How to set time on Xiaomi fitness bracelet: 5 ways + problem solving

Xiaomi fitness bracelets are some of the most popular activity tracking gadgets, but even they sometimes fail to display time. You may have noticed that the Mi Band or Smart Band watch is showing the wrong time, is behind by a few hours or is completely lost after the update. The reasons vary from a banal battery discharge to a malfunction of synchronization with the phone. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to adjust time, from automatic synchronization to manual input, and also explain why the bracelet can “lie” and how to fix it.

It's important to understand that the setup process depends on the bracelet model and the firmware version. For example, in Mi Band 7 and later, time syncs automatically when you connect to an application, and in older versions (for example, Mi Band 3) sometimes require manual adjustments. We'll look at the universal methods that work on most devices, as well as the nuances for specific models.

If your bracelet shows you an error time, don't rush it to the service center. In 90% of cases, you can solve the problem yourself in 5 minutes, the main thing is to follow the instructions and take into account the features of the time zone in the applications Zepp Life and Mi Fitness (formerly Mi Fit).

1. Automatic time synchronization through the application

The most reliable and recommended way is to let the bracelet automatically sync the time with your smartphone.

• 📱 Install the official Zepp Life app (for new models) or Mi Fitness (for old ones) from Google Play or the App Store.
• 🔗 Connect the bracelet to your phone via Bluetooth (enable Bluetooth in your smartphone settings and follow the instructions in the app).
• ⏱️ Wait for the first synchronization – usually the time is updated within 1-2 minutes after connecting.

If the synchronization has not occurred, check:

• 🌍 Is the time zone on the phone set correctly (settings) → «System system» → «Date and time. The bracelet takes time from there.
• 🔄 Is the Zepp app updated? Life/Mi Fitness to the latest version.Outdated versions may not transmit data correctly.
• 📶 Is the Internet stable on the phone? Synchronization requires access to the network (even if the bracelet is connected via Bluetooth).

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If the bracelet shows time 3-4 hours ahead or behind, it is likely that the phone settings have the wrong time zone, for example, instead of “Moscow (UTC+3)” it may be set “Samara (UTC+4)” or the automatic definition is not working correctly.

For Mi Band 6 and later, you can also set the time format (12- or 24-hour) in the app:

1. Open Zepp Life → Choose your bracelet.
2. Go to Device Profile → Screen settings → Time format.
3. Choose the right option and wait for the synchronization.

2 Manual time setting (if automatic synchronization does not work)

If the bracelet does not sync automatically (for example, after resetting settings or updating the firmware), you can manually set it up, which is suitable for most models, except for the Mi Band 8 Pro and Smart Band 8 Pro – they manually lock the manufacturer.

Instructions for Mi Band 3/4/5/6/7:

Sync the bracelet with the app | Open the menu on the bracelet (swipe up) | Select Settings → More → Time | Set hours and minutes with the sensor | Save changes (check the box)

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1. Make sure the bracelet is connected to your phone via Zepp Life/Mi Fitness.
2. On the bracelet itself, swipe up to open the menu.
3. Find the Settings section (cog icon) → Additional → Time.
4. Tap the screen to change the clock, then the minutes. In some models (for example, Mi Band 5), you need to swipe the numbers up/down.
5. Click on the box or wait for automatic saving.

⚠️ Note: Mi Band 7 and Mi Band 8 (not Pro) may have different paths: → System system → Date and time. If Time is not on the menu, then your model does not support manual settings, try other ways in this article.

After manually setting the time, the bracelet should sync with the phone and then update the clock automatically. If this does not happen, reboot the bracelet:

• 🔄 To reboot, press the touch button for 10-15 seconds until the Xiaomi logo appears.
• 📱 After restarting, re-synchronize the bracelet with the application.

3. synchronization via Mi Fitness (for older models)

If you have an older bracelet than the Mi Band 6 (like the Mi Band 4 or Mi Band 3), you may need the old Mi Fitness app (formerly Mi Fit) to adjust the time.

Step-by-step:

1. Download Mi Fitness from the official store (if the app is removed). For Android, you can also use APK from the APKPure site.
2. Connect the bracelet to the app (turn on Bluetooth and follow the prompts).
3. Go to Profile → Your Device → Time settings.
4. Activate the option of auto-synchronize time or set the time manually if available.

