How to tie Xiaomi smart watch to your phone: instructions for all models of 2026

Xiaomi’s smartwatch is not just an accessory, it’s a full-fledged assistant for tracking health, managing notifications, and even paying for purchases. However, before using all the features, you need to properly link the device to your smartphone. The process seems simple, but many users face mistakes: the watch does not find the phone, the application does not see the device, or sync breaks halfway.

In this article, we will break down the step-by-step instructions for all current Xiaomi models (including Mi Band 8, Redmi Watch 3, Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro and others), tell you which application to use – Mi Fitness or Zepp Life, and give solutions to common problems when connecting.

What Xiaomi smartwatch can be tied to your phone?

Xiaomi has several line of wearables, and not all of them sync the same way. Here are the main categories and their features:

• 📌 The Mi Band (Mi Band) series 7/8, Mi Smart Band 6): Budget fitness bracelets with basic features (stepmeter, pulse, notifications) tied via Mi Fitness or Zepp Life.
• 🕒 Redmi Watch (Redmi Watch) Series 3/4, Redmi Watch 2 Lite: watch with extended screen, GPS They require Zepp Life for full functionality.
• ⌚ Xiaomi Watch Series (Xiaomi Watch) S3, Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro: premium models with Wear OS, support NFC and third-party apps synchronized through Mi Fitness + Google Play Services.
• 🏃 Specialized models (Xiaomi Smart Band 7 Pro, Mi Band 8 Pro): hybrids of bracelets and watches with a high-performance model GPS. Both apps are supported, but some features are only available in Zepp Life.

Important: 2023-2026 models (e.g. Xiaomi Watch) S3 Redmi Watch 4 requires a firmware update to MIUI 14+ Android 11+ Older Android 8-10 smartphones may not support newer versions of apps.

If you are not sure what model you have, look at the box or in the settings of the watch: the way of settings → About the device → Model.

Which app to use: Mi Fitness or Zepp Life?

Until 2022, all Xiaomi smartwatches were tied through Mi Fit, but now the company has moved to two main applications:

🔹 How do you choose? If you have a Mi Band or Redmi Watch 2, Mi Fitness is enough. For Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro or Redmi Watch 4, you better use Zepp Life - there are more features for analyzing workouts. OS (For example, Xiaomi Watch S3) Both applications are required: Mi Fitness for basic settings and Wear OS program-installation.

Step-by-step: how to tie a smart watch to a Xiaomi phone

The synchronization process takes 5-10 minutes, if done correctly.

1. Preparation of telephone and watch

Before connection:

• 📱 Make sure your phone is Bluetooth enabled (path: Settings) → Connected devices → Bluetooth).
• 🔋 Charge the clock to at least 50% – at low charge, synchronization may be interrupted.
• 📲 Update Mi Fitness or Zepp Life to the latest version (check in Google Play or App Store).
• 🌍 If the watch is purchased in China, change the region in the app to "Russia" or "Global" (otherwise there may be problems with notifications).

Charge the watch to 50%+

Turn on Bluetooth on your phone

Update to Mi Fitness/Zepp Life

Install the region "Russia" in the settings of the application

Reboot your phone (if there were previously connection errors)-->

2. sync via Mi Fitness (for Mi Band and Xiaomi Watch)

If you have a Mi Band. 7/8 Xiaomi Watch S2:

1. Open Mi Fitness and click Profile → Add the device.
2. Select your model from the list (e.g. Mi Smart Band 8).
3. Click Connect and confirm access to contacts, notifications and location (this is a must for notifications to work!).
4. It'll appear on the clock. QR-code – scan it through the app or enter 6-digit code manually.
5. Wait for the synchronization to be completed (a tick will appear on the screen).

Synced via Zepp Life (for Redmi Watch and new models)

For Redmi Watch 3/4 Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro:

1. Launch Zepp Life and tap the + icon in the upper right corner.
2. Select the Watch. → Your model (e.g. Redmi Watch 4).
3. Allow access to Bluetooth, notifications and fitness data (otherwise, the pedometer and pulse will not work).
4. On the clock, press Settings. → Connect the device and confirm pairing in the application.
5. Wait for the firmware update (if available) - don't interrupt the process!

