Xiaomi’s Health app: a complete guide to features, setup and sync with Mi Band

Xiaomi’s Health app (formerly known as Mi Fit) has become the central hub for managing all of the brand’s fitness devices, from Mi Band bracelets to smart scales and treadmills. However, many users still confuse it with the standard Google Fit app or don’t understand why they need to install another activity tracking app. In this article, we’ll explore what Xiaomi’s Health app does, how it integrates with the Mi Ecosystem ecosystem, and why it doesn’t help you unlock the full potential of your Band Misystem 8 or Smart Band Pro.

Since 2023, the app has undergone major changes: developers have removed the Mi prefix from the name, added support for third-party devices (such as some models from Amazfit), and introduced artificial intelligence for analyzing sleep and stress. But most importantly, it now works not only with wearable gadgets, but also with Xiaomi smartphones, collecting data from motion, pulse and even blood oxygen sensors (SpO₂). If you want to learn how to adjust notifications, export data to Apple Health or Google Fit, and understand why the application may not synchronize, read on.

What is Xiaomi Health App and Why You Need It

Xiaomi Health is the official software from Xiaomi, designed to manage and monitor all fitness devices of the brand. Unlike universal activity trackers (for example, Samsung Health or Huawei Health), it is optimized specifically for the Mi ecosystem, which allows:

• 📊 Get detailed statistics on steps, calories burned, heart rate, and sleep quality (including deep and superficial sleep phases).
• 🔔 Set up smart notifications — from inactivity reminders to high pulse alerts.
• 🔄 Sync data with Google Fit, Apple Health, and even Strava for comprehensive analysis.
• 🛠️ Update the firmware of fitness bracelets (Mi Band 7/8, Smart Band Pro) and smart watches (Watch S3).

It's important to understand that without this app, many of the features of the Mi Band will not be available, such as:

• ❌ Change the dials on the bracelet.
• ❌ Set up automatic sleep or exercise tracking.
• ❌ Get advanced reports on stress or energy levels.

And the Health app is not a basic use of the wristband, it's only for deep customization and data analysis, and if you have enough step meter and time, you can do without it, but then you lose up to 70 percent of the functionality of the device.

How to install and configure an application on a smartphone

Installing the Health app is easy, but there are a few things you should know about in advance: First, it is officially only available for Android and iOS, but HarmonyOS (Huawei smartphones) can work with restrictions. Second, a Xiaomi account will be required to fully sync, without it, some of the functions will be blocked.

Step-by-step installation instructions:

1. Download the app from the official store: 🤖 Google Play (for Android). 🍎 App Store (for iPhone).

Register or enter

Xiaomi

Settings → Mi Account

Connect the device.

• Turn on Bluetooth on your smartphone.
• Press the button on the bracelet (such as the Mi Band 8) before the vibration appears.
• In the application, select Add Device → Fitness bracelet and follow the instructions.

After connecting, it is recommended to immediately update the firmware of the bracelet (if an update is available). To do this, go to the Device Profile → Software Update. Do not interrupt the process - this can lead to a malfunction of the sensors.

The main functions of the application: what does Xiaomi’s “Health” know

The Health app can be divided into three blocks: activity monitoring, health analysis, and device management.

1. Monitoring of activity

• 🚶 A step counter with the ability to set a daily goal (by default, 8,000 steps).
• 🏃 Training Tracking – Automatic recognition of walking, running, cycling, swimming and other activities (available on Mi Band 8 Pro and later).
• 🔥 Calories: Calculations of calories burned based on weight, height, and intensity of exercise.

2. Health analysis

• ❤️ Pulse – measuring heart rate in real time and alerting about abnormal values.
• 😴 Sleep is a sleep phase analysis (REM, light, deep) with recommendations for improved rest.
• 💨 SpO₂ – Blood oxygen measurement (available on Mi Band 7 Pro and older).
• 😓 Stress is an assessment of stress levels by heart rate variability (VHR).

3. Device management

• 🎨 Changing dials – download new themes from the Mi Watch Faces store.
• 🔔 Notifications – setting up call alerts, SMS and messaging messages from messengers.
• ⚙️ Screen settings - brightness, timeout, raising your hand to activate.

One of the most useful features is weekly reports, and the app automatically generates a summary of activity, sleep and stress by comparing your performance to WHO guidelines, for example, if you sleep less than 7 hours 3 nights in a row, the system will offer tips for improving your regimen.

Sync with other services: Google Fit, Apple Health, Strava

One of the key features of the Health app is the ability to export data to third-party services, which is useful if you use multiple trackers or want to analyze statistics in one place (for example, in Google Fit).

To enable synchronization:

1. Open Profile → Settings → Data Synchronization.
2. Select the right service and log in.
3. Set up the refresh rate (recommended daily).

⚠️ Warning: When synchronized with Apple Health on iPhone, sleep data may be duplicated if you also have a Sleep Cycle or Pillow app installed. To avoid this, turn off sleep recording in third-party programs.

Common Problems and Their Solutions

Despite the stable work, users often encounter errors in the Health app, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

1.The application is not synchronized with the bracelet

• 🔄 Reboot Bluetooth on your smartphone and bracelet.
• 📱 Update the bracelet firmware through the Device Profile → Software Update.
• 🚫 Remove the device from the application and reconnect.

2. no notifications are received on the bracelet.

• 🔔 Check if permissions for the application are included in Phone Settings → Notifications.
• 📵 Make sure the bracelet is not in Do Not Disturb mode.
• 🔄 Reconnect the bracelet to the app.

3. no sleep or pulse data are stored

• 💤 Check if the bracelet is tightly attached to the wrist (sensors should touch the skin).
• 🔋 Make sure the bracelet charge is >20% (at low charge some sensors are turned off).
• 📲 Update the Health app to the latest version.

⚠️ Warning: If after updating the firmware, the Mi Band bracelet stopped displaying the time correctly, reset it to factory settings via Device Profile → Reset. This will solve the problem 90% of the time.

💡

If the bracelet is not synced with the iPhone, try disabling the “Low Bluetooth power” function in the iOS settings (Settings → Bluetooth).

Hidden functions and life hacks for experienced users

The Health app contains a few hidden features that few people know about, and here are the most useful ones:

• 🔍 Export data to CSV: You can upload the full statistics for a month to be analyzed in Excel. To do this, go to Profile → Settings → Export data.
• 🎯 Set activity goals: Instead of the standard 8,000 steps, you can set an individual goal (e.g., 12,000) in Profile → Targets.
• 🛡️ Privacy Mode: Turns off notifications on the bracelet when you are in a specific location (e.g., at work). Configures to Notifications → Private Mode.
• 🔋 Battery Optimization: To keep the bracelet running longer, turn off continuous pulse measurement in Device Profile → Sensor settings.

Another useful life hack is widgets, and on Android, you can add a health widget to the home screen for quick access to your pace and heart rate statistics.

1. Press and hold the empty space on the main screen.
2. Select the → Xiaomi Health Widgets.
3. Drag the widget onto the screen and set up the displayed metrics.

💡

If you are using the Mi Band 8 or later, activate the Smart Workout Recognition feature in the bracelet settings, which automatically detects the start of running, walking or cycling without manually starting.

Comparison with other fitness apps: which is better?

Many users are wondering if you should use Xiaomi’s Health app if you already have Google Fit, Apple Health or Samsung Health.

The bottom line is that if you're using Xiaomi devices, the Health app is the best choice, it offers the most integration and advanced features that universal trackers don't have, but if you have an iPhone and an Apple Watch, Apple Health will be more convenient.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi's Health app