How to tie a smartwatch to a Xiaomi smartphone: a complete guide

Modern wearables have become an essential accessory for smartphone owners, offering health monitoring and instant notifications. However, the initial setup process is often difficult, especially given the variety of ecosystems and operating system versions. Linking a watch to a Xiaomi or Redmi phone requires a certain sequence of actions, since standard search through the Bluetooth menu does not work here. An error in the registration or selection of an application can lead to endless search for a device.

In this article, we will discuss in detail what application you need to install depending on the model of your tracker - whether it is Mi Band, Amazfit or Redmi Watch. You will learn about the intricacies of working with Google and MIUI services, which often block the background operation of Wear devices to save charge. Proper data synchronization ensures the accuracy of the pedometer and the timely arrival of notifications from messengers.

We will look at not only the standard connection scenario, but also the possible errors that users face when updating firmware or changing their phone. It is important to understand that the Bluetooth module in a smartphone must work correctly, and the rights to access geolocation should be activated, since this is a requirement of modern Android communication protocols.

Choosing the Right App for Interfacing

The first and most critical step is to install the right software, as different device lines use different platforms. For most fitness bracelets of the Mi Band series (up to version 6 inclusive) and some Amazfit watch models, the main application has long been Mi Fit, which was later renamed Zepp Life. If you own more modern devices such as the Mi Band 7/8, Redmi Watch or flagship Watch S, you will need the Mi Fitness app (formerly known as Xiaomi Wear).

Users of devices running on the Wear OS operating system (such as Xiaomi Watch 2) should use the standard Google Home app or Wear OS by Google, as they are deeply integrated into the services of the search giant. Trying to connect such watches through proprietary Xiaomi utilities will lead to error or limitation of functionality. Owners of older models such as the Mi Watch Lite or Color, you should pay attention to the Mi Wear app, which is gradually decommissioned, but still necessary for legacy devices.

Below is a table that helps you quickly determine the application you need for your model:

Download apps exclusively from the official Google Play Store or GetApps to avoid malicious code. Outdated versions of programs found on third-party sites may not support encryption protocols for new devices. Once installed, take your time to uninstall the program - you first need to prepare in the settings of the smartphone itself.

Pre-setting of the Xiaomi smartphone

Before you try to find a device, make sure that all the necessary communication modules are on your phone. Unlike simple file transfer, pairing wearable devices requires active communication. GPS-This restriction has been implemented in Android since version 6.0 to improve location accuracy through Bluetooth beacons.

Go to the Settings → Bluetooth menu and make sure the switch is active. If there is already a record of your watch or bracelet with the status of "Conjugated" or "Connected" in the "Other Devices" list, click on the gear next to the name and select Forget the device or Unpair the pairing. Having an old profile is the most common reason why the watch is not visible when you try again to connect.

The MIUI system and its HyperOS shell are known for aggressive energy saving policies that can kill the search process immediately after turning off the screen. Go to Settings → Apps → All applications, search in the Mi Fitness or Zepp Life list and open the Permissions section. Make sure that access to the location is set to Always Allow mode, not just When using.

⚠️ Warning: Don't ignore contact access requests and call log requests if you want to have call notifications displayed on your wrist.Without this permission, the watch will vibrate, but the name will not contact.

Registration and interface process

Launch your chosen app and log in to your account. For the Xiaomi ecosystem, it can be a Mi Account, Google, Apple ID or WeChat. It is recommended to use Mi Account, as this provides deep integration with other Xiaomi smart home devices. When you first launch, the app will request a number of permissions – confirm all of them, including access to notifications, phone and background.

After authorization, click the add-on button (usually a plus in the corner or the Profile tab). the app will start scanning the space. QR-You can scan the code with your phone's camera through the app interface or press the confirmation button on your watch screen, and it takes 10 to 60 seconds for the encryption keys to be exchanged.

An important step is to install updates. Immediately after the attachment, the app will suggest updating the firmware of the watch. The update is critical for the stability of the connection and the correct operation of the pulse sensors. Do not interrupt this process and keep the phone next to the clock. If the update does not start automatically, look for the "Update" item in the device profile.

In some cases, especially with a Wear OS watch, the process may require installing additional plugins or Google Play services.Follow the instructions on your smartphone screen.If you see a message saying "The device is already connected to another phone," it means the watch has not been reset to factory settings after the previous owner.

Set up notifications and synchronization

Once you've successfully connected, the basic functionality is available, but it requires fine-tuning the notifications to work. Go to the Notifications section of the companion app. Here you'll see a list of all the apps installed on your phone. Turn on the switches for the programs you want to see on your watch: Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber, Instagram, and others.

But just turning on the switch in the watch app isn't enough. Android requires additional confirmation of notification access. Once you turn on the toggle in the app, you'll be taken to the notification access menu. Find your app (Mi Fitness or Zepp Life) and activate it. Without this step, the clock will be silent even if Bluetooth is active.

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If notifications are late, try finding your connected clock in Bluetooth settings and enabling Call Sound and Contact Sync, even if you don’t plan to make calls from the clock, which makes the system keep the connection active.

You can also set up the widgets on your watch screen, use the app to select the order of the screens, set the watch face, and set your goals by steps and calories. Synchronize your health data with Google Fit or Apple Health in Profile → Add accounts, and aggregate all the statistics in one place.

For MIUI/HyperOS users, it is critical to prevent the system from killing the companion application. Press the application icon on the desktop, select About, and find Activity Control or Autostart. Set No Limits and enable Autostart. This will prevent the connection from breaking in the background.

Solving Connection and Visibility Problems

Despite the simplicity of the procedure, users often encounter a situation where the phone can't see the watch.One common reason is the crowded list of paired devices in the Bluetooth module. Go to Bluetooth settings and remove all old, unused devices, especially audio headsets and speakers, which can interfere with scanning.

If the watch has been previously connected to another phone, it may not go into detection mode. You need to perform a full reset on the watch itself. Usually this is done through the Settings menu → System → Reset on the watch itself. After rebooting, it will again become visible to search.

⚠️ Note: If the watch does not respond to touch and does not turn on, set them on charging on the 15-20 A discharged battery is a common cause of the device's "invisibility" as the Bluetooth module does not receive enough power to operate.

In rare cases, clearing the cache of Google Play and Bluetooth services helps. Go to Settings → Apps → Show all apps → Bluetooth (or “Google Play Services”) and click “Clear Cache” and “Clear Data.” After that, restart your smartphone. Also check if the phone is not on “Invisible for Others” mode, although this is usually not critical for pairing, but can affect stability.

If nothing works, try using another smartphone to check. If the watch is connected with another phone, the problem is the settings of your main device (possibly conflicting antiviruses or custom firmware). If the watch is not visible anywhere, the Bluetooth module in the watch itself may be faulty.

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90% of connection problems are solved by completely removing the old device profile from the phone’s Bluetooth menu and re-registering from scratch.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)