How to download music on Xiaomi Watch S1 Active: all ways of 2026

The Xiaomi Watch S1 Active smartwatch allows you to listen to music without a smartphone — just download tracks directly into the device’s memory. But how to do this correctly? The official documentation often keeps silent about the nuances of supported formats, volume limitations and compatibility with different firmware. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to download music, including hidden functions and workarounds for users with different smartphone models.

Many people face problems: music doesn’t play, tracks are cut or the watch doesn’t see them, usually due to the wrong file format, an outdated version of the Mi Fitness app, or a conflict with the firmware of the watch, and we tested all methods on the latest software (minimum supported is Mi Fitness 5.12.0) and collected checklists for each stage.

If you want to listen to playlists while jogging or training without your phone, this guide will help save time. And for those who like podcasts or audiobooks, we've added a bonus section on converting formats without losing quality.

⚠️ Important: Before downloading music, check the free space on the watch. - Xiaomi Watch S1 Active has 2 GB of internal memory, but the system takes about 500 MB. for tracks remains about 1.3-1.5 GB – this is enough for 200-300 songs in the format MP3 128 kbps.

1. Preparation of the clock: checking memory and firmware

Before you download music, make sure your watch is ready for it. Start by checking the firmware version: legacy builds (below 1.7.65) may not support local track playback.

1. Open Mi Fitness → Go to Profile → Xiaomi Watch S1 Active → Software Update.
2. If a new version is available, connect the watch to charging and wait for the installation to be completed.

Check the free space:

1. On the clock go to Settings → About phone → Memory.
2. The system should show at least 1 GB of free space, and if less, delete unnecessary applications or data.

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If the watch shows "Memory is full" but you haven't downloaded anything, reset via Settings → System → Settings Reset. This will delete all user data, but free up space.

Also make sure that your smartphone has the latest version of Mi Fitness installed. Android minimum version is 5.12.0, iOS 5.10.1. Download the update on Google Play or App Store.

2.Official method: download via Mi Fitness

The most reliable method is to use the built-in feature in Mi Fitness, which supports MP3, AAC and WAV formats, but with limitations:

• 🎵 Maximum size of one file is 10 MB (about 1 minute in high quality).
• 📁 The music folder should contain no more than 500 files.
• 🔊 The bitrate should not exceed 320 kbps, otherwise the watch will not be able to play the track.

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the watch to your smartphone via Bluetooth.
2. Open Mi Fitness → Select Xiaomi Watch S1 Active → Music →
3. Click Add Music and select files from your phone’s memory.
4. Wait until the synchronization is complete (it can take up to 10 minutes per 100 tracks).

File format - MP3/AAC/WAV|

Bitrate ≤ 320 kbps|

File size ≤ 10 MB|

Name of files without special characters (!, @, #)-->

⚠️ Note: if the music is not loading, try renaming the files by removing the Cyrillic alphabet and spaces from the titles, track_01.mp3).

3. Alternative methods: Bluetooth and third-party applications

If Mi Fitness refuses to sync tracks, try to circumvent the restrictions with third-party tools.

Method 1: Bluetooth Transfer (for Android)

• 📱 Install the Bluetooth File Transfer app on your smartphone (available on Google Play).
• 🔗 Connect the clock to your phone via Bluetooth.
• 📤 In the app, select files and send them to the Xiaomi Watch device. S1 Active.

⚠️ Note: this method does not work on all firmware. If the watch does not appear in the list of devices for transmission, update their software.

Method 2: Use Notify & Fitness (for iOS)

For iPhone owners, the official Mi Fitness app has been severely stripped down.

1. Download the app from the App Store and connect the watch.

Method 3: Direct booting via PC (advanced)

It's going to require ADB and a little bit of technical skill, and the details are hidden under the spoiler, because it's only suitable for power users.

4. Music optimization: formats and bitrate

To make sure that the music takes up less space and is played without failure, follow these recommendations:

For conversion, use free programs:

• 🎧 Audacity (for trimming and changing bitrate).
• 🔄 Freemake Audio Converter (Bag Conversion) MP3).
• 📱 MediaHuman Audio Converter (for macOS).

⚠️ Note: Do not use bitrates above 320 kbps – the watch can play such files with distortions or ignore them altogether.

5.Music Playback: Control and Playlists

Once you download the music, you need to learn how to control it. The Xiaomi Watch S1 Active has a built-in player, but its options are limited:

• 🎵 Reproduction in order (no random mode).
• 🔊 Volume adjustment via physical button or swipe down.
• ⏯️ Pause/playback – double tap on the screen.

To create a playlist:

1. On the clock, go to Music. → Playlists.
2. Click Create and select tracks.
3. Save the playlist (maximum 50 tracks per list).

If the music is not played:

• 🔋 Check the charge level (below 20% of the watch turns off the player).
• 🔊 Make sure Bluetooth headphones are connected (no built-in speaker is available).
• 🔄 Reset the clock (Settings) → System system → Reboot).

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The watch doesn’t play music through a built-in speaker – be sure to plug in Bluetooth headphones or a speaker.

Problem Solving: Synchronization and Reproduction Errors

If the music is not downloaded or playing, use this error table:

If none of the methods helped, reset the clock settings:

1. Go to Settings → System → Resetting settings.
2. Confirm the action (the data will be deleted!).
3. After the reboot, repeat the music synchronization.

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Before resetting, save your training data in Mi Fitness → Profile → Backup.

7. Bonus: How to listen to podcasts and audiobooks

Xiaomi Watch S1 Active supports not only music, but also other audio files.

• 📖 Convert files to MP3 with a bitrate of 64-96 kbps (saves space).
• 🎙️ Break long records into parts of 30-40 minutes (more convenient for management).
• 🔗 Use applications like Audiobook Converter to optimize.

For easy listening:

1. Create a separate playlist for audiobooks.
2. Use Bluetooth headphones with noise cancellation (for example, Xiaomi FlipBuds Pro).
3. Set up a sleep timer in the player so that the clock automatically stops playback.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions