Why you need a pedometer on a smartphone and how it works on Redmi 9
Stepper on Xiaomi Redmi 9 — It is not just a step counter, but a full-fledged tool for monitoring activity, which helps to control the daily rate of movement, calories and even sleep quality. Unlike fitness bracelets, the smartphone is always at hand, and its sensors (accelerometer and gyroscope) are able to record movements with accuracy to the point of view of the device. 90-95% But many users have a problem: the pedometer either doesn't turn on automatically or it doesn't show the correct data.
In this article, we’ll look at all the ways to activate the pedometer on Redmi 9, from the standard MIUI Health app to integration with Google Fit and third-party services. We’ll focus on the hidden battery saving settings that often block sensors from operating in the background. You’ll also learn how to calibrate the pedometer for maximum accuracy and what to do if the meter suddenly resets or freezes.
Method 1: Enabling a pedometer through the standard MIUI Health app
The MIUI Health app (formerly Mi Fit) is pre-installed on all Xiaomi smartphones and is the main pedometer tool to activate it:
- Open the MIUI Health app (a red heart icon on a white background).
- At the first start, start the terms of use and allow access to geodata, physical activity and motion sensors.
- Go to the Profile tab → Settings → Stepmer.
- Activate the Step Counter switch and set a daily goal (recommended value is 8,000–10,000 steps).
If the app is not on your Redmi 9, you can download it from the Mi App Store or Google Play at the request "MIUI Health." Make sure you have the latest version installed - in older releases, the pedometer may not work properly due to synchronization errors with sensors.
✅ Update the application to the latest version
✅ Allow auto-start in battery settings
✅ Enable geolocation (for accurate distance calculation)
✅ Turn off the battery optimization for MIUI Health
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An important nuance: by default, MIUI Health may not take steps into account if the smartphone is in your pocket or bag. To fix this, go to Settings → Additional → Wearing Mode and select In your pocket or In your hand depending on your style.
Method 2: Using Google Fit to synchronize steps
If you prefer the Google ecosystem, the pedometer on Redmi 9 can be linked to Google Fit. This app not only keeps a record of activity, but also syncs data with other services such as Strava, MyFitnessPal or Apple Health (if necessary).
Instructions for setting:
- 📱 Install Google Fit from the Play Market (if not installed).
- 🔗 Open the app and log in to your Google account.
- 📊 Go to Profile. → Settings → Devices and add Redmi 9 to the list of trusted.
- 🔄 Enable Physical Activity Tracking and Allow Sensors.
To work smoothly, Google Fit needs to disable battery optimization for this application. You can do this in Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization → All applications where you need to find Google Fit and select Without Limits.
MIUI Health
Google Fit
Third-party applications (e.g. Pedometer)
I don't use pedometers.
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⚠️ Note: If steps do not appear after setting up Google Fit, check if it conflicts with the Google Fit. MIUI Health.In this case, turn off the step counter in the standard Xiaomi app to avoid double counting.
Method 3: Third-Party Stepper Apps for Redmi 9
If you don't like standard solutions, you can use third-party apps that often offer advanced analytics, like calorie counting, route maps, or social media integration.-3 tested applications:
| Annex | Features | Cons | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pedometer (by Leap Fitness) | 📊 Hours of activity schedules, widget support, low power consumption | Free Advertising, no synchronization with MIUI Health | Play Market |
| Accupedo | 🎯 Automatic calibration, voice alerts on achieving goals | Paid functions (e.g. data export) | Play Market |
| StepCounter (by Leap Fitness) | 🔄 Sync with Google Fit, minimalist interface | Limited settings in the free version | Play Market |
Before installing a third-party pedometer, be sure to turn off the standard meter in MIUI Health to avoid conflicts. Also check the permissions: the application will need access to motion sensors, geolocation (for distance counting) and notifications (for reminders).
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If the pedometer in a third-party app shows inflated data, try calibrating it: walk exactly 10 steps with your phone in your hand and compare the result with the real number. If necessary, adjust the sensitivity in the application settings.
Battery Savings: Why the Pedometer Stops Working
One of the most common problems with the Redmi 9 is that the pedometer stops counting steps after a few hours or after rebooting, and 90 percent of the time, it's due to aggressive battery optimization in MIUI, which pauses the background processes to fix this:
- Go to Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization.
- Find MIUI Health (or another stepmer app) and select Unlimited.
- Back to Settings → Annexes → Manage applications, find your pedometer and turn on: 🔄 Auto-start 📱 Background launch 🔔 Show notifications (for reminders)
We also recommend adding a stepmer app to the memory cleanup exceptions.
- Open Settings → Applications → Cleanup lock.
- Add MIUI Health or Google Fit to your list of secure apps.
⚠️ Attention: After update MIUI Battery optimization settings may be reset, check them after each major system update, especially if the pedometer has stopped working.
Calibration of the pedometer for accurate counting
Even after you set up the pedometer correctly, the Redmi 9 can show inaccurate data, such as understating or overstating steps by 10 to 30 percent, and this is due to the individual gait and location of the smartphone, to calibrate the sensors:
- Take the smartphone in your hand (or put it in your pocket if you normally wear it like that).
- Take exactly 50 steps by counting them by hand.
- Compare the result with the data in the stepmer application.
- If the difference is greater than 5 steps, adjust the sensitivity: In MIUI Health: Settings → Stepmer → Calibration. In Google Fit: Profile → Settings → Set up pedometer.
Additional tips to improve accuracy:
- 📏 Wear your phone in the same place (for example, in your right pocket of your pants).
- 🚶♂️ When walking, keep your smartphone parallel to the ground – this improves reading data from the accelerometer.
- 🔄 Regularly update the software: in new versions MIUI Algorithms of data processing from sensors are improved.
Why can a pedometer show steps when the phone is on the table?
Troubleshooting: Pedometer does not work or resets
If the pedometer on Redmi 9 refuses to turn on or periodically resets data, try the following solutions:
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Shagomery doesn't count steps | Sensors or permissions disabled | Check the permissions in Settings → Applications → MIUI Health → Permits |
| Data is reset after rebooting | Cache clearing or application conflict | Turn off data cleanup for pedometer in Settings → Storage |
| Steps are only considered when the screen is unlocked. | Battery optimization or background limitations | Set up exceptions for the application (see section above) |
| Indications are very different from a fitness bracelet | Incorrect calibration or location of the phone | Recalibrate (instruction above) |
If none of the solutions worked, try resetting the pedometer settings:
- Open MIUI Health.
- Go to Profile → Settings → Data Reset.
- Select Reset pedometer and confirm the action.
- Reboot your smartphone and set up the pedometer again.
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If the problem persists after all the manipulations, check the performance of the sensors using the test: dial ##4636## in the phone dialer, select Testing → Sensors and make sure that the accelerometer responds to movements.