Modern wearables have become an integral part of everyday life, and Xiaomi Mi Band 4 remains one of the most popular representatives of this class of devices. After buying a new activity tracker, many users have a natural question about how to start using it correctly to avoid typical errors when you first turn on. The activation process is simple, but requires careful attention to detail, since without proper synchronization with the smartphone, the functionality of the bracelet will be limited.
The first thing to do is to remove the tracker from the package and make sure that the battery is charged. Often new devices come with a partial charge, but for the correct operation of the Bluetooth module and stable connection, it is better to put the gadget on charge for at least 30-40 minutes before setting up, this is especially true if the bracelet was in storage for a long time and the battery could go into deep discharge.
It's important to understand that the tracker itself is just a data collection tool, and all the analytics, dial settings, and notification management are done through a special app. Without a smartphone link, you can't set the time, interface language, or step-by-step goals. So preparing the phone is a key step before the device launches directly.
Preparation of the smartphone and installation of the application
The foundation for any Xiaomi fitness bracelet is a mobile app. Currently, the main and most functional application is Mi Fitness (formerly known as Zepp Life), through which the device is initially registered, firmware updates and fine-tuning of all health monitoring parameters.
For Android users, it is important not to download the application from third-party sources, but to use the official Google Play store. iPhone owners should search for the program in the App Store. After installing the application, you need to register a Xiaomi account or log into an existing one. This is a mandatory requirement, since without authorization, data synchronization is impossible.
⚠️ Note: When installing an application on Android, the system may request many permissions to access geolocation, contacts and notifications. You must agree to all requests, otherwise the bracelet will not be able to transmit notifications of calls or messages, and GPS-Tracking in partner applications will not work.
After you log in to your account, go to the Profile tab and select Add Device. In the list of available gadgets, find Mi Band 4. At this point, the system may suggest upgrading the application to the latest version - this action is better done immediately, since older versions of the software may contain errors that prevent new devices from connecting.
Make sure your phone is Bluetooth enabled and geolocated. In modern versions of Android operating systems, scanning Bluetooth devices is impossible without an active GPS module, even if the tracker itself does not use satellites to determine location. If the search for the device does not begin, try restarting the smartphone, thereby clearing the cache of Bluetooth connections.
The process of pairing and primary activation
When the app is ready to go, you can start pairing directly. Bring the bracelet closer to the phone (no more than 1-2 meters) and start a search in the application. The monitor screen should light up and it will show a vibration signal or a picture of the smartphone, indicating the standby mode of the connection.
In the search process, you may find a device that says “Device is busy” or “Connected to another phone.” This means that the Mi Band 4 was previously paired with another gadget, in which case you must first untie it in the previous owner’s app or in the Bluetooth settings of the phone itself, removing the device from the “Forgotten Devices” list.
Once you've successfully detected the smartphone screen and the bracelet display, the confirmation code will appear. The numbers must match. Click "Confirm" on both devices. From that point on, the initial synchronization process begins, which can take anywhere from 30 seconds to 2 minutes, during which time, don't turn off the phone screen and keep the devices close by.
☑️ Checklist of successful connection
The default Xiaomi Mi Band 4 may not support Russian if the region in the application is selected incorrectly. In the application settings, find the "Bracelet Language" and make sure that you choose Russian. If there is no such item or the language does not change, you may need to change the region in the settings of the Xiaomi account to "Russia" or "China", then reboot the bracelet.
Updating the firmware and calibrating the sensors
Immediately after the first connection, the app will almost certainly prompt an update to the tracker’s software, a critical step that cannot be ignored. New firmware versions contain bug fixes, improve sensor accuracy, and add support for new features such as music management or additional dials.
The process of updating is as follows: the application downloads the firmware file to the phone and then transfers it to the bracelet via Bluetooth. During this process, the tracker screen will show execution rates, and the gadget itself can be restarted several times.
⚠️ Warning: It is strictly forbidden to interrupt the process of updating the firmware, turn off the phone or carry the bracelet away from the smartphone. If the bracelet battery runs out during the upgrade, it will be extremely difficult to restore its performance at home, and in some cases impossible to restore it to work at home.
