How to turn on Bluetooth on the fitness bracelet Xiaomi Mi Band 3: a detailed guide with photos

The Xiaomi Mi Band 3 fitness bracelet remains one of the most popular activity tracking gadgets, despite the release of new models, its main advantage is ease of use, but even with it users sometimes have difficulties. One of the most common problems is that the bracelet does not connect to the phone, although everything worked before. In 90% of cases, the reason lies in the Bluetooth module that is disabled, either on the bracelet itself or in the smartphone.

In this article, we will discuss how to correctly turn Bluetooth on the Mi Band 3, check its performance and eliminate typical synchronization errors.

• 🔹 Where is the Bluetooth button in the bracelet menu (and why it is not in the new firmware).

The manual is suitable for all versions of the Mi Band 3 firmware (including Chinese and global), as well as for bracelets purchased in 2018-2026. If your gadget is older, check compatibility at the end of the article.

1.Preparation: What to do before turning on Bluetooth

Before you go into the bracelet settings, make sure it's the one that's the problem, not the phone or the app.

Make sure your phone is Bluetooth enabled | Check the bracelet charge (minimum 20%) | Update the Mi Fit app to the latest version |Reboot your smartphone | Remove the bracelet from the list of conjugated devices in your phone settings-->

Pay special attention to battery power. If the level is below 15%, the Mi Band 3 automatically turns off the Bluetooth module to save energy, this is in the firmware. Connect the bracelet to charge for 10-15 minutes, even if the screen displays 1-2 divisions.

Another nuance: if you recently updated the bracelet firmware through Mi Fit, your communication settings may have gone wrong, in which case the factory reset will help (instruction in section 4).

⚠️ If your bracelet was previously connected to another phone, you must first untie it via Mi Fit. → Profile → Devices → Delete. Otherwise, the new pairing will be blocked.

2. How to turn Bluetooth on directly on the Mi Band 3 bracelet

Unlike the newer models (Mi Band 4/5/6), where Bluetooth is activated automatically when synchronized, the Mi Band 3 has a hidden connection control menu.

1. Swipe your finger up the bracelet screen to open the main menu.
2. Leaving down to the point Still (or More in English firmware) - it is indicated by three dots.
3. In the opened submenu, select Settings (cog icon).
4. Next, look for Bluetooth (in some firmware it is called Communication or Connection).
5. We tap on it - an icon of the Bluetooth enabled should appear (blue antenna icon).

If you don't have a Bluetooth item on the menu, don't panic. It's hidden in the firmware after version 1.6.0.54, but the module turns on automatically when you try to pair, in which case skip this step and switch to sync with your phone.

3.Sync the bracelet with the phone via Mi Fit

When Bluetooth on the bracelet is activated, you just have to connect it to your smartphone. Using the official Mi Fit app (you can download it from Google Play or the App Store):

1. Open Mi Fit and log in (if you haven’t done it before).
2. Click on + in the upper right corner → Bracelet → Mi Smart Band 3.
3. Allow the app to access geodata and Bluetooth (required!).
4. Wait for the app to find the bracelet. If the search is delayed, bring the phone closer to the bracelet (at a distance of 10-15 cm).
5. Once detected, click Connect and confirm pairing on both devices.

If the error “Cannot contact the device” appears during the connection step, try:

• 🔄 Reboot both the bracelet and the phone.
• 📱 Remove Mi Band 3 from the list of conjugate devices in the Bluetooth settings of the phone.
• 🔋 Turn off power saving mode on your smartphone (it can block background Bluetooth operation).

Xiaomi Smartphone|iPhone|Samsung Smartphone|Another Android device|Tablet-->

4. Reset Bluetooth settings on the bracelet (if nothing helps)

If the bracelet is persistently not connected, Bluetooth is on, try hardware resetting communications settings, which works even if the bracelet screen does not respond to touch.

Instructions:

1. Remove the bracelet capsule from the strap.
2. Connect it to the charger (whether it is charged or not).
3. Press the touch button under the screen 5 times in a row at intervals of ~1 second.
4. Turn off the bracelet from charging - it should vibrate and reboot.

Once reset, all data from the bracelet will be saved, but the Bluetooth settings will return to factory settings. Now you can re-try connecting via Mi Fit.

⚠️ Note: Do not confuse this method with a complete bracelet reset (via Settings) → After a complete reset, all data (steps, pulse, sleep) will be deleted without recovery!

5. Table: Common Bluetooth Errors and Their Solutions

If your problem isn’t listed in the table, check the phone’s compatibility with the Mi Band 3. For example, some Huawei and Honor models have limitations on working with Bluetooth LE (Low Energy) that prevent stable connectivity.

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If the bracelet is connected but the data is not updated, try to disable the "Autosync" option in Mi Fit, then manually start swipe synchronization down on the home screen of the application.

6. Update the firmware bracelet for stable Bluetooth operation

In older versions of the firmware Mi Band 3 (up to 1.5.1.0) there was a bug that caused Bluetooth to spontaneously shut down after 2-3 days of use. Xiaomi fixed this in subsequent updates, so if your bracelet periodically "loses" communication, first check the version of the software:

1. Open the Mi Fit and go to the bracelet profile.
2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner → Software update.
3. If a new version is available, install it (the bracelet must be charged at least 50%).

The upgrade process takes 5-10 minutes. Do not turn off Bluetooth on your phone and do not remove the bracelet far from the smartphone (maximum 50 cm), otherwise the firmware will fly off and you will have to reset.

After the update:

• 🔄 Reset the bracelet (press the button for 10 seconds).
• 📱 Remove it from the list of Bluetooth devices on your phone and reconnect it.
• ⚙️ In Mi Fit, check the notification settings – sometimes they are reset after the update.

7. Alternative ways of connecting (if the standard one does not work)

If Mi Band 3 is reluctant to connect via Mi Fit, try alternative methods:

Method 1: Connect via Android settings (without Mi Fit)

This method works on Android 8.0+ phones:

1. Open the phone settings → Bluetooth.
2. Turn on Bluetooth and click Device Search.
3. In the list, find the Mi Band. 3_XXXX (where XXXX — last-minute MAC-address).
4. Connect to it by entering it. PIN-code 0000 (default).

Then open Mi Fit – the app should automatically detect the bracelet.

Method 2: Use Notify & Fitness App

If Mi Fit is glitchy, try a third-party app:

• 📥 Download Notify & Fitness for Mi Band.
• 🔗 Connect the bracelet through it (the interface is similar to Mi Fit, but without binding to the Xiaomi account).
• 🔄 After successful connection, you can return to Mi Fit - the bracelet will be recognized.

⚠️ Note: Third-party apps may not support all of the features of Mi Band 3 (such as displaying notifications or controlling music.

8. Frequent questions about Bluetooth on Xiaomi Mi Band 3

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If the bracelet doesn't connect at all, check it on another phone. If the problem persists, the Bluetooth bracelet module is faulty (requires repair or replacement).