Step-by-step: how to tie Xiaomi fitness bracelet to a smartphone

The Xiaomi Mi Band fitness bracelets remain among the most popular wearables thanks to a combination of functionality, sensor accuracy and affordable price. However, new users often have questions about how to connect the device to the phone, what applications are needed, and what to do if synchronization fails. This article will help you understand all the nuances from preparing the bracelet to the first tether to solving typical problems.

The Mi Band connection to your smartphone takes no more than 5-10 minutes, but requires attention to the details of the bracelet firmware version, the compatibility of the phone’s operating system and the correct operation of Bluetooth. We will look at the official ways of binding through the Mi Fitness app, alternative methods for older models, and also give recommendations for setting up notifications and energy savings. If you have already tried to connect the bracelet but encountered an error, at the end of the article there is a section with solutions to the most common problems.

What Xiaomi bracelets support tethering to the phone

Xiaomi produces fitness bracelets under the brands Mi Band, Xiaomi Smart Band and Redmi Band. They are all compatible with mobile devices on Android 6.0+ and iOS 10.0+, but there are nuances:

• 📱 Mi Band 1-3: Requires an outdated version of the Mi Fit app (until 2020) Support officially terminated, but binding is possible through third-party firmware.
• 🔄 Mi Band 4-6: working with Mi Fit or Mi Fitness (new name) Full notification and payment support NFC (chip-model).
• 🆕 Mi Band 7/8, Xiaomi Smart Band 7/8 Pro: Mi Fitness only. Added features SpO₂, stress monitoring and 150+ training regimes.
• 💰 Redmi Band 1-2: budget versions with reduced functionality. NFC.

Important: Xiaomi bracelets are not compatible with Windows Phone, HarmonyOS (Huawei) and some custom Android firmware (for example, LineageOS without Google Services).

Preparation of the bracelet and phone to binding

Before synchronizing, make sure both devices are ready to connect, and skipping this step is the main cause of errors such as "Brecelet Cannot Be Found" or "Connection Failure".

Download the Mi Fitness app from the official store

Turn on Bluetooth on your phone

Charge the bracelet to 50%+ (the indicator flashes at low charge)

Make sure the phone is on the Internet (for downloading firmware)

Disable other wearable devices (smart watches, headphones) to avoid conflict-->

The Mi Band bracelet does not have a physical power button, it activates automatically when you connect to a charger. If the screen does not respond to touch, reset:

1. Put the bracelet on the charger.
2. Wait for the battery icon to appear.
3. Touch the screen and hold your finger for 10-15 seconds until vibrations appear.

On Android smartphones, check out:

• 📲 Permissions for Mi Fitness: Geodata, Camera (for scanning) QR), Notifications.
• 🔒 No antivirus connection blocking (Avast, Kaspersky often block Bluetooth connections).
• 🔄 Update of the firmware of the phone (on Android 12)+ Additional permissions may be required for the application’s background operation).

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If the bracelet was previously tied to another phone, reset through the Settings menu → Untie the device in the Mi Fitness app.

Step-by-step: how to tie the bracelet through Mi Fitness

The official way to sync is through the Mi Fitness app (formerly Mi Fit), which may vary slightly depending on the version, but the algorithm remains unchanged.

1. Download the application Mi Fitness from: 🤖 Google Play for Android). 🍎 App Store (for iOS).

⚠️ Attention: Do not use APK-files from third-party sites – they may contain malicious code or an outdated version that is incompatible with new wristbands.

Account registration

When you first start the application will prompt you to sign in via Xiaomi Account, Google or Apple ID. If you do not have an account, register:

1. Click "Register"


2. Enter an email or phone number




3. Confirm with a code from SMS/letter




4. Create a password (minimum 8 characters)

The account is needed to synchronize data between devices and back up settings.

Addition of bracelet

In the main menu of the application, tap the icon "+" (or "Add device"):

1. Select the bracelet category.
2. Find your model in the list (for example, Mi Smart Band 8).
3. Click "Connect" and confirm access to Bluetooth and geodata.

Bluetooth pairing

Make sure the bracelet is near the phone (at a distance). ≤ 1 meter on the bracelet screen will appear QR-code - scan it through the phone's camera (permission to use the camera must be enabled). QR not displayed, touch the bracelet screen to activate.

Firmware update

Once the device is successfully connected, the app will prompt you to update the bracelet firmware, do not interrupt the process, this may cause the device to crash, Update time: 2-5 minutes.

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If the bracelet is not determined, try restarting Bluetooth on your phone: turn off and turn on the module in the settings or restart the smartphone.

Configure notifications and basic functions

Once tied, the bracelet is ready to use, but it requires personal adjustment to work properly. Let's look at the key parameters that you should set up right away:

To save battery power, turn off unnecessary functions:

• 🔋 Constant pulse: Just take every 30 minutes, not continuously.
• 🌙 Autobrightness: Set a fixed level of 2-3 divisions.
• 📶 Phone Search: The feature is useful but consumes extra energy.

Solving the problems with bracelet binding

Even if you follow all the instructions, you can have errors, and here are the most common problems and ways to fix them.

1.The bracelet is not in search

Reasons:

• 🔌 Bracelet discharged (indicator does not burn when connected to charging).
• 📱 The phone is powered "Energy saving" mode, blocking Bluetooth.
• 🔄 The bracelet was previously tied to another device and not reset.

Decisions:

1. Charge the bracelet for 30+ minutes.
2. Reboot Bluetooth on your phone: Settings → Bluetooth → Disable / Enable.
3. Reset the bracelet: Hold the screen for 15 seconds until vibration.

2. "Unable to connect" error (code 10001, 10008)

These errors are related to Xiaomi server problems or account conflict.

• 🔄 Restart the Mi Fitness app and try again.
• 📱 Remove the app cache: Phone settings → Annexes → Mi Fitness → Memory. → Clear the cache.
• 🌍 Check your internet connection – an error can occur when a signal is weak Wi-Fi/mobile.

3. The bracelet connects but does not synchronize data

If the bracelet is displayed in the list of devices, but the data on steps, pulse or sleep is not updated, the problem lies in the synchronization settings.

• 🔄 In the Mi Fitness app, pull the screen down for forced synchronization.
• 📱 Check the permissions: Phone settings → Annexes → Mi Fitness → Permits → Activate "Background activity".
• 🔋 Make sure the bracelet has enough charge (less than 20% can block data transmission).

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If the problem persists, try to tie the bracelet to another phone temporarily – this will help identify which device is faulty.

Alternative ways of binding (for older models)

If you have a Mi Band 1-3 or Mi Band 4 bracelet with outdated firmware, the official Mi Fitness app may not support it.

1 Notify & Fitness for Mi Band

Third-party software with advanced features for older models:

• 🤖 Available on Google Play.
• ✅ Supports Mi Band 1-5, Amazfit Bip.
• ⚠️ Requires manual addition of the bracelet through MAC-address (you can find it in the Bluetooth phone settings).

2. firmware via Mi Band Tools (for advanced users)

If the bracelet is not defined by any application, you can try to reflash it:

1. Download Gadgetbridge (open source for wearables).
2. Connect the bracelet in DFU mode (this may require a special cable).
3. Download the firmware for your model from the XDA Developers forum.
4. Follow the firmware instructions (risk of damage to the device!).

⚠️ Warning: Unofficial firmware can disable the bracelet and cause unstable operation. Use this method only if other methods have not helped.

Tips for optimizing the work of the bracelet after binding

To ensure that the bracelet works stably and holds a charge for a long time, follow these recommendations:

• 🔋 Charging: Use the original cable. Don't leave the bracelet on charge for more than 2 hours - this shortens battery life.
• 📱 Synchronization: Update data once a day (e.g. in the morning) and sync frequently drains both devices.
• 🚿 Waterproof: Even if the bracelet has 5 protections ATM, Avoid hot water (shower, bath) – this can damage sensors.
• 🔄 Updates: Install firmware on time, but not on the first day of release – wait for feedback from other users.

To extend the life of the screen:

• Turn off the "Always on display" (if any).
• Reduce the lighting time to 5 seconds.
• Use dark dials (AMOLED-The screen uses less energy).

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If the bracelet starts to discharge quickly, check the active background processes in Mi Fitness: turn off automatic stress and breathing tracking if you are not using these features.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi bracelet binding