Synchronizing a new fitness tracker with your smartphone is the first and most important step to fully use the full capabilities of the device. Owners of Xiaomi equipment often face nuances during initial pairing, since the brand ecosystem has its own peculiarities of working with Bluetooth protocols. Proper configuration ensures stable transmission of data about heart rate, steps and sleep, as well as the correct display of notifications from messengers.
The process of establishing a connection between the bracelet and the phone takes only a few minutes, but requires a certain sequence of actions. If you miss the preliminary preparation stage or choose the wrong application, the device may not be determined in the system. In this article, we will discuss in detail the connection algorithm, consider possible errors and how to fix them, so that your Mi Smart Band 4 works the first time.
Special attention should be paid to the version of the Android or iOS operating system installed on your gadget, as the functionality of compatible software depends on it. Modern shells MIUI and HyperOS have built-in energy saving mechanisms that can sometimes block the operation of the tracker's background services. Understanding these processes will allow you to avoid connection breaks in the future.
Preparation of a smartphone and bracelet for pairing
Before you go into action on the phone menu, make sure that both devices are ready to communicate. Charge the Mi Band 4 at least 20-30%, as the process of initial synchronization and updating the firmware can require significant energy consumption.
Turn on Bluetooth on your Xiaomi smartphone and make sure the device is visible to other gadgets. Don’t try to use the standard Bluetooth menu in the system settings – this is a common error that leads to conflicts. Direct pairing through Bluetooth settings is prohibited, since the device must be controlled exclusively through the proprietary application.
Reset the bracelet to factory settings if it was previously used with another phone or was purchased by hand. To do this, find the "Unbind" item in the settings menu or pinch the touch button before vibration appears. Clean start eliminates the possibility of retaining old profiles that may interfere with new registration.
Make sure your smartphone has the necessary geolocation services installed. In modern versions of Android (starting with 6.0 and up) for Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) active GPS-Without geo-position enabled, the fitness app simply won’t be able to detect the signal from your activity tracker.
Selecting and installing the right application
A key element of the ecosystem is the software that bridges the bracelet hardware to the phone’s operating system. For Xiaomi and Redmi device users, the Mi Fitness app (formerly known as Zepp Life) is the tool that provides the deepest integration with the MIUI shell.
- 📲 Download the official Mi Fitness app from the Google Play or App Store, avoiding third-party sources.
- 🔐 Create a new Xiaomi account or sign in to an existing one using a phone number or email.
- 🌍 When registering, select the correct region (usually your country of residence) to keep the servers running correctly.
- 🔌 Allow the app to access Bluetooth, geolocation, contacts and notifications immediately after installation.
There's also the Mi Fit app, which is an older version of the software. Although it still supports Mi Band 4, the company is gradually migrating all users to the Mi Fitness platform to unify the experience. If you plan to upgrade to newer wristbands in the future, it's best to get used to the new interface right away.
Once installed and authorized, be sure to provide the app with all the permissions requested. In particular, access to Notifications is critical if you want to see messages from WhatsApp, Telegram or wrist calls. Without this permission, the bracelet will only work as a simple pedometer.
Step-by-step connection instructions via Mi Fitness
Launch the Mi Fitness app on your smartphone and go to the Profile or Devices tab at the bottom menu. Click Add Device or the plus icon in the corner of the screen. In the list that appears, select Bracelets and find the Mi Smart Band 4 model.
The app will start searching for available devices within Bluetooth range. At this point, a request to confirm pairing with the smartphone image may appear on the tracker screen. Tap the touch button on the bracelet to confirm the action. If the request does not appear automatically, try rebooting the bracelet through the settings menu.
☑️ Connection checklist
Once the connection is successful, the time-data synchronization process will begin, the phone will be asked to install firmware updates, if any, and the firmware update is an important step, as new versions often contain connection bug fixes and improve the sensors’ work tab.
Keep the bracelet close to your phone and keep your smartphone screen on while you install updates. Interrupting your data may cause a software failure that will require you to refashion your device through a service center or utility.
What to do if the bracelet is not in place?
