Xiaomi’s modern wearables have become an integral part of millions of users’ lives, tracking activity, sleep and notifications. However, like any sophisticated electronics, smartwatches or fitness bracelets can encounter software glitches, freezes or smartphone sync problems. In such situations, the most effective solution is often a full return to factory settings that eliminates software errors and cleans the device of accumulated “garbage”.
Reset may be required when selling a device to a new owner when you need to delete your personal data completely, or when you switch to another account. Hard Reset is also necessary if the gadget has stopped responding to commands or incorrectly displays information. It is important to understand that this process will irreversibly delete all stored workouts, dial settings and associated devices, so it should be approached consciously.
In this guide, we will take a look at all the available reboot methods for various models, including the popular Mi Band series, Amazfit and full Mi Watch. You will learn how to clean through the mobile application, the menu of the device itself, and what to do if the gadget has completely ceased to respond to touch. Follow the instructions carefully to safely restore the health of your wearable assistant.
Preparation of the device for the discharge procedure
Before we take drastic measures, we need to make sure that the device is ready to restart the system. It is critical that the battery is sufficiently charged. If the power suddenly disappears during the erasure, it can damage the file system, after which the watch becomes a brick and requires complex hardware repairs.
⚠️ Warning: Do not start the reset procedure if the battery is below 50%.Abrupt power outage during formatting internal memory can make the device inoperable.
Also, you should pre-disable the watch from all unnecessary Bluetooth devices except the main smartphone from which you will be managing. Make sure that the phone has the current version of the Mi Fitness or Zepp app installed, as older versions of the software may not correctly transmit reset commands. If you plan to save training data, check that the last sync was successful and the information is displayed in the cloud profile.
For owners of NFC and clock-based payment devices, remember to untie your bank cards in the respective payment system applications. Once reset, the peg may fly off, and re-activation will require re-verification at the bank, saving time and nerves in subsequent setup.
☑️ Checklist before reset
Reset via Mi Fitness and Zepp mobile app
The safest and most controlled way to get your device back to its original state is to use official software on your smartphone, a method preferred because the app controls the command transfer process and confirms the successful execution of the operation. First, open the app you use to manage your watch (most often Mi Fitness for new models or Zepp for older and Amazfit branded devices).
Go to the device profile, which is usually in the Profile or Device tab at the bottom menu, find the name of your watch in the list of connected gadgets, and in the control menu that opens, you'll need to scroll down the options list to the very end, and there you'll find a item that can be called "Sever Communication," "Unconnect" or "Reset Settings." The choice of the specific item depends on the firmware version and model.
If you select the disconnect option, the app will warn you that all data will be deleted from the watch but will remain on the phone. This is the best option if you just want to reconnect the device or fix the synchronization error. Once confirmed, the clock vibrates, the screen will go out, and after a few seconds the device will reboot with factory parameters, ready for a new pairing.
- 📱 Open the Mi Fitness or Zepp app on your smartphone.
- 🔗 Go to the profile section and select your watch from the list.
- 🗑️ Find the “Sever Communication” or “Delete Device” button at the bottom of the menu.
- ✅ Confirm the action in the pop-up warning window.
It is worth noting that after such a procedure, some information may remain on the watch itself, if a complete reset was not chosen. In some Mi Watch models, there is a separate “Factory Reset” item that clears the internal memory completely, including downloaded dials and music, as opposed to simply breaking the connection.
Resetting settings through the menu of the watch itself
In situations where the smartphone is unavailable, the application is not working correctly or the phone's Bluetooth module temporarily fails, you can reset directly through the interface of the wearable device.This method requires that the touch screen or control buttons function at least partially. The algorithm of actions may vary slightly depending on the operating system installed on the watch (Wear OS, Proprietary OS or RTOS).
For Wear OS devices (such as Mi Watch or Xiaomi Watch 2), the process looks most standard. You need to unlock the screen, swipe down or up (depending on the interface version) open the Quick Settings Panel and find the gear icon. You need to find the System or About System section in the settings menu, where the Settings Reset or Factory Reset item is located.
On devices with a proprietary operating system (most Mi Band models with screen and Amazfit), the logic is similar, but navigation can be done by button or swipe. You need to find the System or Settings section. Inside, look for Reset or Factory Settings. The system will request confirmation several times to avoid accidental clicking, because this action is critical.
⚠️ Note: When resetting through the watch menu, make sure the device is not in power saving mode, otherwise the process may be interrupted due to background activity restriction.
Once you select the confirmation point, the screen will go out and the device will start the reboot process, which can take anywhere from 30 seconds to a few minutes, during which time the brand logo or progress indicator may be displayed on the screen, and do not attempt to interrupt the process by pressing buttons or turning off the device until the welcome screen appears fully.
Features of reset for various Xiaomi models
Xiaomi’s ecosystem includes dozens of wearable electronics models, each with its own nuances in management. Understanding the differences between series will help avoid errors and find the right option faster. The main differences are in the depth of data cleaning and the location of menu items.
Below is a table that will help you navigate the reset features for popular product lines. Note that the physical menu depends on the screen and interface type.
| Model of the device | Type of OS | Resetting method | Data retention |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mi Band 6/7/8 | Proprietary RTOS | Only through the app | Data in the cloud |
| Mi Watch Lite | Proprietary | Menu of the clock + Appendix | Complete removal |
| Mi Watch / Watch 2 | Wear OS | Menu of the clock (System) | Complete removal |
| Redmi Watch | Proprietary | Menu of the clock + Appendix | Complete removal |
For Mi Band models without a full touch menu (such as early versions 4 or 5), the only way is to force the connection to be broken through the application. These devices do not have a reset button in the bracelet interface. For full-fledged watches on Wear OS, a menu reset is the most complete, since it affects the system partition, similar to reinstalling Windows on a computer.
Why can the reset menu be hidden?
What to do if the clock is dead and does not respond
When a smartwatch completely stops responding to touch, push, and display an image, it's called a "freeze" of the system. In this case, standard menu reset methods are not available. However, most electronic devices have a forced reboot mechanism that often solves the problem of freezing without losing data.
The first step is to try to execute a Hard Reset button. On most Xiaomi and Amazfit models, you need to press a single physical button (or a combination of buttons if there are two) and hold it for 15 to 20 seconds. The device should vibrate and show the logo. If that happens, try going to the menu immediately after you turn on and perform a regular reset until the system freezes again.
If the button doesn't respond, you'll have to keep the "discharge to zero" method on. Leave the device on until the battery runs out completely and the watch shuts down on its own. Then you'll have to charge it and, without turning it on, try to pinch the button. Sometimes, total charge loss releases static electricity and temporary power controller errors.
- 🔋 Press the switch on 20-30 second-on-seconds.
- ⏳ If it doesn’t work, wait until the battery is fully discharged.
- 🔌 Put on charging and try to turn on when the charge indicator appears.
- 📱 Use the “Find Device” feature in the app, sometimes it “wakes up” Bluetooth.
⚠️ Note: If the watch does not respond even to prolonged button retention and charging for several hours, a hardware malfunction of the battery or power controller is likely, requiring contact with the service.
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Useful tip: If the screen is black but there is vibration when charging, put the watch on wireless charging (if the model supports) for 5 minutes, and then try to press the button.
Frequent post-reset problems and their solution
Once you successfully return to factory settings, users may encounter a number of typical situations that are not a fault, but only features of the software, and understanding these nuances will help quickly get the device back on track without unnecessary panic.
One common problem is that the watch doesn't see the smartphone when you try to pair it again, because the phone remembers the old connection and tries to use the old encryption keys. Solution: Go to the Bluetooth settings on your smartphone, find your watch in the list of devices (they can be called "Mi Band" or "Unknown"), click on the information icon and select "Forget the device" or "Unpair." Only then start the search again.
Another common question is missing steps and health data, because resets delete the local database on the clock, sync will start from scratch, data that was not synchronized with the server cloud before the reset is technically impossible to recover, so it is important to always wait until the sync is over before the reset.
There may also be increased battery consumption in the first 24 hours after reset, the system indexes the files and adjusts the sensors in the background, usually after a day the power mode stabilizes, and if the discharge continues, try updating the firmware of the watch immediately after pairing.
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The main problem after reset is the conflict of old Bluetooth keys in the phone. Be sure to remove the device from the Bluetooth list in the smartphone settings before the new connection.