How to install and configure a watch on Xiaomi Smart Band 8: all ways

Introduction: Why it is important to adjust the time correctly on Xiaomi Smart Band 8

The Xiaomi Smart Band 8 fitness bracelet is not just an activity-tracking accessory, but also a full-fledged daily life assistant, and it depends on the accuracy of time on the correctness of sleep data, training, notifications and even alarm clocks, but many users face the problem: after buying or resetting the watch on the bracelet, the clock shows the wrong time or does not sync with the phone at all.

In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to set time on the Smart Band 8, from automatic synchronization via the Mi Fitness app to manually adjusting in case of failures, and learn how to avoid typical errors, why time can get lost and what to do if the bracelet persistently shows incorrect data despite all manipulations.

Before you start setting up, make sure your bracelet is at least 20% charged, which is the minimum for stable Bluetooth and synchronization. Also check the firmware version: in older builds (below 1.15.0), time-mapping bugs are possible.

Method 1: Automatic time synchronization through Mi Fitness

The simplest and most recommended method is to synchronize time with your phone through an official app, which works 90% of the time and doesn't require manual action.

📱 Install the Mi Fitness app (formerly Mi Fit) from Google Play or the App Store. VPN first-installation.
🔗 Connect the bracelet to your phone via Bluetooth: go to Profile → Add the device → Xiaomi Smart Band 8.
⏱️ Once successfully anchored, time automatically syncs with the phone, usually in 10 to 30 seconds.
🔄 If sync is not happening, pull the bracelet screen down (refresh gesture) or restart it by holding the 5 second button.

Important: If the phone has the wrong time (for example, after a battery change or reset), the bracelet will also show an error.

On Android: Settings → System → Date and time → Autodetermination (enable).
On iPhone: Settings → Basic → Date and time → Automatically.

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If you are using Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro or NFC-version, to synchronize time may require additional firmware update through Zepp Life (formerly Amazfit Life).

Method 2: Manual timing (if automatic synchronization is not working)

In rare cases, the bracelet does not synchronize time even after several attempts.

🚫 Block background activity Mi Fitness in the phone settings.
📵 Bluetooth issues (especially on Samsung or Huawei phones with aggressive battery optimization).
🔧 Obsolete firmware bracelet or application.

To set the time manually:

Open Mi Fitness and go to the section of your bracelet.
Slap the icon. ⚙️ (Settings of the device) → Date and time.
Turn off the option to sync with your phone.
Enter the current date and time manually, then save the changes.

If the date and time item is not on the menu, then your version of the app or the bracelet firmware does not support manual settings, in which case only an update will help:

Update Mi Fitness to the latest version|Connect the bracelet to charging (minimum 50%)|Make sure your phone is connected to Wi-Fi|Turn it off. VPN (It can block Xiaomi servers)-->

📊 What version of Xiaomi Smart Band do you use?

Smart Band 8

Smart Band 8 Pro

Smart Band 7

Another model.

Table: Frequent errors and their solutions

Problem.	Possible cause	Decision
Time is lost after disconnecting from the phone	Weak bracelet battery or failure in energy saving	Charge the bracelet to 100% and perform reset (Settings → Reset)
The clock shows the time with a difference of 3-6 hours	Wrong time zone in your phone or bracelet	Check your time zone settings in Mi Fitness and on your phone
Time is not updated after synchronization	Conflict with another fitness app (Google Fit, Samsung Health)	Turn off sync with other services in Settings → Accounts
The bracelet shows the time in a 12-hour format instead of a 24-hour one.	Regional phone settings (e.g. USA)	Change the time format in your phone settings to 24-hour

Critical information: If after all the manipulations, the time on the bracelet is still lost, check the integrity of the battery. When the wear is severe (more than 500 charging cycles), the bracelet can lose settings when the discharge is below 15%.

Method 3: Reset the bracelet to factory settings

If none of these things worked, there may have been a major failure in the firmware of the bracelet, in which case a complete reset will help, and remember that after this procedure, all the data (steps, sleep, exercise) will be deleted from the device.

Resetting instructions:

On the bracelet, go to Settings → System → Reset (or Restore Factory Settings).
Confirm the action by clicking the tick ✅.
After the reboot, connect the bracelet to your phone again via Mi Fitness.

⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi Smart Band 8 Pro models, the reset can take up to 5 minutes. Do not interrupt the process or turn off Bluetooth at this time - this will lead to a "brick" of the device (you will need firmware through the device). PC).

