How to connect Xiaomi Mi Band 3 to your phone: full instructions with photo

The Xiaomi Mi Band 3 fitness bracelet remains one of the most popular gadgets for monitoring activity, despite the release of new models, its key advantages are affordable price, long battery life (up to 20 days), and wide functionality: countdown, pulsemeter, notifications of calls and messages. However, many users have difficulties during the first connection to a smartphone, especially if it is a non-original firmware or outdated versions of the Mi Fit application.

In this article, we’ll look at not only the basic pairing process, but also the nuances that are often overlooked in standard instructions, such as why the bracelet may not be detected on an iPhone after an iOS update, how to get around the device is not supported error on Android 12+, and what to do if Bluetooth is constantly breaking the connection, and how to set up notifications so that they come without delay, and what alternative applications can be used instead of the official Mi Fit.

Preparation for connection: what to do before pairing

Before you start connecting Mi Band 3, make sure all the prerequisites are met, which will save you from most of the typical mistakes.

First, check the bracelet's charge. Even if the indicator shows residual charge, it's better to connect the device to charge for 10-15 minutes. The minimum level for successful pairing is 20%. Second, update the smartphone firmware: on Android, this can be done in Settings → System → Software Update, on iPhone – Settings → Main → Software Update. Older versions of the OS can conflict with Mi Fit.

• 📱 Smartphone: Android 5.0+ or iOS 10.0+ (But it's better than Android 8.0.+ or iOS 12+ steady-work).
• 🔋 Bracelet charge: at least 20% (optimum - 50%+).
• 📲 App: latest version of Mi Fit (you can download it from Google Play or App Store).
• 🔄 Bluetooth: enabled on your smartphone and in visibility mode for other devices.

Pay special attention to the application permissions. On Android 11+ Mi Fit requires access to:

• 📍 Geolocation (for accurate tracking of activity).
• 📱 Notifications (to transmit them to the bracelet).
• 📁 Storage (for backup of data).
• 🔗 Auto-run (to keep synchronization running in the background).

Step-by-step: how to connect Mi Band 3 to Android

The pairing process on Android takes no more than 5 minutes, if you follow a clear algorithm, it is important not to skip steps and not try to speed up the process, which often leads to failures.

1. Install Mi Fit from Google Play and open it. You will need to register a Xiaomi account when you first start it (you can use Google, Facebook or email).

2. Turn on Bluetooth on your smartphone and allow Mi Fit to use it. then click Add Device → select Bracelet → Mi Smart Band 3.

3. Sync the bracelet: when it appears on the screen QR-The code, bring Mi Band 3 to it (click on the touch button of the bracelet to activate the scanner). Alternative way is to manually select the device from the list available over Bluetooth.

4 Confirm pairing: the bracelet will show vibration and a request for confirmation. Press the touch button to agree.

Install Mi Fit from Google Play|

Register a Xiaomi | account

Enable Bluetooth and geolocation |

Download the latest firmware for Mi Band 3 (if offered)|-->

If the bracelet is not detected, try the following steps:

• 🔄 Reboot the Mi Band 3 (press the touch button for 10 seconds until you feel the vibration).
• 📱 Remove the cache of the Mi Fit application in the smartphone settings (Settings) → Annexes → Mi Fit → Warehouse → Clear the cache).
• 🔗 Turn off battery savings for Mi Fit (Settings) → Battery → Optimization → All applications → Mi Fit → No restrictions).

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If the bracelet is permanently disconnected after connecting, try untie it in Mi Fit (Profile → Mi Smart Band 3 → Disable), then repeat pairing again.

Connecting Mi Band 3 to iPhone: features and nuances

The iPhone interface has several key differences due to the limitations of iOS. The main problem is that Mi Fit can't automatically sync call notifications and SMS as it does on Android.

1. Install Mi Fit from the App Store and sign up. Turn on Bluetooth and allow the app to access notifications (Settings → Mi Fit → Notifications → Allow).

2. Add the device: press + in the top right → select Mi Smart Band 3. Wait for the app to find the bracelet (can take up to 30 seconds).

3. Confirm communication: a request will appear on Mi Band 3 - click on the touch button. After successful connection, update the bracelet firmware (if an update is available).

To set up notifications on iPhone:

1. Open the settings → notifications → Mi Fit.
2. Enable the Allow Notifications option and select Banner Style.
3. In the Mi Fit app itself, go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 3 → Call notifications and activate the switch.

