Users of fitness trackers often face a situation where the standard text size on the Xiaomi Mi Band 5 screen is not enough to comfortably read notifications. This is especially true for people with impaired vision or those who prefer to use the gadget without glasses in everyday life. Small letters can merge into one porridge, making it impossible to quickly read information about incoming messages or calls.
Fortunately, Xiaomi engineers have designed the ability to scale system interface elements, changing display settings allows you to adapt the device to the individual needs of the owner. In this article, we will discuss in detail all available methods that will help you make the text on the display larger and more readable.
And it's worth noting that the customization process doesn't require superuser rights or complex code manipulations, and all the tools are publicly available, and the key is to know which menu to look for the sliders and switches you want, and let's move from theory to practice.
Features of the display Mi Band 5 and system limitations
The screen of the fifth generation fitness bracelet is a color AMOLED-It's a 1.1-inch matrix, and despite the high pixel density, the physical size of the workspace is limited, which is why the developers of the operating system are so small. MIOT (Adapted for wearable electronics) introduced a flexible font rendering system.
The system shell of the tracker allows you to change not only the size of the characters, but also, in some versions of the firmware, their marking. However, it is important to understand that increasing the font affects the amount of information displayed on a single screen. If you choose the maximum size, some long notifications may crop or require scrolling.
⚠️ Note: Changing font size may affect the layout of widgets on the home screen. Some dials may display time incorrectly if the system font is set too large.
When setting up, you need to balance readability and functionality. Too large letters can override important icons of battery status or pedometer status, so the best solution is to find an intermediate value that suits you.
Set up the font through the Zepp Life app (Mi Fit)
The main tool for managing the tracker is the mobile app. Formerly known as Mi Fit, it is now more commonly known as Zepp Life. This is where the key settings for personalizing the device are focused. First, make sure that your bracelet is paired with your smartphone and has an active connection.
Log in to your device profile in the app. Find the section that handles the display settings. The path may vary slightly depending on the version of your smartphone operating system (Android or iOS), but the logic remains the same. You need to find the item associated with the system fonts or text size.
- 📱 Open the Zepp Life app on your smartphone.
- ⌚ Go to the profile of the Mi Band 5 device.
- ⚙️ Find the section "Bracelet settings" or "Dial profile».
- 🔍 Select the option "Font Size" (if available in your version of the software).
In some app interface updates, the option may be hidden in the depths of the notification settings menu. If you don't see a direct size slider, try changing the language of the bracelet interface. Changing the language sometimes automatically adjusts the kerning and character size to make them more distinguishable.
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If the application does not have an explicit font size slider, try changing the language of the brast system to English and then returning Russian - this can reset the font cache and improve readability.
Change the Android system settings for synchronization
One of the key features of the Xiaomi ecosystem is synchronizing settings with a smartphone. If you own an Android device, you can globally enlarge the font in the system, and the bracelet can adapt to these changes if the intermediary app supports this feature.
To do this, go to your phone's settings. Find the Screen or Display section. It'll be text size or Font. By moving the slider to the right, you zoom in on all text elements in the system. After applying the changes, restart the Zepp Life app.
It is important to understand that not all notifications coming from the phone scale on the bracelet the same. Standard MIUI or Android system messages are often transmitted with metadata about the font size. However, messages from third-party messengers can ignore system settings and display in a standard format.
Settings → Screen → Text Size and Display → Slider to the RightThis method is particularly effective if you use a smartphone of the same brand as the bracelet, and deep integration allows you to transfer accessibility parameters directly to the wearable device, ensuring uniformity of visual style.
Selection of dial with large elements
Often, the problem of readability is not solved by changing the system font, but by choosing a smart dial. There are thousands of options available inside the app at the Store dials, many of which are designed specifically for people with poor eyesight or for use in bright sun conditions.
When looking for a new design, look for previews. You want dials where time and date occupy the center of the screen and are in bold, contrasting fonts. Avoid complex design decisions with thin lines and fine details.
| Type of dial | Readability | Battery consumption | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classical analogue | Low. | Medium. | Not recommended |
| Digital big | Tall. | Low. | Recommended |
| Sports minimalism | Medium | Low. | Optimally. |
| Photo dial | Depends on the photo. | High-pitched | For the amateur. |
Setting the right dial is the fastest way to improve your perception of information, so you don't have to go into deep system settings, just download a new design file. It takes a couple of minutes.
Where to look for rare dials?
Configure the display of notifications from applications
Special attention should be paid to the specific applications that you want to see notifications from on your wrist, and in the notification management menu in the Zepp Life app you can configure in detail which programs can send data to the wristband.
Go to the "App Notifications" section, and here you'll see a list of all the apps installed on your phone, make sure the switches in front of the right messengers are active, and if the text is still small, try turning off and re-enable the notification permission for the specific application.
- 🔔 Go to the notification settings in the app.
- ✅ Check if the option “Display text message” is enabled».
- 📱 Make sure that the phone settings for messengers allow the content to be displayed on the lock screen.
Sometimes the problem is that the bracelet only gets the notification header and the main text is cropped. Check the privacy settings on the smartphone itself. If the phone hides the contents of the notifications on the locked screen, the bracelet may also not get the full text.
⚠️ Warning: When Do Not Disturb or Sleep mode is activated, the bracelet may not vibrate or illuminate the screen when new messages are sent, even if the font is set correctly.
The Impact of the Firmware Version on the Interface
The interface and available scaling capabilities are directly dependent on the version of the installed software. Xiaomi periodically releases updates that can both add new features and change the logic of existing ones.
Check the firmware of your Mi Band 5. Go to the device profile in the app and find the item "Check Updates." If a new version is available, it is recommended to install it. Often, font rendering errors are fixed in patches.
Be careful, though. Sometimes new versions of software have developers repositioning menus or removing features. If you don't find the font setting after the update, try to find information about changes to the version on the profile forums.
☑️ Check before updating the firmware
In rare cases, users resort to custom dials or modified versions of applications to get advanced features, but for the average user, the functionality of the official firmware is enough.
Solution: The text is still not readable
If you've tried all the settings, changed the dial, and updated the firmware, but the text still seems too small, the problem may be the physical limitation of the matrix or the individual perception, and then it's worth considering alternative ways of interacting.
Use the Wrist Raising feature to activate the screen, which allows you to bring the wristband closer to your eyes at the moment of notification, and you can adjust the vibration to a longer pulse so you don't miss the signal of an important event, even if you haven't read the text.
For people with severe visual impairments, there are voice assistants that can voice notifications, and check if your smartphone and bracelet bundle supports voice response or voice-over.
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An integrated approach to setting up – a combination of a large dial, system scaling and correct notification settings gives the best result.