How to Turn on Xiaomi Mi Band 5: 5 Ways to Start and Solve Problems

Why Xiaomi Mi Band 5 is not included and what to do about it

You just unpacked the new Mi Band 5 or pulled it out after a long downtime, but the screen stays black? This problem is familiar to many Xiaomi fitness bracelet owners — the device may not respond to pressing, not vibrate and appear completely dead. The reasons range from a dead battery to software failures, but in 90% of cases the bracelet is able to "resuscitate" without contacting the service.

In this article, we will discuss all the working ways to enable the Mi Band 5, from basic (charging, mechanical reboot) to advanced (reset via application, firmware). Particular attention will be paid to the typical errors that make users mistakenly believe the bracelet is broken. For example, many people do not know that the Mi Band 5 does not turn on immediately after connecting to charging - it takes 10-15 minutes to set a minimum charge.

If your bracelet has been working before but suddenly stopped responding, check the status of the charging contacts first, which are often contaminated later or oxidized. For new devices, another problem is that the Mi Band 5 comes with a transport film on the screen that blocks the sensor, and we'll tell you how to distinguish a real malfunction from a false alarm.

Method 1: Charging the bracelet - the first step to turning on

The most common cause of a dead Mi Band 5 is a dead battery, and even if you're sure you've recently charged it, check again if the bracelet may have run out during storage or due to background processes.

• 🔌 Connect the bracelet to the original charger (using uncertified adapters can damage the battery).
• ⏳ Leave at least 20-30 minutes on charging – the charging indicator (red light bulb) should light up within the first 5 minutes.
• 📱 If the indicator doesn’t burn, try another one. USB-port or power supply (for example, from a smartphone).
• 🔄 After the indicator appears, wait until the bracelet is charged to at least 20% - only then it will turn on.

Important: The Mi Band 5 doesn't have an on button, it activates automatically when it's sufficiently charged, and if it's black after 30 minutes of charging, move on to the next way.

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If the bracelet is not charged, wipe the contacts on the back of the Mi Band 5 with an alcohol wipe - oxidation or dirt can block the current supply.

Method 2: Hard Reset (Hard Reset)

If charging doesn't work, try forcefully restarting the bracelet, which works when the device is "hanging" due to a software failure.

1. Remove the bracelet from your hand and place it on a flat surface.
2. Find the touch button (under the screen) on the back.
3. Hold it for 10-15 seconds until you feel a vibration or see the Mi logo.
4. Release the button – the bracelet should reboot (it will take up to 1 minute).

If the screen flashes and goes out after rebooting, recharge the battery, perhaps it's drained to a critical level.

• 🔋 The state of the battery (possibly it swelled - this is visible by the deformation of the body).
• 🔌 Integrity of charging cable (try charging the bracelet from another source).

Method 3: Resetting settings via the Mi Fit app

If the bracelet is turned on but is not running smoothly (for example, it does not sync with your smartphone), reset through the official application, which will delete all data from the device, but return it to the factory settings.

Instructions:

1. Install the Mi Fit app (available for Android and iOS).
2. Connect the bracelet to your phone via Bluetooth.
3. Go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 5 → Additional → Resetting settings.
4. Confirm the action - the bracelet will reboot and return to factory settings.

After resetting the Mi Band 5, you will need to reconfigure: link to the account, synchronize data and update the firmware (if available).

Make sure the bracelet is at least 50 times charged%|Save important data (steps, pulse) in the application|Disconnect the bracelet from other devices (if connected to multiple smartphones)|Have a username and password from your Xiaomi account at hand-->

Method 4: Update firmware to restore performance

Sometimes Mi Band 5 fails or malfunctions due to outdated firmware, and updating the software can solve the problem, but it requires caution: interruption of the process will lead to the "bricking" of the bracelet.

How to update firmware:

1. Open the Mi Fit and connect the bracelet to your phone.
2. Go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 5 → Update firmware.
3. If a new version is available, click “Update” and wait until it is completed (the bracelet will reboot several times).
4. Do not disable Bluetooth or remove the bracelet from your hand until the process is over.

The average refresh time is 5-10 minutes. If the process is delayed, check:

• 📶 Internet connection stability (update downloaded via smartphone).
• 🔋 Bracelet charge level (must be at least 50%).

⚠️ Warning: If the bracelet is out during the firmware update or the smartphone is out of order, plug it into charging and wait for the process to resume automatically.

Method 5: Checking for hardware malfunctions

If none of these things worked, the problem could be hardware, and here are the signs that you're going to break.

• 🔥 The bracelet heats up when charging (possibly short circuit).
• 💧 Moisture is visible under the body (even if the device did not come into contact with water, the condensate could accumulate inside the device).
• 🔌 The charging cable is not fixed in the connector (the connector or contacts are damaged).
• 📉 The battery is discharged in a few hours (wear and tear of the battery).

In these cases, self-repair is not recommended - contact the Xiaomi service center or a trusted master.

Important: Before visiting the service, back up your data via Mi Fit (if the bracelet is still on), and after repair, you may need to re-attach to your account.

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If the Mi Band 5 doesn't turn on after falling or getting water, don't try to charge it - this could aggravate the damage.

Frequent User Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many Mi Band 5 owners make the same mistakes that make the bracelet seem broken.

1. Ignore the charging indicator. If the red light doesn't burn, the bracelet doesn't charge, check the cable and the power supply.
2. Use of non-original chargers, cheap adapters can damage the power controller.
3. Interrupting firmware updates. This leads to software failures that are difficult to fix without firmware through a PC.
4. Keeping the bracelet discharged, leaving the Mi Band 5 without charge for a month, the battery could fail.

To prolong the life of the bracelet:

• 🔄 Once a month, perform a soft reboot (press the button for 5 seconds).
• 🔋 Charge the device to 100% and discharge to 20% – this saves the battery capacity.
• 🚿 Avoid prolonged contact with water (despite the stated water protection 5). ATM, salt and chlorine shorten their service life).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions About Xiaomi Mi Band 5