Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones today have powerful sensors built in to track your physical activity without having to buy additional gadgets. The built-in accelerometer and gyroscope allow the system to accurately record every movement, turning the phone into a personal trainer. However, out of the box, this feature often works incorrectly or data is not stored due to the aggressive energy saving policies of MIUI and HyperOS.
Users often face a situation where the phone is in their pocket, but the steps don't go, or the application is closed by the background processes of the system. To turn your smartphone into a reliable tool for monitoring health, you need to choose the right software and configure access rights. In this guide, we will examine all the nuances, from the selection of the application to the deep configuration of the system.
It’s important to understand that the sensor itself in the phone is always active, but without the right software interface, its readings remain inaccessible to the user.We’ll look at both standard solutions from Xiaomi and third-party applications that may be more convenient for certain use cases.
Selecting the optimal application for calculating steps
The first step in organizing activity tracking is choosing software. The Android ecosystem offers many solutions, but for Xiaomi and Redmi devices, there are the best options to ensure stable operation in the background.
The standard solution is Mi Fitness (formerly known as Zepp Life), which is designed specifically for integration with the MIUI/HyperOS shell and has the lowest battery consumption. The alternative is Google Fit, which is deeply integrated into the Android operating system and syncs with your Google account, which is convenient when changing devices.
- 📱 Mi Fitness: Native app with support for Chinese servers and full access to Xiaomi system sensors.
- 🏃 Google Fit: A universal solution that aggregates data from various trackers and smart watches from third-party manufacturers.
- ⌚ Zepp (Amazfit): This is essential if you plan to connect an Amazfit bracelet or watch in the future, as Mi Fitness does not support all older models.
- 📊 Health Connect: Google’s new platform for secure sharing of health data between apps,.
⚠️ Note: Do not install Mi Fitness and Zepp Life for the same account at the same time, this can lead to synchronization conflict and duplication of step data.
For most users, the best choice would be Mi Fitness for data collection and Google Fit for visualization and storage in the cloud, which avoids losing statistics when reinstalling the system.
Installation and initial configuration of Mi Fitness
The setup process begins with the installation of the necessary software. On new Xiaomi devices, the application may already be pre-installed, but for current work it is better to download from the official GetApps store or Google Play.
Once the app is launched, you will need authorization. It is recommended to use the Mi Account account, as it provides deeper integration with the system than logging in via Google or Facebook, which is especially important for correct notifications and background synchronization.
In the initial setup phase, the system will request access to various sensors, and it is critical to allow access to physical activity and geolocation, and without geolocation permission, the accuracy of the distance traveled may be reduced because the distance travelled is not as accurate as possible. GPS-Tracking will not be activated during walks.
☑️ Checklist of primary settings
Next, you need to enter personal data: height, weight, date of birth and gender, these parameters are used by algorithms to calculate calories expended and step length. Incorrect data will lead to distortion of statistics, so take this step carefully.
Configuring permissions and access to data
The most common reason why a pedometer on Xiaomi stops counting steps or resets data is the lack of necessary permissions. Android requires explicit user confirmation to access health data.
Go to the phone settings menu, search for the Applications → All Apps section, and select your tracker (e.g. Mi Fitness). From the menu that opens, click App Permissions. Here you need to make sure that all items, especially Physical Activity, Phone, and Location, are either Allow or Allow.
| Type of permit | Status | Impact on work |
|---|---|---|
| Physical activity | Permission. | Critical: Without this, the steps will not count. |
| Location | Allowed always | Important: for accurate distance and route calculation |
| Auto-start | Turn on | Critical: Allows the application to work after a reboot |
| Notifications | Permission. | Medium: Needed for reminders of movement |
Special attention should be paid to access to storage. Although modern versions of Android restrict this access, the application should be able to save local copies of data in case there is no Internet connection.
Battery optimization and background work
The MIUI and HyperOS shells are known for their aggressive energy-saving system, which can kill pedometer processes to save charge. To keep the pedometer running around the clock, you need to add an app to the exceptions.
In the app menu (Application Resolutions), find Battery Savings (or Activity Control) and select No Limits, which will tell the system not to interrupt the step counter even if the phone screen is off.
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Turn on the display of the step widget on the desktop or in Always-On Display – this signals the system that the application is actively used, and reduces the likelihood of its forced stop.
It is also recommended to lock the application in memory. Open the list of running applications (bottom-up swipe and retention), find the Mi Fitness window and press the lock. Now, when you clear the memory (Close all), the application will not be closed.
⚠️ Note: If you use Super-Energy Saving mode, the pedometer may stop working because it blocks all background processes except calls and messages.
Synchronize with Google Fit and other services
For those who want to have a single health database, Google Fit is useful, so you can keep statistics even when you switch to a different brand phone, and you need to do a few sequential things to set up sync.
Inside the Mi Fitness (or Zepp Life) app, go to your profile and find Add Accounts or Linked Devices. Select Google Fit and log in to your account. Once you successfully link, your steps will be automatically transmitted.
Way to check synchronization:
Mi Fitness → Profile → Add accounts → Google Fit → EnableIt's worth noting that synchronization doesn't always happen in real time. Often, data is updated when an app is opened or if there's a stable Wi-Fi connection. If steps don't appear on Google Fit right away, try pulling the list down for a forced update.
What to do if the synchronization is not working?
Troubleshooting and data resetting
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the pedometer “frozen” or shows incorrect values (for example, counts steps when the phone is lying on the table), in such cases, a cache reset or reinstallation of components is required.
First, try clearing the app cache. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps → Mi Fitness → Memory → Clear the cache. It is important not to confuse this with cleaning the data, which will lead to the deletion of the entire history.
If the problem persists, check the sensor calibration. In the engineering menu (available by code ##6484###), you can run the Accelerometer test. Put the phone on a flat surface; readings should tend to zero along the X and Y axes, and on the Z axis be close to 9.8 m/s2 (or 1g).
- 🔄 Reboot: A banal but effective method of restarting system services.
- 📉 Data reset: Use only as a last resort, having previously exported important data.
- 🔋 Battery check: Make sure the power saving mode does not block the sensors.
⚠️ Note: Do not use third-party applications, "accelerators" or "cleaners" of memory, they often forcibly close the pedometer process, considering it useless.
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In 90% of cases, the problem is solved by setting the power saving mode “No restrictions” and allowing auto-run for the tracker application.