🔍 Why is Mi Fitness better for older bracelets?The thing is Zepp Life is optimized for new models (Mi Band) 7/8, Smart Band Pro, and for the Mi Band 3/4/5 It can be incorrectly transmitting time zone data. If you still get time lost after setting up, try it:

• 📲 Remove the bracelet from the application and connect it again.
• 🔄 Update the bracelet firmware (in Mi Fitness) → Device profile → Update of the PO).
• 🔋 Fully discharge and charge the bracelet (sometimes helps with internal clock failures).

Mi Band 3/4|Mi Band 5|Mi Band 6|Mi Band 7|Mi Band 8 / Smart Band 8|Smart Band 8 Pro| Other model | Don't know

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4.Tune time on Smart Band 8 Pro and new models

In the Smart Band 8 Pro and Mi Band 8 Pro bracelets, the manufacturer has removed the ability to manually set time. It only works automatically synchronize through Zepp Life. If time is stray, the reasons are usually as follows:

The Smart Band 8 Pro also has an automatic time zone detection feature for travel, to enable:

1. Open Zepp Life → Choose a bracelet.
2. Go to the device settings → Date and time.
3. Activate the Auto Update time zone option.

⚠️ Note: If you travel frequently, turn off automatic time zone updates in your phone settings (not the bracelet!). Otherwise, when crossing the time limit, the bracelet and phone may diverge until full synchronization occurs.

5. Solving problems if time is not synchronized

If none of the methods worked, and the bracelet persistently shows the wrong time, check the following points:

• 🔋 Charge level of the bracelet. When the discharge is below 10%, some functions (including time synchronization) are turned off. Charge the device to 50% and try again.
• 📱 Phone operating system version: Android below 8.0 or iOS below 12.0 can have Bluetooth issues.
• 🔄 Conflict with other apps: If you have third-party fitness trackers installed (like Google Fit or Apple Health), they can block sync.
• 🛠️ Firmware failure of the bracelet. Try to reset the bracelet to factory settings (in Zepp Life) → Settings of the device → Reset).

Algorithm of actions in case of synchronization failure:

If the problem persists, try an alternative way to connect:

1. Remove the Zepp Life app and install it again.
2. When you first connect your bracelet, select China (sometimes this helps avoid time zone bugs).
3. After successful synchronization, bring the region back.

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If the bracelet only shows the error time in certain applications (like Google Fit), the problem is not with the bracelet itself, but with the synchronization of data between services. Check the data export settings in Zepp Life (Interfacing Apps section).

6. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

Many users make the same mistakes when setting time on Xiaomi wristbands, and here are the most common:

• 🕒 Ignoring the time zone on the phone. The bracelet takes time from there, so if the smartphone has the wrong belt, the bracelet will also have an error.
• 🔄 Sync Interrupt: If you close the Zepp Life app or turn off Bluetooth during the time update, the data may not be saved.
• 📴 Use of informal firmware. Castom firmware (such as Amazfit Mod) often breaks time synchronization.
• 🔋 Battery discharge to 0%. Full discharge can reset the bracelet's internal clock. Charge the device at a charge level below 20%.

🔍 How do you check if the synchronization is working correctly:

1. Change the time on your phone (for example, set 1 hour ahead).
2. Wait for the bracelet to synchronize (usually takes 1-2 minutes).
3. If the time on the bracelet is updated, the sync works correctly. If not, repeat the steps from section 5.

⚠️ Note: On some models (such as the Mi Band 5), when manually changing the time on the phone, the bracelet may not sync until you reboot it or update the data in the app manually (pull the screen down for an update).

7. Features of setting the time on different models

Each Xiaomi fitness bracelet model has its own nuances of timing settings. Below is a brief comparison:

The Mi Band 7 Pro and Smart Band 8 Pro also have multi-device sync, for example, if you connect the bracelet to two phones, the time will be taken from the device that was last connected.

🔍 Travel tip: If you change time zones frequently, turn off automatic time updates in your phone settings and manually set it.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions