Creating a custom dial for Xiaomi Mi Band 4: from idea to installation

Xiaomi Mi Band 4 remains one of the most popular fitness bracelets due to its combination of functionality and accessibility, but even such a device can be made unique by replacing the standard dial with its own design. In this article, we will discuss all the ways to create custom dials, from using the official Mi Fit application to working with third-party services like Amazfit Watchfaces and manual file editing.

It's important to understand that the process is different from installing pre-made themes, and you become a designer, choosing display elements, colors, fonts, even animations, but not all methods are equally safe — some require unlocking the bracelet and can cause failures. We'll detail the risks and give you recommendations on how to avoid them.

If you've never customized a smart device, don't worry: most of the instructions are good for beginners, and for experienced users, we've prepared a section with advanced techniques, including editing.bin files and working with the software. ADB.

Bracelet Preparation: What to Do Before Creating a Dial

Before you start designing, make sure your Mi Band 4 is ready to install custom themes.

• 📱 Update the bracelet firmware to the latest version via Mi Fit (Profile menu) → Mi Smart Band 4 → Update of firmware) Outdated versions may not support custom dials.
• 🔋 Charge the device to at least 50%. Interrupting the installation process due to battery discharge can cause the system to fail.
• 📲 Install additional apps: Amazfit Watchfaces (for downloading ready-made templates), Notify & Fitness for Mi Band (alternative to Mi Fit with advanced features) Mi Bandage (for manual installation of.bin files)
• 🔓 Unlock the bracelet (optional). Some methods require you to disable the protection from third-party firmware. ADB or special utilities like Gadgetbridge.

⚠️ Warning: Unlocking the bracelet will void the warranty and may lead to unstable performance.If you are unsure of your skills, use only official methods in the section below.

Also check the compatibility of your bracelet model. Mi Band 4 was released in several versions:

If your bracelet is not defined in apps, try resetting it to factory settings via Settings. → Reset to Mi Fit.

Method 1: Creating a dial through the official Mi Fit application

The safest and easiest method is to use the built-in editor in Mi Fit, which does not require unlocking the bracelet and is suitable for beginners.

1. Open Mi Fit and go to the Profile section → Mi Smart Band 4 → Dials.
2. Click Add the dial and select the Create yours option (if available in your version of the app).
3. Choose a basic template (usually 3-5 options with different layouts of elements are offered).
4. Set up the following parameters: 🎨 Color scheme: background, arrows, numbers ⏱️ Display elements: time, date, steps, pulse, weather 🔤 Fonts (limited choice, usually 2-3 variants) 🌙 Regime. AMOLED (Dark theme for battery saving)

Preview

Save the dial and sync it to the bracelet via Bluetooth.

⚠️ Note: In some regions, the dial creation function in Mi Fit may be disabled. If you do not have an option, update the app or use alternative methods from the following sections.

Advantages of this method:

• ✅ No risk of damaging the bracelet
• ✅ Quick installation (class 5-10 minutes)
• ✅ Automatic optimization for the screen Mi Band 4

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Limited customization options (no animations, complex elements)
• ❌ You can't upload your own images.
• ❌ The dial is saved only in the Mi Fit account and is not exported to the file.

💡

If Mi Fit doesn’t have a dial option, try changing your account region to China or India in your profile settings, and this will sometimes unlock additional features.

Method 2: Use of third-party services (Amazfit Watchfaces, BandFaces)

For those who want more freedom in design, specialized platforms are suitable, the most popular ones are Amazfit Watchfaces and BandFaces, which allow you to create dials from scratch or modify ready-made templates.

Let’s look at the example of Amazfit Watchfaces:

1. Download and install the Amazfit Watchfaces app from Google Play or the App Store.
2. Register or log in through your account Google/Apple.
3. On the main screen, click Create New.
4. Select the device model - Mi Band 4 (It is important not to confuse with Mi Band. 5/6, Because the screen resolution is different).
5. Set up the design: 🖼️ Background: upload your image (optimal size — 120×240 pixels) or select from the gallery. ⏰ Clock: Analog or digital, with or without a second hand. 📊 Widgets: Add the display of steps, calories, weather, charge level. 🎭 Animations (optional): for example, the smooth appearance of time when lifting your hand.

.bin

For installation via BandFaces, the algorithm is similar, but there are nuances:

• 🔹 The service offers more templates for sports dials.
• 🔹 Preview on Device – Preview on a real bracelet.
• 🔹 Supports interactive elements (for example, swipe to change screens).

You can upload the finished dial to the community and share it with other users. Some designs are getting thousands of downloads!

Size 120×240 pixel|Format PNG transparent (if necessary)|Color scheme: nothing more 3 primary|Contrast numbers for reading in the sun|Checking for AMOLED-screen (black background saves battery)-->

Method 3: Manual installation via.bin files (for power users)

This method is suitable for those who are willing to work with the file system of the bracelet, it allows you to set dials created manually or downloaded from the Internet (for example, from forums). 4PDA or XDA Developers).

You'll need:

• 📁 Ready-made.bin file dial (can be created in Amazfit Watchfaces or downloaded)
• 📱 Mi Bandage (alternatively Notify & Fitness)

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install Mi Bandage from 4PDA.
2. Connect the bracelet to your phone via Bluetooth and open the Mi Bandage.
3. Go to Watchfaces and click Add custom.
4. Select the downloaded.bin file (maximum size – 100 KB).
5. Wait for the download to be completed (the bracelet will reboot automatically).
6. After installation, the dial will appear in the menu of changing themes on the bracelet (to switch, use an up/down swipe on the screen).

⚠️ Note: Some.bin files may contain malicious code or may not be compatible with your firmware version. download dials only from trusted sources (e.g. official themes from Amazfit or repositories on GitHub).

If the dial is not installed, check:

• 🔹 File compatibility with your bracelet model (Mi Band 4 uses the FWxx format, where xx is the firmware version).
• 🔹 Free space (the bracelet supports up to 5 user themes at the same time).
• 🔹 No errors in the file (can be checked through the BinChecker utility).

Advanced techniques: editing dials manually

For those who want complete control of the design, it is possible to edit dials at the.bin level, which requires knowledge of the basics of working with hex editors and the firmware structure of the Mi Band.

Critical information: the dial files for the Mi Band 4 have a fixed structure, and changing even one byte incorrectly can lead to the bracelet "bricking" (completely inoperable).

Tools for work:

• 🔧 HxD (hexadecimal editor)
• 🔧 Mi Band 4 Tool (unpacking/packaging utility.bin)
• 🔧 Python scripts for automation (for example, mi-band-4-tools on GitHub)

Basic editing algorithm:

1. Download the original.bin file of the dial (for example, the standard one from Mi Fit).
2. Open it in HxD and find the sections responsible for: 🎨 Color palette (usually at the beginning of the file, bytes) 0x10–0x20) ⏱️ Item positions (clock coordinates, widgets) 🖼️ Graphic data (raster images in compressed form)

Make changes by maintaining the original file structure.

CRC32

QuickCRC

Mi Bandage

Example of changing the color of the watch:

Source byte of color (e.g. red: 0xFF0000)

Replaced with blue: 0x0000FF


In HxD, we find the sequence: FF 00 00


Change to:00 00 FF

To simplify the process, you can use ready-made templates from repositories:

• 🔹 mi-band-4-tools (scripts)
• 🔹 Topics from 4PDA (russified)

💡

Editing.bin files is the most flexible method, but requires technical skills. Start with small changes (like changing colors) before modifying graphics or animations.

Solving the problems: why the dial is not installed or is not working correctly

Even with the right instructions, you can get errors, and let's look at some of the most common problems and ways to solve them.

If none of these methods worked, do a complete reset of the bracelet:

1. Open Mi Fit and go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 4 → Untie the device.
2. Hold the button for 10-15 seconds until the Mi logo appears.
3. Re-couple the bracelet with the phone and try to set the dial again.

You can use the Mi Bandage log files to diagnose complex errors or ADB. For example, a team to view logs:

adb logcat | grep -i "watchface"

Where to download the ready dials for Mi Band 4

If you don't want to design from scratch, you can use the solutions that are ready.

• 🌍 Official collections: Mi Fit (dials section) → Recommended) Amazfit Watchfaces (Filter on the model Mi Band 4)
• 🛠️ Third-party forums: 4PDA (Russian-speaking community) XDA Developers (English-language discussions) Reddit /r/miband (collections of user themes)
• 🎨 Design platforms: Facer (export for Mi Band) WatchMaker (requires conversion to.bin)

When downloading dials, pay attention to:

• 🔹 Firmware version (as indicated in the file description, for example, 1.0.7.14)
• 🔹 Screen resolution (must match Mi Band) 4 — 120×240)
• 🔹 User reviews (check if there are any bug complaints)

Some authors pay for dials (for example, through Patreon), the average price is $1-3 for a unique design, and payment is usually via PayPal or cryptocurrency.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions