Connecting Xiaomi smartwatches to your phone: from pairing to fine-tuning

Xiaomi smartwatches are no longer just an accessory, they are a complete assistant in everyday life. From tracking physical activity to managing a smart home, these devices can do a lot. However, before using all their capabilities, you need to properly perform the initial setup and connection to the smartphone. The process seems simple, but many users face errors in the pairing phase, especially if we are talking about new models like the Xiaomi Watch 3 or Redmi Watch 4.

In this article, we will analyze not only the basic steps to connect through the official Mi application. Fitness/Zepp Life, but also nuances that the manufacturer often fails to mention. 8 You can't see your iOS phone or how to get around the limitations of older versions of Android, and you can learn what hidden features are available after successful pairing and how to activate them. If you've tried to connect your watch but failed, you'll find solutions to typical problems.

What Xiaomi smartwatches support phone connection?

Xiaomi’s line of wearables includes several series, each with its own pairing features, and here are the key models that will be in use in 2026:

• 📱 Mi Band Series: From Mi Band 6 to Mi Band 8 (These fitness bracelets connect via Mi Fitness or Zepp Life and are compatible with Android. 6.0+/iOS 12+.

Important: not all models are compatible with iPhone.For example, Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro on iOS does not have the function of answering calls in hours, and Mi Band 7 does not support notifications from third-party messengers. FAQ Below is the compatibility table.

Preparing the phone before connecting

To avoid pairing errors, perform pre-settings on your smartphone:

1. Update the operating system. On Android, check the version's relevance in Settings → System system → Software Update. For iOS, go to Settings → Mainstream → Update of the PO.
2. Turn on Bluetooth and geolocation. Without it, the watch won't be able to find the phone. On Android, also activate the device's Visibility in Bluetooth settings.
3. Remove old apps. If you used Mi Fit before, delete it — now all devices are managed through Zepp Life (formerly Mi Fitness).
4. Allow notifications. In the Zepp Life app settings, enable Show over Other Windows (Android) or Notifications (iOS).

Critical detail: if the phone is installed VPN or firewall (such as Avast), temporarily disable them. These programs often block the connection to Xiaomi servers, which makes the watch unable to complete authorization.

Step-by-step: how to connect Xiaomi smart watch to the phone

The pairing process is the same for most models, but there are nuances depending on the type of watch.

1.Installation of the Zepp Life app

Download the application from official sources:

• 🤖 Android: Google Play
• 🍎 iOS: App Store

Once installed, sign up with a Xiaomi account (required!) or create a new one. Without an account binding, the watch won't sync data.

2. Switching on the clock and switching to pairing mode

For different models, the process is different:

3. Search and connection in the application

In Zepp Life, click Add Device → Select your model from the list. If the watch doesn't show up:

• 🔄 Reboot Bluetooth on your phone.
• 📱 Make sure that the distance between the devices does not exceed 1 meter.
• 🔋 Check the battery charge of the watch (should be) ≥20%).

Once paired successfully, the app will offer to update the firmware. Don't refuse - the new version of the software corrects synchronization errors and adds new features (for example, sleep monitoring in Mi Band 8).

💡

If the Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro isn’t connected to an iPhone, try pairing it with an Android device first and then migrating it to iOS via a backup in Zepp Life.

Solving common connection problems

Even when following the instructions, users encounter errors, and here are the most common ones and how to fix them:

🔴 Error: “Unable to connect to the device"

Causes and solutions:

• 📵 Bluetooth is unstable: switch your phone to flight mode for 10 seconds, then return and re-pair.
• 🔒 iOS Limitations: On iPhone, go to Settings → Confidentiality → Bluetooth and allow Zepp Life to access location.
• 🔄 Conflict with other devices: If the watch was previously connected to another phone, reset it to factory settings (Settings) → System system → Reset).

🔴 Error: “The device is not supported"

This problem is characteristic of:

• 📱 Phones with custom firmware (like LineageOS) Solution: Install the original MIUI Or use the Mi Band Master module from Magisk.
• 🕒 Outdated versions of Android (below 6.0). Update the OS or use a second phone to set up initially.
• 🍎 iPhone with iOS beta. roll back to stable build.

🔴 Error: “No connection to the server"

The problem is with blocking access to Xiaomi servers.

• 🌍 Account Region: If you are registered with Mi Account for China, some features may not be available. Change region to "Russia" or "Global".
• 🔌 Network settings: Turn off Traffic Savings in Mobile Network Settings.
• 🛡️ Antivirus: Add Zepp Life to the exceptions Avast/Kaspersky.

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If none of these methods worked, try connecting the watch through Mi Band Master (alternative software with advanced settings: [https://github.com/Freeyourgadget/Gadgetbridge](https://github.com/Freeyourgadget/Gadgetbridge).

Configure notifications and additional functions

Once you've successfully connected, you can set the watch to your needs.

⚙️ Notifications from annexes

In Zepp Life, go to Device Profile → Notifications and:

1. Turn on the option to display notifications.
2. Select the apps you want to see alerts from (such as WhatsApp, Telegram).
3. Set up the Notification Style: full text or just an icon.

On iOS, for some models (such as Mi Band 7), notifications come only from standard apps (Messages, Calendar).

🏃 Health and sport functions

Activate in the Health Menu:

• 🩺 Heart monitoring: frequency of measurements (each) 1/5/30 minute).
• 😴 Sleep analysis: turn on the option Smart alarm clock to wake up in the phase of light sleep.
• 🏊 Swimming Tracking: Available for Xiaomi Watch S3 Mi Band 8 Pro (requires pool calibration).

🔐 Security and unlocking of the phone

On Android, the watch can unlock the phone without entering a password.

1. In Zepp Life, go to Security. → Unlocking the phone.
2. Follow the instructions for linking the device.
3. On the phone in Settings → Security → Trusted devices add watches.

⚠️ Note: This feature only works on phones with MIUI, Flyme or ColorOS. It's not available on pure Android or iOS.

How to connect Xiaomi smart watches to multiple phones?

Xiaomi doesn’t officially support connecting the watch to two phones at the same time, but there are workarounds:

📱 Method 1: Switching over reset

1. On the first phone untie the clock in Zepp Life (Device Profile) → Shut down).
2. Reset the clock to factory settings (Settings) → System system → Reset).
3. Connect to the second phone as a new device.

Minus: Activity data will be reset.

🔄 Method 2: Using two Mi Accounts

If both phones are linked to the same Xiaomi account, the watch will automatically sync to the last connected device to share the data:

• Create a second Mi Account.
• On the second phone, sign in to Zepp Life under a new account.
• Reconnect the watch.

⚠️ Note: With this approach, activity statistics will be shared between accounts. To combine data, export it to Google Fit or Apple Health.

🔗 Method 3: Alternative applications (for advanced applications)

Apps like Notify & Fitness (for Mi Band) or Tools & Mi Band allow you to connect your watch to multiple devices at the same time, but:

• 🚨 The risk of loss of warranty (informal software).
• 🔋 Increased battery consumption.
• 📵 Possible synchronization failures.

Update firmware and reset settings

Regular firmware updates add new features and fix bugs. Here's how to install them:

🔄 Update via Zepp Life

1. Open the application and go to the Device Profile → Update of the PO.
2. If a new version is available, click Download.
3. Wait until the clock is finished (the clock will reset automatically).

⚠️ Warning: Don't interrupt the process! If the watch's battery runs out during the upgrade, it can turn into a brick. Charge the device to at least 50%.

⚙️ Manual update (for experienced users)

If the automatic update does not work:

1. Download the firmware for your model from the official Xiaomi website or forum XDA Developers.
2. Place the.bin or.zip file in the root of the phone’s memory.
3. In Zepp Life, select Local Update and specify the path to the file.

📌 Important: do not use firmware from other models - this will lead to the inoperability of the device.

🔙 Reset to factory settings

If the clock starts to glitch or does not connect, reset:

• On Mi Band: Settings → System system → Reset.
• On Xiaomi Watch: Settings → The phone. → Reset.
• On Redmi Watch: Press the button 10 seconds before the logo appears.

After resetting the watch will return to the state "out of the box", and they will have to connect again.

FAQ: Frequent questions about connecting Xiaomi smartwatches