Setup Xiaomi smart watches: from pairing to hidden features

Xiaomi’s smartwatch is not just an accessory, but a full-fledged assistant for health, sports and everyday tasks. However, many users face difficulties in the first setup, from problems with communication with the phone to misunderstanding how to activate certain functions. This article will help you understand everything from basic connectivity to fine-tuning to your needs.

We will look at the settings on the example of popular models: Mi Band 7/8, Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro, Redmi Watch 3 Active and others. We'll focus on hidden features that the manufacturer doesn't always advertise, but that can greatly enhance the capabilities of your gadget. And if you're just choosing a model, at the end of this article, there's a comparison table with key features.

Important: instructions are relevant for firmware MIUI 2026 Mi applications Fitness/Zepp Life (depending on the watch model) If you have an older version of the software, some menu items may differ, which we will mention as well.

1. Preparation for setting up: what to do before turning on the clock

Before you start pairing your watch with your phone, follow a few mandatory steps that will save you time and eliminate the common mistakes like “the device can’t see” or “can’t connect.”

First, check the compatibility of your smartphone:

• 📱 Android: version no lower than 6.0, with Mi Fitness (for Mi Band) or Zepp Life (for Xiaomi Watch) installed. iPhone requires iOS 12.0+.
• 🔄 Bluetooth: Must support the standard BLE 5.0 or later: Outdated versions (4.2 and below) may not work smoothly.
• 🔋 Battery charge: at least 20% on the watch, 30% on the phone.

Second, update your phone's firmware, like Xiaomi or Redmi with MIUI 13 and below may have problems connecting the Watch 2 Pro – at least MIUI 14. You can check the version in Settings → The phone.

⚠️ Note: If you have previously used a watch from another brand (such as Huawei or Samsung), remove its companion apps.

Finally, you can create a Xiaomi account, without which you can't sync your health data, install updates, or use a cloud backup, and you can sign up directly on the Mi Fitness app or on account.xiaomi.com.

2. Coupling the clock with the phone: step-by-step instructions

Now, the most important thing is connecting the watch to a smartphone, and the process may vary slightly depending on the model, but the overall scheme is the same. Consider the Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro (for the Mi Band, the steps are similar, but adjusted for the Mi Fitness application interface).

Step 1. Turn on the clock:

• 🔘 Press and hold the side button (or touch area on the Mi Band) for 3-5 seconds until the Xiaomi logo appears.
• 📶 Wait for Bluetooth activation – an antenna icon or the inscription Pairing will appear on the screen.

Step 2. Install a companion app:

• 📲 For Mi Band: Download Mi Fitness from Google Play or App Store.
• ⌚ For Xiaomi Watch: Use Zepp Life (formerly Amazfit).

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Redmi Watch 3 Active) only work with Mi Fitness, despite the similarity to Xiaomi Watch.

Step 3. Start pairing:

1. Open the app and log in to your Xiaomi account.
2. Click Add Device (the + icon in the upper right corner).
3. Select your model from the list. If you don't have one, update the app.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen. During the connection stage, you may need to confirm the code on the clock (for example, click a tick or enter numbers).

If the clock is not connected:

• 🔄 Reboot both the watch and the phone.
• 📴 Remove the device from the list of conjugates in the Bluetooth settings of the phone and try again.
• 🛠️ Update the firmware of the watch through the app (if available).

3. Basic setting: time, notifications, dials

Once you've connected successfully, you can start customizing, and let's start with the obvious thing: adjusting the time and the look.

Time and date:

• ⏰ By default, the clock syncs the time to the phone. If it gets lost, check it out: 🌍 The correct time zone in the phone settings. 🔄 Automatic synchronization in the application (device profile) → Time settings).
• 🕒 For the Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro is available mode 12/24 One hour – you can change it in the settings → Display.

Notifications:

• 📱 To receive alerts from your phone, allow access in the app settings (Notifications) → Management of notifications).
• 🔕 On the Mi Band, you can choose which apps will send notifications (for example, only WhatsApp and Phone).
• 📵 On the Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro available mode Do not disturb – activated swipe down on the home screen.

Dials:

• 🎨 In annex Mi Fitness/Zepp Life Go to Device Profile → Dials.
• 🔍 Here you can choose from pre-installed options or download new ones (for example, sports or business themed ones).
• 🖼️ On Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro support animated dials and even upload your photos.

💡

If notifications come with a delay, turn off battery saving mode for the Mi Fitness app in your phone settings.

There’s a hidden feature on the Mi Band 8: if you touch the screen twice in standby mode, a quick panel with weather and steps will appear – this works even without connecting to the phone.

4.Tune health functions: pulse, sleep, stress

One of the key benefits of Xiaomi's smartwatches is health monitoring, but by default, many of the features are disabled or not working optimally, and we'll figure out how to set them up properly.

Pulse measurement:

• ❤️ Included in Device Profile → Heart monitoring: Recommended intervals – Every 10 minutes (for accuracy) or every 30 minutes (for battery savings).
• ⚠️ Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro has a warning about high / low pulse – set the threshold values manually.
• 📊 The data is synced with the Mi Fitness app, where you can view the graphs for the day/week/month.

Sleep tracking:

• 😴 Activated in Sleep Settings → Auto-tracking: It is important to specify the time of departure and awakening so that the clock accurately determines the phases of sleep.
• 🛌 Mi Band 8 has a Dremote mode – captures a short nap during the day (less than 30 minutes).
• 📉 If the data seems inaccurate, check the strap’s adhesion density – it should not hang around, but should not press your hand either.

Stress level and SpO₂:

• 😓 Measurement of stress is included in the Device Profile → Stress. The clock analyzes heart rate variability (HRV) and give a score of 1 to 100.
• 🩺 SpO₂ (Blood saturation with oxygen) is measured manually in the menu of hours or on a schedule. On the Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro, you can set up automatic measurement during sleep.

⚠️ Note: Data from smart watches does not replace medical diagnosis. For example, if the pulse is stable above 100 beats per minute at rest, consult a doctor - the clock may be mistaken for a medical diagnosis. ±5-10 strikes.

5. Sports modes and training: how to adjust to your goals

Xiaomi’s smartwatches support dozens of sports modes, from running to yoga, but few people know that they can be customized for specific tasks, such as setting up pace alerts or automatic pauses.

Choice of sport mode:

• 🏃 On the clock: swipe up on the main screen → Training. → choose a sport.
• 📱 Annex: Device profile → Sport → Set up priority modes (up to 10 for quick access).

Advanced training settings:

• 🎯 Goals: Set a target time, distance or calories in the workout menu, for example, you can set a 5km or 30 minutes to run.
• 🔔 Alerts: Voice prompts are available on the Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro (e.g., “Tempe is too high”). → Sport → Voice prompts.
• ⏸️ Autopause: If you are stopped at 3+ minutes (for example, at traffic lights), the watch automatically suspends the recording of the workout.

Analysis of results:

• 📈 After training, the data is synchronized with the application, where you can see: 📊 Graphs of pulse, pace, height (if there is a barometer). 🏆 Comparison with previous results. 🔥 Recovery score (how tired you are).
• 🔄 Mi Band 8 is available for the function VO₂ max - oxygen capacity assessment (endurance indicator).

6. Battery savings: how to extend the operating time

One of the most common complaints about smartwatches is the fast battery drain, but with the right settings, even the Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro is a big one. AMOLED-It can last up to 7 days, and we'll see what we can optimize.

The main "eaters" of the battery:

• 🔦 Screenlighting: on the Mi Band set the backlight time to 3 seconds (instead of 15 by default).
• ❤️ Continuous pulse monitoring: change the interval from 1 minute to 10 minutes.
• 📶 Constant phone connection: Turn off background synchronization in the app settings.
• 🌡️ Automatic measurement SpO₂: Leave only the night dimension.

Additional advice:

• 🌙 Use dark dials on the AMOLED-screens (for example, on Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro) – this reduces power consumption.
• 🔌 Turn off vibrations when notified if they are not critical.
• 📴 Mi Band 8 has Battery Saving mode – disables all functions except time and pedometer.

💡

The most effective way to save charge is to turn off automatic measurement. SpO₂ Increase the pulse monitoring interval to 30 minutes.

Comparison of autonomy of models (at optimal settings):

7. Hidden functions and life hacks

Even experienced users are unaware of some of the features of Xiaomi watches. Here are some useful tips:

Music and camera control:

• 🎵 On Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro you can control the playback of music on your phone (play/pause, next track).
• 📸 Mi Band 8 has a remote shutter release feature – useful for selfies or group photos.

Quick action:

• ⚡ Double-tap on the Mi Band 8 screen includes backlighting (even if the watch is locked).
• 🔄 On the Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro, you can assign gestures: for example, shake your hand to turn on the screen.

Do Not Disturb and Alarms:

• 🛌 Set up a smart alarm clock in the app – it will wake you up in the light sleep phase (30 minutes before the set time).
• 🔕 Do not disturb mode can be scheduled on a schedule (for example, from 23:00 to 7:00).

Secret codes and debugging menus:

• 🔧 The Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro has a hidden engineering menu. To get there, go to Settings → About the watch and 5 times click on the version of the software.
• 📡 In this menu, you can test sensors, reset settings, or enable debugging information (useful for diagnosing problems).

💡

If the Mi Band watch stops syncing, try resetting it to factory settings: → Reset. Then you'll have to re-conjugate the pairing process.

8. Troubleshooting: Frequent Problems and Solutions

Even the devices we've tested have failures, and let's look at the typical problems and the ways we can solve them.

The watch does not connect to the phone:

• 🔄 Reboot both devices.
• 📱 Remove the watch from the Bluetooth device list in your phone’s settings and repeat pairing.
• 🛠️ Update the Mi app Fitness/Zepp Life to the latest version.
• 🔋 Check the battery power of the watch – at a level below 10%, the connection may not work.

Notifications are not coming:

• 🔔 In your phone settings, check that notifications are allowed for the Mi Fitness app (Settings) → Annexes → Mi Fitness → Notifications).
• 📵 Make sure the watch is not activated Do Not Disturb.
• 🔄 Reconnect the clock to the phone.

The watch is running out fast:

• 🔋 Check which functions are actively used (pulse, SpO₂, GPS). Turn off the unnecessary.
• 🌡️ Cold weather can shorten battery life – this is normal for lithium polymer batteries.
• 🔄 If the problem persists, reset your settings.

Inaccurate measurement of steps or pulse:

• 👟 Make sure the watch fits tightly to the wrist (1-2 fingers above the bone).
• 📏 For accurate calculation of steps, indicate your height and weight in the profile.
• 🩺 When measuring your pulse, do not move your hand and keep it at heart level.

⚠️ Note: If after updating the firmware watch began to glitches (for example, spontaneously reboot), try to roll back to the previous version. → Update of the PO → Recoil (if available).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions