Modern wearables, such as Xiaomi fitness trackers, have become an integral part of the lives of millions of health and physical activity users. However, like any complex electronic mechanism, they can encounter software errors, freeze or incorrectly display pulse and step data. In such situations, the most effective solution is often a complete reset to a factory state.
Back to the original settings allows you to fix the accumulated software failures, clear the cache of the system and prepare the device for a new sale or transfer to another owner. It is important to understand that this process is irreversible for local data, so you should make sure that your statistics are safe in the cloud.
In this guide, we will take a look at all the ways you can do this for different models, from the older versions of the Mi Band 3 to the latest Mi Band 8 and Mi Smart Band 7 Pro. You will learn how to safely disable the tracker from your account to avoid locking problems when reconnecting.
Preparation for the discharge procedure and backup
Before you take any action, you need to do a series of preparatory operations to secure your personal data. The main repository of activity history, jogging routes and cardiograms is a cloud server tied to your account in the Mi Fitness or Zepp Life app. Make sure your smartphone has an active Internet connection, and open the application for forced synchronization.
Click on the profile icon or go to the device settings in the app and find the Sync button. Wait until the status updates and make sure the data from the last few days is correctly displayed in the charts. This is a critical step, because once reset, the local memory of the bracelet will be cleared and it will be impossible to recover data without a cloud copy.
It's also worth checking your gadget's firmware version. Sometimes the device's problems are solved by a simple software update, and a hard reset may not be necessary. Go to the device menu and see the Software version: If a new version is available, the system will suggest installing it.
- 📱 Make sure that the battery charge of the bracelet is at least 30-40%, so that the device does not turn off at a critical moment.
- ☁️ Check the synchronization status in the companion application (Mi Fitness, Zepp Life, Notify).
- 📝 Write down or take a screenshot of important individual settings, such as step goals or alarm clock settings, to quickly restore them.
- 🔓 If you plan to sell a device, make sure you know the password from the account it was linked to.
⚠️ Warning: If you haven’t untied your bracelet from your app before resetting, the new owner won’t be able to connect it to your phone because of theft protection.
Method One: Resetting through the menu of the bracelet itself
The easiest and fastest way to get the device back to factory settings is to use the built-in control menu. This is ideal if the bracelet screen responds to touch and the system is stable but requires data cleaning. The interface may vary slightly depending on the firmware version and model, but the logic remains the same for the entire Xiaomi ecosystem.
Unlock the tracker screen and swipe to find the Settings section (cog icon).In newer models like the Mi Band 7 and Mi Band 8, the menu looks like a list of icons, whereas in older versions it can be a text list. You need to scroll through the list to System or immediately find the Reset option.
Once you select the reset point, the system will request confirmation of the action, because it is a critical operation. The screen will display a warning that all data will be deleted. Press the tick or confirmation button. The device vibrates, the screen will go out, and in a few seconds the bracelet will reset with factory parameters.
☑️ Checklist before resetting through the menu
It is worth noting that this method does not always completely untie the device from the Xiaomi servers. It cleans the internal memory of the gadget, but the server binding can be preserved.
Method Two: Uncoupling with Mi Fitness or Zepp Life
The safest and most effective way to prepare your bracelet for resale or deep cleaning is to use official software on your smartphone, which ensures that the device is completely removed from your Xiaomi Account, which will remove all locks for the new user.
Launch the app you used to pair (most commonly Mi Fitness for new models or Zepp Life for old ones). Go to the Profile tab in the lower right corner of the screen. In the list of My devices, select your bracelet.
In the device management menu that opens, scroll down the options list, and you need to find Unbind or Delete. When you press this button, the system will issue a final warning, and once confirmed, the bracelet will receive a reset command, and the app will remove it from the list of associated devices.
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If you change your phone but leave the same account, it is enough not to delete the device, but to re-pair on a new smartphone.
In some cases, especially when switching from iOS to Android or vice versa, you may need to manually remove the Bluetooth settings of the smartphone. However, the main control element is still the application. If the bracelet does not respond to the commands of the application, try to restart the smartphone and try again.
