Xiaomi Watches with Phone: Full Instruction from A to Z

Xiaomi’s smartwatches and fitness bracelets have long been an integral part of the brand’s ecosystem, but many users face difficulties when connecting for the first time. Despite the intuitive interface of Mi Fitness (formerly Mi Fit) or Zepp Life apps, the pairing process can be interrupted due to outdated firmware, Bluetooth conflicts or improper phone settings. This article will help you understand all the nuances from choosing the right application to solving typical errors such as “failed to connect” or “d device not found”.

We will look at the current models of 2022-2026: from the budget Mi Band 8 and Redmi Watch 3 Active to the flagship Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro and Xiaomi Watch. S3. We’ll focus on workarounds for phones without Google services (Huawei, Honor) and devices with custom firmware. If you’ve tried to connect a watch but failed, skip the introductory section and go straight to the section “Prevalent Errors and Solutions».

What app do you need to connect Xiaomi watches?

The choice of software depends on the device model and the region of purchase. Since 2023, Xiaomi has been actively migrating all wearable gadgets to the Zepp Life platform (formerly Amazfit), but some models still require Mi Fitness.

• 📱 Mi Fitness (Mi Fit): Mi Band 3/4/5/6/7, Redmi Watch 2 Lite, older versions of Xiaomi Watch (before) 2022 The app is available on Google Play and App Store.
• 🌐 Zepp Life: Mi Band 8, Xiaomi Watch 2/2 Pro, Xiaomi Watch S2/S3, Redmi Watch 3/3 You can download it here (Android) or here (iOS).
• ⚠️ Xiaomi Wear: Experimental app for Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro (Android only) does not support all features, but allows you to do without a Xiaomi account.

Important: If your watch is released after 2022, but the manual says Mi Fitness, check the relevance of the information on the official Xiaomi website. For example, the Mi Band 7 Pro was initially supported only in Zepp Life, but later came compatibility with Mi Fitness through a firmware update.

⚠️ Note: On Huawei and Honor phones without Google services, Zepp Life and Mi Fitness apps may not be installed via AppGallery. APK-files from the official website or alternative stores such as APKPure (with security risks).

Preparation of the phone before pairing

Before connecting the watch, make sure your phone meets the minimum requirements:

• 📲 Android 6.0+ or iOS 12.0+ (Zepp Life is not lower than Android 8.0).
• 🔄 Bluetooth 4.2+ (For stable operation with Mi Band 8 and later, Bluetooth 5.0 is recommended).
• 📶 Internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile data) to download the firmware of the watch.
• 🔋 Charge of the phone battery and watches at least 50%.

Also, follow the following steps:

Turn on Bluetooth in your phone settings

Remove old versions of Mi Fitness/Zepp Life (if you were)

Turn off power saving mode for Bluetooth

Allow the app to access notifications and location

Reboot your phone (recommended for previous failed connection attempts)-->

On Android, check out:

1. Go to Settings. → Annexes → Zepp Life/Mi Fitness → Permissions and enable all switches (especially Notifications, Location, Phone).
2. B Settings → Connections → Bluetooth removes all previously saved devices called Mi Band or Xiaomi Watch.
3. Turn off the developer mode (if it was turned on) – it can block pairing.

⚠️ Attention: On iPhone with iOS 17+ After connecting the clock, you may need to manually allow access to Notifications in Settings → Notifications → Zepp Life. Without this, you won't get any call and text alerts.

Step-by-step instructions for pairing Xiaomi watches

Let’s look at the Xiaomi Watch example. S3 Zepp Life apps (for Mi Fitness, steps are similar, only menu items are different).

1. Download and install Zepp Life from the official store. When you first start, register through Xiaomi Account, Google, Apple ID Without an account, synchronization of data will not work.
2. Adding a device Press Profile → Add the device (badge «+» Choose your watch model from the list. If you don't have one, update the app or check compatibility on Xiaomi.
3. Bluetooth pairing Make sure the watch is on (press a button or tap the screen). The app will request a connection - confirm it. The watch may need to press a button or select Confirm on the screen.
4. After pairing, the app will suggest updating the watch firmware. Don't interrupt the process, it can cause the device to crash. Update time: 5 to 20 minutes depending on the model.
5. Set up notifications Go to the Device Profile → Notifications and switches on for the desired applications (calls, SMS, WhatsApp, Telegram, etc. Android also requires you to allow access to the system settings.

For Mi Band (without screen), the process is simplified:

1. Charge the bracelet to 100%.
2. In the app, select Add Device → Mi Smart Band.
3. Press the touch button of the bracelet and it will begin to vibrate.
4. Confirm the pairing in the appendix.

💡

If the clock is not set, try turning on the plane mode on the phone for 10 seconds, then turn off and re-search the device. This resets the Bluetooth cache.

Compatibility table of watch models and applications

To avoid confusion, we have collected up-to-date data on model support across different applications:

If your model is not in the table, check it on the official website or in the documentation. For example, Xiaomi Watch Color 2 works only with Mi Fitness, released in 2021.

Mi Band 8

Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro

Redmi Watch 3 Active

Mi Band 7 or older

Other model (write in the comments)-->

Common mistakes and their solutions

Even if the instructions are followed correctly, users face problems, and consider common mistakes and how to fix them:

1.The watch is not on the device list

• 🔍 Check if Bluetooth is on on your phone and watch.
• 🔄 Reboot both devices.
• 📱 Remove the application cache (Settings) → Annexes → Zepp Life → Memory. → Clear the cache).
• 🔋 Make sure the clock is charged (the indicator should burn when charging is connected).

2. "Unable to connect" error (code 8805, 8817)

These codes indicate problems with Xiaomi servers or account:

• 🔄 Log out of the account in the application and log in again.
• 🌐 Check your internet connection (turn off) VPN, if used).
• ⏳ Wait 10-15 minutes and try again – the servers may be overloaded.
• 📧 If persists error, contact support via Profile → Feedback in the annex.

3.The clock is connected but the data is not synchronized

The problem often arises from:

• 🚫 Energy saving mode: add Zepp Life to exceptions (Settings) → Battery → Optimizing the battery).
• 🔒 Background restrictions: Allow the app to run in the background.
• 📡 Weak Bluetooth signal: bring the watch closer to the phone (maximum 10 meters without barriers).

4 There are no notifications on iPhones

On iOS, setting up notifications requires additional steps:

1. Open iPhone Settings → Notifications → Zepp Life.
2. Enable Allow Notifications and select Banner Style.
3. In the Zepp Life app itself, go to the Device Profile → Notifications and switch on switches for the desired applications.
4. Reboot the iPhone.

⚠️ Attention: On iPhone with iOS 16+ Call notifications may not work due to Apple's limitations. This is not a clock bug, but a feature of the operating system. Use the Mi Fitness app as a workaround (if it supports your model).

Additional settings after connection

After successful pairing, it is recommended to configure the following parameters for maximum convenience:

1. Personalization of the dial

On the Zepp Life app:

1. Go to the Device Profile → Dials.
2. Choose your favorite version from the collection (there are animated and thematic).
3. For Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro and Watch S3 Dials with widgets are available (weather, steps, pulse).

On Mi Band, dials are changed through Profile → Display and brightness → Dials.

2.Setting up sleep and activity tracking

• 💤 Enable Sleep Monitoring in Profile → Sleep (recommended Sensitive mode for accurate data).
• 🏃‍♂️ Add Types of Training to Profile → Training (running, cycling, swimming, etc.).
• ⚠️ To swim, activate Pool Mode - this will turn off the touch screen during the swim.

3. Music and camera control

Watch with screen (Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro, Watch) S3):

• 🎵 Include Music Management in Profile → Music – this will allow you to switch tracks right from the clock.
• 📸 To remotely control the camera of the phone, activate the option in Profile → Camera (works with the standard Android Camera app).

💡

Once connected, be sure to update the watch firmware through the app – this will fix bugs and add new features (for example, control gestures in Mi Band 8).

Xiaomi Watches with Multiple Phones

Many users want to sync their watches with two smartphones (for example, a work and a personal one).Unfortunately, Xiaomi does not officially support multi-connection, but there are workarounds:

Method 1: Manually switching

1. Disconnect the clock from the first phone in the app (Device Profile) → Shut down).
2. Connect them to the second phone via Zepp Life/Mi Fitness.
3. If necessary, repeat the process in reverse order.

Disadvantages: Data on steps, sleep and training will be scattered on the two devices.

Method 2: Use two accounts (for Zepp Life only)

Some models (Xiaomi Watch) S3) You can link your watch to two accounts at the same time:

1. On the first phone, connect the watch through the main account.
2. On the second phone, sign in to Zepp Life under a different account and add the same watch.
3. In the settings of the watch, enable the option Multi-Device (if available).

Limitation: Notifications will be duplicated on both phones.

⚠️ Attention: When you frequently reconnect your watch to different phones, time and data synchronization may be lost. We recommend using this method no more than 1-2 times a week.

FAQ: Frequent questions about connecting Xiaomi watches