Xiaomi Mi Band 5 and iPhone: full instructions for connecting and setting up

The Xiaomi Mi Band 5 fitness bracelet remains one of the most popular gadgets for tracking activity, despite the release of new models. iPhone owners often face compatibility questions: whether the bracelet works with iOS, what features are available, and how to avoid connection errors. In this article, a step-by-step instruction with pictures, relevant for iOS 17.4+ and Mi Band 5 firmware version 1.0.6.54+ (2026).

AMOLED’s contrast screen, 11 sports modes, and 2-week autonomy make the Mi Band 5 attractive years after its release. But connecting to the iPhone has nuances, from having to use the official Mi Fitness app (rather than Zepp) to notification restrictions, we’ll take every step from unpacking the bracelet to fine-tuning sync with Apple Health.

Xiaomi Mi Band 5 compatibility with iPhone: what you need to know before connecting

Before you start synchronizing, check the minimum requirements:

• 📱 iOS version: 10.0 and higher (13.0 recommended)+ On iOS 17, all features are available without restrictions.
• 🔋 Bracelet charge: at least 20%.At levels below 15%, the Mi Band 5 may interrupt the connection process.
• 📶 Bluetooth: version 4.2 or later. All iPhones since iPhone 5 support this standard.
• 🌍 App Store Region: Mi Fitness is not available in all countries.

Important: Mi Band 5 does not support direct synchronization with the Apple Watch or Find My. All data will be transmitted exclusively through the Mi Fitness app (formerly Mi Fit). If you use the iPhone 15 Pro with USB-C, you will need a USB-A → USB-C adapter to charge the bracelet (it is not included!).

⚠️ Warning: On jailbreak iPhones, Mi Fitness can block devices from connecting for security reasons.In this case, temporarily disable tweaks associated with Bluetooth or Location Services.

2.Installation of the Mi Fitness application: where to download and how to configure

The official Mi Band 5 management app on the iPhone is Mi Fitness (formerly Mi Fit), which is free to download from the App Store, but with reservations:

• 🔍 Search for “Mi Fitness” (not “Zepp” is an app for other Xiaomi models).
• 🌐 If the app is not located, check your Apple region. ID. For Russia, Belarus and Kazakhstan, the application is available without restrictions.
• 📥 Size of the annex: ~150 MB. Make sure there is enough free space on your iPhone.
• 🔒 Permissions required: Bluetooth, Notifications, Fitness and Health (to sync with Apple Health).

After installation:

1. Open Mi Fitness and select the language (Russian available).
2. Click "Add device" → "Breasure" → "Mi Smart Band 5".
3. Allow access to Notifications and Geolocation (required for the pedometer to function properly).
4. Sign in to your Xiaomi account (if not, sign up) and this is a must to save your data in the cloud.

⚠️ Note: If you have previously used Mi Fit, the data will automatically be transferred to Mi Fitness. However, the activity history of the past 30 days may not be preserved - export it in advance to Google Fit or Apple Health.

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Before registering for a Xiaomi account, disable the VPN – the company’s servers can block registration from certain regions.

3. Step-by-step connection of Mi Band 5 to iPhone

Now, the most important step is to pair the bracelet with the phone, and follow the instructions in strict order.

1. Activate the bracelet: Press the touch button below the Mi Band 5 screen and hold for 3 seconds until it appears QR-If the screen is not responding, connect the bracelet to charge for 10-15 minutes.
2. Scanning. QR-In the Mi Fitness app, click "Connect" and point the iPhone camera at QR-If the scan doesn't work, enter the code manually (it appears under the screen). QR).
3. Bluetooth pairing: iPhone will request to connect to the device "MI Band 5_XXXX". Confirm the connection. If the request does not appear, go to the iPhone Settings. → Bluetooth and select the bracelet manually.
4. Firmware update: Once connected, the app will suggest updating the bracelet firmware. Don't interrupt the process - this can take up to 10 minutes. Make sure the bracelet charge is >50%.

If the scanning stage QR-When you have a “failed to connect” error, try it:

• 🔄 Reset the bracelet (hold the button for 10 seconds).
• 📴 Turn off and turn on Bluetooth on your iPhone again.
• 🚫 Remove the bracelet from the list of associated devices in Settings → Bluetooth and try again.

