How it works NFC Xiaomi Mi Band: from contactless payment to unlocking the smartphone

Fitness bracelets Xiaomi Mi Band with support NFC They've long since stopped being pedometers, they've become full-fledged assistants in everyday life, and contactless technology allows you to pay for purchases, unlock your smartphone, and in some models even control a smart home, but how exactly does this chip work in a compact bracelet case? And why the version with NFC cost more than usual?

In this article, we will discuss the principles of work. NFC-Module in Mi Band 6 NFC, Mi Band 7 NFC, Mi Band 8 NFC You will learn how to set up contactless payments via Mi Pay or Google Pay, which banks are supported in Russia and other countries, and how to use a bracelet to unlock Xiaomi smartphones. We will focus on the limitations of technology – why sometimes payment does not pass and how to avoid it.

What is it? NFC The Mi Band and why you need it

NFC (Near Field Communication is a short-range wireless protocol (up to 10 cm) that allows devices to communicate without an internet connection. At Xiaomi Mi Band, this chip performs three key functions:

• 💳 Contactless payments – emulation of a bank card for payment in stores, transport or online (via Mi Pay, Google Pay or local services such as SberPay).
• 🔓 Unlocking your smartphone – the bracelet can serve as a key to unlock Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO passwordless.
• 🏠 Smart home management – in some models (for example, Mi Band 8 Pro) NFC Used to activate scripts in Mi Home.

It is important to understand that NFC In Mi Band, it's a passive module, and it can't read other tags on its own, like a smartphone, but it can only transmit pre-recorded data, like, for example, it emulates a bank card to pay for it, but it can't read the terminal information.

Compared to the classic Mi Band without NFC, The chip versions cost 20 to 30 percent more. Should you overpay? If you use contactless payments often or want to speed up unlocking your phone, yes. NFC needless.

How to use contactless payment through Mi Band

Payment mechanism through Mi Band is built on technology HCE (Host Card Emulation is a virtual emulation of a bank card, and when you bring the bracelet to the terminal, what happens is:

1. The terminal is sending a request for authorization.
2. Mi Band transmits encrypted card data (number, expiration date, CVV-code not transmitted!).
3. The bank checks the transaction and sends a confirmation.
4. The terminal issues a check (if the amount is up to 1000-5000) ₽ depending on the bank, PIN-code not required).

An important nuance: for payment to work, the bracelet must be tied to the Mi Account and synchronized with the smartphone, and the card itself is added not to the bracelet, but to the Mi Pay app (for China) or Google Pay (for global versions). 6/7 NFC Apple Pay does not support Android devices, only Apple Pay.

The transaction speed is about 0.3 seconds, which is faster than paying with a smartphone (which requires unlocking the screen).

• ⚠️ Limit per transaction – usually up to 5,000 ₽ (banker).
• ⚠️ Offline mode – the bracelet can make up to 5 payments without connecting to the phone, then you will need synchronization.
• ⚠️ Geographical restrictions – in some countries (e.g. the United States) Mi Band is not certified for payments.

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Before the first payment, update the bracelet firmware through Mi Fitness – in older versions there may be errors with card authorization.

What Mi Band models support NFC and their differences

Not all Xiaomi bracelets are equipped NFC-Below is a table with current models (for 2026) and their features:

Important: Chinese versions (CN) The global versions (Global) support Google Pay, but may not work with some Russian banks (e.g. Tinkoff did not support Mi Band until 2023).

How to check your bracelet version? go to Mi Fitness → Device profile → Device information. If there is a model name NFC — chip.

Step-by-step adjustment NFC pay

To start paying with a bracelet, follow the following steps (instructions for Mi Band) 7/8 NFC Google Pay):

Step 1: Preparing the smartphone

• 📱 Install apps: Mi Fitness (for bracelet sync), Google Pay (for maps added).
• 🔄 Update the bracelet firmware: Mi Fitness → Device profile → Update of the PO.
• 🔒 Turn it on. NFC on a smartphone: Settings → Connected devices → NFC.

Step 2: Adding a card to Google Pay

1. Open Google Pay and click “Add Card”.
2. Scan the map or enter the data manually.
3. Confirm the addition via SMS or push notification from the bank.
4. Select Mi Band as a payment device (under the “Payment Methods” section).

Step 3: Bracelet binding

In Mi Fitness, go to the Device Profile → Contactless payments and select the added card. the bracelet will reset, after which it will be ready to pay.

⚠️ Note: If the payment does not work after the card is tied, check: Country of issue of the bracelet (Chinese versions do not work with Google Pay); Bank support (the list of compatible banks is available on the Google Pay website); Card balance (some banks block transactions with zero balance).

How to unlock Xiaomi smartphone with Mi Band

The “Bracelet Unlock” feature is available for Xiaomi, Redmi and smartphones POCO base MIUI 12+. It allows you to unlock the phone by simply holding the bracelet to it – without entering a password or fingerprint.

Requirements:

• 📱 Smartphone with MIUI 12/13/14 and NFC.
• 🔗 Mi Band bracelet 6/7/8 NFC last-fixed.
• 🔄 Bluetooth enabled and NFC both-device.

Instructions for setting:

1. On your smartphone, go to Settings → Passwords and security → Unlocking with a bracelet.
2. Click on “Add Device” and select your Mi Band from the list.
3. Hold the bracelet to the back of the phone (where it is located) NFC-chip).
4. Confirm the binding in Mi Fitness.

Once set up, unlocking will work automatically when:

• 🔓 The bracelet is within a radius of 5-10 cm from the smartphone.
• 📶 Phone unlocked at least once in the last 24 hours (security requirement).
• 🔋 Bracelet charge level above 10%.

⚠️ Note: If the unlock stops working after the update MIUI, Reset the security settings on your phone: Settings → Passwords and security → Resetting security settings. It won't delete data, but it will return the unlock settings to the factory.

Problems with NFC In the Mi Band and their solutions

Even after setting it up correctly, users are faced with errors, and let’s look at the typical problems and ways to fix them:

If none of these methods helped, reset the bracelet:

1. In Mi Fitness, go to Device Profile → Untie the device.
2. On the bracelet, perform a hard reset: press the touch button for 10 seconds until the vibration appears.
3. Tie the bracelet again and reset the settings. NFC.

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If payment via Mi Band does not work on the subway or transport, check if your region supports contactless cards. Mastercard/Visa. For example, in the Moscow metro with 2023 Only the Troika or Mir cards are available for the year.

Comparison of Mi Band with NFC and other devices

Like Xiaomi Mi Band with a NFC Does it compete with other wearables? Let's look at the key differences:

• 🆚 Apple Watch: ✅ Pros: universal support for Apple Pay, work with iPhone. ❌ Cons: the price is 5-10 times higher, requires iPhone.
• 🆚 Samsung Galaxy Fit: ✅ Samsung Pay support (also works with magnetic terminals). ❌ Cons: Limited compatibility with non-compatibility-Samsung smartphone.
• 🆚 Huawei Band: ✅ Pros: Huawei Pay support in China and Europe. ❌ Cons: problems with synchronization on Android without Huawei services.

Benefits of Mi Band with NFC:

• 💰 The lowest price among devices with contactless payments.
• 🔄 Compatible with most Android smartphones (not just Xiaomi).
• 🔋 Long-term operation time (up to 14 days without recharging).

Disadvantages:

• ⚠️ Limited support for banks in some countries.
• ⚠️ There's no way to read. NFC-tags (data transfer only).
• ⚠️ Dependence on smartphone for setting.

FAQ: Frequent questions about NFC Mi Band