Connecting Xiaomi smart watches to a smartphone: full instructions from A to Z

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

Xiaomi’s smartwatches are among the most popular wearables on the market, thanks to their price, functionality and design. However, even on proven models like the Mi Band 8, Redmi Watch 3 or Xiaomi Watch S3, the process of pairing with a smartphone is often questionable, and the main problem is not the watch itself, but the wrong sequence of actions, outdated versions of applications or conflicts with phone settings.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can connect, from standard Mi Fitness pairing to alternative methods for older models, and focus on the hidden Android settings that block the connection to wearable devices at the system level, how to get around the limitations of iOS, what to do when you fail to connect, and why the clock can shut down 5 minutes after synchronization.

Important: the instruction is relevant for all modern models Xiaomi/Redmi/Amazfit (watch 2 Pro, Band 7 Pro and Smart Band 8 For older devices 2019 Years (e.g. Mi Band) 3) Additional steps will be required – they are placed in a separate section.

What apps are needed to connect Xiaomi watches

Xiaomi officially uses two main applications for managing smartwatches:

• 📱 Mi Fitness (formerly Zepp Life) is a versatile app for most models, including the Mi Band, Redmi Watch and Xiaomi Watch S-series. Supports Android 6.0+ iOS 12.0+.
• 🌐 Xiaomi Wear – alternative software for watches on Wear OS (Xiaomi Watch 2 requires Android 8.0+.
• ⚠️ Wear OS Google – only required for Wear-based watches OS (For example, Xiaomi Watch S3), But it's not enough to be fully synchronized.

In practice, 90% of users need to install only Mi Fitness, but there are nuances:

• 🔄 Mi Band 8 Pro and Watch 2 Pro require Mi Fitness version 5.12.0 or later (older versions do not support these models).
• 🍎 On the iPhone, the Mi Fitness app works with limitations: there are no notifications from third-party messengers (except for the app). SMS and calls, and data synchronization takes up to 30 seconds.
• 🤖 On Android smartphones. Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO Xiaomi Service Framework is additionally installed – system software for the correct operation of gadgets.

⚠️ Note: If you use custom ROM (For example, LineageOS or a smartphone with root rights, check compatibility through the official list of supported devices.

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

The pairing process on Android consists of 5 key steps. Follow the instructions strictly in order to avoid errors:

1. Download Mi Fitness from Google Play or App Store. The Chinese version of the watch (marked CN) may require a Xiaomi Wear Lite, which can be found on APKCombo.
2. Start the application and log in via Mi Account (required!). If you do not have an account, register on the official website. Using a local account (without linking to email) will result in a data reset when you reinstall the application.
3. Turn on Bluetooth and permissions Activate Bluetooth in your phone settings. then in Mi Fitness allow access to the phone: 📍 Geodane (to track jogging) 📱 Notifications (to keep the clock vibrating when calling)/SMS) 🔋 Autostart (for background synchronization)

Searching device

Click Profile → Add Device → Watch. Choose your model from the list. If it is not available, update the app or download Xiaomi Wear.

Pairing and tuning

Wait for the code to appear on the watch screen and confirm it in the app, after which the watch will automatically update to the last firmware (this can take up to 10 minutes).

Registered Mi Account Account

The latest version of Mi Fitness is installed

Bluetooth and GPS enabled on your phone

All requests for the application (notifications, geodata) are allowed

The clock is at least 50 times charged%-->

If the error "Can't connect" appears during the device search stage, follow the following steps:

1. Reboot your phone and watch (press and hold the button on the 10 second watch case).
2. In your Bluetooth phone settings, remove all previously paired devices called MI Band or Redmi Watch.
3. Turn off the power saving mode for the Mi Fitness app in the battery settings.
4. Try connecting via another app (for example, Notify & Fitness for Mi Band – it often saves you if you have problems with official software).

The reason is Apple's policy of blocking deep integration of third-party gadgets with iOS, but there are partial solutions:

Bypassing the iPhone restrictions

1. Use Notify & Fitness for Mi Band This third-party app (link) allows you to receive notifications from messengers, but requires Bluetooth to be turned on constantly and manually configured for each chat.

⚠️ Attention: On iPhone with iOS 17+ You may experience a "Device not supported" error when connecting Mi Band 8. Solution: Turn off your phone's Wi-Fi before pairing and use only mobile Internet.

Solving common connection problems

Even if you follow the instructions correctly, users will encounter common errors, and we will discuss the TOP-5 problems and their solutions:

If none of the methods worked, do a hard reset of the clock:

1. On the clock, go to Settings → System → Reset settings.
2. Confirm the action (usually press and hold the 5 seconds button).
3. After restarting, repeat the pairing process.

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If the Xiaomi Watch S3 after reset requires the account of the previous owner, contact Xiaomi support through the official website and provide a purchase check.

Connecting old models (Mi Band 1-4, Amazfit Bip)

For devices released before 2019, the standard instruction may not work.

• 🕒 Mi Band 1/2 Require Mi Fit apps (outdated but still available on APKPure).
• 🔄 Mi Band 3/4 They work with Mi Fitness, but you need to turn off Bluetooth for them. LE Audio in Android Developer Settings (Otherwise there will be a connection error).
• 📡 Amazfit Bip and Cor use the Amazfit app (not Mi Fitness.

For Mi Band 2 and older, the problem with updating the firmware is that if the watch is released for the Chinese market (CN version), it can block access when trying to upgrade through a European server.

1. Install Mi Fitness version 4.6.0 (can be found on APKMirror).
2. In the application settings, select China (China) region.
3. Connect the watch and update the firmware, and then you can bring the region back to Russia.

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If you have Mi Band 4 with NFC, but the payment function does not work, check whether your bank supports Mi Pay technology. As of 2026 in Russia, it is officially not available, but you can link a UnionPay card through a Chinese account.

How to check if the clock is connected correctly

After pairing, make sure all functions are working correctly. Here is a checklist:

• ✅ Data Sync: Open Mi Fitness and check if your steps, heart rate, and sleep are updated in real time.
• ✅ Notifications: Ask a friend to send you a message on Telegram or call - the clock should vibrate.
• ✅ Music control (Android): Launch a player (like Spotify) and check if you can switch tracks from the clock.
• ✅ Geofencing (for Xiaomi Watch) S3): Set up an alert when you are away from your phone in Mi Fitness → Smart functions → geozona.

If something is not working, make a diagnosis:

1. In Mi Fitness, go to Device Profile → Connection Status. This shows synchronization status and errors.
2. On Android, check if the antivirus (such as Avast or 360 Security) is blocking Mi Fitness.
3. On iPhone, make sure that in Settings → Privacy → Geolocation Services for Mi Fitness, you select the “Always” mode.

⚠️ Note: If notifications stop coming after the firmware update, reset the notification settings in Mi Fitness: Device Profile → Notifications → Reset your settings. Then re-allow notifications in your Android settings.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions