Connecting Xiaomi Mi Band 4 to iPhone: full instruction with error solutions

The Xiaomi Mi Band 4 fitness bracelet remains one of the most popular gadgets for monitoring activity, despite the release of new models. iPhone owners often face questions such as “Can I connect Mi Band 4 to an iPhone?”, “What app to use?” and “Why is the bracelet not synced?”. In this article, a step-by-step instruction with current versions of iOS 17/18, comparing Mi Fit and Zepp Life apps, and solving 90% of typical connection errors.

Contrast point: while the Mi Band 4 officially supports iOS, some features (like incoming call display) work differently than on Android. We'll take a look at all the nuances, including hidden settings that Xiaomi doesn't advertise. If you've just unpacked the bracelet or are trying to reconnect it after a reset, this guide will save you hours of searching the Internet.

Mi Band 4 is compatible with iPhone confirmed for iPhone 6s and newer models (with iOS 12+).However, for full operation, iOS 15 and higher is recommended - these versions are stable notifications and background synchronization. If your iPhone is older, some features may be limited.

1. Which app to choose: Mi Fit or Zepp Life?

Since 2022, Xiaomi has been gradually replacing Mi Fit with Zepp Life (formerly Amazfit).Both apps officially support Mi Band 4, but there are key differences:

• 📱 Mi Fit: a classic application with a minimalist interface, suitable for basic tracking (steps, sleep, pulse), minus rare updates and the lack of certain functions (for example, training with a special set of skills). GPS).
• 🌟 Zepp Life: modern design, advanced sleep analytics, support for card training (if you connect your smartphone), plus more updates. Minus more advertising and offers to buy a premium subscription.

For the iPhone, we recommend Zepp Life, because it's better optimized for iOS and less likely to deliver sync errors, but if you're interested in simplicity, Mi Fit is fine.

Important! One device cannot be connected to both applications at the same time. If you have previously used Mi Fit, reset the bracelet to factory settings before switching to Zepp Life (instructions in Section 5).

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Zepp Life is better suited for iPhones thanks to stable synchronization and advanced sleep analysis features.

Step-by-step: Connecting Mi Band 4 to iPhone

Before starting, make sure that:

• 🔋 Bracelet charged at least 50% (at low charge connection may be interrupted).
• 📲 On the iPhone enabled Bluetooth and notifications for the selected application.
• 🌐 The phone is connected to the Internet (needed to download the bracelet firmware).

Step 1: Installation of the application

Download Zepp Life or Mi Fit from the App Store (links below). Avoid third-party sources - this can lead to data leakage or locking of Xiaomi account.

• 🔗 Zepp Life in the App Store
• 🔗 Mi Fit in the App Store

Step 2: Registration of an account

When you first start up, the app will suggest you create an account.

• 📧 E-mail (recommended).
• 📱 Phone number (may not work with some operators).
• 🔄 Account. Google/Facebook (Only in Zepp Life).

If you have previously registered with Mi Fit, use the same data to log in to Zepp Life, which will allow you to transfer the data history.

Step 3: Adding a device

In the main menu of the app, click Profile → Add the device (in Zepp Life) or + → Mi Smart Band 4 (in Mi Fit). The bracelet should flash white light - this means it is ready to pair.

Step 4: Synchronization

Hold the bracelet to your phone (less than 10 cm) and confirm the connection in the application. the process will take 1-3 minutes. If you request a firmware update, agree (this will fix most bugs).

Bracelet charge >50%|Bluetooth on iPhone is on|Zepp appendix Life/Mi Fit installed|Xiaomi account created/authorized-->

3. Set up notifications and calls on iPhone

By default, Mi Band 4 only shows notifications from standard applications (Messages, Phone, Calendar). To add instant messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram, etc.), follow the following steps:

In Zepp Life:

1. Open Profile. → Mi Smart Band 4 → Notifications.
2. Turn on the Notification switch.
3. Click Notification Management and select the desired applications.
4. In your iPhone settings, go to Settings → Notifications → Zepp Life and enable Allow Notifications.