Configure notifications and functions in MIUI
After the basic connection, you need to configure notifications to fully disclose the functionality. In the Mi Fitness app, go to the device profile and select "Application Notifications." Here you will see a list of all the programs installed on the phone.
Activate the switches next to the apps you want to see on your wrist, which can be social media, email clients, instant messengers, or even system calls, and remember that the notification text only appears when it comes when the phone is unlocked or the screen is active.
| Function | Description | Where to set up |
|---|---|---|
| Wrist lifting | Turning on the screen when raising your hand | Profile -> Screen settings |
| Water locking | Protection against accidental pressing | Profile -> Screen settings |
| pulsemeter | Pulse frequency | Profile -> Health monitoring |
| Vibration. | Strength and duration of response | Profile -> Sound and vibration |
For owners of Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI shell, it is important to set up the auto-run of the application. Go to the phone settings, find the "Applications" section, select Mi Fitness and turn on "Autostart" This will prevent the system from forcibly closing the background service, which often leads to loss of communication with the bracelet.
It is also recommended to lock the application in memory (shroud it in recent applications) so that the system does not unload it to free RAM. Open the menu of running tasks, find the Mi Fitness window, pull it down or lock it, depending on the version of MIUI. This will provide a stable background data synchrony.
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For maximum autonomy, turn off constant pulse monitoring (leave the measurement once in a while). 10-30 - Minutes, and keep the bracelet screen bright to a minimum, which will keep the Mi Band running. 4 before 15-20 days.
Solving Typical Connection Problems
Despite the simplicity of the procedure, users sometimes face difficulties. One of the most common problems is that the phone sees the bracelet, but the connection breaks immediately after confirmation. This is often due to a Bluetooth cache or software version conflict. Try clearing the cache of the Mi Fitness app and Bluetooth service in the phone's settings.
If the bracelet doesn't appear in the list of available devices at all, check if it's in the list of Bluetooth paired devices of the Android itself. Go to the Bluetooth system settings, find the Mi Band 4 there and click "Forget the device" or "Tear apart the pair." After that, repeat the search procedure inside the application.
⚠️ Warning: If the bracelet fails to connect after multiple attempts, try to reset completely through the tracker menu. Do not use the Delete Device function in the application if there is no connection - reset it at the hardware level through the bracelet menu.
Problems with displaying Cyrillic characters (kraco cherry instead of text) are solved by installing Russian in the bracelet settings through the application. Make sure that in the "Profile" -> "Brasta settings" section, the Russian language and font are selected. Sometimes it helps to reinstall the dial to the standard one.
In rare cases, you need to flash the Bluetooth module on the bracelet itself, and to do this, you need to find the "Update" item in the Mi Fitness application and, if the version is current, try to install it again, the process takes about 5-10 minutes and requires that the bracelet be placed next to the phone without movement.
Advanced settings and personalization
Once successfully connected, the Mi Band 4 offers a wide range of customization options, so you can download thousands of third-party dials that change not only the look but also the data you display. In the in-app dial store, filter them from your device model.
An important function is to set activity goals: you can set your individual pace, calorie, or sleep time, and the bracelet will vibrate when you reach your goal, motivating you to move on, and that data syncs with your account and plots progress.
- 🏊♂️ Set up workout profiles: Choose the sports you play to track metrics accurately.
- ⏰ Set alarm clocks: the bracelet will wake you up with a soft vibration, without disturbing others.
- ☔ Turn on the weather forecast: sync temperature and precipitation data with your phone.
- 🔔 Set up reminders about a sedentary lifestyle if you lead an office lifestyle.
Remember to check for firmware updates regularly. Xiaomi engineers regularly release patches that improve pedometer accuracy and heart rate. The latest version of the software is the key to the long and correct operation of your wearable gadget.
⚠️ Attention: When installing heavy custom dials with animation, battery life can be reduced by 30-40%. Use static images to save charge.
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The stability of the Mi Band 4 is 90% dependent on the correct power saving settings in MIUI and the availability of the current version of the Mi Fitness application.