How to turn on Xiaomi Mi Band: from charging to the first setup

Why your Mi Band is not turned on and what to do

You just unpacked a new Xiaomi Mi Band fitness bracelet or pulled it out after a long downtime, but the screen is still black? There may be a number of reasons, from trivial discharge to software failures. In 80% of cases, the problem is solved by properly charging, but sometimes you need to reset or even update the firmware.

In this article, we will look at all possible switch-on scenarios, from the first activation of a new device to the "resuscitation" of the bracelet after a deep discharge. Particular attention will be paid to the Mi Band 6/7/8, as they have unique features of inclusion (for example, a touch button instead of a physical one). If your bracelet does not respond to charging or is stuck on the logo, here you will find a solution.

Before you start the instructions, check two key points:

• 🔋 Battery: even a new bracelet can be discharged after long storage in stock.Plug it into charging at 30.+ minute.
• 🔌 Cable: Use the original cable USB-Xiaomi cable or certified equivalent. Cheap cables often don't provide enough current.

Step 1: Properly charging the bracelet before switching on

Most of the problems with the Mi Band are related to improper charging. Unlike smartphones, fitness bracelets do not have a charging indicator on the case - the screen remains black until the charge reaches a minimum level (usually 5-10%).

Connection to charging:

• 🔌 Disconnect the strap from the bracelet body (click on the button from the back and pull the strap upwards).
• 🔄 Insert the case into the charger so that the contacts (gold stripes) match the connector. 6/7/8 Contacts are located on the back, on the Mi Band 4/5 — bottom.
• ⚡ Connect the cable to USB-port of the computer, charger (5V/1A) power bank.

2. Start Charging Check: On the Mi Band 5 and later, a charging indicator (battery icon) should appear 5-10 seconds after the connection.

• 🔄 Turn the case in the charger (the contacts may not match).
• 🔌 Try another one. USB-port.
• ⏳ Leave the bracelet on the charger 1-2 Hour – sometimes after a deep discharge, it takes time for the power controller to “wake up.

⚠️ Note: Do not use wireless chargers or fast-charging adapters (>1A). This can cause the Mi Band battery to overheat and bloat.Optimum charging current — 0.5-1A.

Step 2: First Insertion of a New Bracelet

If the bracelet is successfully charged (the battery indicator appeared on the screen), you can start to turn on.

When you turn on, you'll see the Mi logo, then the welcome screen with the choice of language.

• 🔄 Reboot it: plug it into charging and hold the touch button for 10 seconds.
• 📱 Install the Mi Fitness app (formerly Mi Fit) and try to connect - sometimes the bracelet is only activated after pairing.

💡

If the Mi Band 6/7/8 screen is not responsive to swipes, check to see if the "No Sound" mode is on. Tap the screen twice to unlock.

Step 3: Activate through the Mi Fitness app

Without pairing with a smartphone, the Mi Band functionality is limited - you can not configure notifications, pedometers or pulsemeters.

Installation of the annex:

• 📱 Download Mi Fitness from Google Play or App Store.
• 🔒 Register or log in through your account Xiaomi/Google/Apple.
• 📋 Provide all requested permissions (geolocation, notifications, contacts).

Bracelet bracelet attachment:

1. Open Mi Fitness → Click Profile → Add the device.
2. Choose your Mi Band model from the list.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen: turn on Bluetooth on your phone and wait for the bracelet to be detected.
4. Confirm the pairing on the bracelet (touch the ticks on its screen).

Configure the main parameters:

• 👤 Indicate gender, age, weight and height for correct calorie counting.
• 🏃 Select your goals by step (usually) 8000-10000 day-to-day).
• 🔔 Set up notifications (calls, SMS, messengers).

Step 4: Addressing inclusion issues

If the bracelet does not turn on even after a long charge, try the following methods:

1. Reset to factory settings:

• 🔄 For the Mi Band. 4/5/6/7/8: plug in → Hold the touch button. 15-20 A few seconds before the Mi logo appears.
• 🔧 For the Mi Band. 1/2/3: press the physical button 10 Once in a row, then hold her down. 5 seconds.

Battery check:

• 🔋 If the bracelet isn't charging at all, it's possible the battery is swelling. Carefully remove the back cover (on the Mi Band 4 and newer it's on the latches) and examine the battery. Bloated battery (bulge) >1 mm) requires immediate replacement - further use is dangerous!
• 🔌 Check the charging contacts on the bracelet and cable for oxidation (green coating.

Update of firmware:

• 📲 Open Mi Fitness. → Profile → Your device. → Firmware update.
• ⚠️ Do not interrupt the upgrade process!Switching off the bracelet from charging during firmware can lead to "bricking" (complete inoperability).

⚠️ Warning: If the bracelet has been stuck on the Mi logo for more than 5 minutes after resetting, disconnect it from charging and reset. If the problem recurs, it is a sign of memory damage (repair required).

💡

90% of problems with the Mi Band turn on are solved by correctly charging (original cable + 1 hour of waiting) or resetting. If the bracelet does not respond to reset, the reason is a hardware malfunction (battery, power controller).

Step 5: Features of turning on the Mi Band after a long downtime

If the bracelet was left unused for more than 3 months, its battery could go into deep discharge mode, in which case standard charging may not help - the power controller blocks charging until the voltage rises to the minimum threshold.

Stress push method:

1. Connect the bracelet to charging through USB-Computer port (not charger!).
2. Wait 10 minutes, then turn off and reconnect the cable.
3. Repeat step 2 another 2-3 times, which can wake up the power controller.

Use of another power source:

• 🔋 Try charging from the power bank with the exit 5V/0.5A (Sometimes a low current is better to start a discharged battery).
• 🔌 Connect to USB-hub with its own power supply (they often give a more stable voltage).

If the bracelet still doesn't turn on, but you're sure the battery is working, you can try hand-stitching it through special utilities (for example, Mi Band Tools), but this requires skill and can void the warranty.

💡

For the Mi Band 6/7/8, after a long downtime, the following trick helps: plug the bracelet into charging, then sharply tap the screen 10 times in a row. This sometimes resets the screen lock.

Step 6: Checking the performance after switching on

After successful activation, make sure that all the functions of the bracelet work correctly:

Basic sensor test:

• 🩺 Pulsemeter: from the bracelet menu, select "Pulse measurement" (heart icon). Normal resting readings — 60-100 strike/min.
• 🌡️ SpO₂ (Oxygen saturation: available on the Mi Band 5 And newer — 95-100%.
• 🏃 Stepper: walk 20 steps - the counter should show ±2 steps from the actual amount.

Verification of notifications:

• 🔔 Send a test. SMS or call the conjugated phone - a notification with vibration should appear on the bracelet.
• 📱 In Mi Fitness, check that notifications are enabled for the desired applications (Profile) → Notifications).

Screen sensor test (for Mi Band 4-8):

• 👆 Swipe your finger up/down on the screen – the menu should scroll.
• 🔄 Tap the screen twice – must unlock (if lock is enabled).

⚠️ Warning: If the bracelet shows the wrong time or date after turning on, don't sync it through Mi Fitness - update the firmware first. There's a time synchronization bug in older versions of the software after a long downtime.

Frequent questions about including Xiaomi Mi Band