How to connect Xiaomi watches to the phone: instructions for all models

Xiaomi’s smartwatch is not just an accessory, but a full-fledged assistant for health tracking, managing notifications, and even paying for purchases. However, many users face difficulties when connecting a device to a smartphone for the first time. Synchronization errors, lack of connection, or malfunctioning features are often associated with missed steps in setting up or outdated firmware.

In this article, you will find step-by-step instructions for connecting any Xiaomi watch — from the budget Mi Band to the flagship Xiaomi Watch S3 — to Android and iOS phones. We will not only break down basic synchronization via Mi Fitness or Zepp Life, but also solve typical problems: why the watch does not find the phone, how to update the firmware for stable operation and what settings to optimize for battery savings. If you have just unpacked a new device or want to reconfigure an old one, this guide will help avoid common errors.

What Xiaomi Watch Can I Connect to My Phone?

Xiaomi has several line of wearables, and not all of them sync the same way.

• 📱 Mi Band (all generations) – fitness bracelets with basic functions (stepmeter, pulse, notifications) are connected via Mi Fitness (formerly Mi Fit).
• ⌚ Xiaomi Watch (S1, S2, S3, Color – full-fledged smart watch with Wear OS or proprietary firmware. Require the Zepp Life app (for 2022 models)+ year-end).
• 🏃 Xiaomi Smart Band Pro – a hybrid of bracelet and watches AMOLED-It's using Zepp Life.
• 🩺 Medical devices (e.g. Xiaomi Blood Pressure Monitor) – connect via specialized apps and are not a watch.

Important: models for the Chinese market (with the CN suffix in the title) may require additional manipulation, for example, changing the region in the firmware or using a VPN to download proprietary software.

Preparing the phone before connecting

Before syncing, make sure your smartphone meets the minimum requirements:

• 🤖 For Android: version no lower than 6.0 Marshmallow (for new watches - 8.0 Oreo and higher).
• 🍎 For iPhone: iOS 12.0 or later (but some features, such as answering calls, may be limited).
• 📶 Bluetooth 4.2+ — Required for stable connection. Check in phone settings (Settings) → The phone. → Information on the PO).
• 🔋 The battery charge of the watch is at least 50%, the phone is 30% (to avoid failures during the setup).

Also turn off on your phone:

• 🔄 Power saving mode (it can block the background operation of applications).
• 🛡️ VPN or proxy (interfering with the loading of firmware).
• 📵 In-plane mode (even if only Wi-Fi is enabled).

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If you have a Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO phone, activate the AutoRun and Permissions settings for Mi Fitness/Zepp Life so that the app doesn’t close in the background.

Step-by-step: how to connect Xiaomi watch to the phone

The synchronization process is the same for most models, but there are nuances depending on the application.

1. Download the official app: Mi Band – Mi Fitness (Android) or Mi Fitness (iOS). Xiaomi Watch – Zepp Life (Android) or Zepp Life (iOS).
2. Sign up for an account: Use Mi Account (for Mi Fitness) or Zepp Account (for Zepp Life). If you already have a Xiaomi account, log in.
3. Turn on the watch: For Mi Band: press the touch button before vibration. For Xiaomi Watch: press the side button for 3 seconds.
4. Add the device in the app: In Mi Fitness: click Profile → Add the device. In Zepp Life: Devices → Add.
5. Follow the customization wizard: The app will offer: 🔍 Find your watch over Bluetooth (make sure it’s near your phone). 🔄 Confirm synchronization on both devices (the clock will show a code that you need to compare with the code in the application). ⬇️ Download the current firmware (if an update is available).

⚠️ Note: If Xiaomi watches have already been connected to another phone, reset them to factory settings:

• On Mi Band: Settings → Reset (in the clock menu).
• On Xiaomi Watch: Settings → System → Reset.

Solution: Xiaomi Watches Are Not Connected to Phone

If synchronization fails, check the following points:

🔧 Advanced diagnostics:

• 📲 Check the permissions of the application: Settings → Annexes → Mi Fitness/Zepp Life → Permissions (must be enabled Warehouse, Phone, Location, Bluetooth).
• 🔄 Reinstall the application if the error persists.
• 🌐 For Chinese versions of the watch (CN) You may need to change your account region to China (in your Mi Account profile settings).

Set up notifications and calls on Xiaomi watches

Once successfully connected, set up notifications to receive alerts for calls, messages, and calendar events:

1. Allow notifications: On Android: Settings → Applications → Mi Fitness/Zepp Life → Notifications → Allow. On iOS: Settings → Notifications → Zepp Life → Allow.
2. Select the apps for alerts: In Mi Fitness/Zepp Life, go to Profile → Notifications → Application Management and tick the ones you need (e.g. WhatsApp, Telegram, Gmail).
3. Set up vibration and sound: On the watch: Settings → Notifications → Vibration style (you can choose duration and intensity).

⚠️ Note: On iPhone, the function of answering calls through the Xiaomi watch works limited (only refuse to call.

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To keep notifications steady, add Mi Fitness/Zepp Life to the list of auto-run apps (on Xiaomi phones: Settings → Apps → Auto-Run).

Synchronizing Health and Fitness Data

Xiaomi watches track steps, pulse, sleep and other indicators, but for their correct operation you need additional settings:

• 🏃 Stepmer: Specify your height, weight and step length in your application profile (in Mi Fitness: Profile) → Personal data).
• ❤️ Pulse: For accurate measurements, wear a watch 2-3 fingers above the wrist and tightly, but not compressing the skin.
• 😴 Sleep tracking: Turn on sleep mode in the clock settings (automatically activated from 22:00 to 8:00, but the time can be changed).
• 🚴 Training: Choose a sport from the menu of hours before starting a class (running, cycling, swimming, etc.).

Important: To sync your data with Google Fit or Apple Health, go to Mi Fitness/Zepp Life → Settings → Sync with other services and connect the desired platform.

How to extend the work time of Xiaomi battery

Even the most powerful watches discharge faster if you don't optimize the settings, and here are some proven ways to increase autonomy:

• 🔋 Turn off the permanent screen lighting (in Settings) → Select the Wrist Raising instead of Always on).
• 📶 Reduce synchronization frequency: In Mi Fitness, set the data update interval no more than 1 hour (default: 5 minutes).
• 🛑 Disable unnecessary notifications from underutilized applications.
• 🌙 Use dark themes (on the subject) AMOLED-This reduces battery consumption by 15-20%).

📊 Comparison of autonomy of popular models (with standard settings):

FAQ: Frequent questions about connecting Xiaomi watches