How to connect Samsung smart watch to Xiaomi phone: the full guide

The modern user often faces the need to integrate devices from different ecosystems. Samsung smart watches have the widest functionality that even owners of Xiaomi smartphones with a MIUI or HyperOS shell want to use. The synchronization process is not trivial, as it requires the installation of specific Google services that are not always preinstalled or active by default in Chinese versions of firmware.

The main difficulty lies in the aggressive policy of energy saving Android system on Xiaomi devices. the operating system often forcibly closes the background processes, which leads to a break in the connection with the wearable gadget. To avoid loss of notifications and failures in the activity tracker, you need to perform a series of preliminary settings before starting the main mating process.

In this guide, we’ll take each step in detail, focusing on hidden security and permission settings. Properly preparing your smartphone ensures the Galaxy Watch runs smoothly throughout the day without the need for a constant reconnection. Ignoring some of the items can lead to the watch only working like a regular dial without smart features.

Preparation of software and accounts

The first critical step is to ensure compatibility of operating systems. For the correct operation of the bundle of Samsung Galaxy Watch and Xiaomi requires the current version of Android (usually not lower than 8.0) and the mandatory presence of Google Play services. If you use the global version of the smartphone, there should be no problems, but owners of Chinese versions (CN ROM) need to pre-installe Google services through the built-in Mi Browser app or the GetApps store.

You should create or prepare a Samsung Account. Without registration in the ecosystem of the Korean giant, the watch will be severely limited, you will not be able to install new dials, update software or synchronize health data. Registration is possible directly in the application, but it is more convenient to do this in advance through the browser, so as not to be distracted by entering a password during the pairing process.

You also need to download two key apps from the Google Play Market store: Galaxy Wearable and Galaxy Watch Plugin. The first is the control center, and the second contains the necessary drivers and codecs for your watch model. Sometimes the system will automatically prompt you to install the plugin during the setup process, but it is more reliable to download it immediately to avoid download errors.

⚠️ Warning: Don't try to use third-party pairing apps found online.The official Galaxy Wearable utilities provide the only stable communication channel and proper sensor operation.

Check the amount of free space on your Xiaomi device. The initial sync and download process of updates can require up to 2-3 GB of free memory. If there is not enough space, the installation may interrupt in the middle, which will require resetting the clock to factory settings.

The process of initial pairing of devices

Once the preparatory phase is complete, you can proceed to the direct connection of devices. Turn on Bluetooth on your Xiaomi smartphone and make sure that geolocation is also activated - this is an Android security requirement for finding nearby devices. Launch the Galaxy Wearable app and press the Start button.

The app will start scanning the space. Once you have a picture of your watch showing the model, click on it. The watch and smartphone will have a confirmation code on it. Make sure the numbers match and confirm the action on both devices. This step is critical to creating a secure data channel.

During the setup process, the system will suggest updating the watch software.It is strongly recommended not to skip this step, even if it takes time.Newer versions of Wear OS firmware often contain compatibility patches with third-party smartphones, including Xiaomi devices.

If you don't find a device while searching, try restarting the Bluetooth module on your phone or restarting the clock through the settings menu, sometimes by removing the old Bluetooth profile from the list of paired devices on your phone and re-searching.

MIUI and HyperOS Critical Settings for Stability

This is the most important section of the manual, because this is where 90% of Xiaomi owners are concerned. The aggressive MIUI energy saving algorithm kills application background processes by default, considering them unnecessary battery costs. To keep the watch from turning off every few hours, you need to manually change the settings for the Galaxy Wearable app and system services.

Go to Settings, find the Apps section, and select Galaxy Wearable. From the menu that opens, find AutoStart and activate it. Next, go to Saving Battery (or Battery) and select No Limits, which will prevent the system from forcibly closing the application.

A similar procedure must be repeated for the Galaxy Watch Plugin app and the Bluetooth system component. Without setting up the last notification may come with a delay or not at all. It is also worth fixing the applications in the list of recent tasks (open application menu), pulling the card down so that it is not cleared by the “Close all” button.

💡

To completely disable MIUI optimization, you may need to enter developer mode. To do this, click on the MIUI version number 7 times in the About Phone section.

After making all the changes, it is recommended to restart the smartphone, which is guaranteed to apply the new rules of energy management for all the services involved.

Set up notifications and access permissions

After successfully pairing and configuring the power saving, you need to ensure that notifications are transmitted. By default, the Galaxy Wearable may not have access to the content of other applications. Go to the settings of the clock in the application, find the Notifications section and activate the Show Notifications switch.

Below you will see a list of all the apps installed on Xiaomi. Manually turn on those messengers and social networks from which you want to see notifications on your wrist (WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber, SMS). If you do not find the desired application in the list, try to run it on your phone and send a test message — it should appear in the list available for monitoring.

Pay special attention to the permissions for microphone and speakers if you plan to answer calls from the clock. When you first call, Android will ask for permission to use audio devices. If you accidentally refuse, the feature can be activated later in the phone's privacy settings.

⚠️ Note: On some versions MIUI notifications may not appear if Do Not Disturb or Sleep mode is enabled. Check the schedule of these modes in the lock screen settings.

For users who are interested in detail, you can set up the display of preview messages, you can choose whether to show the text of the message in full or hide its contents before unlocking the clock, which increases data privacy.

Solving Common Compatibility Problems

Even though you're setting it right, there can be specific conflicts, and one of the common problems is time-dissynchronization, and if the clock is not showing the right time, check if Autodate and Time is enabled in your phone settings, and also choose the right time zone, and switching from Wi-Fi to mobile Internet and back sometimes helps.

Another common problem is that you can’t install updates over Wi-Fi, in which case the only working solution is often to use an access point on another smartphone, as some routers may block ports that Samsung servers need to download firmware to wearable devices.

If you see a fast battery discharge after connecting to Xiaomi, check the frequency of the survey pulsemeter. in the Samsung Health app (which also needs to be installed) you can reduce the frequency of measurements or turn off constant monitoring of stress, which significantly prolongs autonomy.

With constant communication breaks, try to “forget” the device in the Bluetooth settings of the phone, delete the account in the Wearable application and perform pairing again, having previously cleared the app cache in the Android settings.

Functional capabilities and limitations of the link

Using the Samsung Watch and Xiaomi bundle, you get access to most of the features, but some exclusive chips may not be available. For example, ECG (cardiogram removal) and pressure measurement officially only work in conjunction with Samsung Galaxy smartphones.

However, the basic functionality works flawlessly: tracking sleep, steps, workouts, receiving notifications, managing music and the phone’s camera. You can also install third-party apps from the Google Play store directly on the watch, making them independent of the smartphone brand.

It's important to note that the voice assistant works, and the default Google Assistant will work with Xiaomi, because Bixby is tailored to the Samsung ecosystem, which is even more convenient for many users, given Google's better integration with email and calendar services.

💡

The main loss of functionality when paired with Xiaomi concerns only medical functions (ECG, pressure) and some system widgets, the rest of the functionality is preserved by 95-100%.

Remember to update the Samsung Health app regularly, as it is the bridge to transfer data about physical activity to the cloud and analytics services.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)