⚠️ If the watch does not find the phone, try it:

1. Reboot the Bluetooth module on your phone (disable/enable in settings). 2. Remove the watch from the list of associated devices (Settings) → Bluetooth → Forget the device) and reconnect. 3. Reset the clock to factory settings (Settings) → Reset on the device itself).

Set up notifications and permissions after connection

Once you've successfully linked, you need to set up what notifications will be sent to your watch and give you all the permissions you need, without which you won't be able to receive messages from WhatsApp, Telegram or any other source. VK.

1. Permissions for the application (Android)

Go to your phone settings → Annexes → Mi Fitness/Zepp Life → Permits and turn on:

• 📱 Notifications – to display messages on the clock.
• 📍 Location – You need to work GPS (if there is a model).
• 🏃 Physical activity – synchronize steps with Google Fit.
• 🔋 Auto-Run – to make the application work in the background.

🔹 For iPhone: Go to Settings → Confidentiality → Mi Fitness and enable Notifications, Bluetooth and Movement and Fitness.

2. Set up notifications in the annex

In Mi Fitness or Zepp Life:

1. Go to Profile → Your Device → Notifications.
2. Turn on the Notification switch on the device.
3. Select the apps you want to see alerts from (e.g. Telegram, Gmail, Viber).
4. Set up the vibration and backlight of the screen when new messages are posted.

💡

If notifications don’t come, check if they’re disabled in the app itself (for example, on WhatsApp, go to Settings). → Notifications and enable the option "Show on the lock screen").

3. Additional settings (by model)

Depending on the device, different functions are available:

• 💳 NFC For payment purposes, for Xiaomi Watch S3): Tie the card in Mi Fitness → purse.
• 🎵 Music management: in the settings of the clock, turn on player control.
• 🔒 Screen lock: in Mi Fitness activate Phone unlock (works only on Xiaomi-smartphones).
• 🌙 Sleep mode: set up automatic notifications off at night.

💡

Without permission to notify and background the app, the watch won’t vibrate when incoming calls or messages, even if everything else is set up correctly.

Common mistakes and their solutions

Even with the right connection, there can be problems. TOP-5 mistakes and ways to correct them:

⚠️ If after all the manipulations the clock still does not connect, try:

1. Install an alternative firmware for the watch (e.g. Amazfit Mod for Mi Band). 2. Use another phone for initial setup (sometimes helps to change the device). 3. Contact Xiaomi Support – if the watch is new, marriage is possible.

How to untie the watch from the phone and tie it to another?

If you change your smartphone or you want to transfer your watch to another person, you have to untie it from your old device.

Method 1: Appendix (Recommended)

1. Open Mi Fitness or Zepp Life.
2. Go to Profile. → Your device.
3. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Remove the device.
4. Confirm the action – the watch will be disconnected from the account.

Method 2: Through resetting on the clock

If you don’t have access to your old phone:

1. On the clock, go to Settings → System → Reset settings.
2. Confirm the reset (usually hold the OK button for 5 seconds).
3. After the reset, the clock will be ready for a new connection.

🔹 Important: After detachment, all data (steps, sleep history) will be deleted from the clock, but will be stored in the account. Xiaomi/Zepp, if you have been authorized.

Linking to a new phone

To connect the watch to another smartphone:

1. Install Mi Fitness or Zepp Life on your new phone.
2. Sign in to the same Xiaomi account (if you want to save your data history).
3. Follow the standard connection instructions (see section above).

Tips for stable operation of Xiaomi smart watches

To ensure that the clock is running smoothly, follow these guidelines:

• 🔄 Regularly update the firmware - in Mi Fitness check for updates once a month.
• 📴 Do not connect your watch to multiple phones at the same time, as this causes synchronization conflicts.
• 🔋 Charge your watch with the original cable – cheap charging can damage the battery.
• 🛡️ Set up energy saving on your phone: add Mi Fitness to exceptions (Settings) → Battery → Energy consumption of applications).
• 🌍 Use one region – if the watch is purchased in China, change the region in the app to “Russia”, otherwise there may be problems with weather and notifications.

🔹 For owners of Xiaomi Watch S3: If the clock is slowing down, disable unnecessary background apps in Wear OS — This will save charge and speed up work.

💡

If the clock starts to discharge quickly, check if constant monitoring of the pulse is turned on (Settings) → Heartbeat → Measurement frequency. Set the interval 10-30 minutes instead of "Continuously".

FAQ: Frequent questions about connecting Xiaomi smartwatches