How to connect the Xiaomi Mi Band watch with your phone: a complete guide with pictures and tips

The Xiaomi Mi Band fitness bracelets have long been an integral part of the daily lives of millions of users. These compact devices help monitor activity, monitor sleep, and even manage notifications from a smartphone. However, many beginners face difficulties when connecting the bracelet to a phone for the first time — especially if both are from Xiaomi. In this article, we will analyze all the nuances of synchronization, from installing the necessary software to solving possible errors.

It’s important to understand that the process of connecting the Mi Band to a Xiaomi phone has its own peculiarities compared to other brands, for example, on Redmi or Poco smartphones, you may need to additionally configure permissions to correctly work notifications. And the owners of bracelets Mi Band 7 Pro or Mi Band 8 will have to take into account the nuances with support for Bluetooth 5.2 and the new model. NFC. We covered all current models and firmware versions for 2026.

If you've tried to plug in the bracelet and you've failed, don't rush to reset. 90% of the time, the problem is solved by simple actions, which we described in the section on typical errors. And for those who have just unpacked the box with the Mi Band, we have prepared a step-by-step instruction with pictures and videos (links to official sources are given at the end of the article).

What Mi Band models support connection to Xiaomi phone

Before you start syncing, make sure your fitness bracelet is compatible with your smartphone. All Mi Band models, starting with the Mi Band 2 (2017), officially support connection to Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco phones.

• 📱 Mi Band 3/4/5: Works with all Android smartphones 5.0+ iOS 10.0+. Requires the Mi Fitness app (formerly Mi Fit).
• 🔄 Mi Band 6: The first model to support SpO₂ (oxygenate blood. For full operation, you need a firmware of the phone at least MIUI 12.
• 💡 Mi Band 7/7 Pro: added AOD (always-on display and extended workouts. Bluetooth support 5.2, speeds up synchronization.
• 🚀 Mi Band 8: the latest model (2023) with an improved heart rate sensor and NFC For contactless payments, Mi Fitness version 5.0 is required.+.

Special attention should be paid to the owners of the Mi Band 7 Pro and Mi Band 8. GPS, It works independently of the phone, but you still need an app to set the routes, and they also have a different connection algorithm, so instead of using standard Bluetooth, you can use it. BLE 5.2, which sometimes causes problems on older smartphones (like the Redmi Note 5).

If your bracelet is not on this list (like the Mi Band 1 or fake), then official synchronization with a Xiaomi phone may not be possible, in which case you will have to use third-party apps like Notify & Fitness or Tools & Mi Band, but this is a topic for a separate article.

Preparing Xiaomi Phone for Mi Band Connection

Before you connect the bracelet to your phone, you need to follow a few mandatory steps on your smartphone, which will save you most of the problems in the future.

1. Update your phone's firmware. Go to Settings. → The phone. → Update the system and install the latest patches.This is especially important for Redmi Note owners 8/9, Where were Bluetooth bugs in older versions? MIUI.
2. Install the official app. Download Mi Fitness from Google Play or the App Store. Avoid clones - they may not support the latest bracelet models.
3. Turn on Bluetooth and geolocation. You can't sync without it. Also check that Bluetooth allows you to connect new devices.
4. Set up permissions for Mi Fitness. Go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → Mi Fitness → Permits and include all items, especially: 📍 Geolocation (for tracking routes) 📱 Notifications (for synchronization of alerts) 🔋 Auto-start (to enable the bracelet to connect automatically)

Update the firmware to the latest version|Install Mi Fitness from the official store|Enable Bluetooth and geolocation|All permissions to the application Mi Fitness|Reboot the phone (recommended)-->

For owners of smartphones with MIUI 14 and later, there is a trick: if the bracelet does not connect, try temporarily disabling the Battery Optimization feature for the Mi Fitness application. → Battery → No restrictions, this will help to avoid connection breaks in the background.

⚠️ Note: If you are using Xiaomi.eu or custom firmware, you may need to manually add Mi Fitness to the list of system applications through Settings → Special facilities → Permissions for system applications. Otherwise, the bracelet will turn off every time. 10-15 minute.

Step-by-step: how to connect Mi Band to the phone Xiaomi

Now, let's move on to the synchronization process itself, and we'll break it down into steps with detailed explanations for each bracelet model.

Step 1: Launching the Mi Fitness app

Open the Mi Fitness app and click Profile → Add a device. If you already have another bracelet connected, delete it first through your device settings. → Delete.

Step 2: Choosing a bracelet model

Select your Mi Band model from the device list. If it's not available, update the app. For the Mi Band 8, you may need to select China region in your profile settings (this is a temporary bug that Xiaomi promises to fix in the next update).

Step 3: Bluetooth pairing

At this point, the app will suggest turning on Bluetooth on the phone and start searching for the devices.

• 🔋 Charged at least 20%
• 📶 It is located next to the phone (no more than 1 meter)
• 🔄 Put into pairing mode (to do this, touch the sensor of the bracelet and hold for 3 seconds until vibration appears)

If the bracelet is not located, try rebooting Bluetooth on your phone: turn it off and turn it on again through the notification bar. For the Mi Band 7 Pro and Mi Band 8, you may need additional confirmation on the bracelet itself (click the tick on the screen).

Step 4: Set up a profile

After successful connection, the application will offer to enter personal data:

• 👤 Gender, age, weight and height (important for accurate calorie counting)
• 🏃‍♂️ Activity goals (steps, sleep, exercise)
• ⏰ Time zone (must coincide with the phone)

For Mi Band 6 and newer models, be sure to activate Automatic Training Detection in the bracelet settings. Without this, fitness tracking will not work properly.

Step 5: Synchronizing data

The first synchronization can take up to 5 minutes. Don't interrupt the process!

• 📊 Did the data about the pulse and steps appear in the main menu of the application?
• 🔔 Do not receive notifications from your phone to the bracelet (test: send yourself a message via Telegram)
• 🔄 Does the time on the bracelet screen update when the phone changes?

💡

If the bracelet shows the wrong time after connecting, go to Settings Mi Fitness → The device → Date and time and enable the option "Sync with phone".

Compatibility table Mi Band with Xiaomi phones

To avoid connection problems, we have compiled a table of compatibility of popular models of bracelets and smartphones. MIUI — This is critical for a stable job.

If your smartphone is not on the list, check its specs on the official Xiaomi website. the main thing is that the phone supports Bluetooth 4.2 (for Mi Band 5 and older) or Bluetooth 5.0 (for Mi Band 6 and later).

Typical Connection Errors and Their Solutions

Even if you follow the instructions accurately, you can have problems, and we've collected some of the most common errors and ways to fix them.

1.The bracelet is not in search

If the Mi Fitness app doesn't see your Mi Band:

• 🔌 Reset the bracelet: connect to charging and hold the button for 10 seconds.
• 📱 Restart your phone and clear the Mi Fitness cache in the app settings.
• 🔄 Check if the bracelet is connected to another device (for example, a tablet).

2. data are not synchronized

If your steps, pulse, or sleep are not renewed:

• 🔄 Manually run sync in Mi Fitness (pull the screen down).
• 📶 Check your internet connection – some data (like weather) requires a network.
• ⏳ Wait. 10-15 Minutes: Sometimes synchronization occurs with a delay.

3.No notifications are coming.

If the alerts from the phone are not displayed on the bracelet:

• 🔔 In Mi Fitness, go to Device Settings → Notifications and turn on all switches.
• 📱 On your phone in Bluetooth settings, find your Mi Band, click on it and turn on Show notifications.
• 🚫 Make sure the sender app (such as WhatsApp) is not blocked in notification settings MIUI.

⚠️ Note: On smartphones with MIUI 14, there's a bug that prevents notifications from Viber and Facebook Messenger from coming to the bracelet.Solution: Turn off battery optimization for these apps manually.

4.The bracelet discharges quickly

If the Mi Band holds the charge for less than 2 days:

• 🔋 Turn it off. AOD (constantly burning screen in bracelet settings.
• 📶 Reduce your pulse rate to every 10 minutes.
• 🔄 Update the bracelet firmware through Mi Fitness.

💡

If none of these methods worked, try resetting the bracelet to factory settings. To do this, go to Mi Fitness Device Settings. → Reset. Repeat the connection process after reset.

Additional settings after connection

After successful synchronization, we recommend adjusting the bracelet for maximum convenience.

1. Set up notifications

By default, the bracelet receives notifications from all the apps, which may be redundant, to filter them out:

1. Open Mi Fitness. → Profile → Settings of the device → Notifications.
2. Select Selective Notifications and select only the desired applications (e.g. Calls, Messages, Telegram).
3. Disable notifications from games and social media if they are not critical.

Activation of health functions

For accurate health monitoring:

• 🩺 Turn on Continuous Heart rate Measurement (but remember, this reduces battery life).
• 😴 Activate Sleep Monitoring and set the alarm clock with a smart wake-up.
• 🩸 For Mi Band 6 and later, enable Measurement SpO₂ (oxygenation).

3. Screen personalization

You can change the bracelet face:

1. In Mi Fitness go to Profile → Settings of the device → Display and brightness → Dials.
2. Choose your favorite design from the collection (there are animated and thematic options).
3. Mi Band 7 Pro and Mi Band 8 are available with the NFC-payment and weather.

You can also set up Autoturn screen (for models with a AOD) To save battery life, we recommend setting a screen timeout for 5 seconds.

4. Set-up of training

If you are playing sports:

• 🏃 Add frequently used training to Quick Access on the bracelet.
• 📊 Set up automatic activity recognition (running, walking, cycling).
• 🎯 Set goals for steps and calories in the Activity section.

Mi Band 7 Pro and Mi Band 8 are available for training with GPS, It only works when connected to the phone (built-in). GPS The bracelet is used only to record the route).

How to Update Mi Band Firmware via Xiaomi Phone

Regular firmware updates fix bugs and add new features. Here's how to update the bracelet:

1. Check the current version. In Mi Fitness, go to Profile → Settings of the device → About the device.
2. Connect the bracelet to charge. The charge must be at least 50%, otherwise the update will not begin.
3. Run the update. If a new version is available, a notification will appear. Press Update and wait until it is completed (don't turn off the bracelet from charging!).
4. Reset the bracelet. Once it's updated, it will reboot automatically.

For the Mi Band 8 updates come out more often than for other models, as Xiaomi is actively refining the features NFC and SpO₂. If the update doesn’t come long, check the region in the Mi Fitness profile settings – sometimes new versions are released for China first.

⚠️ Warning: Never interrupt the upgrade process! If the bracelet is "hanging" during the installation phase, wait 20 minutes. If nothing has changed, reset through Device Settings → Reset and try again.

After the update, check all the features, especially:

• 📊 Synchronizing data with the phone
• 🔔 Notifications
• 🩺 Pulse measurement and SpO₂

If you have bugs after the update (for example, the bracelet does not vibrate when notified), try to roll back to the previous firmware version. To do this, contact Xiaomi support via the Mi Fitness app (Feedback section).

FAQ: Frequent questions about connecting Mi Band to Xiaomi