Configure notifications and additional functions

Once you've successfully connected, the Mi Band 3 can be customized to suit your needs, and the basic features that you should activate right away are:

• 🔔 Notifications: in Mi Fit go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 3 → Notifications about calls / applications and select the desired messengers (Viber, WhatsApp, etc.).
• ⏰ Alarm clocks: You can set up to 10 vibrating alarm clocks right in your bracelet (Alarm clock) → Add).
• 🏃 Activity goals: Set a daily step rate (8000–10,000 recommended for health).
• 💤 Sleep monitoring: enable automatic tracking in Profile → Mi Smart Band 3 → Son.

For accurate pulse measurement:

1. Wear the bracelet 2-3 cm above your wrist (not too tight).
2. Enable automatic measurement in Profile → Mi Smart Band 3 → Heart rate → Auto.
3. Set a measurement interval (e.g., every 30 minutes).

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For stable notifications on Android, disable battery optimization for Mi Fit. Otherwise, the application will close in the background.

Problem Solving: The bracelet is not connected or permanently disconnected

If Mi Band 3 doesn't want to connect to a phone, the reasons could be both software and hardware, and let's look at some of the most common scenarios and how to fix them.

Problem 1: The bracelet is not on the Bluetooth device list.

• 🔌 Check if the bracelet is charged (the indicator should flash when connected to charging).
• 🔄 Reset the bracelet (press the button for 10 seconds).
• 📱 Remove the Mi Fit cache and restart the smartphone.

Problem 2: The bonding is gone, but the connection is broken after a few seconds.

• 📵 Turn off battery savings for Mi Fit and Bluetooth.
• 🔗 Check if the connection is blocking the antivirus or VPN.
• 🔄 Update the bracelet firmware through Mi Fit (Profile) → Mi Smart Band 3 → Firmware update).

Problem 3: There are no notifications on the iPhone (except for calls).

⚠️ Warning: This is a restriction of iOS, not a bracelet. Apple forbids third-party devices from reading notifications from instant messengers. The only solution is to use an Android smartphone or wait for Apple policy updates.

Problem 4: The Mi Fit app gives an error called "Device not supported."

• 📱 Check your smartphone compatibility (minimum requirements: Android 5.0 or iOS 10.0).
• 🔄 Remove and reinstall Mi Fit, then try connecting again.
• 🌐 If you use custom firmware (like LineageOS), try the Notify & Fitness for Mi Band alternative app.

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If the bracelet is plugged in but not synchronizing data, try manually updating the firmware through Mi Fit → Profile → Mi Smart Band 3 → Firmware update. Sometimes this solves the problems with passing steps and pulse.

Mi Band 3 apps: When Mi Fit doesn't work

The official Mi Fit app doesn’t always work consistently, especially on non-original firmware or older smartphones, and in such cases, you can use third-party programs that often offer more features.

The most popular alternatives are:

• 📊 Notify & Fitness for Mi Band – supports all of the features of Mi Band 3, including notifications, sleep monitoring and screen tuning.+.
• 🔧 Mi Band Master – allows you to fine-tune the vibration, bracelet screen and pulse intervals.
• 🌙 Sleep as Android – specializes in sleep tracking and integrates with Mi Band 3 for more accurate data.

To connect the bracelet through Notify & Fitness:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Open Settings → Connect the device and select Mi Band 3.
3. Follow the instructions on the screen (similar to Mi Fit, but with advanced options).

Advantages of third-party applications:

• ✅ More settings for bracelet screens (you can add weather, calendar, etc.).
• ✅ Support for outdated versions of Android.
• ✅ The ability to export data to Google Fit or Apple Health.

⚠️ Note: When using third-party applications, untie the bracelet from Mi Fit, otherwise synchronization conflicts may occur. → Mi Smart Band 3 → Shut down.

How to Reset Mi Band 3 to Factory Settings

If the bracelet is unstable or you want to sell it, a complete reset may be required.This will remove all data from the device, including the link to the Xiaomi account.

Method 1: Through the menu of the bracelet

1. On the bracelet, swipe down to open the menu.
2. Select Settings (cog icon).
3. Scroll through to Reset and confirm the selection (click on the touch button).

Method 2: Through Mi Fit

1. Open the application and go to Profile → Mi Smart Band 3.
2. Click Disable the device and confirm.
3. After the bracelet is unset, it will automatically reset.

Method 3: Hardware reset (if the bracelet does not respond)

1. Connect the Mi Band 3 to the charger.
2. Press the touch button for 20-30 seconds until you feel the vibration.
3. The bracelet will reset and reset to factory settings.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions About Mi Band 3