How to connect Xiaomi smart watch to your phone: full instructions with pictures and tips

Xiaomi smartwatches are no longer just an accessory, they have become a full-fledged assistant in everyday life. From tracking physical activity to managing a smart home, these devices can do a lot. However, the first connection to the phone often raises questions even among experienced users, especially if we are talking about new models like the Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro or Redmi Watch 3 Active, where the manufacturer regularly updates firmware and synchronization algorithms.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can connect, from standard sync through the official Mi Fitness app (formerly Zepp Life) to alternative methods for iOS devices or older versions of Android. You’ll learn how to avoid typical errors (such as “I couldn’t connect to the device”), what settings you need to check in advance, and what to do if the watch “can’t see” the phone. And for Mi Band owners, we’ve prepared a separate section with nuances relevant to fitness bracelets.

Important: the manual takes into account the latest updates from 2026, including changes in Xiaomi’s policy on working with Mi Accounts and restrictions on iOS 17+ devices. If you have experienced problems with connecting, chances are that the solution is below.

1.What Xiaomi smartwatch supports phone connection?

Before you start syncing, make sure your watch model is officially compatible with your smartphone. Xiaomi releases devices on different platforms, and not all of them work with iPhones or older versions of Android. Here is the current list of supported models (for 2026):

• 📱 Full-fledged smart watches: Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro, Watch 2, Watch S3, Watch S2, Watch Color 2
• 🏃 Fitness bracelets: Mi Band 8 (including Pro and Active), Mi Band 7, Redmi Watch 3, Redmi Watch 2 Lite
• ⚠️ Outdated models: Mi Band 5/6, Amazfit Bip U Pro (requires manual installation of an older version of the app)

For devices on Wear OS (such as Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro) is available to connect through Google Play Services, but the functionality will be limited without the Mi Fitness application. But iPhone owners should pay attention to the compatibility table below – some features (such as notifications from messengers) may not work.

Critical information for iPhone owners: Since iOS 17.2, Xiaomi has restricted access to certain features (such as displaying notifications from WhatsApp or Telegram) due to changes in Apple’s privacy policy. If you care about these features, consider alternative apps like Notify for Mi Band (available on the App Store).

2. Preparation of the phone and the clock to connect

To avoid synchronization errors, check the following settings on your phone and watch in advance:

Make sure your phone is Bluetooth enabled (version 4.2 or later)

Charge of at least 50% (at low charge, synchronization may be interrupted)

Remove old versions of Mi Fit or Zepp Life apps (they are outdated)

Download the current version of Mi Fitness from the official store (not from third-party sites)

Disable VPN or proxy – they can block Xiaomi servers

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Pay special attention to permissions for the Mi Fitness application. On Android, you must provide access to:

• 📍 Geolocations (for tracking jogging)
• 📱 Notifications (to allow the clock to show incoming messages)
• 🔋 Auto-start (otherwise, the connection will break after the phone restarts)
• 📁 Storage (for backup of data)

On the iPhone, the algorithm is a little different:

1. Go to Settings → Privacy → Geolocation Services and enable access for Mi Fitness.
2. In Settings → Notifications, allow alerts from the app.
3. In Settings → Bluetooth, make sure the watch is displayed in the list of devices (even if they are not already connected).

⚠️ Note: If you are using the Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro on Wear OS, Before connecting via Mi Fitness, disconnect it from your Google account in the clock settings. Otherwise, there will be a profile conflict, and the clock will constantly reboot.

The firmware of the watch also plays a key role. For example, in the Mi Band 8 firmware version below 1.15.0.14, there is a bug with step synchronization. You can check the current version in the watch menu: Settings → About the device → Software version. If you need an update, it will be offered by the Mi Fitness application itself after you connect.

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If the watch doesn't turn on after it's discharged, plug it into a 10- to 15-minute charge even if the light isn't on, and sometimes the power controller locks when it's deep.

3. Step-by-step instructions: how to connect the watch through Mi Fitness

The official Mi Fitness app (formerly Zepp Life) is the most reliable way to sync, and follow this instruction to avoid errors:

1. Download Mi Fitness from Google Play (Android) or App Store (iOS). Do not use APKs from third-party sites - they may contain viruses or outdated libraries.
2. When you first start up, the app will prompt you to sign in via Mi Account, Google, Apple ID or Facebook. Choose a convenient option. If you already have a Xiaomi account (for example, for a smartphone), use it to sync data between devices.
3. Add a device Click on the + icon in the upper right corner of the screen and select your watch model from the list. If your model is not, update the app or check if you have downloaded a fake version.
4. Bluetooth pairing: Turn on Bluetooth on your phone and wait for the app to find the clock. The watch will have a 6-digit code, confirm it in the app. If the code doesn't appear, reset the clock (press the power button for 10 seconds).
5. Setting the settings After connecting the application will offer to configure: 👤 User profile (gender, age, weight – affects calorie accuracy) 🔔 Notifications (select messengers, calls and applications, the alerts from which will be duplicated on the clock) 🌍 Language and region (Russian, English, Chinese available for Mi Band 8) ⏰ Time zone (must coincide with the phone)

If at the interface stage there is an error “I could not connect”, try:

• 🔄 Restart your phone and watch.
• 📱 Remove the watch from the list of Bluetooth devices in the phone settings and reconnect.
• 🔧 In Mi Fitness settings, select “Forget the device” and start over.