Charge Mi Band 5 > 20%|Bluetooth on iPhone is on|The Mi Fitness app is installed and open|Bracelet activated (QR-screen-code)-->

4.Setting up notifications and syncing with Apple Health

By default, Mi Band 5 only shows notifications from standard apps (Messages, Phone, Calendar) to add other messengers:

1. In Mi Fitness, go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 5 → Notifications.
2. Activate the "Calling and Message Notification" switch.
3. Click on “App Management” and select the ones you need (for example, WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber).
4. In iPhone Settings → Notifications → Mi Fitness, allow “Show on the lock screen”.

To sync your data with Apple Health:

1. In Mi Fitness, go to Profile → Settings → Linked accounts.
2. Choose Apple Health and allow access to steps, sleep, heart rate.
3. Set the direction of synchronization: 📤 From Mi Band to Health: Data from the bracelet will be duplicated in Apple Health. 📥 From Health to Mi Band: Relevant if you use other fitness trackers in parallel.

⚠️ Note: When synchronized with Apple Health, sleep data may be duplicated. To avoid this, in Mi Fitness, turn off automatic sleep phase detection and use only one monitoring app.

5. Advanced settings: screen, sports, alarm clocks

The Mi Band 5 supports screen customization, but on the iPhone, some features are limited.

• 🎨 Dials: Mi Fitness is available ~50 free dials. You'll need an Android device to install a third-party dial, or APK-file (unofficial method).
• ⏰ Alarm clocks: You can add up to 10 alarm clocks directly from the bracelet or through the app. Vibration is adjusted by strength (3 levels).
• 🏃 Sports modes: Of the 11 available modes on the iPhone, all work except for Swimming in the Pool (requires manually entering the length of the track).
• 🔊 Music control: The bracelet can switch tracks and adjust volume, but doesn't support Apple Music directly - only a standard player or Spotify.

To activate the Always-On Display (Constantly On):

1. Update your bracelet firmware to 1.0.6.54 or later.
2. In Mi Fitness, go to Display Settings → Always-On.
3. Select the period of activity (for example, from 7:00 to 23:00).

Always-On Display reduces the autonomy of the bracelet by 20-30%.

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On the iPhone, you can not install third-party dials through Mi Fitness - only standard from the application directory.

6. Solving common problems

Even with the right connection, iPhone users can experience errors, and consider the typical cases and ways to fix them:

If after all the manipulations the bracelet still does not connect, try:

• 🔄 Reset Mi Band 5 to factory settings: Bracelet settings → Additionally. → Reset.
• 📱 Reinstall the Mi Fitness app (remove and download again).
• 🌐 Change the region in the App Store to Russia or China (if the application is unstable).

7. Alternative ways of connecting (without Mi Fitness)

The official Mi Fitness app isn’t the only way to manage the Mi Band 5.

• 🔧 Notify & Fitness for Mi Band (App Store): Third-party app with advanced notification and dial settings. Supports Always-On Display without a firmware update. Minus: paid subscription (~300 rubles/month).
• 🖥️ Mi Band Master (Android only): If you have an Android device, you can set up the bracelet through this app and then sync the data with your iPhone via Apple Health.
• 🔗 Tools & Mi Band (iOS): Allows you to set custom dials, but requires TestFlight access (beta.

⚠️ Note: Using unofficial apps can lead to loss of warranty on the bracelet.In addition, Xiaomi periodically blocks accounts for using third-party software.

To install custom dials through the iPhone:

1. Download the dial file in.bin format (for example, from the site amazfitwatchfaces.com).
2. Use the Notify & Fitness app to upload the file to the bracelet.
3. Reboot the Mi Band 5 (hold the 10 sec button).

8.Comparing Mi Band 5 with new models for iPhone users

If you’re just planning on buying, compare the Mi Band 5 to the newer models in the context of iPhone compatibility:

For iPhone Mi Band users 5 It's still the best price/functional choice, but if you're interested in measurement, SpO₂ Extended sports modes, you should consider the Mi Band 6/7. The main difference when used with iPhone – all models have the same restrictions on notifications and sync with Apple Health.

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The Mi Band 5 is the best choice for iPhones if you want basic tracker features at the lowest price.New models add sensors but don't solve iOS compatibility issues.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)