Synchronization of Xiaomi fitness bracelet with smartphone: from Mi Band 3 to Smart Band 8 Pro

Xiaomi fitness bracelets are among the most popular wearables on the market due to their combination of functionality, sensor accuracy and affordable price. However, even experienced users sometimes have difficulty initially adjusting the synchronization between the wristband and smartphone. This article will help you understand everything from choosing the right application to solving typical connection errors.

We will not only look at the basic steps for Mi Band models. 5/6/7 Smart Band 8 Pro, but also rare cases — for example, when the bracelet is not determined by the phone or sync is interrupted after updating the firmware. MIUI and alternative firmware such as Pixel Experience, which are often installed on Xiaomi devices.

If you’ve just unpacked a new bracelet or experienced problems after resetting, this will be your guide, and for those who want to make the most of the device, we’ve added a section with hidden features that aren’t always obvious even after reading the official documentation.

1. What Xiaomi bracelets support synchronization with smartphones

Not all Xiaomi fitness trackers use the same app to communicate with a smartphone.

• 📱 Mi Band 3/4 — They're running Mi Fit (old software, but it's still supported). MIUI 14+ roundabout.
• 🔄 Mi Band 5/6/7 Smart Band 7 Pro – require Mi Fitness (a new app that replaced Mi Fit) and support advanced sync with Google Fit.
• 🚀 Smart Band 8 Pro is the latest software with support for Zepp Life (formerly Amazfit), can sync with Mi Fitness and Zepp.
• ⚠️ Amazfit Bip/GTR/GTS — Although the brand is owned by Xiaomi, these devices use only Zepp and are not compatible with Mi Fitness.

It is important to note that bracelets are older than the Mi Band. 4 They may not work properly with modern smartphones on Android 13/14 Because of the outdated Bluetooth protocols 4.0. In such cases, installing the old version of the application will help (more about this in the section about errors).

Xiaomi regularly updates the list of supported devices, so before buying the bracelet, check its compatibility with your smartphone model on the official website.For example, the Smart Band 8 Pro requires Android 8.0+ or iOS 12.0+, Mi Band 3 can run on Android 5.0, but with limited functionality.

2. Preparation of the smartphone for synchronization

Before you connect the bracelet, you need to configure your smartphone, which will save you most of the problems in the future.

Turn on Bluetooth and GPS|Allow installation of applications from unknown sources (if necessary)|Update MIUI last-minute|Clear the Bluetooth cache in the settings|Disable Power Saving Mode for Bluetooth-->

Step 1. Update the firmware of the smartphone

An outdated version MIUI It could cause synchronization failures:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. If an update is available, install it and restart the device.
3. For models with unlocked bootloader (Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3 Pro) check the version through fastboot getvar all.

Step 2: Set up permits

Fitness bracelet applications require the following permits:

• 📍 Geodata – for accurate jogging tracking.
• 📱 Notifications – to have the bracelet duplicate incoming calls and messages.
• 🔋 Auto Start – for stable background operation.
• 🔒 Special access – permission to change system settings (required for Mi Band 7 and newer).

To include them:

1. Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Mi Fitness/Zepp.
2. Activate all switches in the permissions section.
3. In addition → Auto-run add the application to the exceptions.

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After the update MIUI Bracelet stopped syncing, try resetting Bluetooth settings: Settings → Connections → Bluetooth → ⚙️ → Reset the settings.

3. Installation and configuration of official software

Choosing the right app is half the success, and let's look at two basic options.

Option 1: Mi Fitness (for Mi Band) 5–7 Smart Band 7/8 Pro)

• 📥 Download Mi Fitness from Google Play or App Store.
• 🔑 Sign up with Mi Account (required! without an account, synchronizing data to the cloud is impossible).
• 🔄 Enable Automatic Synchronization in Profile Settings.

Option 2: Zepp Life (for Smart Band 8 Pro and Amazfit)

• 🌐 The application is available on the official website (there are versions for Android and iOS).
• 🔗 Supports synchronization with Apple Health and Google Fit.
• ⚡ Requires Bluetooth 5.0+ For full-time work (on the Mi Band 6 will be limited functionality).

Important: If you have a Smart Band 8 Pro, installing both apps (Mi Fitness and Zepp Life) will lead to a synchronization conflict. Use only one!

4. Step-by-step synchronization instruction

Now, the connection process itself, and the instructions are universal for most models, but we'll give you some nuances for specific wristbands.

Step 1. Turn on the bracelet

• 🔋 Charge the bracelet to 100% (a minimum of 50 is required for the first activation%).
• 🔘 Press the touch button on the Mi Band or the side key on the Smart Band Pro for 3-5 seconds until the logo appears.
• 📱 Make sure the bracelet vibrates – this is a signal of readiness to pair.

Step 2. Search for the device in the application

1. Open Mi Fitness or Zepp Life.
2. Click Profile → Add the device.
3. Select your bracelet model from the list (if not, update the app).
4. Confirm the pairing on your smartphone and bracelet (click the tick on the tracker screen).

Step 3: Set up the main parameters

After successful connection, the application will offer:

• ⏱️ Set a time zone (should coincide with a smartphone).
• 📏 Indicate height, weight, sex (affects calorie and step accuracy).
• 🔔 Set up notifications (select applications whose alerts will be duplicated).
• 🔒 Enable screen lock (bracelet will unlock the phone when approaching).

5. Solving typical synchronization errors

Even if you set it up properly, you can have failures, and let's look at the most common problems and their solutions.

Error 1: "I failed to connect to the device"

• 🔄 Reboot both devices (bracelet and smartphone).
• 📱 Reset network settings on your phone: Settings → SIM-maps and networks → Resetting Wi-Fi, Mobile Network and Bluetooth.
• 🔋 Check the bracelet charge – at levels below 20%, some models refuse to sync.

Error 2: Data is not updated in the app

• ⚙️ Enable background activity for Mi Fitness: Settings → Annexes → Mi Fitness → Battery → Background activity.
• 🔄 Manually update the data by pulling the screen down in the main menu of the application.
• 📥 Remove the app cache: Settings → Annexes → Mi Fitness → Warehouse → Clear the cache.

Error 3: The bracelet connects but does not show notifications

• 🔔 Check the permissions for Mi Fitness in Settings → Notifications → Applicants' authorizations.
• 📵 Make sure the Do Not Disturb mode on the bracelet is not turned on (swipe down the screen and check the bell icon).
• 🔄 Reconnect the bracelet: Profile → Your device. → Shut down. → Reconnect.

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If none of these methods worked, try rolling back the Mi Fitness app version to the next one. 5.6.0 — It works more consistently with bracelets on Android 12/13.

⚠️ Note: LineageOS, Pixel Experience may not sync due to lack of Google Play services, requiring MicroG installation or alternative applications such as Tools & Mi Band.

6. Additional settings and hidden functions

After successful synchronization, you can activate functions that many users are unaware of.

1. Customization of gestures

• 🙌 Enable the raising of your hand to activate the screen: Profile → Your device. → Display settings → Raise your hand.
• 🔄 Set up automatic screen shutdown (default: 5 seconds, can be increased to 30 seconds).

2.Smart alarm clocks

• ⏰ Activate the light sleep phase to wake up: Profile → Son → Smart alarm clock.
• 📊 The app will analyze your sleep and wake you up at the optimal time in a given interval (for example, from 7:00 to 7:30).

3. Control of music

• 🎵 On the Smart Band. 7 Pro and newer can be controlled by a player from a smartphone (play/pause, track).
• 🔊 To do this, in the bracelet settings, turn on Music Management.

4. NFC and contactless payments

Supported models NFC (Mi Band 7 NFC, Smart Band 8 Pro is a great way to do it:

• 💳 Link a bank card through Mi Pay (works only with supported banks, for example, Sberbank, Tinkoff).
• 🚇 Use the bracelet as a pass in the subway (so far only in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Kazan).
• 🔑 Emulate key card for intercom (requires programming through intercom) NFC Tools).

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To extend the life of the bracelet battery, turn off the constant pulse (measurement every 5 minutes) and leave only the automatic measurement in your sleep.

7. Update of bracelet firmware

Regular firmware updates add new features and fix bugs. Here's how to install them:

Step 1. Check the current version

1. Open Mi Fitness.
2. Go to Profile → Your Device → Update Firmware.
3. Compare the current version with the latest support available on the site.

Step 2. Update

• 📥 If the update is available, click Download and install.
• 🔋 Make sure the bracelet is charged at more than 50%.
• 📶 Connect to stable Wi-Fi (update via mobile Internet may interrupt).
• ⏳ Don't interrupt! The update takes 5-10 minutes.

⚠️ Warning: If the bracelet goes off or off during a firmware update, it may stop turning on, in which case only flashing through Mi Band Tools (required) will help. Windows/Python bracelet).

Step 3: Checking after the update

• 🔄 Reset the bracelet (press the button for 10 seconds).
• 📊 Synchronize data manually to avoid losses.
• 🔍 Check the operation of all sensors (pulse, SpO₂) wristband.

8. Alternative synchronization methods

If official applications are not suitable (for example, due to regional restrictions), third-party solutions can be used.

1. Notify & Fitness for Mi Band

• 🔄 Supports all models from Mi Band 2 to Smart Band 8 Pro.
• 🔔 Allows you to customize your own notifications (e.g., filtering messages by keyword).
• 📊 Export data to Google Fit, Apple Health, Strava.

2. Mi Band Master

• 🎨 Changes the dials without restrictions (unlike the official appendix).
• 🔧 Gives access to hidden settings (for example, changing the pulse rate).
• ⚠️ Requires root rights on some firmware for full functionality.

3. Gadgetbridge (for advanced users)

• 🐧 It runs on Linux and Android without official apps.
• 📥 Supports manual loading of firmware.
• 🔧 Allows you to turn off unnecessary functions (such as menstrual cycle notifications).

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The side of the application may deprive you of warranties if the bracelet fails when using them, and we recommend backing up data before experimenting.

FAQ: Frequent questions about synchronization