Synchronizing Xiaomi smartwatch with phone: from connectivity to fine-tuning

Xiaomi smartwatches are not just accessories, but full-fledged assistants for health tracking, notification management, and even payment. But to make the device work at full capacity, it needs to be properly synchronized with the phone. Many users face problems: the watch does not find the phone, the Mi Fitness app (or Zepp Life) gives out errors, and the steps or pulse data are not updated. In this article, we will analyze all the steps from the first connection to solving typical problems.

It is important to understand that the synchronization process depends on the watch model (Mi Band). 7/8, Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro, Redmi Watch 3) And the firmware versions of the phone, for example, for devices on Wear. OS (Xiaomi Watch S3) You will need to install additional applications from Google Play, and for fitness bracelets Mi Band – only proprietary software from Xiaomi.

If you just bought a watch or encountered an error after an update, don't rush to bring it to the service. In 90% of cases, you can solve the problem yourself - just follow the instructions and check the key settings. Let's start with preparation!

1. Preparation of the phone and clock for synchronization

Before you plug in the watch, make sure your phone meets the minimum requirements.Most Xiaomi models will require:

• 📱 Android 6.0 or later (for iPhone – iOS 10.0)+, but with limited functionality).
• 🔋 At least 50% charge the phone battery (synchronization can take up to 10 minutes).
• 📶 Stable Wi-Fi or mobile internet connection (for downloading apps and updates).
• 🚫 Power Saving and Do Not Disturb – They Can Block Notifications From the Watch.

Also check your watch model's compatibility with your phone.For example, Mi Band 8 officially supports synchronization with Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO, It can be bugged on Samsung or Huawei devices due to manufacturer restrictions.A full list of compatible devices can be found on Mi.com.

⚠️ Note: If you are using Xiaomi Watch S3 or another model on Wear OS, Before connecting, install the Wear app OS Google from Play Market. Without it, your watch won't sync to your phone, even if you install Mi Fitness.

Don't forget to update your phone's firmware to the latest version. → The phone. → System update: Outdated software can cause conflicts with watch apps, especially if you use it MIUI 13 or newer.

2. Installation of necessary applications

To synchronize the Xiaomi watch, one of the official applications is required – the choice depends on the model:

After installing the app, sign up or sign in to your Xiaomi account (or Zepp if you use Watch). S3). Without authorization, synchronization of data (steps, sleep, pulse) will not be possible. If you already have a Mi Account, use it - this will make it easier to restore data when changing your phone.

⚠️ Note: On Huawei or Honor phones, Mi Fitness may not be installed due to restrictions HMS. In this case, download. APK-file from the official APKPure website, but beware - third-party sources may spread malware.

If you use an iPhone, note that the functionality will be limited, for example, Mi Band 8 will not work:

• 🔊 Call notifications (only) SMS applications).
• 💳 Contactless payments Mi Pay.
• 📱 Managing music on the phone.

3. Step-by-step synchronization instruction

Now, let's move on to the connection process itself, and consider the universal algorithm for most models (such as the Mi Band 8 and the Mi Fitness app):

1. Turn on Bluetooth on your phone. Go to Settings. → Connections → Bluetooth and activate it. For stable operation, also turn on Device Search.
2. Launch the Mi Fitness app and click Add Device (Icon «+» top-right).
3. Select your watch model from the list. If it's not available, click on the Other device and type the name manually.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen. The app will prompt you to confirm the connection on the watch – to do this, click on their touch button or tap the screen (depending on the model).
5. Wait until the sync is complete. At this point, the clock can reset, which is normal.

If you are connected to Xiaomi Watch S3 or another model on Wear OS, The process is a little different:

1. Install the Wear OS by Google app.
2. Turn on Bluetooth and Wi-Fi on your phone.
3. Launch Wear OS, Select Set a new watch and follow the instructions.
4. Once connected, install Zepp Life to access Xiaomi’s branded features (sleep monitoring, exercise, etc.).

Important: If the watch has already been connected to another phone, first reset it to factory settings. To do this, on the Mi Band, press and hold the touch button for 10 seconds until the vibration appears. On Xiaomi Watch, go to Settings → System system → Reset.

Bluetooth on your phone

The correct application (Mi) is installed. Fitness/Zepp Life)

The clock is at least 30% charged.

Account. Xiaomi/Zepp authorized

Old data from the clock deleted (when reconnected)-->

4. Set up notifications and basic functions

Once synchronized successfully, set up key functions to make the watch work as efficiently as possible. Open the Mi Fitness (or Zepp Life) app and go to the device management section.

Notifications:

• 📩 Allow notifications to be accessed in phone settings: Settings → Annexes → Mi Fitness → Notifications → Permission.
• 🔔 In the app itself, select which notifications to show on the clock: calls, SMS, Messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram), mail.
• 🚫 Turn off unnecessary alerts (such as games or ads) to avoid overloading the watch screen.

Health monitoring:

• ❤️ Turn on Continuous pulse measurement (affects battery charge).
• 😴 Activate phase-detection sleep tracking (light/deep sleep).
• 🏃 Set up automatic recognition of workouts (walking, running, cycling).

Additional functions:

• 🔒 Set up the phone unlock in hours (works only on the phone) Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco s MIUI).
• 🌍 Select the time format (12/24 Units of measurement (metres/kilometers or feet/miles).
• 🎵 Connect music control (for Mi Band 8 and later).

For models with NFC (For example, Xiaomi Watch S2) You can set up contactless payments through Mi Pay:

1. Open the Mi Fitness app.
2. Go to the Device. → Mi Pay.
3. Add a bank card (Sberbank, Tinkoff, VTB, etc. are supported).
4. Confirm the link via SMS from the bank.

