How to turn Bluetooth on Xiaomi Mi Band 8: full instructions with pictures and tips

Why you need Bluetooth in Mi Band 8 and when to turn it on

The Xiaomi Mi Band 8 fitness bracelet is not just a pedometer, but a full-fledged health monitoring gadget that communicates with your phone exclusively via Bluetooth. Without the module on, you will not be able to sync steps, receive call notifications, control music or update firmware. However, many users face problems when they first connect: the bracelet is not determined by the phone, the connection is constantly broken, or the Mi Fitness (formerly Zepp Life) application has a “Device not found” error.

In this article, we will discuss all the ways to turn Bluetooth on the Mi Band 8, from basic activation to solving unusual situations (for example, if the bracelet was already paired with another phone or after resetting), special attention will be paid to the hidden feature of forced search of the device, which is not written in the official documentation, but saves 70% of cases of problems, and you will learn how to check the version of the Bluetooth module of your bracelet and why it is important for stable operation.

Preparation: What to do before turning on Bluetooth

Before you start pairing, make sure all the preconditions are met, otherwise you risk spending an hour trying to connect without any need until you find that the problem was a dead battery or an outdated version of the application.

• 📱 Install the official app: Mi Band 8 is only suitable for Mi Fitness (download to Google Play or App Store). Older versions of Mi Fit or Zepp may not support the new model.
• 🔋 Charge the bracelet: Minimum charge level for pairing is 20%. With a lower value, the Mi Band 8 can turn off during setup.
• 📲 Update your phone firmware: On Android 10 and newer or iOS 14+ You may have conflicts with Bluetooth 5.2, which is used in the bracelet.
• 🚫 Turn it off. VPN Firewalls: Some security applications (such as Avast or Kaspersky) block connection to wearable devices.

If you’ve previously used another Xiaomi fitness bracelet (like the Mi Band 7), remove it from the device list in Settings → Bluetooth on your phone. ID conflict may prevent new pairing.

Method 1: Standard Bluetooth enabled via the Mi Fitness app

This is the main method, which works in 95% of cases, and the instructions are suitable for both types of bracelets - standard and Pro-version with a high-performance bracelet. NFC. Important: If you have Mi Band 8 Pro, activate before pairing NFC-Module (if you plan to use contactless payments).

1. Open the Mi Fitness app and click Profile → Add the device.
2. Choose from the list of Mi Smart Band 8 (or Mi Smart Band 8 Pro).
3. Click Hide and confirm access to geodata and notifications (required!).
4. It'll be on the bracelet. QR-Scan it with your phone's camera or enter a 6-digit code manually.
5. Wait until the synchronization is complete (usually takes 1-2 minutes).

After the scan, QR-When the connection breaks, try to force the bracelet to restart: press the touch button for 10 seconds until the Mi logo appears.

The latest version of Mi Fitness is installed

Bracelet charged at least 20%

Bluetooth on your phone is enabled and visible for other devices

Mi Band 8 is located next to the phone (no further than 1 meter)

Other wearable devices disabled in Bluetooth settings-->

Method 2: Manual connection via phone settings

If automatic pairing doesn't work, you can try connecting to the bracelet manually, which is useful if Mi Fitness doesn't see the device, but it shows up in the list of available Bluetooth devices.

1. Open your phone’s settings and go to Bluetooth.
2. Activate your search for new devices. A device called MI Band 8_XXXX (where XXXX — unique identifier).
3. Press it and confirm the pairing if you ask. PIN-Enter 0000 or 1234.
4. After a successful connection, open Mi Fitness and select Connect an existing device.

⚠️ Note: If the bracelet appears in the Bluetooth list, but the connection ends with the error "Can not hide the device", the problem may be in the conflict of Bluetooth profiles.

Method 3: Reset bracelet settings to force Bluetooth on

If none of the previous methods worked, it is possible that the memory of the old phone is stored in the Mi Band 8, which blocks the new pairing, in which case a complete reset will help.

Note: after reset, all data from the bracelet (steps, sleep history, alarm settings) will be deleted, however, it will be stored in the Mi Fitness app if synchronization has been performed previously.

1. On the bracelet, go to Settings → System → Reset settings (flick the menu swipes to the right).
2. Confirm the reset by clicking the tick.
3. Wait for the reboot (the bracelet vibrates and shows the Mi logo).
4. Repeat the pairing via Mi Fitness.

Verification of Bluetooth version and compatibility with the phone

Xiaomi Mi Band 8 is equipped with a Bluetooth 5.2 module, which provides a more stable connection and less power consumption compared to previous versions. However, not all phones work correctly with this version of the protocol. For example, some Samsung models with Android 11 can experience a stutter when listening to music through the bracelet.

To check your phone’s Bluetooth version:

• 📱 Android: Go to Settings → The phone. → Bluetooth version (path may differ depending on the shell).
• 🍎 iPhone: All models since iPhone 8 support Bluetooth 5.0+, But for full work Mi Band 8 recommended iOS 15 or later.

If the Bluetooth version on the phone is below 4.2, the bracelet will connect, but there may be permanent connection breaks and synchronization delays, in which case only replacing the phone or using an intermediate Bluetooth adapter (for example, Xiaomi Bluetooth Audio Receiver) will help.

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If your phone supports Bluetooth 5.0+ but the connection is still unstable, try turning off the Adaptive Bluetooth feature in the developer settings (if any), which automatically switches the protocol version to save power, sometimes causing crashes.

Solving Common Errors When Turning On Bluetooth

Even after successful pairing, users face typical problems, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

1.The bracelet plugs in but immediately shuts off

Reason: Conflict with energy-saving phone settings: Many manufacturers (e.g. Xiaomi, Huawei) aggressively optimize the background of applications.

Decision:

• 🔄 Turn off battery optimization for Mi Fitness in phone settings.
• 📵 Add the app to the list of “Secure Apps” (in Xiaomi phones, this is Settings). → Annexes → Permits → Auto-start).

2. no notifications of calls and messages are received

Reason: Notification permissions are not given or Do Not Disturb mode is activated on the bracelet.

Decision:

• 🔔 In Mi Fitness go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 8 → Notifications and enable the option "Show notifications".
• 📳 On your phone, check that Mi Fitness is allowed to access notifications (Settings) → Annexes → Mi Fitness → Notifications).

3. bracelet not determined after firmware update

Cause: Failure to install a new version of the software.

Decision:

• 🔄 Reset the bracelet to factory settings (see Method 3 above).
• 📥 Remove and reinstall Mi Fitness, then re-pair.

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If neither of these methods worked, check the bracelet on the other phone. If the problem persists, it's a hardware defect and the device needs to be handed over to the service. If the other phone works, the problem is your smartphone settings (usually a conflict with energy-saving features).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions