Bluetooth on Xiaomi fitness bracelet: how to turn on, connect and eliminate errors

The Xiaomi Mi Band fitness bracelets have long been an integral part of the daily lives of millions of users. They track steps, pulse, sleep and even notify calls — but all these functions work only under one condition: if the bracelet is properly connected to a smartphone via Bluetooth. It would seem that it could be easier than to turn on wireless communication? However, even here users face difficulties: the button does not respond, the application does not see the device, the connection is constantly broken.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways to turn on Bluetooth on Xiaomi fitness bracelets, from the old Mi Band 3 to the latest Mi Smart Band 8 Pro. You’ll learn how to manually activate the module, what to do if the bracelet is not detected by the phone, and how to fix typical pairing errors. And we’ll also reveal some hidden Bluetooth module features that are not written about in the official instructions – for example, how to connect the bracelet to two devices at the same time or why some functions work only with an active connection.

Important: The instructions in the article are universal, but there are nuances for specific models. If your bracelet is released before 2018 (for example, Mi Band 2), some steps may differ - we will also mention this separately.

1. How to check if Bluetooth is on on Xiaomi bracelet

Before you try to connect the bracelet to your phone, make sure that its Bluetooth module is active at all. For many users, the problem is not the settings of the smartphone, but that the bracelet itself is in sleep mode or the communication module is turned off.

To check the status of Bluetooth:

• 🔍 Look at the bracelet screen: if the icon is displayed in the top panel 📶 (antenna 🔗 (I'm on the Mi Band. 7/8 the icon may flash if the bracelet is looking for a pairing device.
• 📱 Open the Mi app Fitness/Zepp Life: in the main menu next to the name of the bracelet should be a green tick or the inscription "Connected".
• 🔋 Check battery power: If the level is below 10%, the bracelet can automatically turn off Bluetooth to save energy (relevant for Mi Band 5 and older).

If there are no icons and the app says "Device disabled," then the module is off. Go to the next section to find out how to activate it.

⚠️ Note: On the Mi Band 3 and Mi Band 4, Bluetooth may shut down after resetting. If you recently reset the bracelet, you'll have to re-couple it, and the old data is erased.

2. Ways to turn Bluetooth on Xiaomi fitness bracelet

Depending on the bracelet model and the firmware version, you can turn on Bluetooth in three ways. Let's look at each one in detail.

Method 1: Through the bracelet menu (for Mi Band 5 and later)

Starting with the Mi Band 5, the devices have a full settings menu where you can manually control Bluetooth:

1. Flick the bracelet screen up or down to open the main menu.
2. Find the icon. ⚙️ Settings (cogs) and tap it.
3. Select Bluetooth or Communication (on the Mi Band 8 Pro, it can be called Connections).
4. Activate the switch next to the Bluetooth label (the icon should appear) 🔵).

Method 2: Mi Fitness/Zepp Life

If there is no Bluetooth item on the bracelet (relevant for the Mi Band) 3/4), The module activates automatically when you first connect to your phone:

• 📲 Install Mi Fitness (for older models) or Zepp Life (for newer ones) from Google Play or App Store.
• 🔗 Register or log in to your account Xiaomi/Zepp.
• 🔍 Click Add Add the device → Choose your bracelet model from the list.
• 📶 Allow the app to access geolocation and Bluetooth on your phone (required!).
• 🔄 Wait until the bracelet appears in the list of available devices, and tap it to pair.

Bluetooth on your phone

Allowed geolocation access for the Mi application Fitness/Zepp Life

Bracelet charged at least 20%

The devices are located at a distance of not more than 1 meter from each other

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Method 3: Hardware reboot (if Bluetooth is not turned on)

If none of these things work, try to force the bracelet to restart, which often helps with software failures:

• 🔌 Connect the bracelet to charging and wait until the charging indicator appears on the screen.
• 🔄 Turn it off from charging, then press the touch button (on the Mi Band). 3/4) Hold your finger on the screen (on the Mi Band) 5–8) during 10–15 seconds.
• 📱 After the reboot (the Mi logo will appear), try connecting again through the app.

Mi Band 3/4

Mi Band 5

Mi Band 6

Mi Band 7/8 or newer

Other (write in the comments)

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Why Xiaomi Bracelet Does Not Connect via Bluetooth: Reasons and Solutions

Even if the Bluetooth on the wristband is turned on, the connection to the smartphone may not be established, and here are the most common reasons and ways to eliminate them:

Special attention should be paid to energy-saving settings. On Xiaomi, Redmi or phones POCO By default, aggressive battery optimization can be activated, which blocks the background of applications:

1. Open Phone Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Mi Fitness or Zepp Life and select Battery Limitation.
3. Set the value without limits.
4. Enable the auto-start application.

⚠️ Warning: On the Mi Band 6 and later, there is a hidden feature called Flight Mode that turns off Bluetooth. To deactivate it, press the bracelet screen for 3 seconds and select the right one. ✈️ → Off..