After reset, the time should be synchronized automatically. If the problem persists, check:

📲 Mi Fitness version (must be at least 5.6.0).
🔄 Availability of updates to the bracelet firmware (in Settings) → Update of the PO).
🛡️ No antivirus or “optimizer” that blocks background activity (e.g. Clean Master, Avast Battery Saver).

Features of setting the time for Russian users

In Russia, the official Mi Fitness app can be restricted by sanctions, which sometimes leads to timing problems.

🌍 Use it. VPN servers in Turkey, Kazakhstan or the UAE when the bracelet is first connected. VPN can be turned off.
📦 Install an alternative firmware through Notify & Fitness for Mi Band (available on Google Play) and this app supports manual time settings without official software.
⏳ If the bracelet is purchased in China, check the region in the settings: Device Profile → Region: For Russia, select Europe or Russia (if available).

Russian users also often face the problem of “time hanging” after updating the firmware, which is due to the fact that Xiaomi servers can block synchronization for devices with Russian hardware. SIM-The solution:

How to bypass the synchronization lock?

1. Put it in the phone. SIM-card of the foreign operator (or use eSIM). 2. Connect the bracelet to the phone and wait for the time synchronization. 3. Return the Russian SIM-Map – time will remain current, but will not be updated. 4 To re-synchronize, repeat steps 1-3 or use VPN.

Time accuracy and calibration

Even if the bracelet time is set correctly, it can lag behind or be in a hurry for several minutes, due to the features of the quartz generator in budget devices, to check the accuracy:

Synchronize time with your phone (see Method 1).
Compare the bracelet readings with the reference time (e.g., time.is).
If the difference is more than 2 minutes, calibrate:

1. Open Mi Fitness → Device Profile → More


2.Look for "Time Calibration" (or "Sync time manually").




3. Follow the instructions on the screen.

On the Smart Band 8 Pro and Smart Band 8 NFC, the Atomic Synchronization feature is available, which reduces the error to ±10 seconds per month.

Go to Settings → System → Exact time.
Enable Atomic Sync (Wi-Fi connection may be required).

⚠️ Attention: Frequent manual time calibration (more often 1 time per week) can lead to accelerated wear of the flash memory of the bracelet.

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For maximum time accuracy, turn off the power saving mode on your phone for the Mi Fitness app, which will allow the background synchronization to work correctly.

FAQ: Frequent questions about setting up time on Xiaomi Smart Band 8

Can I set time on a bracelet without a phone?

No, Xiaomi Smart Band 8 does not support manual time setting without connecting to a smartphone. For initial settings, you must use the Mi Fitness or Zepp Life app (for the Pro version). Exception: if the time has already been synchronized at least once, the bracelet will keep it up to date for 1-2 weeks without connecting to the phone (due to an internal quartz generator).

Why does the bracelet show the time 3 hours ago?

This is a typical problem with the wrong time zone. It most often occurs if: The phone has a UTC+0 time zone instead of UTC+3 (for Moscow). The bracelet was bought in China and uses Beijing Time (UTC+8) by default. The Mi Fitness settings disabled the Auto-Determination time zone option. Solution: check the time zone settings on the phone and in the app, then reconnect the bracelet.

How to change the format of time from 12 hours to 24 hours?

The time format on Smart Band 8 depends on the phone’s regional settings. To change it: Android: Settings → System → Language and input → Region (select a country that uses a 24-hour format, such as Germany). On iPhone: Settings → Main → Language and Region → Regional format (set 24-hour). Reboot your phone and wait for automatic sync with the bracelet. If the format has not changed, update the bracelet firmware to the latest version.

What if after updating the firmware time went wrong?

This is a well-known firmware bug 1.12.0–1.14.1. Solutions: Reset the bracelet (see Method 3). Reverse to the previous firmware version via Mi Band Tools (root required on the phone). Wait for the official patch from Xiaomi (usually released within 1-2 weeks after the release of the problem firmware). If the bracelet does not turn on at all, connect it to charge for 10 minutes - sometimes the firmware "hangs" during the installation stage.

Can I sync time with a PC or Mac?

Officially, no. Xiaomi Smart Band 8 only syncs with Android or iOS smartphones. However, there are workarounds: Use an Android emulator (like BlueStacks) with Mi Fitness installed. Connect the bracelet to your phone, set a time, then turn off the phone - the bracelet will store time offline. For advanced users: swipe the bracelet through the Mi Band 8 Tools (requires a firmware adapter and knowledge of ADB commands). Synchronization via PC is unstable and can lead to failures, so we do not recommend it for ordinary users.