In Mi Fit:

The path is slightly different: Profile → Mi Band 4 → Notification settings. Here you can select only notification categories (calls, SMS, calendar), but not specific applications.

Limitations for iPhone:

• ❌ Mi Band 4 doesn’t display text messages – only the app icon and vibration (that’s a limitation of Apple, not Xiaomi).
• ❌ No way to answer calls from an armband (unlike Android).
• ✅ But it works to turn off the alarm clock and control music (play/pause).

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To keep notifications steady, add the Zepp Life/Mi Fit app to Favorites in your iPhone settings (Settings → Primary → Transfer or Background).

4. Solving Connection Problems

If the bracelet doesn’t connect to your iPhone, check the following points:

Resetting the bracelet to factory settings

If nothing helps, do a complete reset:

1. On the bracelet, go to Settings → Additional → Reset (scroll down to the end of the menu).
2. Confirm the reset by pressing the screen.
3. In the app, remove the device (Profile → Mi Band 4 → Delete) and add it again.

⚠️ Attention! After resetting, all the data on the bracelet (steps, sleep, exercise) will be deleted, and if it is not synchronized with the application, it will be impossible to restore it.

5. How to Update Mi Band 4 Firmware Through iPhone

The firmware update fixes bugs, adds new features (like support for new languages) and improves compatibility with iOS.

Steps:

1. Open Zepp Life or Mi Fit.
2. Go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 4 → Update firmware.
3. If a new version is available, click Update.
4. Wait until it is completed (the bracelet will reboot automatically). Don't turn off Bluetooth or close the app!

What to do if the update is suspended?

• 🔄 Restart the application and try again.
• 📴 If the bracelet does not respond, reset it to factory settings (see Section 4).
• 🌐 Check your internet connection (update downloaded via app).

⚠️ Attention! If the bracelet dies or communication with the phone is interrupted during the firmware update, the device may stop turning on, in which case you will need a 2-3 hour charge connection to recover.

6. Alternative ways of connecting (if nothing works)

If standard methods don’t work, try these options:

Method 1: Connecting through an Android device

If you have a second Android phone:

1. Connect the bracelet to Android via Zepp Life.
2. Update the firmware to the latest version.
3. Reset the bracelet to factory settings.
4. Try to connect to the iPhone again.

This method helps if the problem was in outdated firmware.

Method 2: Use Notify & Fitness App

Notify & Fitness for Mi Band (available on the App Store) lets you bypass some of the iOS restrictions:

• 📌 Supports the display of notification text (unlike official applications).
• 🔄 Allows you to adjust the vibration and color schemes of the screen.
• ⚠️ Cons: Requires a subscription to unlock all features.

Method 3: Flashing through the PC

For experienced users, there is a method of firmware bracelet through the computer using the utility Mi Band 4 Tools. This is risky (you can "brick" the device), but sometimes helps to restore performance.

⚠️ Attention! Unofficial firmware may contain malicious code. Use this method only if other methods have failed and you understand the risks.

7. Optimize the Mi Band 4 with iPhone

To keep the bracelet working steadily:

• 🔋 Charge it every 5-7 days (full discharge cycle shortens battery life).
• 📶 Regularly sync data (manually or automatically in the background).
• 🔄 Reload the bracelet once a month (press the button for 10 seconds).
• 🛡️ Turn off automatic firmware updates if you notice bugs after updates.

How to extend the life of the battery:

• 🌙 Turn on the "Do Not Disturb" mode at night (bracelet settings) → Don't disturb).
• 📵 Disable notifications from unnecessary applications.
• 🔍 Reduce the pulse measurement frequency (in the app settings).

Compatible with iOS 18:

At the time of writing (2026), Mi Band 4 is fully compatible with iOS 18 beta. However, in new versions of iOS, Apple is tightening the rules for background processes, so synchronization delays are possible. If you notice lags, try:

1. Add Zepp Life to Settings → Battery → Charging Optimization → Always Allow.
2. Turn off low power mode on the iPhone.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Mi Band 4 and iPhone