4. Hidden Bluetooth features on Xiaomi fitness bracelets

Few people know, but the Bluetooth module in Xiaomi bracelets can do much more than just synchronize data. Here are some useful features that are not discussed in the manual:

• 🎵 Music control: On Mi Band 5 and later, you can switch tracks on your phone directly from the bracelet (swipe left/right on the music screen.
• 📸 Remote camera shutter: The Mi Fitness app has a Camera Control feature – the bracelet can serve as a remote for taking selfies (click on the camera icon in the bracelet menu).
• 🔄 Multi-Scale Connection: Mi Band 7 Pro and Mi Smart Band 8 Pro support two devices at the same time (e.g. phone and tablet). → Connections → Multidisciplinary regime.
• 🔍 If you lost the device, in the application Zepp Life can run an audible signal (works via Bluetooth at a distance of up to 10 meters).

Another little-known feature is file transfer via Bluetooth. Starting with the Mi Band 6, the bracelets support data exchange with other Xiaomi devices (for example, you can send a screenshot of the bracelet screen to your phone).

1. Open the menu bracelet More → Pass it on.
2. Select a file (such as training data).
3. On the phone, confirm acceptance in the notification.

5. How to update the bracelet firmware via Bluetooth

If your bracelet is buggy, doesn't hold a connection stable, or some features don't work, maybe the problem is with the outdated firmware.

🔹 Step 1. Check the current firmware version:

• Open the Mi Fitness/Zepp Life app.
• Go to the profile of the bracelet → About the device.
• Find the firmware version string (e.g. 1.16.8.14).

🔹 Step 2: Start checking for updates:

• In the same section About the device tap on the firmware update.
• If the update is available, click Download (requires a stable internet connection).
• Wait for the file to load (weight) ~10–50 MB depending on the model).

🔹 Step 3. Install the update:

• Connect the bracelet to charge (the battery must be charged at least 50%).
• Click Update in the app and don't turn off Bluetooth on your phone.
• It takes 5-10 minutes, and the bracelet resets automatically.

⚠️ Note: On Mi Band 4 and older, you can’t interrupt the process when updating your firmware via Bluetooth, this can lead to the device “bricking” (the bracelet will stop turning on). If the update is suspended during the “Installation...” stage, wait 20 minutes, then restart the bracelet manually.

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If you don't have an update, try changing the region in the Mi Fitness app to China or India. Sometimes new firmware comes out there first.

6. Alternative ways to connect if Bluetooth is not working

If none of the methods worked, and the bracelet stubbornly doesn’t want to connect via Bluetooth, there are a few alternative solutions:

Method 1: Connecting through NFC (Mi Band 7 Pro and newer)

New bracelet models (Mi Smart Band 7 Pro, Mi Smart Band 8 Pro) support contactless pairing NFC. For that:

1. Make sure the phone is on. NFC (in the notification curtain or in the settings).
2. Open the Zepp Life app and select Add Device → Connect to NFC.
3. Hold the bracelet to the back of the phone (where it is located) NFC-chip).
4. Confirm the pairing on both devices.

Method 2: Using Third-Party Applications

If the official Mi Fitness app doesn’t see the bracelet, try alternative programs:

• Notify & Fitness for Mi Band (Android) – supports all Mi Band models and is often better at connecting.
• Mi Band Master – allows you to manually control Bluetooth connection and bracelet settings.
• Tools & Mi Band is a tool for diagnosing Bluetooth problems.

🔹 Important: When using third-party apps, turn off power saving for them in your phone settings, otherwise the connection will break.

Method 3: Resetting the bracelet to factory settings

If nothing works, the last chance is a complete reset, which will remove all the data from the wristband, but often solves Bluetooth problems:

1. On the bracelet, go to Settings → More. → Resetting settings (on Mi Band) 3/4 press the screen on 10 seconds before the reset menu appears).
2. Confirm the action (some models will need to enter) PIN-default code 0000 or 1234).
3. After restarting, pair the bracelet again through the application.

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If the bracelet stopped plugging after falling or getting water, the problem could be a physical breakdown of the Bluetooth module, in which case only repairs at the service center will help.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Even experienced users sometimes make mistakes when setting up Bluetooth on Xiaomi fitness bracelets.-5 Failures and how not to repeat them:

• 🚫 Ignoring updates: Many people don't update the bracelet firmware for years, causing compatibility issues. Solution: check the updates every 2-3 months.
• 🔋 Battery under 10%: At low charge, the bracelet turns off Bluetooth to save power.Solution: Charge the device to 30% or higher.
• 📵 Background blocking: Android and iOS can "sleep" Mi Fitness, causing the connection to break.Solution: disable battery optimization for the app.
• 🔄 Frequent reboot of the bracelet: Some users reboot the device several times in a row, which can cause the Bluetooth module to crash.Solution: let the bracelet fully boot after restarting (1-2 minutes).
• 📱 Version incompatibility Android/iOS: Old bracelets (such as Mi Band) 3) The solution is to check the software requirements on the Xiaomi website.

Another common problem is that you have conflict with other Bluetooth devices, and if you have wireless headphones, speakers, or smartwatches connected, they can intercept the connection, and to avoid that, you can use them to do something like this.

• Disable all unnecessary Bluetooth devices before pairing the bracelet.
• In the phone settings, temporarily "forget" other gadgets (Settings) → Bluetooth → ⚙️ → Delete).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions