How to connect Xiaomi smart watch to your Android phone: full instructions with pictures and tips

Why Xiaomi Smart Watches Don’t Connect to Android and How to Fix It

Xiaomi smartwatches are among the most popular wearables on the market due to their combination of functionality and affordable price. However, many users face problems when connecting to an Android smartphone for the first time, most often due to incompatibility of versions of the application, Bluetooth disabled or the wrong settings of the phone.

In this article, we will take a step-by-step guide to connecting any Xiaomi smartwatch (including the Mi Watch 2 Pro, Xiaomi Watch S1, Mi Band 7/8 and other models) to your Android 10–14 phone.

If you've tried to plug in a watch and you've failed, don't rush to reset it to factory settings. 90% of the time, it's solved by setting up your phone or updating your firmware, and then we'll go through each step in detail, including the hidden nuances that aren't written in the official instructions.

What Xiaomi smart watches support Android connection

Not all Xiaomi smartwatches work equally well with Android. Some devices are initially focused on the Miui ecosystem and may have limited functionality when connected to phones from other brands (such as Samsung or Google Pixel).

If your model is not listed in the table, check its compatibility on the official Xiaomi Support website.Please note: even if the watch supports Android, you may need the Mi Fitness app (formerly Mi Fit) or Zepp (for the Amazfit line).

Preparing the phone before connecting the smart watch

Before you start pairing, you need to configure your smartphone, and this is a step that is often missed, causing errors like, "Disconnected to the device" or "Device search is not working." Here's what you need to do:

• 📱 Update your operating system to the latest version. Android 10 and below may have problems with Bluetooth 5.0, which uses the new watch.
• 🔄 Reboot your phone. This will clear the Bluetooth module's cache, which is especially important if you've previously tried to connect other devices.
• 📲 Remove old fitness tracker apps (such as Mi Fit if you have an outdated version installed) and they may conflict with new software.
• 🔒 Allow all necessary permissions for the Mi Fitness app: access to contacts, notifications, location and storage.

Important! If your phone has custom ROM installed (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), check if it supports Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE).

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If you have a Samsung phone with a One UI shell, turn off the “Battery Savings for Applications in the Background” function in your battery settings before connecting.

Step-by-step: how to connect Xiaomi Watch to Android

Now, to the interface process itself, the instructions are universal for most models, but we'll give you some nuances for specific devices, and if you have a Mi Band, the steps are a little easier than a full-fledged Xiaomi Watch.

1. Installation and configuration of the Mi Fitness application

Download the latest version of Mi Fitness from Google Play. Do not use APK from third-party sources - this can lead to the blocking of your Xiaomi account!

1. Open the app and sign up (or sign in to an existing Xiaomi account).
2. Click "Add device" in the upper right corner.
3. Select your watch model from the list. If you don't have one, select "Other device" and type the name manually.

2. activation of Bluetooth and device search

Turn on Bluetooth on your phone and wait for the app to find the clock.

• 🔍 Make sure the watch is at least 20% charged (at low charge, it doesn’t appear on the list).
• 📶 Move the phone closer to the clock (maximum distance for first connection is 1 meter).
• 🔄 Reboot the phone’s Bluetooth module: Turn it off and turn it on again.

Confirmation of conjugation

When the watch appears in the list, click on it. The watch will have a 4-digit code -- compare it to the code in the app. If the codes match, confirm the connection on both devices.

If the code doesn't appear, check if the watch screen is locked. On some models (e.g. Xiaomi Watch S1), you need to tap the screen to confirm, rather than press the button.

Installed latest update Mi Fitness|Bluetooth enabled and visible for all devices | Watch charged more than 20% | On the watch removed screen lock-->

4. Data synchronization and notification setting

Once you've successfully connected, the app will suggest synchronizing the data, which can take up to 5 minutes.

1. Set up notifications in the section "Device Profile → Notifications".
2. Allow access to contacts and call logs (if necessary).
3. Activate automatic synchronization in the background.

Typical Connection Errors and How to Fix Them

Even if you do everything according to the instructions, there can be problems, and below are the most common mistakes and ways to fix them.

1.The watch is not on the device list

If Mi Fitness can't see your watch:

• 🔋 Check the charge of the watch – at a level below 15%, they go into energy saving mode and do not display.
• 📱 Reinstall the Mi Fitness app (sometimes cache cleaning helps).
• 🔄 Try connecting via another app (e.g. Notify & Fitness for Mi Band for Mi Band).

2. "Cannot connect to the device" error

This error is usually associated with:

• 🛡️ Bluetooth Lock at OS Level (check the permissions for Mi Fitness).
• 📡 Conflict with other devices (disable all other Bluetooth gadgets).
• 🔄 Outdated watch firmware (update via Settings) → System system → Update of the PO).

Attention! Xiaomi phones with MIUI shells can activate the Battery Optimization feature, which blocks background work of Mi Fitness, to turn it off:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Mi Fitness.
2. Select “Battery Limitation” and turn off optimization.

3.The watch is connected but does not show notifications

If notifications do not arrive:

• 🔔 Check if notifications for Mi Fitness are allowed in Android settings (Settings) → Notifications → Mi Fitness).
• 📱 In the Mi Fitness app itself, go to "Device Profile" → Notifications" and switch on the switch.
• 🔄 Restart the clock (press the power button for 10 seconds).

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If neither of these methods worked, try connecting the watch to another phone. If it works, it's a problem with your smartphone settings. If it doesn't, your Bluetooth module may have malfunctioned (repair required).

Additional settings after connection

Once paired successfully, it is recommended to optimize the clock for maximum convenience.

1. Personalization of the dial

The Mi Fitness app has more than 100 dials available, including animated ones, to change:

1. Open "Device Profile" → Dials".
2. Select your favorite option and click "Install".
3. To download third-party dials, use apps like Amazfit Watchfaces (requires manual installation via.bin file).

Adjustment of sports regimes

Xiaomi Watch supports up to 100+ sports, but not all are enabled by default.

• 🏃 Go to "Device Profile" → Training".
• 📝 Click "Edit" and select the types you need (running, cycling, swimming, etc.).
• ⚙️ Set up automatic activity recognition (if supported by your model).

3. Optimization of battery consumption

To keep the clocks running longer:

• 🔋 Turn off the constant pulse (if not necessary) in "Settings" → Monitoring of heart rate".
• 🌙 Turn on sleep during rest.
• 📶 Reduce the frequency of data synchronization (e.g., once every 30 minutes instead of 5 minutes).

Attention! On the Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro and S1 Pro models, there is a hidden feature called “Extremely Long-Term Mode”, which turns off the color screen and leaves only basic functions. Activated via Settings → Battery → Modes.

How to update the firmware on Xiaomi smart watches through Android

Regular firmware updates fix bugs and add new features to update the clock:

1. Open Mi Fitness and go to "Device Profile → Firmware Update".
2. If a new version is available, click Download (requires a stable Wi-Fi connection).
3. Wait until the download and installation is complete. Don't disconnect the watch from your phone during the process!

If the update does not appear:

• 🔄 Check if the watch is connected to Wi-Fi (some firmware downloads directly to the watch).
• 📱 Install the Mi Fitness beta (sometimes updates appear there sooner).
• 🌍 Change your Xiaomi account region to China (in some cases, updates arrive earlier).

FAQ: Frequent questions about connecting Xiaomi Watch to Android