Xiaomi smartphone owners often wonder if premium wearables from a competitor, particularly the Galaxy Watch, can be used. The situation in the wearables market is such that ecosystems tend to be closed, but Android provides opportunities for cross-platform work. Mi and Redmi smartphones allow you to connect a Samsung watch, but the process requires a number of specific actions that go beyond standard Bluetooth pairing.
The main difficulty lies in the software restrictions that Samsung implements for its devices, requiring the presence of a proprietary application Galaxy Wearable. On Xiaomi smartphones with a shell MIUI or HyperOS, standard installation procedures can be blocked by security or lack of necessary services in regional versions of the Play Market.
In this article, we will take a closer look at how to get around these limitations and make gadgets work in tandem. The key is to install a special plugin Samsung Accessory Service, which is often absent from automatic installation on non-Samsung devices. Following the instructions will allow you to fully use the functions of smartwatches, including notifications and activity tracking.
Operating System Compatibility and Hardware Requirements
Before you start installing, you need to make sure that the technical possibility of pairing. Galaxy Watch runs on the operating system Wear OS (formerly Tizen in older models), which requires a specific version of Android on a smartphone. For Xiaomi devices, the minimum requirement is Android version 8.0 and above, as well as a minimum of 1.5 GB of free RAM.
New models like the Galaxy Watch 4, Watch 5 and Watch 6 have more stringent security requirements and may require Google Mobile Services, which are present in global Xiaomi versions but may not be available in Chinese firmware. If you have a Chinese version of a smartphone, you will need to globalize or install Google services manually.
The Bluetooth module in Xiaomi smartphones usually doesn’t cause problems, but it’s important that it maintains a stable connection. BLE (In some cases, older versions of Bluetooth 4.0 may cause connection breaks or problems syncing health data.Make sure Bluetooth drivers are updated through system updates MIUI.
⚠️ Note: ECG and blood pressure measurements are officially only available in conjunction with Samsung smartphones. On Xiaomi, these sensors may not be available or require complex manipulation of regional account settings.
Preparation of Xiaomi smartphone for installation
Xiaomi’s device preparation process begins with setting up access rights and permissions. The aggressive MIUI and HyperOS energy saving system often blocks the background of applications, which is critical for smartwatches. Without the right setup, notifications from the watch will simply not arrive on the lock screen.
If you use a smartphone without Google services, setting up a Samsung watch will be extremely difficult, since the Galaxy Wearable app depends on the Google Play Services libraries.
Next, you should turn on all the necessary communication modules. In addition to Bluetooth, you may need a stable Internet connection via Wi-Fi or mobile network to set up your initial setup. Make sure that geolocation is enabled, as Android requires location access to search for Bluetooth devices.
☑️ Xiaomi Preparation for the Connection
It is important to free up space in memory. The process of installing and caching dials, updating the firmware of the watch can take a significant amount of time. It is recommended to have at least 2 GB of free space in the internal memory of the smartphone.
Step-by-step: Installation of Galaxy Wearable
The main tool for managing the watch is the Galaxy Wearable app. On Xiaomi smartphones, its installation may not go as smoothly as on Samsung devices. The standard way is to search in Google Play Store. Type in "Galaxy Wearable" and click the installation button.
However, it is often the case that Play Market says "Device is not compatible." In this case, do not despair. You will need to download the APK installation file from a proven resource, for example, APKMirror. Download the latest stable version, avoiding beta versions that may contain errors.
After downloading. APK-filesystem MIUI It will give you a security alert, you will need to allow installation from unknown sources, go to the security settings and give permission to the browser or file manager to install the applications.
Once you have installed the Galaxy Wearable, launch the app, and it will immediately start looking for available devices, and if the watch is new, it will go into pairing mode automatically, and if the watch has been in use, you may need to reset it to factory settings through the watch menu.
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If the Galaxy Wearable app doesn’t see the watch, try “forgetting” the device in your smartphone’s Bluetooth settings, and then search again through the app instead of through the Bluetooth system menu.
Installation of critical plugins
The most important stage in which most Xiaomi users are struggling is installing plugins. The Galaxy Wearable app is just a shell. To work with specific watches (such as the Watch 4 or Watch Active 2), a separate Samsung Accessory Service plugin and a plugin of a particular model are required.
Usually, the app will suggest installing the missing components. However, on Xiaomi, this process can be interrupted or suspended. If the automatic installation does not work, you will have to find and install Samsung Accessory Service manually through the help of the app. APK-file.
Without this service, the watch will not be able to transmit steps, pulse and notifications. Watch4 Plugin (or your model) which is also available as a standalone APK-file.
| Component | Appointment | Necessity | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Galaxy Wearable | Main management annex | I'll be sure. | Play Market / APK |
| Samsung Accessory Service | Link between OS and clock | Critically. | Play Market / APK |
| Watch4 Plugin | Driver for the Watch 4/5/6 | For new models | Play Market / APK |
| Google Fit | Synchronization of health | Recommended | Play Market |
Once all the components are installed, restart your Xiaomi smartphone, allowing the system to register new services and set up background processes. Without a reboot, services may not start correctly.
Where to download safely APK-file?
Configuring MIUI Permits and Energy Saving
This is the most important section for Xiaomi owners, and the MIUI system is known for aggressive battery optimization, which kills application background processes, and in order for the watch to work consistently, you need to exclude Samsung applications from the optimizer.
Go to Settings → Applications → All apps. Find the Galaxy Wearable, Samsung Accessory Service and your watch model plugin in the list. For each, do the following: turn on Auto Start, allow the background to work, and most importantly, select No Restrictions under Energy Saving.
You also need to give all the permissions you need: access to contacts, phone, SMS, location, microphone and memory. Without access to contacts, you won't see the names of the callers on the watch, and without access to SMS, you won't receive notifications of messages.
⚠️ Warning: Don't ignore the "No Limits" setting for the battery. If you don't, the clock will be disconnected every time. 15-30 minutes when your smartphone screen goes out and you miss important notifications.
Solving common problems and errors
Even if you follow all the instructions, you can get errors, and one of the most common is "failed to complete the setup" or the endless software update cycle on the watch, which helps to clear the cache and data of all three Samsung applications (Wearable, Service, Plugin) and repeat the procedure.
Notification problems are often solved by checking the settings inside the Galaxy Wearable app itself. Make sure the switches for the right apps (Telegram, WhatsApp, Calls) are activated. Also check if the watch is not on Do Not Disturb or Theatre Mode.
If the watch is permanently off, try turning off the Wi-Fi feature on the watch itself in its settings, leaving only Bluetooth. Sometimes the priority of Wi-Fi causes conflicts on the Xiaomi network. Also helps Bluetooth reconnect: turn off, turn on, delete the device, create a pair again.
In some cases, you may want to turn off the option "MIUI Optimization" in the developer menu, but this is an extreme measure that can affect the performance of other applications.
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90% of connection problems on Xiaomi are solved by properly setting up auto-start and removing battery restrictions for Samsung apps.
Functional capabilities of the Xiaomi and Samsung bundle
Once you have a successful setup, you will have access to a wide range of features: you will be able to see notifications, answer calls (if you have a speaker and microphone in the watch), manage music and use Google Pay (if supported by the region and the bank).
Activity tracking will sync with Google Fit and Samsung Health.Please note that Samsung Health may require additional setup or use of modified versions of the app to run on non-Samsung devices, as the official app may block the sign-in.
You can install dials and apps from the Galaxy Store directly on your watch, but keep in mind that some apps that are tailored to the Samsung ecosystem may not be installed or run in an unstable way with Xiaomi.