After the update, you should calibrate the pedometer. To do this, walk a known distance (for example, 100 meters) and compare the data on the bracelet with reality. If the error is large, you can find a calibration point in the application settings or just wear the device for several days, the machine learning algorithms adapt to your gait.
What to do if the update is suspended?
Set up notifications and health features
One of the main features of Mi Band 4 is to display notifications, so to make them come correctly, you need to go to the device profile settings in the application and select "Application Notifications", where you can flexibly configure which programs (WhatsApp, Telegram, SMS, Calls) you want to receive vibration signals from.
Note that the notification text may not be displayed unless authorized by Android. Go to Settings → Applications → Mi Fitness (or Zepp Life) → Notifications to make sure all switches are active. It is also useful to enable the caller’s name display if the phone book is synchronized.
Sleep and heart rate monitoring is particularly important. For the PPG sensor to work properly, the wristband must be tightly attached to the wrist, but not squeezing the arm. You can set the frequency of heart rate measurements: the more often you take the measurements, the faster the battery discharges, but more accurately the statistics.
| Function | Description | Impact on the battery |
|---|---|---|
| Pulse monitoring | Continuous measurement of heart rate | High. |
| Notifications | Vibration of messages | Average. |
| Wrist lifting | Activation of the screen by movement | Average. |
| NFC (in NFC version) | Payment and access | Low (on standby) |
Don't forget to set up the "Wrist Raise to Turn on the Screen" feature, which allows you to see the time and notifications with a simple brush rotation, but if you're active and you wave a lot, this feature can be annoying with frequent screen turns on, in which case it can be turned off in the bracelet settings menu or through the app.
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To save battery power, turn off constant heart rate monitoring by measuring once every 10 or 30 minutes, which will significantly extend the autonomy of the device without losing the overall activity picture.
Advanced settings and personalization
Xiaomi Mi Band 4 has a color AMOLED-It's a display that allows you to change the look of the interface, and it has a dial store that you can choose from, you can choose from, you can choose from a static image or an animated background, and it takes a few seconds to set up a new dial, and it instantly changes the way you see the device.
You can also find the "Applications Menu" settings, where you can change the order of the display of functions on the wristband screen, and you can highlight the most commonly used options, such as "Weather" or "Pulse", by removing the less necessary ones, which speeds up navigation on the menu, which is carried out through the powerful button.
For sports users, it's important to set up training profiles. The bracelet supports several modes: running, walking, cycling, swimming, etc. When choosing a mode on the bracelet, it starts to more actively poll the sensors and records detailed statistics, which can then be analyzed in the application.
⚠️ Warning: Do not use the "Swimming" mode in hot water (sauna, hot bath). although the bracelet has protection 5 ATM and withstands water pressure, hot steam and high temperature can damage the screen adhesive layer and seals, which will lead to moisture getting inside.
Another useful feature is finding your phone, so if you lose your smartphone at home, you can select the option from the wristband menu, and the phone will ring or vibrate loudly, even if it is silent (on some phone models), which only works with an active Bluetooth connection.
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Personalization of the interface and menu order significantly increases the usability of the gadget in everyday life, reducing the time to find the desired function.
Solving problems at launch
Despite the ease of setup, users can face difficulties. One of the most common problems is that the bracelet is not visible when searching. In this case, make sure that the device is not connected to another phone. Mi Band 4 can only pair with one smartphone at a time. Also helps to reboot Bluetooth on the phone: turn off, wait 10 seconds, turn on.
Another common issue is that messages arrive but text is not read (only a title or icon) and this is a restriction of the iOS or Android operating system, which is solved by giving the Mi Fitness app full rights to read notifications. On Android 11 and above, this is done through a special code in the developer menu or direct permission in the notification settings.
If the bracelet has stopped responding to touch or has frozen, it can be a hard reboot. To do this, connect the tracker to the charger (USB-dock). 99% of the time, when you connect the power, the device is forced to restart. If this does not help, leave it on charging for 1-2 hours, then try again.
In rare cases, there is a problem with displaying Cyrillic in notifications (instead of letters - squares or cracosabra), this is solved by changing the language in the application itself to English and then back to Russian, or completely reinstalling the application with data cleaning.