1. Is Bluetooth on the phone?

2. Is Notifications Allowed for the Mi app Fitness/Zepp Life.

3. Whether the watch is not worth it in the mode "Do not disturb" (on some models it turns on automatically at night).-->

5. Solving typical synchronization problems

Even with the right connection, there can be errors, and let's look at the most common ones and how to fix them:

Problem 1: The watch doesn’t find the phone (or vice versa).

• 🔄 Reboot both devices.
• 🔋 Check the battery power of the watch (at a level below 10%, Bluetooth may turn off).
• 📱 Remove the watch from the list of associated devices in the phone’s Bluetooth settings and reconnect.
• 🛠️ Update the watch firmware through the Mi Fitness app (Device Profile) → Update of the PO).

Problem 2: The application gives an error "Can't connect."

• 🌐 Check your internet connection (required to log in to your account).
• 🔒 Temporarily shut down. VPN Firewalls – they can block the connection to Xiaomi servers.
• 📦 Reinstall the Mi app Fitness/Zepp Life.
• 📱 On Xiaomi phones, check if Hidden Space is enabled (it can restrict access to Bluetooth).

Problem 3: Data is not synchronized (steps, pulse, sleep).

• 🔄 In the application, click Sync Data Manually (cloud icon).
• ⏳ Wait 10-15 minutes – sometimes the delay is due to the load on the servers Xiaomi.
• 📊 Check if the battery saving mode on the watch is turned on (it limits background synchronization).

⚠️ Note: If you are using Xiaomi Watch S3 I had a problem with the error, “I couldn’t connect to the Wear.” OS", Try the following: Remove the watch from the Wear app OS Reboot your phone. Reconnect your watch, but when you select your account, use your Google account, not Xiaomi.

For Mi Band 8 and newer models, you can reset the clock settings to factory ones if you have problems with synchronization, but note that this will delete all data from the device. To avoid loss of information, pre-export the history in the application:

1. Open Mi Fitness.
2. Go to Profile → Settings → Export data.
3. Save the file to your phone or the cloud.

6. Update the firmware of the watch through the phone

Regular firmware updates fix bugs, add new features and improve stability.To update Xiaomi's watch:

1. Open the Mi Fitness or Zepp Life app.
2. Select your device in the list.
3. Go to the Device Profile → Software Update.
4. If a new version is available, click Update.
5. Wait until the process is complete (don’t turn off Bluetooth or shut down the app!).

For a Wear watch. OS (For example, Xiaomi Watch S3) Updates are installed automatically through Google Play Services, but you can check them manually:

1. On the clock, open Settings. → System system → Updating the system.
2. If there is an update, confirm the installation.

⚠️ Note: If the clock is interrupted during the firmware update (e.g., the phone is down or Bluetooth is down), the device may stop turning on. In this case: Put the clock on charge for 30 minutes. Reboot it by holding the power button for 15-20 seconds. If the watch does not react, contact the service center Xiaomi – self-repair can lead to loss of warranty.

After the update, check the performance of the main functions:

• 📶 Synchronizing data with the phone.
• ❤️ Measurement of pulse and blood oxygen levels.
• 🔔 Notifications coming in.

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Update the firmware of the watch only at a battery level of at least 50%. If during the update the clock runs out, this can lead to "bricking" (complete inoperability) of the device.

7.Sync with third applications (Google Fit, Strava, Apple Health)

If you use third-party health tracking services (such as Google Fit, Strava or Apple Health), data from Xiaomi watches can be automatically exported there.

For Android (Google Fit):

1. Open Mi Fitness.
2. Go to Profile → Settings → Accounts and Synchronization.
3. Select Google Fit and log in through your Google account.
4. Allow access to data on steps, pulse, sleep and training.

For iPhone (Apple Health):

1. In Mi Fitness, go to Profile → Settings → Apple Health.
2. Turn on synchronization for the desired parameters (steps, sleep, weight, etc.).
3. Confirm access in the iPhone settings: Settings → Confidentiality → Health → Mi Fitness.

To sync with Strava or other fitness apps, use intermediate services, such as:

• SyncSolver (syncsolver.com) is paid for, but supports most platforms.
• Health Sync (Android) – syncs data between Google Fit and Strava for free.

Note that data export may delay up to 24 hours, and some parameters (such as stress level or heart rate variability) may not be shared with third-party apps due to Xiaomi restrictions.

8 How to disconnect the clock from the phone without losing data

If you want to connect your watch to another phone or temporarily turn it off, do it right so you don't lose your activity history.

Method 1: Appendix (recommended)

1. Open Mi Fitness or Zepp Life.
2. Select your device in the list.
3. Press three points (⋮) in the upper right corner and select Remove the device.
4. Confirm the disconnection. Data will be stored in the account. Xiaomi/Zepp.

Method 2: Through Bluetooth settings

1. On your phone, go to Settings. → Connections → Bluetooth.
2. Find your watch in the list of connected devices.
3. Press the gear icon (⚙️) and select Forget the device.

Method 3: Resetting the clock to factory settings

Use this method if the watch is not turned off via the app or you are transferring it to another person:

• For Mi Band: Press and hold the touch button for 10-15 seconds until you feel the vibration.
• For Xiaomi Watch: Go to Settings → System system → Reset.

⚠️ Warning: If you sell or give away a watch, make sure to reset to factory settings, otherwise the new owner will be able to access your health data, notifications, and even contactless payments (if Mi Pay is set up).

After disconnecting, you can connect your watch to another phone, following the instructions in Section 3. All data (steps, sleep, workouts) will be stored in your Xiaomi account and will be available after re-authorization.

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Before resetting the watch, export the data in the Mi Fitness app (Profile) → Settings → Data exportation. This will create a backup that can be restored to the new device.

FAQ: Frequent questions about synchronizing Xiaomi smart watches