The unbundling process through the app takes no more than a minute, but it ensures that your tracker will not be listed behind you, which is especially important for NFC-enabled and payment-enabled models where binding to payment tokens requires mandatory unlocking before resetting.
Reset for models with NFC and payments
Owners of NFC-module version bracelets should be especially careful when performing a reset.These devices store payment tokens and access keys that require a special deletion procedure for the security of your finances.A routine reset may not clean up the payment sector completely.
If you have used Mi Pay or transport cards, please check the Card section of the app before resetting, and you should have the option to delete or deactivate the card. In some regions and firmware versions, deleting the card automatically occurs when the device is uncoupled from the account.
After performing the standard reset procedure, if you plan to transfer the device to another person, make sure that there are no notifications on the bracelet screen about the linked card. Otherwise, the new owner will not be able to add his card, and you risk retaining access to your financial instruments on someone else's device.
| Model bracelet | Presence of NFC | Features of discharge | Supported applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mi Band 6 NFC | Yes. | Deletion of the map in the application is required | Zepp Life, Mi Fitness |
| Mi Band 7 Pro | Yes (in some regions) | Automatic cleaning during uncoupling | Mi Fitness |
| Mi Band 8 Active | No. | Standard data reset | Mi Fitness |
| Mi Smart Band 8 | No (in the base version) | Standard data reset | Mi Fitness |
⚠️ Note: When removing the bracelet from NFC payment tokens can remain in protected memory until a complete overwriting, so official detachment through the server is mandatory.
What to do if the bracelet does not respond or freezes
When the screen goes out, the sensor doesn't respond, and there's no vibration, it can be a dead end. In this case, software resets through the menu are impossible. First of all, try to charge the device. Often, a deep discharge of the lithium polymer battery is perceived by the user as a breakdown, but the connection to the current "wakes up" the power controller.
If charging doesn’t work and the bracelet doesn’t even show the battery indicator, you can try to perform what’s called a “hard reset” (for most Xiaomi models, this is done by holding the touch button (or virtual key on the screen, if it reacts even slightly) for 15-20 seconds. However, on many modern models without a physical button, this method does not work.
If you lock the system completely, when the touchscreen is working but the menu is not opening, try the "discharge to zero" method. Leave the bracelet on until it completely discharges and turns off. Then put it on charge. When turned on after a deep discharge, the system often starts a recovery process that can eliminate the software glitch.
The Secret Reboot Method
If none of these things worked, it's probably hardware, it could be a memory controller failure or a plume failure, and then the software methods are powerless, and you need to go to a service center.
Solving synchronization problems after reset
After successfully returning to factory settings, users often have difficulty re-pairing.The phone can see the device but refuse to connect, giving an error "failed to connect", which is due to the fact that the old encryption keys remain in the smartphone's Bluetooth memory.
To solve this problem, go to your smartphone’s Bluetooth settings (not the app, but the Android or iOS system settings). Find your bracelet (e.g., Mi Band 5) in the list of previously connected devices and click “Forget the device” or “Cancel pairing.”
Once you clear the Bluetooth cache, restart your smartphone. Only then open the Mi Fitness or Zepp Life app, go to add the device and start searching. The search process may require confirmation of a pair of numbers displayed on the bracelet and phone screen.
- 📶 Make sure that the geolocation is enabled on the smartphone (GPS), This is a requirement for Bluetooth Low Energy on Android.
- 📱 Close background apps that can intercept Bluetooth signal (such as other fitness trackers).
- 🔄 If the error repeats, try connecting the bracelet to another smartphone to rule out the malfunction of the tracker itself.
Do not interrupt this process, even if the battery charge is low, as interrupting the update can cause the device to completely inoperate ("brick").
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Will the bracelet reset the settings if you just do not use charging for a long time?
Do I need to reset goals in steps after resetting?
Can I reset my bracelet if I forget the unlock pin?
Will the pulse history continue after the reset?
Does the reset affect the device warranty?
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The main conclusion: Proper reset is not just a memory cleanup, but a mandatory detachment of the device from the account for data security and the possibility of reuse.