Fitness bracelet Xiaomi does not connect to the Mi 5 Bluetooth: a full analysis of the problem

Are you trying to sync Mi Band 1/2/3/4/5/6 or another Xiaomi fitness bracelet with a Mi 5 smartphone, but the devices stubbornly do not see each other? Bluetooth turns on and the connection breaks down during the search stage or there is an error "I failed to connect?" This problem is familiar to thousands of users - and it is solvable. In 80% of cases, it is not hardware malfunctions that are to blame, but software conflicts that can be fixed independently.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible reasons why the Mi Band doesn’t connect to the Xiaomi Mi 5 via Bluetooth, from the banal battery discharge of the bracelet to deep system failures in the phone’s firmware. You will receive step-by-step instructions with illustrations (in text format), checklists for diagnostics and a table of model compatibility. WCN3620, which is manifested after updating before MIUI 10+ and requires a specific solution.

1. Checking the basic connection conditions

Before digging deep into your phone or bracelet settings, make sure the minimum requirements for syncing are met. Often users miss the obvious:

• 🔋 Bracelet charge: Mi Band must be charged at least 20%. At levels below 10%, many models refuse to turn on the Bluetooth module. Connect the bracelet to charge for 15-20 minutes and try again.
• 📱 Version. MIUI: On Xiaomi Mi. 5 must be established MIUI 9.6+ (for the Mi Band 3/4/5) or MIUI 10.2+ (for the Mi Band 6). Check in Settings → The phone.
• 🔄 Reboot: Reboot both devices - sometimes the Bluetooth module will "hang" in the background. For the bracelet: unplug the strap and press the reset button (if any) or wait for vibrations when connecting to the charger.

If the basic conditions are met, but the connection still does not work, move on to the diagnosis of software conflicts.

Conflicts in the Mi Fit app: reset and reinstallation

Mi Fit (or Zepp Life for new models) is the main intermediary between the wristband and the phone, and if it doesn't work properly, synchronization won't be possible. Here are three critical steps for diagnosis:

1. Cache Cleanup: Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Mi Fit → Storage and click “Clear Cache.” If the cache volume exceeds 500 MB, also clear the data (be aware that this will delete activity history!).
2. Reset bracelet settings: In the Mi Fit app itself, go to the bracelet profile → “Untie the device.” Then reset the bracelet (5-10 seconds hold the touch button) and try to connect again.
3. Reinstall the app: Remove Mi Fit, download the latest version from Xiaomi's official stores (not from Google Play!) and install.This is important, as third-party versions may contain modified Bluetooth libraries.

Attention! If after reinstalling the Mi Fit requests an update to the bracelet firmware, do not interrupt the process - this can lead to the "bricking" of the Bluetooth module in the bracelet. Connect the phone to charging and wait for completion (it can take up to 30 minutes).

⚠️ Attention: Xiaomi Mi 5 with MIUI 11+ Sometimes there is a bug when Mi Fit does not see the bracelet due to a conflict with Google services.Solution: disable "Auto-update Google Play Services" in the settings of your Google account.

Bluetooth problems on Xiaomi Mi 5: the specifics of the Qualcomm chip

Xiaomi Mi 5 is equipped with a chip Qualcomm WCN3620, which has two key features:

1. Limit on the number of connected devices: The chip supports no more than 5 Bluetooth devices that are stored at the same time. If there are more, new ones will not connect. Solution: delete unnecessary devices in Settings → Bluetooth.
2. Conflict with BLE 5.0 protocols: Mi Band 4/5/6 bracelets use Bluetooth Low Energy 5.0, and Mi 5 initially only supported BLE 4.2. After upgrading to MIUI 10+, this problem should have been fixed, but in practice manual adjustment is required.

How to check and correct:

1. Open Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and tap 7 times on the "Core" line. This will open the hidden Testing menu.
2. Go to Testing → Bluetooth → BLE Version and select 4.2 (Compatibility Mode).
3. Reboot the phone and reconnect.

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If the bracelet still does not connect after changing the BLE mode, try to roll back the Mi Fit firmware to version 4.6.0 - it is most stable for the Mi 5.

