Released in March 2021, the Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6 fitness bracelet became a logical continuation of the line of budget trackers, but with a number of revolutionary improvements for the series. NFC-The six have made a bid for medical functions, advanced sports modes and more accurate sensors. In this article, we will analyze what has changed in comparison with its predecessor, what hidden features appeared in the firmware after the updates, and whether it is worth overpaying for the new model for the owners of the Mi Band 5.
We will focus on key innovations: increased AMOLED-screen (now 1.56" instead of 1.1"), support measurement SpO₂ (It's got 30 sports modes, compared to 11 in the previous version, but not all of the changes are obvious at first glance — some features require manual activation or only work with certain smartphones. For example, automatic recognition of 6 types of workouts (including swimming) or monitoring sleep breathing often goes unnoticed by users.
It’s important to understand that the Mi Smart Band 6 isn’t just a cosmetic upgrade. Xiaomi has redesigned the hardware platform to add a more powerful processor and optimize power consumption, resulting in improved autonomy (up to 14 days with moderate use) and a smoother interface. However, some features, such as stress measurement or the women’s calendar, require binding to the Mi Fitness app (formerly Zepp Life), which can cause difficulties for users in regions with limited support for Xiaomi services.
1.Display: larger, brighter, more informative
The most notable change in the Mi Band 6 is the display. The screen size has grown from 1.1" to 1.56" and the resolution has increased to 152×486 pixels (versus 126×294 for the Mi Band 5). Now it is convenient to view notifications, activity charts and even short messages without the need to scrolle. The screen brightness reaches 450 nits, making it well readable even in direct sunlight.
Key screen improvements:
- 📏 The display area increased by 50% – now it places 2 times more information.
- 🎨 130+ dials (including animated) with the ability to download additional via the application.
- 🔄 Automatic brightness adjustment depending on the lighting (function is included in bracelet settings).
- 🖼️ Support for Always-On Display (AOD) — displaying standby time (activated via Settings) → Display).
However, the larger screen has also led to drawbacks: First, the bracelet body has become wider (47.4×18.6×12.7 mm vs. 46.9×18.2×12.4 mm for the Mi Band 5), which can be inconvenient for users with narrow wrists. Second, some dials from the Mi Band 5 are incompatible with the new model due to changing screen resolution.
⚠️ Attention: Always-On Display reduces the bracelet's autonomy by 20 to 30 percent. If you want to work long hours without recharging, turn off the battery. AOD in settings (Display) → Always-On).
2. Health monitoring: SpO₂, stress
Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6 has advanced medical features that were previously only available in more expensive devices such as Huawei Band 6 or Honor Band 6 (SpO₂). This has become especially important since the pandemic. COVID-19, When many users began to monitor the saturation of blood oxygen.
How it works SpO₂ Mi Band 6:
- 🩺 Sensor uses infrared light to analyze oxygen uptake by red blood cells.
- ⏱️ The measurement takes about 30 seconds (longer than some competitors).
- 📊 Results are saved in the Mi Fitness app with the ability to view dynamics.
- 🚨 When the level falls below 90%, the bracelet sends a notification (threshold is adjusted).
Besides SpO₂, bracelets appeared:
- 🧠 Monitoring stress levels (assessed by heart rate variability).
- 😴 Analysis of sleep phases with consideration REM-phase (Rapid sleep) and breathing.
- 🩺 Improved heart rate sensor with support for tachycardia/bradycardia warnings.
⚠️ Attention: Measurement function SpO₂ It's not intended for medical diagnosis, it can be distorted by moving your hand, cold fingers, or the bracelet in the wrong position.
3.Sports modes: 30 types of activity
If the Mi Band 5 had 11 sports modes, the new model has grown to 30, among them there are specialized training such as HIIT, Zumba, Pilats and even Street basketball, especially the athletes will be pleased with the automatic recognition of 6 types of activity (walking, running, cycling, rowing, elliptical trainer and swimming).
Comparison of Mi Band 5 and Mi Band 6 sports modes:
| Category | Mi Band 5 | Mi Band 6 |
|---|---|---|
| Total number of regimes | 11 | 30 |
| Auto-recognition | Walking, running (only with GPS phone) | Walking, running, cycling, rowing, ellipse, swimming |
| Swimming support | Pool only (no automatic recognition) | Swimming pool + open water, automatic style recognition |
| Training metrics | Time, heart rate, calories. | Time, heart rate, calories, VO₂ max, recovery, pace |
For runners and cyclists, the evaluation function will be useful VO₂ max is the maximum oxygen consumption, which reflects fitness, but for an accurate calculation. VO₂ max bracelet requires data on weight, height and age, as well as at least 10 minutes of continuous training with a heart rate above 70% of the maximum.
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To enable automatic training recognition, go to Settings → Sport → Autorecognition and select the desired activities. For swimming, be sure to activate Open Water or Swimming Pool mode manually - automation does not always work.
4.Autonomy and charging: the truth about 14 days of work
Xiaomi claims that the Mi Smart Band 6 can last up to 14 days on a single charge, but in practice this figure is very dependent on the use scenario. When used actively (constant monitoring of heart rate, notifications, AOD), the bracelet discharges in 5-7 days. However, compared to the Mi Band 5, autonomy still increased by 20-25% due to software optimization and increased battery capacity to 125 mAh (versus 110 mAh for its predecessor).
Factors affecting autonomy:
- 🔋 Heart rate: In the “Every 10 minutes” mode, the bracelet will last longer than with continuous monitoring.
- 📱 Number of notifications: each vibration alert reduces the operating time by 1-2%.
- 🌙 Sleep monitoring: If you turn off automatic sleep tracking, autonomy will increase by 10-15%.
- 🔦 Screen brightness: Maximum brightness (450 nits) consumes charge faster than automatic adjustment.
The bracelet takes about 2 hours to charge (versus 1.5 hours for the Mi Band 5) due to increased battery capacity. The magnetic charging cable with USB-Type-C that comes with it is used to connect. It is important to note that the Mi Band 6 does not support wireless charging, despite rumors that appeared before the release.
☑️ How to Extend the Autonomy of the Mi Band 6
5. Compatibility and application: Mi Fitness instead of Mi Fit
With the release of the Mi Band 6, Xiaomi began the transition from the Mi Fit app to the new Mi Fitness (formerly known as Zepp Life), which caused confusion among users, as some features (such as syncing with Google Fit) temporarily disappeared.
Key changes to the annex:
- 📱 New interface with a focus on medical data (SpO₂, stress, sleep).
- 🔄 Automatic sync with Apple Health and Google Fit (configured in profile).
- 📊 Advanced analytics of training with schedules VO₂ max and recovery.
- 🚫 Restrictions for Russia: some functions (e.g, PAI — Personal activity index may not be available.
Important: Mi Band 6 officially supports Android 6.0+ and iOS 10.0+, but for full operation requires:
- 📲 Bluetooth 5.0 enabled (older smartphones may have sync issues).
- 📶 Geolocation access (required for weather display and some sporting modes).
- 🔒 Notification permission (otherwise, the bracelet will not vibrate when calling/messaging).
⚠️ Warning: When you first connect the Mi Band 6 to your iPhone, you may need to reset the bracelet (Settings) → About the device → This is due to the peculiarities of Bluetooth in iOS.
How to transfer data from Mi Fit to Mi Fitness?
6. Design and Ergonomics: What has changed?
The Mi Smart Band 6 looks a little different from its predecessor, but there are a few important changes:
- 🔄 New strap attachment mechanism - now it is fixed more reliably, but is compatible only with straps for the Mi Band 6 (from Mi Band 5 will not work!).
- 💧 Improved water resistance - Certificate 5 ATM (You can swim up to 50 meters, but not recommended for diving).
- 🎨 New colors of the case: in addition to the classic black, there are options with gold and silver coating.
- ⚖️ Weight increased to 12.8 g (vs 11.9 g in the Mi Band 5), but the difference is almost not felt.
One of the controversial decisions was to drop the physical button under the screen, and now all the control is done through touch gestures.
- Swipe up/down - scrolling the menu.
Swipe left/right – switch between screens (notifications, weather, heart rate).
- Touching is a choice of item.
- Retention is a return to the main screen.
This decision has made the bracelet more minimal, but some users complain of occasional tapping during training.To avoid false positives, you can turn off gestures in settings (Display → Touch gestures).
7. Hidden functions and life hacks
Xiaomi Mi Smart Band 6 hides a few useful features that are not mentioned in the official instructions:
- 🔍 If you lost the Mi Band 6, open the Mi Fitness app, go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 6 → Find the device. The bracelet will vibrate.
- 📸 Camera Control: You can use the bracelet as a selfie remote (the feature only works with the Mi Camera app on Xiaomi smartphones).
- 🔕 Silent alarm clock: the bracelet can only wake up with vibration without disturbing others. → Alarm clocks.
- 🌡️ Weather for 7 days: swipe right on the home screen to see the forecast (data taken from the phone).
For advanced users, the following tricks are useful:
- 🔄 Forced Synchronization: If the data is not updated, go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 6 → Synchronize.
- 📱 Reset to factory settings (if the bracelet is glitzy): Settings → About the device → After that, you'll have to reconnect it to the phone.
- 🔋 Battery calibration: If the bracelet discharges quickly, discharge it to 0%, then charge it to 100% without interruptions.
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Mi Band 6 supports displaying notifications from any applications, but you need to manually enable access in your smartphone settings (Settings → Applications → Mi Fitness → Notifications).