⚠️ Attention: On iPhone with iOS 17+ After you connect, you may notice "Mi Fitness wants to use Bluetooth" every time you sync. This is normal behavior - confirm access, or the data will stop updating.

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If the watch is connected but does not sync the data (steps, pulse), check if the antivirus or power saving mode on the phone blocks it.

4. Alternative ways of connecting

It is not always possible to connect the watch through Mi Fitness. Let's consider 3 alternative methods that are relevant for specific cases:

Connect via Wear OS (for Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro)

If you have the Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro on Wear OS, you can connect them like a regular watch on this platform:

1. Install the Wear OS by Google app on your phone.
2. Turn on Bluetooth and follow the instructions in the app.
3. Once connected, install Mi Fitness on the watch itself via the Play Market on the device.

The downside of this method is that not all features (e.g. Xiaomi Pay) will work without an official application.

Connect via Notify & Fitness for Mi Band (for iPhone)

For iPhone owners who don’t have Mi Fitness notifications, there’s a third-party solution:

• 📲 Install Notify & Fitness for Mi Band from the App Store.
• 🔗 Connect the watch through the standard Mi Fitness app (for data synchronization).
• 🔔 In Notify & Fitness, set up forwarding notifications from the desired applications.

Important: This app is paid (about 300) ₽), It gives full control over notifications, including responding to messages directly from the clock (on supported models).

Connection via ADB (for power users)

If the clock is determined by the phone but not connected via the app, you can try forced pairing via ADB:

adb shell am start -a android.bluetooth.device.action.PAIRING_REQUEST -e android.bluetooth.device.extra.DEVICE_ADDRESS XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX -e android.bluetooth.device.extra.PAIRING_VARIANT 2

Where XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX — MAC-The address of your watch (you can find out in the Bluetooth settings of your phone) This method requires developer rights and is only suitable for Android.

5. Typical errors and their solutions

Even with the right connection, users often face problems, and we have collected TOP-5 errors and ways to fix them:

If none of these methods worked, try resetting the clock to the factory settings.

1. On the clock go to Settings → System → Reset.
2. Confirm the action (usually hold the button for 5-10 seconds).
3. After reset, reconnect from scratch.

⚠️ Warning: Reset will delete all data from the clock (steps, training, settings).If you had a Mi Account link, the data can be restored after reconnecting.

6.Setting hours after connection

Once you've successfully synchronized, you just have to optimize your device to suit your needs, and here's what you need to set up first:

• 🔔 Notifications: In Mi Fitness, select which apps you want to receive alerts from. On Android, you can set the vibration and backlight of the screen when notified. On iPhone, these settings are limited.
• 🏃 Activity tracking: Activate automatic recognition of walking, running and sleeping. Mi Band 8 has a feature «PAI» (Personal Activity Intelligence, which measures your activity on a scale of 0 to 100 – include it in your profile settings.
• 🔋 Energy saving: If the battery goes down too fast, turn off "Raising your hand to activate the screen" and reduce brightness.The Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro has a "Battery" mode that extends up to 12 days.
• 🎵 Music control: You can switch tracks and adjust volume on your watch. In Mi Fitness, turn on the Music Control option and select the default player (e.g. Spotify or YouTube Music).

For models with NFC (such as Xiaomi Watch S3), set up Xiaomi Pay:

1. Open the Mi Fitness app and go to Profile → Xiaomi Pay.
2. Add a bank card (Sberbank, Tinkoff, VTB and others are supported).
3. Bring the watch to the terminal and confirm the payment on the screen.

Useful Lifehack: If you have a Mi Band 8, you can change the dials not only through the app, but also through third-party services like Amazfit Watchfaces.

1. Download your favorite dial in.bin format.
2. Place the file in the Mi Fitness/watchfaces folder on your phone.
3. In the application, select “Add dial” → “Local file”.

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To keep the clock longer, turn off constant pulse monitoring (only during training) and reduce the frequency of data synchronization to 1 time per hour.

7 How to connect old models (Mi Band 5/6, Amazfit Bip)

If you have a device older than 2021 (such as the Mi Band 5 or the Amazfit Bip U Pro), the standard Mi Fitness app may not support it.

1. For Mi Band 5/6, Mi Fit version 4.6.0 is suitable. You can download it from sites like APKPure (just check the hash file for viruses!). After installation, disable automatic updates to the application in the Play Market.
2. Try Zepp (formerly Amazfit) Some models (like the Amazfit Bip S) work better through the Zepp app. It's available on Google Play and the App Store.The interface is similar to Mi Fitness, but there are additional features for running and swimming.
3. Manual firmware update If the clock is buggy, try updating the firmware manually: Download the firmware for your model from the 4PDA forum. Place the.fw file in the Mi Fit/firmware folder on your phone. In the app, select Update firmware → Local File.

⚠️ Note: When you manually update your firmware, you risk “bricking” the watch (making it inoperable). If you are not sure about your actions, you should wait for an official update through the application.

There’s another caveat to the Amazfit Bip U Pro: If the watch doesn’t sync your sleep data, check if the Sleep Mode option is enabled in your device settings. In some firmware, it’s disabled by default.

FAQ: Frequent questions about connecting Xiaomi smart watches