How to Reset Xiaomi Mi Band 5 to Factory Settings: The Complete Guide

Why would you want to reset the Mi Band 5?

The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 fitness bracelet is one of the most popular wearables due to its combination of functionality and affordable price. However, even such reliable equipment sometimes requires a complete factory reset, the reasons can be different from banal synchronization errors to serious software failures.

For example, you may experience a screen freeze when the bracelet stops responding to touch or does not sync with the Mi Fit/Zepp Life app. Another common problem is errors after a firmware update when the device starts to work incorrectly: wrongly counts steps, does not show notifications or quickly discharges, in which cases, a factory reset is often the only working solution.

Resetting is also useful if you hand over the bracelet to another person and want to delete all personal data (activity history, sleep data, tied accounts). Unlike smartphones, where resetting takes minutes, the Mi Band 5 process has its own nuances - and that's what we'll talk about later.

Method 1: Reset via Mi Fit or Zepp Life

The safest and most recommended method is to use the official app, which is suitable if the bracelet is connected to the phone and responds to commands, and the instructions are relevant for both versions of the application (Mi Fit and Zepp Life, which replaced the first).

To perform the discharge:

• 📱 Open the Mi Fit or Zepp Life app on your smartphone.
• 🔍 Go to the Profile section → My devices and choose Mi Band 5.
• ⚙️ Slip on the settings icon (cogs) in the upper right corner.
• 🗑️ Scroll down and find Remove the device or Untie the bracelet.
• ✅ Confirm the action – this automatically initiates the reset of the bracelet to factory settings.

After that, the bracelet will reboot and be re-tied as a new device, and it is important that this method does not delete data from the phone (it remains in the Xiaomi account), but completely clears the memory of the bracelet.

Synchronize data with the cloud

Charge the bracelet by at least 50%

Make sure your phone is connected to the internet.

Remember the current settings (alarm clocks, notifications)

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⚠️ Warning: If the bracelet does not automatically reset after detachment, do not immediately try to re-attach it. Wait 2-3 minutes or perform a forced reset (press the touch button for 10 seconds).

Method 2: Hardware reset through a button on the bracelet

If the bracelet is not connected to the phone or the app does not see the device, you can reset directly to the Mi Band 5 itself. This method works even in severe firmware failures, but requires strict adherence to the sequence of actions.

Instructions for hardware discharge:

1. 🔋 Make sure the bracelet is at least 30% charged (at low charge, the reset may be interrupted).
2. 🖐️ Press and hold the touch button under the screen for 10-15 seconds.
3. 🔄 When the Mi logo appears on the screen, release the button – this is a signal to start resetting.
4. ⏳ Wait for the reboot (it can take up to 1-2 minutes) and the bracelet will return to factory settings.

After the hardware reset, all data on the device will be erased, including:

• 📊 Activity history (steps, calories, exercise).
• 🛌 Sleep data from the last 30 days.
• ⏰ Alerts and reminders settings.
• 🔒 Linked Xiaomi account (re-authorization required).

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If the bracelet does not respond to prolonged pressing, try to connect it to charging and repeat the procedure. Sometimes a discharged battery blocks hardware commands.

Method 3: Reset through the hidden menu of engineering settings

A little-known but effective way is to use the engineering menu that is available on all Mi Band devices since version 4, which is useful if the standard reset failed or the bracelet is in a "half" state (for example, the screen works, but there is no reaction to touch).

To open the engineering menu and perform the reset:

1. 🔋 Charge the bracelet to 100% (important for stability of the process).
2. 🖐️ On the home screen, quickly tap the touch button under the display 5 times.
3. 🔧 After the vibration, you'll see a menu with items in English. scroll down to Reset.
4. ✅ Select Confirm and wait for the reboot.

The engineering menu can also include:

• 📡 Check the firmware version (Version).
• 🔋 Find out the status of the battery (Battery).
• 📶 Test the vibration and screen (Test).

⚠️ Warning: Do not change other options in the engineering menu unless you are sure of their purpose. For example, Clear Pairing removes the phone's tether but does not reset all settings, which can lead to conflicts when reconnecting.

What happens to the data after the reset?

Many users are afraid to reset the Mi Band 5 for fear of losing the accumulated statistics, let’s see what data is deleted irretrievably and what can be restored.

Critical information: If you didn’t sync your data to the cloud before resetting, all local history on the bracelet will be lost without recovery. So make sure to check that the latest data is uploaded to your Xiaomi account before the procedure.

To check the synchronization:

1. Open Mi Fit/Zepp Life.
2. Go to the Statistics or Profile section → My accomplishments.
3. Make sure that the data is displayed the last day.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even with the seemingly simple procedure, users often make mistakes that lead to additional problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to prevent them:

• 🔌 Resetting when the battery is low - can lead to "bricking" the bracelet (it will stop turning on%.
• 📱 Sync interruption - if you untie the bracelet from the phone before you complete the data upload to the cloud, your activity history will be lost. ✓ appendix.
• 🔄 Multiple discharges in a row - if the first reset didn't work, don't repeat the procedure right away. Give the bracelet 5-10 minutes to stabilize.
• 🔧 Changing unknown parameters in the engineering menu – this can disrupt the operation of sensors or firmware.

Another common problem is that the bracelet is not detected by the phone after the reset.

1. Reboot your smartphone.
2. Turn Bluetooth on/off.
3. Remove the Mi Fit/Zepp Life app cache from your phone settings.
4. Try tying the bracelet over another phone (such as a friend or relative).

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If the bracelet does not turn on after reset or shows a white screen, there is likely a firmware error, in which case only flashing through special software (for example, Mi Band Tools), but this is a topic for a separate article.

What to do after resetting: setup Mi Band 5 from scratch

After a successful reset, the bracelet returns to a boxy state, and to reuse all the features, you have to perform the initial setup.

1. 📱 Install the app: - For Android: Mi Fit or Zepp Life. - For iOS: Mi Fit only (available in the App Store).
2. 🔗 Tie the bracelet: - Sign up or sign in to your Xiaomi account. - In the Add Device section, select Mi Band 5 and follow the instructions.
3. ⚙️ Set up the basic settings: - Enter personal data (weight, height, age) to correctly count calories. - Activate notifications for calls and messages (c Settings) → Notifications. - Set alarm clocks and goals by step.
4. 🔄 Synchronize data: - After binding, wait for automatic synchronization or run it manually (pull the bracelet screen down).

If you are handing the bracelet to another person, remember:

• 📋 Delete it from your Xiaomi account (in Profile) → My devices).
• 🔒 Reset the screen lock password (if it was set).
• 📵 Disable all notifications from your accounts (WhatsApp, Viber, etc.).

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Once reset, the bracelet can show inaccurate steps and sleep data for the first day. That's normal, sensors need time to calibrate, and within 24 hours, accuracy will be restored.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions