Modern Xiaomi smartphones are equipped with powerful sensors that by default track your physical activity, but often this feature is hidden from the user’s eyes. Many device owners do not even suspect that their gadget already collects movement statistics until there is a need to check the progress of training or motivate yourself to new records. Turning on and properly setting up the step counter is the first step to a healthy lifestyle and control daily activity without buying additional gadgets.
The built-in MIUI algorithm allows the system to count steps with high accuracy using an accelerometer and a gyroscope, but visualizing the data requires activation of the corresponding widgets or third-party applications. Without the right software, these numbers will remain just a set of data in the memory of the processor. In this article, we will discuss in detail all ways to activate the activity tracker, from standard system tools to integration with popular fitness ecosystems.
It's worth noting that the meter's performance is directly dependent on the permissions you give your applications and the power saving settings. Aggressive battery optimization in the HyperOS or MIUI shell can kill the step counting process in the background if you don't set the right parameters, so it's important not just to turn on the feature, but also to set exceptions for the relevant services.
Use the built-in Mi Fitness widget on the desktop
The fastest way to start tracking activity is to display the counter widget directly on the main screen of the smartphone. The MIUI shell and the new HyperOS preinstalled the system app Health (or Mi Fitness in new versions), which automatically collects data. You do not need to download additional software to activate it, just perform a few simple actions with the interface.
A long-term tap on the empty desktop area will open the editing menu where you need to select the widget section. In the list of system utilities, find the item "Health" or "Mi Fitness" and drag the widget with large numbers to the screen. The system widget consumes minimal energy, since it is a native part of the shell and does not require constant requests to the server. Once the widget appears on the screen, it will display the current number of steps taken in real time.
If the widget shows zeros or doesn't update, check the settings of the Health app itself. Sometimes you need to start the program first to initialize the database and calibrate the sensors, and make sure that the privacy settings allow access to physical activity data for system services.
⚠️ Warning: Desktop widgets may stop updating if you set Super-Energy Saving mode. In this mode, background synchronization of widgets is limited to save charge.
For a more detailed analysis, click on the widget to go to the full app, where you can see the activity schedule for a week, a month or a year, and the system allows you to set daily goals that will be marked by vibration and notification, which is a great motivator.
Set up the Mi Fitness app for deep analytics
Mi Fitness (formerly known as Mi Fit) is a key tool for Xiaomi ecosystem owners, providing the most comprehensive statistics, including not only steps, but also heart rate, blood oxygen levels (if you have a compatible bracelet) and sleep quality.
Once you install or update the app, be sure to log in to your Mi Account. In the Profile section, select connected devices and make sure your phone is displayed as a data source. If the phone is not selected, the meter can ignore the built-in accelerometer data, relying only on clock synchronization.
An important step is to set up permissions on Android. Go to your phone's settings, find the Mi Fitness app, and make sure that all the items related to physical activity are included. Without that, the system will block background data collection, and you will see sharp jumps or dips in statistics.
- 📱 Open your phone settings and go to the Apps section».
- 🔍 Find in the Mi Fitness list and click on Permissions».
- ✅ Make sure that access to the “Physical Activity” is in “Always Allowed” mode».
- 🔋 In the charge saving section, select the option “No restrictions».
The app also offers automatic training detection, which means that if you walk or run fast, your smartphone will prompt you to start recording activity, so you don't miss the steps, even if you forgot to manually run the tracker, and that activity data will take precedence when counting calories.
☑️ Checking the Mi Fitness settings
Google Fit and Health Connect integration
For users who prefer the Google ecosystem or use third-party apps for training, data synchronization is critical. Google Fit has long been the standard, but with the release of Health Connect, the process of sharing data between applications has become more secure and centralized. On Xiaomi smartphones, this process requires manual adjustment due to the nature of the shell.
First, you need to install Health Connect from the Google Play store, unless it's built into your version of Android, which is the service that acts as a bridge, transferring step data from Mi Fitness to Google Fit and vice versa, without this intermediate link, applications may not be able to "see" each other.
Once installed, open Mi Fitness, go to your profile and find Add Accounts or Linked Apps. Select Health Connect and allow step data to be shared. A similar procedure should be repeated in Google Fit settings by connecting it to Health Connect as a data source.
| Parameter | Mi Fitness | Google Fit | Health Connect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Role of the role | Sensor data collection | Aggregator and analytics | Secure data gateway |
| Accuracy of steps | High (native) | Depends on the source. | Doesn't affect counting. |
| Battery consumption | Medium. | Low. | Minimum |
| Necessity | I'll be sure. | If you wish, | For synchronization |
Once the bundle is set up, all the steps taken with the phone in your pocket will automatically be duplicated in Google Fit. This is especially useful if you use smart scales or other trackers that only sync with Google services.
What to do if the steps are not synchronized?
Problems with calculating steps and their solution
Despite the reliability of the system, users sometimes face a situation where the meter stops working or shows incorrect data. Most often the problem lies in the MIUI energy saving settings, which aggressively close the background processes. The smartphone “thinks” that it saves charge, but actually turns off the motion sensors for health applications.
To fix this, you need to find the step counter app in the running process list, press it and select Settings. You need to activate Autostart and remove background activity restrictions. It is also useful to fix the application in memory by swiping down the multitasking menu and pressing the lock.
Another common reason is sensor calibration: If the phone falls or is mechanically impacted, the accelerometer data can be distorted. To correct the situation, you can use the engineering menu by typing the code ##64663## in the call (the code may vary depending on the model).
- 🛠 In the engineering menu, select "Accelerometer».
- 📐 Place your phone on a flat horizontal surface.
- 🔄 Click the Calibrate button and wait for the process to be completed.
- ✅ Make sure that the values on the X, Y, Z axes are close to 0, 0 and 9.8 respectively.
If calibration doesn’t work, try resetting the Health app settings through the app management menu, which won’t delete your history if it’s synced to the cloud, but will return the program settings to factory values, eliminating possible software conflicts.
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For maximum accuracy, carry the phone in your trouser pocket or in your waistbag. In your hand or in a dangling bag on your shoulder, the amplitude of your hand movements may be mistaken for steps or may not be counted.
Third-party applications for step counting
If Xiaomi’s built-in tools seem to you to be under-functional or interface-poor, you can always turn to third-party developers.The Google Play store offers dozens of apps that use the same sensors, but provide more flexible settings, socialization and integration with other services.
One of the most popular solutions is the Pedometer Step Counter app, which features a minimalist loan and no unnecessary resolutions, working solely on the basis of the hardware step counter built into the smartphone chipset, which guarantees minimal battery consumption.
For fans of gamification, Walkr or Pokemon GO is perfect. These applications turn walking into a game where you get in-game currency or discover new characters for miles, and the motivational effect of such programs is much higher than from dry statistics.
When installing a third-party meter, be sure to disable the built-in Mi Fitness widget to avoid double step counting if you plan to sync data into one account. Two apps listening to the motion sensor at the same time can create interrupt conflicts, which will lead to increased power consumption.
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Third-party apps provide better interface and motivation, but Xiaomi’s native app will always run more stable and consume less battery power thanks to deep integration with the system.
The impact of system updates on the tracker
Xiaomi regularly releases security updates and new versions of the HyperOS shell that can change the algorithms of the sensors. Sometimes after a major update, users notice that the step counter has “zeroed” or stopped responding to movement, which is a normal situation that requires reconfiguring access rights.
New firmware versions increase privacy controls, can automatically reset permissions for applications that have not been used for a long time or have been updated, so after each major update, it is recommended to check the privacy settings section.
Also, it is worth considering that with the release of new versions of Android, the API for accessing motion sensors changes. Old versions of counter applications may stop working correctly on the new OS. Keep an eye on updates to Google Play and update fitness software on time.
⚠️ Note: When transitioning from MIUI On HyperOS, step history may not automatically migrate unless you have been logged in to your Mi Cloud account.
Regular cleaning of the cache of system services helps to maintain high accuracy of the sensors. Accumulated temporary files can slow down the processing of the accelerometer data, which leads to delays in displaying steps on the widget.