How to tie Xiaomi smart watch to iPhone: full instruction with error solutions

Is Xiaomi’s watch compatible with iPhone?

Xiaomi’s smartwatches and fitness bracelets (Mi Band, Xiaomi Watch, Amazfit series) officially support synchronization with the iPhone, but with some limitations. Unlike Android, where all features are available through Mi Fitness, iOS owners have to use alternative apps or put up with stripped-down functionality.

The main problem is Apple's policy: it blocks access to some system APIs (such as Bluetooth Low Energy in the background), which limits notifications and background synchronization. However, the basic functions - pedometer, sleep monitoring, pulsemeter - work steadily. In this article, we will discuss all the ways of connecting, from standard to bypass solutions for advanced capabilities.

Important: If you have a Mi Band 7/8 or Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro, check the firmware version — some models require an update before first syncing with the iPhone.

What applications are needed to connect

To synchronize the Xiaomi watch with the iPhone, you will need one of the official applications, depending on the model of the device:

• 📱 Mi Fitness - for Mi Band 3/4/5/6/7/8, Xiaomi Watch S1/S2. Available in the App Store, but with limited functionality on iOS.
• 🌐 Zepp Life (formerly Amazfit) – for Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro, Amazfit GTR/GTS. It supports more metrics than Mi Fitness.
• ⚠️ Notify & Fitness – a third-party application for advanced notifications (requires Bluetooth manual access).

Official apps (Mi Fitness and Zepp Life) are free, but some features (such as personal training) may be paid (~300–500 ₽) full access.

Tip: Check your watch model compatibility with the app you choose before installing, for example, Mi Band 8 is not supported on older Mi Fitness versions (requires 5.0+ version).

Step-by-step: how to tie the clock to the iPhone

Consider the Mi Band 7 and Mi Fitness, and the steps are similar for other models, but menu items may be different.

1. Install the app: Download Mi Fitness from the App Store and sign up (you can use Google, Apple ID or phone number).If you already have a Xiaomi account, use it.
2. Turn on Bluetooth: Go to Settings iPhone → Bluetooth and activate it. Make sure the watch is charged (at least 20%) and is near the phone.
3. Add the device: Open Mi Fitness, click Profile → Add the device. Select your model from the list (e.g. Mi Smart Band 7).
4. Synchronize: The clock will appear QR-code, scan it through the app. QR not displayed, click on the watch screen Connect (you may need to hold the button 3-5 seconds).
5. Configure permissions: Allow the app to access Notices, Health (optional) and Background Update in your iPhone settings.

Charge the watch to 50% |

Install Mi Fitness/Zepp Life|

Enable Bluetooth and geolocation |

Allow notifications for the application|

Update the firmware of the clock (if required)

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Critical detail: if the clock is not determined, reboot both the iPhone and the bracelet (hold the button 10-15 seconds until vibration), 80% of the time this solves the problem of the first connection.

Solving common connection errors

Even with the right actions, synchronization can end up in error. Let's look at the typical problems and how to fix them:

⚠️ Warning: If after the iOS update, the watch stopped connecting, reset them to factory settings (Settings) → Reset) and re-bind, due to changes in Apple's policy regarding Bluetooth devices.

For Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro models, additional configuration may be required in Zepp Life:

1. Open the app and go to Profile → My devices.
2. Select the clock and click on Sync Settings.
3. Activate Auto Sync (a premium subscription may be required).

How to Set Up Notifications and Calls on Your Watch

By default, iOS restricts notifications to third-party devices, to receive alerts about calls, SMS and instant messengers:

1. Allow notifications in iPhone: Go to Settings → Notifications → Mi Fitness/Zepp Life and turn on all the switches. It is especially important to allow Banners and Sounds.
2. Set up in-app filtering: In Mi Fitness, open Profile → Notifications and select which apps will be duplicated on the watch (e.g. WhatsApp, Telegram).
3. For calls: Activate Call Alert in the watch settings. On Mi Band, this is done through Settings → Notifications → Incoming calls.

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If notifications come with a delay, open Mi Fitness before bed and leave it running in the background.This will temporarily resolve the problem until the next iPhone reboot.

For the Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro, the quick response feature (only for Android) is available. On iOS, you can only view text and reject calls.

⚠️ Attention: After the iOS 17 update+ Some users are facing a problem of duplication of notifications. To fix this, turn off notifications for Mi Fitness in your iPhone settings, then turn them on again.

Update the firmware of the watch through the iPhone

Xiaomi’s watch firmware updates automatically when you connect to an app, but sometimes you need a manual update.

1. Open Mi Fitness or Zepp Life and connect the watch.
2. Go to Profile → My Device → Firmware Update.
3. If a new version is available, click Update. Make sure the clock is over 50% charged and the iPhone is connected to Wi-Fi.
4. Don't interrupt! It takes 5-15 minutes to update. The clock will reboot automatically.

For Mi Band 8 and later, you may need to force an update via Settings → About → Software Update (on the watch itself). If the firmware version in the app and on the clock does not match, reset:

On the clock: Settings → Reset → Confirm (hold the 10 sec button)


In the appendix: Remove the device and add again

Alternative ways of connecting (for experienced users)

If the official applications are not satisfied with limited functionality, you can use third-party solutions:

• 🔧 Notify & Fitness for Mi Band – allows you to configure notifications flexibly, including vibration and color alerts. Requires manual Bluetooth connection settings.
• 🌍 Tools & Mi Band - Expands Mi Band's capabilities by adding gesture, alarm and weather support.Paid version (~400 ₽).
• 📲 Amazfit Bip/Band Tool – for advanced users who can work with ADB (requires an Android device for initial setup).

For use with Notify & Fitness:

1. Install the app from the App Store.
2. Open your iPhone → Bluetooth settings and plug in the watch manually (they should be displayed as MI Band 7 or similar).
3. In Notify & Fitness, select a watch model and set up notifications.

⚠️ Warning: Third-party apps may conflict with official ones (Mi Fitness) before using them, remove the watch from Mi Fitness and reset the bracelet settings.

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The side of the application gives more features, but require manual adjustment and can discharge the battery of the watch faster by 15-20%.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions