How to set time on the fitness bracelet Xiaomi Mi Band 3: all ways

The Xiaomi Mi Band 3 fitness bracelet remains a popular gadget even years after its release — its reliability, long autonomy and accurate sensors attract users. However, many face the problem: the time on the wristband screen does not match the real one or gets lost after rebooting. Unlike modern models (Mi Band 7 or Smart Band 8), where synchronization is instant, the third version has nuances that few people know about.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can adjust your time, from automatic synchronization through an app to manual time zone change, why the bracelet can show the wrong time after a battery change, how to fix a crash after a firmware update, and what to do if Mi Fit or Zepp Life don’t update the data, and we’ll also reveal a hidden forced synchronization feature that’s not mentioned in the official instructions.

Why Mi Band 3 is the wrong time: 5 main reasons

Before you set up a watch, it's important to understand why it went wrong, and 90 percent of the time, it's not the bracelet itself that's the problem, but the underlying factors.

• 📱 No sync with the phone. Bracelet gets time from the connected smartphone, and if the connection is interrupted (for example, Bluetooth is disabled), the data is not updated.
• ⏰ Incorrect time zone on the phone. If the smartphone has the wrong region, Mi Band 3 automatically takes these settings.
• 🔄 Failure after firmware updates. Sometimes new versions of software reset the time settings, especially if the update is interrupted.
• 🔋 Discharge or replace the battery: When fully discharged, the bracelet resets the internal clock to factory values (usually January 1, 2018).
• 🌍 Switching to summer/winter time: Not all firmware versions handle automatic transition correctly, which can cause a difference in the number of times a firmware is used. ±1 hour.

Interesting fact: in the first batches of Mi Band 3 (2018) there was a bug that caused the bracelet to reset time when connecting to some models of Samsung smartphones with Android 8.0. The problem was fixed in firmware 1.6.0.24, but if you have an old version of the software, update it manually.

⚠️ Warning: If your bracelet shows a date of January 1, 2018, this is a sure sign of resetting, in which case you will need a full resynchronization with the application, not just a time adjustment.

Method 1: Automatic synchronization via Mi Fit or Zepp Life

The simplest and most recommended method is to allow the bracelet to automatically take time from your smartphone.

1. Make sure your phone is Bluetooth enabled and your bracelet is connected to the app (Mi Fit or Zepp Life).
2. Open the app and wait until the Connected status appears at the top of the screen.
3. Go to the Profile section → Mi Smart Band 3 (or similar for your app version).
4. Find the Sync and tap it. If there's no such item, just pull the screen down for a forced update.

Usually, the time is updated within 10 to 30 seconds. If this does not happen, check:

• 📲 Application permissions: Mi Fit must have access to the Exact Location and Automatic Date and Time (in Android settings).
• 🔗 Connection stability: If Bluetooth is permanently disabled, try reconnecting the bracelet (Forget the device) → re-binding).
• 📥 App version: Older versions of Mi Fit (up to 4.6.0) had sync bugs.Update the app to Google Play or App Store.

Bluetooth is enabled on your phone and bracelet

Mi Fit/Zepp Life has access to the location

Bracelet connected to the application (status "Connected")

The phone has the correct time zone.

The app has been updated to the latest version-->

If automatic synchronization doesn’t work, go to manual methods (described below).It’s also worth checking if the Android power saving mode is blocking Mi Fit from running in the background.

Mi Fit

Zepp Life (formerly Amazfit)

Both in turn

Other/I don't know-->

Method 2: Manually adjusting time through the application (if the machine does not work)

In some cases, automatic sync fails — for example, if you're roaming or using custom firmware on your phone, you can set the time manually:

1. Open Mi Fit or Zepp Life and go to the bracelet settings (Profile → Mi Smart Band 3).
2. Find the Additional or Device Settings section (depending on the version of the application).
3. Select the time and date (in some versions it is hidden – see spoiler below).
4. Turn off Auto Sync and enter the current date and time manually.
5. Save the changes and wait for the vibration of the bracelet - this is a signal of successful application of settings.

Important: After manually setting up, turn on automatic sync back, otherwise time will be lost every time you turn off Bluetooth.

⚠️ Note: When manually setting the time, Mi Band 3 does not take into account the transition to summer/winter time.

Method 3: Reset the bracelet to factory settings (if nothing helps)

If the time on the Mi Band 3 is stubbornly not synchronized, the last option is a complete reset, which will return the bracelet to its original settings, but delete all the stored data (steps, pulse, alarm clocks) to reset:

1. On the bracelet, go to the menu, swiping the screen to the right to the item Still (or More).
2. Select Settings → Reset (or Reset).
3. Confirm the action by clicking the tick. The bracelet vibrates and reboots.

After discharge:

1. Connect the bracelet to the application again (Add the device to Mi Fit).
2. Wait for automatic time synchronization (can take up to 1 minute).

Resetting helps in 95% of cases where the problem is related to damage to the system files of the bracelet, but if after this procedure the time is still lost, the cause may lie in a hardware malfunction (for example, a dump of battery contacts).

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Before reset, take a picture of the current bracelet settings (alarm clocks, notifications) – this will help you quickly restore them after reconnecting.

Features of setting the time after battery replacement

Many users experience a battery change to the Mi Band 3 that is reset to January 1, 2018, because when the power is turned off, the bracelet's internal clock is reset to fix:

1. Fully charge the bracelet (up to 100%).
2. Connect it to Mi Fit and wait for automatic synchronization.
3. If the time is not updated, perform forced synchronization: 1. Open Mi Fit. 2. Go to the profile of the bracelet. 3. Pull the screen down (refresh gesture). 4. Wait 20–30 seconds.

If the bracelet after battery replacement does not turn on at all, check:

• 🔌 Polarity of battery connection (plus/minus not confused).
• 🔧 Integrity of the display plume (often damaged during disassembly).
• 🔋 Quality of the new battery (some cheap analogues do not hold the voltage).

⚠️ Warning: After the battery is replaced, the bracelet may show an unstable time for the first 2-3 days due to the calibration of the power controller.

How to set time zone and summer time

Xiaomi Mi Band 3 doesn’t have a separate time zone menu, it automatically takes this data from the connected smartphone.

• 🌐 If you’re traveling, change the time zone on your phone – the bracelet syncs it the next time you connect.
• ⏳ For manual daylight saving time adjustment: Turn off Automatic Time settings in your phone. Manually add/remove 1 hour in your smartphone settings. Sync with your bracelet.

double SIM-map

Important: firmware older than 1.7.0.14 has a bug that causes the bracelet to incorrectly process daylight saving time in some regions (e.g. Europe), and the solution is to update the software via Mi Fit or manually (instructions below).

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The time zone on the Mi Band 3 always depends on the settings of the smartphone. If the phone is in the wrong time, the bracelet will also be mistaken.

Update firmware to fix problems with time

If all of these methods didn't work, the reason could be in the outdated firmware, which can be updated in two ways:

Method 1: Mi Fit (Recommended)

1. Open the app and go to the bracelet profile.
2. Slip on the three dots in the top right corner and select the firmware update.
3. If a new version is available, follow the instructions on the screen.

Method 2: Manually through a firmware file

If the automatic update does not work:

1. Download the latest firmware for the Mi Band 3 from Xiaomi’s official website (e.g., version 1.8.0.8 for the global model).
2. Place the.fw file in the root folder of the phone.
3. In Mi Fit, go to Profile → Firmware Update → Local File and select the downloaded file.

After the upgrade, the bracelet will reset and the time should be synchronized automatically. If the problem persists, reset (see Method 3 above).

FAQ: Frequent questions about setting up time on Mi Band 3