The Xiaomi Mi Band 4 remains one of the most popular fitness bracelets even years after its release, thanks to its balance of price, functionality and reliability, but over time, the device may start to malfunction: glitches the screen, not sync with the phone, quickly discharge or completely stop responding to touch, in 90% of these cases, a complete reset to factory settings helps.
In this article, you will find three proven reset methods (including hidden features), a table with error codes after reset, and answers to frequent questions - for example, what to do if the bracelet does not turn on after resetting.
Before you start, consider resetting all the data from the bracelet – steps, pulse, alarm settings and notifications. If the device is still synced with your smartphone, back up via the Mi Fit or Zepp Life app (formerly Amazfit).
1. Reset via Mi Fit/Zepp Life application (recommended method)
This is the safest method, as it does not require manipulation of hardware buttons and minimizes the risk of "bricking" the bracelet, suitable if the Mi Band 4 connects to the phone, but it works unstable.
The instructions are valid for both versions of the app, Mi Fit (outdated) and Zepp Life (new). If you have an old bracelet firmware, update it through the Device Profile → Software Update before reset.
- 📱 Open the Mi Fit or Zepp Life app on your smartphone.
- 🔍 Go to the Profile section → Mi Smart Band 4.
- ⚙️ Scroll down and select Untie the device (in Zepp Life - Delete the device).
- 🔄 Confirm the action and wait for the process to be completed (the bracelet vibrates and reboots).
- 🔗 Reconnect the Mi Band 4 as a new device.
Important: If the bracelet does not reboot automatically after detachment, press on its screen and hold for 10 seconds - this will force the reboot.
Sync the latest data with the bracelet | Check the battery (minimum 30%) | Close the background apps on your phone | Connect to stable Wi-Fi (to update the firmware after reset)
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⚠️ Note: If the app does not have a button "Untie device", update Mi Fit/Zepp Life to the latest version. In older versions (before) 2022 (a) this paragraph may not have been.
2. Hardware reset via the bracelet button (if it does not respond to touch)
This method is useful if the Mi Band 4 screen does not respond to touch, the bracelet freezes or does not connect to the phone, the procedure is performed through a physical button (touch area under the screen).
The algorithm works on all versions of the Mi Band 4, including models with NFC (XMSH08HM), the main condition is that the bracelet must be charged at least 10%, otherwise the reset may be interrupted.
- 🔋 Unplug the bracelet from the strap and connect to the charger (even if the battery is not discharged).
- 🖐️ Press and hold the touch button under the screen (not touchscreen!) for 15-20 seconds.
- 🔄 Release the button when the Mi logo appears on the screen and the bracelet vibrates 3 times.
- 📱 After the reboot, connect the Mi Band 4 to your phone as a new device.
If the bracelet does not respond to the button holding, try holding it for up to 30 seconds or repeat the procedure with the charging cable connected. 5% of the time you need to flash it over the PC.
What if after resetting the screen flashes and does not turn on?
| Situation | Reason. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The bracelet doesn't respond to touch. | Firmware freeze or touchscreen damage | Hardware reset (Section 2) or firmware |
| After the reset, it does not connect to the phone. | Bluetooth failure or an outdated version of the app | Update Mi Fit/Zepp Life, reboot your phone |
| Quickly discharged after discharge | Background processes or damaged battery | Turn off unnecessary notifications, check battery wear |
| Not defined as a new device | Data residues in the Bluetooth cache | Forget the device in your phone's Bluetooth settings |
3. Firmware reset (if standard methods do not work)
If the two previous methods didn't work, you'll have to resort to forced flashing, which is an extreme measure that requires a PC, a cable for Mi Band 4, and special software.
- 🔴 Bracelets that are not turned on after resetting;
- 🔴 Devices with damaged firmware (for example, after a failed update);
- 🔴 Mi Band 4 that is not detected by the phone even after a hardware reset.
You'll need firmware.
- 💻 Windows computer 7/10/11;
- 🔌 Original charging cable for Mi Band 4 (with magnetic contacts);
- 📁 Mi Band 4 Tool (you can download it from the computer) XDA Developers);
- 📄 Firmware for your bracelet version (global or Chinese).
Step-by-step:
- Connect Mi Band 4 to the cable and insert the cable into the cable USB-port.
- Start the Mi Band 4 Tool on behalf of the administrator.
- In the utility, select Flash Firmware and specify the path to the firmware file (.fw).
- Press Start and wait for the process to be completed (the bracelet will reboot several times).
- After successful firmware, turn off the bracelet and connect it to the phone.
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Before you run your firmware, turn off the antivirus, which can block the Mi Band 4 Tool as suspicious activity, and make sure that your PC has Mi Band drivers installed (usually installed automatically when you first connect).
⚠️ Attention: Continuous power is critical! If you interrupt the firmware, the bracelet can turn into a brick. Use a laptop with a charged battery or a PC with a UPS.
4. How to save data before resetting
Resetting to factory settings removes all the local information from the wristband: sleep statistics, steps, heart rate data, and notification settings, but some of the data can be saved if the wristband is still synced to the phone.
Here's what we can do:
- 📊 Activity statistics: Open Mi Fit/Zepp Life and wait for full sync (the cloud icon at the top of the screen should disappear.
- ⏰ Alarm clocks and reminders: Take screenshots of the in-app settings or record the time manually.
- 🔄 Screen settings: Remember the order of the information widgets (weather, steps, pulse, etc.) as they will reset to the standard ones after resetting.
If the bracelet is not synchronized, but the screen is working, try manually exporting the data:
- Go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 4 → Export data (in some versions of the application).
- Select the period (for example, the last month) and the format (.csv or.xlsx).
- Save the file to your phone or the cloud.
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Even if you back up, some data (such as notification history) can't be recovered, and you'll have to reset it once you reset it.
5 Common errors after reset and their solutions
Most of the time, resets solve problems with the Mi Band 4, but sometimes new errors occur, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:
| Mistake. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The bracelet does not connect to the phone. | Bluetooth conflict or outdated firmware | Forget the device in Bluetooth settings, reboot your phone and bracelet |
| The screen flashes white. | Damaged firmware or loader failure | Squeeze the bracelet through the PC (Section 3) |
| Touchscreen's not working. | Mechanical damage or calibration failure | Try calibrating the screen through Settings → Display in the app |
| Quickly discharged after discharge | Background processes or damaged battery | Turn off the constant pulse, notifications and check battery wear |
| Not defined as a new device | Data residues in the app cache | Clean up the Mi Fit/Zepp Life cache in your phone settings |
If the bracelet does not vibrate at notifications after reset, check:
- 🔊 Vibration settings in the application (Device Profile) → Notifications);
- 📵 Do Not Disturb Mode on the bracelet (turns off by swipe down on the home screen);
- 🔋 Charge level (at a discharge below 15%, the vibration is automatically switched off).
Once a month to optimize |Only in case of serious failure |Never reset |I don't know how to do it-->
6. Alternative recovery methods (if the reset did not help)
If none of the methods brought Mi Band 4 back to life, try these options:
- 🔌 Hard reboot: Connect the bracelet to charge and hold the button for 30-40 seconds.
- 🔄 Change firmware: If you have a modified firmware (e.g., Modified) MB4), Go back to the stock version.
- 🛠️ Battery replacement: If the bracelet does not turn on and does not respond to charging, the problem may be in the battery (average life is 2-3 years).
- 📡 Update via Mi Fit: Sometimes it helps to force the software update – for this in the application, select Profile → Mi Smart Band 4 → Update of the PO.
If the bracelet does not show signs of life (does not vibrate, does not burn the charging indicator), check:
- Integrity of the charging cable (try another one)
- Contacts on the bracelet (clean them with alcohol from oxidation);
- Possibility of work USB-port on your phone/PC (connect another device).
In 1% of cases, the Mi Band 4 fails due to hardware damage (for example, moisture despite the declared IP68).If none of the methods worked, contact the service center - repair will cost less than buying a new bracelet.