" and "Notifications from Applications" switch.
3. Click "App Management" and select instant messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram), social networks and mail.

For Android 12+:

Mi Fitness

Settings → Notifications → Access to Notifications

Fitness tracker and health monitoring

To keep track of heart rate, sleep and activity:

• 🩺 Turn on "Heart Rate Monitoring" (recommended interval: 10 minutes to save battery life).
• 😴 Activate "Sleep Monitoring" (automatic or manual mode).
• 🏃 Select activities in "Sports Modes" (running, cycling, swimming, etc.).

⚠️ Warning: On the Mi Band 8 and Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro, continuous heart rate monitoring reduces the lifespan from 14 to 7 days.Switch it off if the battery is running out too quickly.

Alarm clocks and reminders

To set the alarm clock directly on the clock:

1. In Mi Fitness, go to the Alarms.
2. Click Add and select the time, days of the week and the type of vibration.
3. For the Xiaomi Watch S3 You can set up a “smart alarm clock” that will wake you up in the phase of light sleep.

Advice:

"Don't disturb."

"Flight mode"

💡

To prevent the notifications from being duplicated on your watch and phone, in the Mi Fitness settings, disable the option "Repeat Notifications on your phone" to save both devices.

Solving Typical Connection Errors

Even if you set it up properly, you can have problems, and let's look at the most common ones and the ways to solve them.

Error: "I was unable to connect to the device"

Causes and solutions:

• 📱 Outdated version of Mi Fitness. Update the app or download the latest version from APKCombo.
• 🔄 Conflict with other devices: disconnect other gadgets (earphones, fitness bracelets) and try again.
• 🛠️ Bluetooth crash. Go to Settings. → System system → Reset → Reset network settings (this will delete all stored Bluetooth devices).

Error: "The clock shuts down in a few minutes"

This problem is typical for phones with aggressive battery optimization (e.g. Xiaomi, Samsung, Huawei).

• ⚡ In your phone settings, add Mi Fitness to “Secure Apps” or “Optimization Exceptions".
• 🔋 Turn off the "Adaptive Battery" in Settings → Battery → Additionally.
• 📲 For Samsung: Turn off App Path in Settings → Maintenance of the device → Battery.

Error: "No firmware updates"

If the update is hanging:

• 🔌 Make sure the watch is charged 50% or more and connected to the charger.
• 🌐 Check your internet connection (update downloaded via Mi Fitness, not hours later).
• 🔄 Restart your phone and watch, then try again.

⚠️ Note: If the firmware updates for longer than an hour and progress is unchanged, reset the clock to factory settings (Clock Settings) → System system → Reset. Reconnect after that.

💡

If neither solution worked, try connecting the watch through another device (another phone or tablet). If the problem persists, contact Xiaomi with error logs (you can export them to Mi Fitness via Settings). → Reviews).

Synchronization with third-party services (Google Fit, Strava)

Xiaomi watches can transfer training and health data to other apps, such as Google Fit or Strava.

Connecting to Google Fit

1. Open Mi Fitness and go to Profile → Settings → Accounts and Sync.
2. Select “Google Fit” and log in through your Google account.
3. Allow access to data on steps, pulse and training.

Important:

Exporting data to Strava

For athletes who use Strava:

1. In Mi Fitness go to Profile → My accomplishments. → Training.
2. Select the desired training and click "Export".
3. Select Strava and confirm the export.

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Mi Band 7) do not support direct export to Strava.In this case, first sync the data with Google Fit and then connect Strava to Google Fit.

Problems with synchronization

If no data is transmitted:

• 🔄 Update Mi Fitness and Google Fit to the latest versions.
• 📱 Check that Google account settings have synced for Google Fit enabled.
• 🔌 Reconnect the watch to the app (remove and add again).

How to Reset Xiaomi Watches to Factory Settings

If the watch is glitching, out of sync, or you want to sell the device, do a reset.Warning: This will delete all data from the watch!

Reset via clock settings

For most models:

1. On the clock go to Settings → System → Reset.
2. Confirm the action (usually hold the button for 5-10 seconds).

Mi Band 8

Mi Fitness

Profile → My devices. → [watch] → Untie the device

Reset via the Mi Fitness app

If the clock does not respond to touch:

1. In Mi Fitness go to Profile → My devices.

After that, the watch will automatically reset to the factory settings.

Hard reset (if the clock is not turned on)

For models with a physical button (e.g. Xiaomi Watch) S3):

1. Press the power button for 20-30 seconds until the Xiaomi logo appears.

Mi Band

:

15 seconds.

💡

After resetting, you need to reconnect the watch, as when you first use it. If it is not defined in Mi Fitness, try resetting the Bluetooth settings on your phone (Settings) → System system → Reset → Resetting network settings).

FAQ: Frequent questions about connecting Xiaomi smartwatches