Xiaomi’s Health app doesn’t count steps: all the reasons and how to fix it

Have you noticed that the Health app (or Mi Health, Google Fit) on your Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphone has stopped recording steps when everything used to work? This problem is common among many users, and it can have several causes, from trivial settings to hardware malfunctions. In this article, we will analyze all possible reasons why the step counter does not work, and give step-by-step instructions for fixing them.

It's important to understand that step counting on Xiaomi depends on a set of factors: motion sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope), application resolution, power optimization, and even firmware. Often the problem is solved in just two clicks, but sometimes a deeper setup is required. If you've tried to reboot your phone and it hasn't worked, don't rush the device into service: 90% of the time the malfunction is software, not hardware.

We collected up-to-date data on models from 2022-2026, including Xiaomi 13/14 series, Redmi Note 12/13, POCO F5/X5, and also took into account the features of working with MIUI 14/15 and HyperOS. If your model is older, check the compatibility of sensors in specifications.

1. Checking basic settings: permissions and energy saving

The first thing to do is make sure that the app is allowed to access the sensors and not blocked by the optimization system, and on MIUI and HyperOS, these settings are often reset after updates or cache cleaning.

Open Settings → Apps → App Management and find Mi Health (or Google Fit if you use it).

• 📱 Permits: Physical Activity, Motion Sensors and Geodata (if linked to map) must be included).
• 🔋 Autorun: If disabled, the application will not work in the background.
• ⚡ Battery Optimization: Select No Limits (otherwise, the system may suspend step counting).
• 🔔 Notifications: Not critical for step counting, but useful for tracking activity.

If you use Google Fit, check your sync with Mi Health in your Google account settings, and sometimes the conflict between the two services leads to a crash.

Motion sensors: how to check their work

If the settings are fine, but the steps don't count, the problem may be the hardware, the accelerometer sensors or the gyroscope, and you can check their performance without disassembling the phone.

1. Install the Sensor Test app (or similar, such as Phone Tester) from Google Play.
2. Run the Accelerometer test – when the phone moves, the graph should react.
3. Check the Gyroscope – the rotation of the device should be displayed in real time.

If the sensors do not respond:

• 🔄 Reboot your phone – sometimes resetting sensor drivers helps.
• 🛠️ Update the firmware to the latest version (in Settings) → The phone. → Updating the system).
• 📲 Reset sensor settings through Settings → System system → Additionally. → Reset sensor settings (not available on all models).

3. Conflict with other applications and services

On Xiaomi, there are often conflicts between the standard Mi Health and third-party fitness trackers (such as Samsung Health, Huawei Health or Strava).The system can "forget" to link steps to the main application or duplicate data.

To rule out this factor:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Permissions → Physical activity.
2. Check only one application (e.g. Mi Health).
3. Restart your phone and check the steps count after a 10-15-minute walk.

Problems can also be caused by:

• 🔒 VPN Firewalls (such as AdGuard or NetGuard) that block access to sensors.
• 🤖 Automatic cache cleaner applications (such as CCleaner) that delete Mi Health data.
• 📱 Power saving modes from third-party manufacturers (e.g. Greenify).

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If you use Google Fit as your primary application, disable Mi Health in your Xiaomi account settings (Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Health → Data Sync).

4. Data reset and reinstallation of the application

If the previous steps didn't work, try resetting the app or reinstalling it, which helps in cases where there's a database crash or update conflict.

Instructions for Mi Health:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Mi Health.
2. Click Warehouse → Clear the data and Clear the cache.
3. Run the application again and perform the initial setup.

For Google Fit:

1. Open Settings → Accounts → Google → Delete your account (don’t worry, the data will be saved in the cloud).
2. Add the account again and synchronize the data.

If the problem persists, remove the app and install it again from Google Play or the App Gallery (for models without Google services). On some firmware, Mi Health can be built into the system, in which case only resetting the phone to factory settings will help.

Clear the cache in the application settings |Save backup data (if there is an export) |Write down current settings (goals, weight, height) |Reboot the phone after reset-->

5. Features of firmware and regional restrictions

Xiaomi may not be able to count steps due to regional restrictions or custom firmware, for example, on global versions of MIUI for Europe (EEA), some Mi Health features are sometimes disabled due to data protection laws (GDPR).

Check the firmware version:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.
2. If you see EEA, RU or IN, it's regional firmware. Mi Health is better off using Global or China for full-time operation (but note that the Chinese version requires a Chinese account link).

Problems can also occur on informal firmware (such as LineageOS or Pixel Experience), where sensors are not always properly integrated.

• 🔄 Try reflashing the device to the official global version.
• 📥 Install GApps (Google services) if they are not available – without them, Google Fit will not work.
• 🛠️ Check the availability of Fix for Health Services mod on forums XDA Developers (for experienced users).

6. Alternative ways of calculating steps

If standard methods do not work, alternative solutions can be used:

• 📱 Mi Band or Amazfit fitness bracelets: they sync with Mi Health and are often more accurate than a smartphone.
• 👟 Specialized applications: Pacer, StepCounter or Pedometer (work independently of system sensors).
• 🔄 Cloud Sync: If steps count but aren’t saved, check your Xiaomi or Google account settings.

For owners of the Mi Band or Amazfit:

1. Make sure the bracelet is connected to Mi Health (Device tab).
2. In the bracelet settings, enable Synchronization of steps with the phone.
3. Make sure that the phone and bracelet have the same firmware version.

If you use an iPhone with a Xiaomi bracelet, install Mi Fitness (not Mi Health) – this is the official iOS app.

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Xiaomi fitness bracelets (such as Mi Band 8) are often more accurate than smartphones in the calculation of steps, as they are worn on the hand and depend less on the position of the phone (in the pocket, bag, etc.).

7. When to contact the service center

If none of these things worked, and the motion sensors don't respond even after you reset, the problem could be hardware.

• 💥 After a fall or impact (especially if there were cracks on the screen).
• 🌡️ After getting moisture (even if the phone turned on, the sensors could oxidize).
• 🔧 After self-disassembly or replacement of the screen (may damage the plume sensors).

The service center will check:

• Integrity of the accelerometer and gyroscope on the motherboard.
• The state of contacts and plumes (on models with a removable back cover).
• The presence of corrosion after moisture is ingested.

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Before visiting the service, back up your data via Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset. After repair, you may need to reset your phone.

⚠️ Note: If the phone is warranty, do not open it yourself - this will void warranty obligations.

⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi models with IR Blaster (Infrared Port) sometimes conflicts with motion sensors. Try turning off the IR port in settings (Settings) → Connections and sharing → Infrared port and check the steps.

FAQ: Frequent questions about step counting on Xiaomi