4. Reset network settings and Bluetooth module

If previous steps didn’t help, the problem may lie in network system settings. On the Xiaomi Mi 5, a hard reset of network settings often helps, which clears the cache of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and mobile data:

1. Go to Settings → System and device → Additional → Resetting.
2. Select Network Reset (not to be confused with a full reset!).
3. Confirm the action and wait for the phone to restart.

After discharge:

• 🔌 Don’t connect to Wi-Fi or mobile immediately – try tying the bracelet first.
• 🔄 If it doesn’t work, turn on Flight Mode for 30 seconds, then turn off and reconnect.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI 12+ The reset also resets the Trusted Devices settings to Smart Lock. After the procedure, you may need to re-enter the pattern lock or PIN-code!

If the network reset failed, try resetting Bluetooth settings separately:

1. Remove all paired devices in Settings → Bluetooth.
2. Turn off Bluetooth, then go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → System Apps → Bluetooth.
3. Click on "Stop", then "Clear Cache" and "Clear Data".
4. Reboot the phone.

5. Problems with bracelet firmware: update and rollback

The incompatibility between the bracelet and the phone is one of the most insidious reasons, for example, the Mi Band 4 with firmware 1.0.9.54 refuses to work with the Mi 5 on MIUI 9, although it should officially be supported. Here's how to diagnose and fix:

How to check the firmware version of the bracelet:

1. Open the Mi Fit and go to the bracelet profile.
2. Slap the icon "⚙️" (setting) → "The bracelet".
3. In the firmware version bar, you will see the current version (e.g., 1.0.1.14 for Mi Band 3).

Decisions:

• 🔄 Update the firmware: If the version is outdated, the app will offer an update. Important: Connect the phone to charge and ensure a stable Internet connection (preferably via Wi-Fi).
• 🔙 Roll back the firmware: If the bracelet stopped connecting after the update, try rolling back:

1. Remove the bracelet from the Mi Fit.


2. Install the old version of Mi Fit (e.g. 4.6.0 for Mi Band 3).




3. Connect the bracelet - the application will prompt you to roll back the firmware.

If the rollback doesn't work, maybe the bracelet's firmware is damaged, and then you can just reset the bracelet completely.

1. Disconnect the strap and find on the back of the bracelet contacts for charging.
2. Next to the contacts there is a small button – hold it for 10-15 seconds until vibration.
3. The bracelet will drop to factory settings, and then try reconnecting.

6. Hardware malfunctions: how to check

If all software methods have been tried, but the bracelet still doesn't connect, it's worth considering the hardware reasons. On Xiaomi Mi 5 and Mi Band bracelets, the most common ones fail:

• 📡 Bluetooth phone module: Check if other devices (earphones, speakers) are connected to the phone. If not, the module is defective. On the Mi 5, it costs 1500-2500 to replace it. ₽.
• 🔋 Bracelet charging contacts: Oxidation or contamination of contacts leads to undercharging and Bluetooth crashes.Wash them with alcohol and check the charge.
• 🔄 Bracelet antenna: If the bracelet fell or got wet, it could get damaged BLE-Check if the other phone sees it.

How to check the antenna of the bracelet:

1. Take another smartphone (preferably on Android 8+) and try to plug in the bracelet.
2. If the connection is gone, the problem is in your Mi 5. If it's not, the bracelet is faulty.

For Xiaomi Mi 5 there is a specific test Bluetooth module:

1. In the phone app, dial the code ##4636##.
2. Select "Phone Information" → "Bluetooth".
3. If the "Bluetooth address" bar shows unavailable or error, the module is faulty.

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If the bracelet does not connect to any phone, and charging and reset do not help - it is 99% hardware fault. ₽), It is often more profitable to buy a replacement.

7. Alternative ways of connecting

If the standard methods don’t work, try the workarounds:

• 🔗 Notify & Fitness: Mi Fit alternative, supports most of the Mi Band's features and is often more stable.

Instructions for Notify & Fitness:

1. Delete Mi Fit and clear its data.
2. Install Notify & Fitness and give all permissions.
3. Turn on Bluetooth and click "Add Device".
4. Select the bracelet model manually (if autodetection does not work).

If the bracelet is connected via an alternative application, but it doesn't work with Mi Fit, the problem is definitely a software conflict.

• Keep Notify & Fitness as the main app.
• Reverse Mi Fit to an older version (e.g. 4.5.0).

FAQ: Frequent questions about connecting Mi Band to Xiaomi Mi 5