Did you take the Mi Band 5 out of the box, plug it into the charger, but the screen is stubbornly shutting down? Or did the fitness bracelet suddenly die after discharging and now show no signs of life? This problem is familiar to many owners of Xiaomi smartwatches — especially after prolonged downtime or deep battery discharge. In 80% of cases, the device is not broken, but simply requires the right sequence of actions to start.
In this article, we will discuss all the working ways to turn on the Mi Band 5 after charging, from basic to “hidden” methods that are not written in the official instructions. You will learn how to distinguish a software failure from a hardware failure, which buttons to press (and in what order), and what to do if the bracelet vibrates but the screen remains black.
Why Mi Band 5 doesn’t turn on after charging: 5 main reasons
Before trying to resuscitate the bracelet, it is important to understand why it does not respond, and the most common reasons are from the most innocuous to the most critical:
- 🔋 If the Mi Band 5 has been dead for more than a month, the power controller can block charging.
Fun fact: The Mi Band 5 uses a 125 mAh lithium polymer battery. At a deep discharge below 2.7 V, the controller blocks charging, which is overheating protection, so simply connecting to a USB might not work.
Method 1: Forced button activation (works 90% of the time)
The simplest and most effective method is to hold the touch button for a long time, and it works if the bracelet is zero or freezes after the upgrade.
- Connect the Mi Band 5 to charge. Make sure the indicator on the bracelet flashes red (meaning it's charging), and if there's no indicator, check the cable or USB port.
- Press the touch button below the screen and hold it for 10-15 seconds. Don't let go even if the bracelet vibrates!
- After 10-20 seconds, the Mi logo should appear. If the screen catches fire, release the button and wait for the full load.
If the bracelet vibrates after holding the button, but the screen remains black, try repeating the procedure 2-3 times. Sometimes it takes 2-3 forced cycles to "wake up" the device.
Check if the charging indicator on the bracelet is on.|Use the original Xiaomi cable|Hold the button for at least 15 seconds.|Try again 2-3 times if it doesn’t work.-->
⚠️ Note: Do not use the Mi Band to charge 5 powerful adapters (for example, from a smartphone to a 18 Optimum charging current — 5V/0.5A. Too high voltage can damage the power controller.
Method 2: Reset to factory settings (if the bracelet is getting stuck)
If the Mi Band 5 is charging (the indicator is on), but does not turn on even after holding the button, there is likely a software failure, in which case hard reset will help.
Resetting instructions:
- Turn off the bracelet from charging.
- Connect it back and wait until the red light light lights up.
- Press the touch button and hold it for 20-25 seconds until the bracelet vibrates 3 times in a row.
- Release the button. The bracelet should reset and show the Mi logo.
If the reset is successful, you'll need to re-connect the bracelet to the Mi Fit app.
- Open Mi Fit on your smartphone.
- Go to Profile. → Add the device.
- Select Mi Smart Band 5 and follow the instructions on the screen.
What if the reset didn't help?
Method 3: Check charging and contacts (if the indicator is not on)
If you connect to a USB, the indicator on the wristband doesn't light up, the problem is power or contacts. Here's how to diagnose and fix a malfunction:
| Problem. | Reason. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The indicator does not burn, the bracelet does not respond | Faulty cable or power supply | Try another one. USB-port or cable. Use a smartphone charger (5V/1And). |
| The indicator flashes red, but does not charge | Oxidation of contacts on a bracelet or cable | Clean the contacts with alcohol and cotton swab. Dry for 10-15 minutes. |
| The bracelet heats up when charging | Short circuit or damaged battery | Turn off the power immediately! Don't use it until you check the service. |
| The indicator is on fire, but the charge does not increase | Deep battery discharge | Leave on charging for 2-3 hours, then try to turn on. |
If you don’t have the original cable, you can use any cable. USB-magnetic connector cable (e.g. headphones or other bracelets) The key is to have the polarity matched, plus to plus, minus to minus.
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If the bracelet is not charging from a computer, try connecting it to a charger from a smartphone. USB-PC ports do not provide enough current to start charging.
Method 4: Update the firmware via Mi Fit (if the bracelet is turned on but is unstable)
If the Mi Band 5 turns on but spontaneously shuts down, slows down or doesn't sync with your smartphone, the problem may be with outdated firmware. Software updates often solve such glitch.
How to update firmware:
- Make sure the bracelet is at least 50% charged.
- Open the Mi Fit app and connect to the bracelet.
- Go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 5 → Update firmware.
- If a new version is available, click Update and wait until it is completed (don’t turn off the bracelet!).
Important: during the update, do not interrupt the connection or turn off Bluetooth. If the process is interrupted, the bracelet can “brick” (turn into a non-working device).
⚠️ Note: If after updating the firmware bracelet stopped turning on, try to reset it to factory settings (see Method 2).If this does not help - manually run the device through the Mi Flash Tool (instruction for experienced users).
Method 5: Diagnostics of hardware malfunctions
If none of these things worked, maybe the Mi Band 5 failed at the hardware level.
- 🔍 Check the screen: light the bracelet with a flashlight. If you see weak symbols on the black screen, the problem is the backlight or the plume.
- 🔋 Check the battery: if the bracelet turns on only from charging and immediately turns off - the battery is inflated or lost capacity.
- 💦 Check for moisture: if drops or condensate are visible under the glass, drying is required (minimum 24 hours in rice or silica gel).
- 🔧 Check the button: if the touch button does not respond to the presses, it is possible that the plume has moved away or the microphone has broken (it is also used to control the button).
If you find at least one of these signs, do not try to repair the bracelet yourself - the Mi Band 5 has very fragile plumes that are easily damaged when disassembled.
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If the bracelet doesn't turn on, but it vibrates when you connect to the charger, it's not the battery that's the problem, it's probably a firmware failure or a screen failure.
Frequent User Mistakes and How to Avoid Them
Many Mi Band 5 owners make the problem worse by making common mistakes, and this is what you can't do if the bracelet doesn't turn on:
- ❌ Use unoriginal cables with irregular polarity – this can burn the power controller.
- ❌ Press the power button too short (less than 10 seconds) – the bracelet will not have time to wake up».
- ❌ Charging from powerful adapters (18W, 30W) – this reduces battery life.
- ❌ Disassemble the bracelet without experience - in Mi Band 5, the plumes are fastened with glue and easily torn.
- ❌ Ignore moisture – even if the bracelet is waterproof, salt and chlorine corrode the contacts.
Tip: If you don't use the bracelet for a long time, charge it 30-40% once a month, which will prevent deep discharge and prolong the life of the battery.