Stepmer in Xiaomi phone: where is it, how to turn on and configure in 2026

You bought a Xiaomi smartphone and you want to track daily activity, but you can't find a built-in pedometer? Don't be surprised - unlike Apple Health or Google Fit, in the U.S. MIUI The step counter is hidden in a non-obvious place, and in fact, it depends on the firmware version, the phone model, and even the regional settings. In this article, we will not only show you where the pedometer is on Xiaomi, but also explain why it may not show data, how to calibrate it and what alternative applications to use if the standard functionality does not suit you.

It is important to understand: modern Xiaomi smartphones (starting with the Redmi Note 10 and Mi 11) use not only an accelerometer to count steps, but also data from a motion sensor that works in tandem with algorithms. MIUI. This means that accuracy depends on the correct resolution setting, the background activity of the Mi Fitness app, and even how you carry your phone — in your pocket, bag, or hand. If you've never turned on a pedometer before, chances are it's turned off by default to save battery life.

Before you go to the instructions, answer one question:

1. Where is the pedometer in the phone Xiaomi: the official way

Most of the models are Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO (starting MIUI 12 and later, the pedometer is built into the standard Health app (or Mi Fitness in global firmware), but the path to it may vary depending on the firmware version:

1. Open the Health app (green heart icon) if it's not on the home screen, search the system (Conductor) → Search).
2. In the lower menu, tap on the Steps tab (or Activity in some versions).
3. If there is no tab, click on the profile icon in the upper right corner. → Devices → Choose your phone. → Activity data.

The screen will show you a graph of steps for the current day, week or month, and you can see distance, calories and activity time, and if the graph is blank, then the pedometer is not activated, read about this in the next section.

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If the Health app is missing, check the Google folder on the home screen — sometimes it's hidden there under the name Google Fit (on models for the European market).

On some devices (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi) K60) The pedometer data is duplicated into a widget on the desktop:

1. Click the empty space on the main screen → Widgets.
2. Find the Health or Steps widget (usually sized) 2×2 or 4×1).
3. Drag it onto the screen and adjust the displayed data (steps, calories, pulse).

2. How to turn on the pedometer if it does not work

If you opened the Health app but the data isn’t updated, the problem is one of three:

• 🔴 Stepmer disabled in energy saving settings.
• 🔴 Health app banned from sensor access.
• 🔴 On the phone installed custom firmware without services Mi Fitness.

To fix this, follow the steps:

Step 1. Allow auto-start and background work

Go to Settings. → Annexes → Manage Apps, Find Health and Enable:

• ⚡ Auto-start
• 🔄 Background activity
• 📱 Showing notifications

Step 2: Give access to sensors

In the same Health app settings, open Permissions and enable:

• 📊 Physical activity (or motion sensors)
• 📍 Location (for accurate distance calculation)

Step 3. Check the battery settings

B Settings → Battery → Select mode to make sure Supersaving is not activated - it blocks the sensors. Also add Health to the list of Optimization Exclusions.

Why the pedometer on Xiaomi lies: 5 reasons and solutions

Many users complain that Xiaomi’s step counter shows overstated or understated data, and here are the main reasons and ways to fix them:

Critical error: on some models (for example, Redmi Note 9 Pro) pedometer stops working after upgrading to the previous model MIUI 14.The solution is to roll back the firmware or install a patch through TWRP.

If none of the solutions worked, try resetting the sensor settings:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → All specs.
2. Tap 5 times on the item Sensors (the hidden menu will appear).
3. Select Sensor Data Reset and restart the phone.

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The pedometer's accuracy is 70 percent dependent on the correct calibration, and if you don't calibrate it the first time you turn it on, the data will be distorted.

4. Alternative applications for calculating steps

If Xiaomi's standard pedometer doesn't suit you, consider third-party apps. They often offer advanced statistics, integration with fitness bracelets, and more accurate algorithms.-3 variant:

• 🏆 Google Fit is the official solution from Google, syncs with Mi Band and other devices.
• 📊 Accupedo is a custom pedometer with customizable sensitivity. The paid version removes ads and adds widgets.
• 💪 Pacer is an application with social functions (competitions, support groups.

To install an alternative pedometer:

1. Download the app from Google Play or Mi App Store.
2. Provide access to Physical Activity and Motion Sensors.
3. Turn off the standard pedometer in Settings → Annexes → Health → Disable (optional).

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If you use the Mi Band or Xiaomi Watch, disable the phone’s built-in pedometer – it will duplicate data from the bracelet, creating confusion in statistics.

5. Hidden functions of the pedometer in MIUI

Few people know, but in MIUI There are additional options for working with a pedometer that you can't see at first glance:

• 🎯 Activity goals: you can set your daily goal not just by step, but also by walking/running time. → Profile → Settings → Goals.
• 📅 Data export: steps statistics can be downloaded to CSV For analysis in Excel. Pathway: Health → Statistics → Exports.
• 🔗 Synchronization with Strava and Apple Health: integration with popular fitness platforms is available in global firmware.

Another hidden possibility is No Phone mode, and if you leave your smartphone at home but carry the Mi Band, the steps will still be recorded in the Health app the next time you sync.

1. Connect the bracelet to your phone via Mi Fitness.
2. In the bracelet settings, enable Synchronization of steps.

In the models with IR-a blaster (for example, Xiaomi) 12T Pro) the pedometer can be used to manage presentations, each step will flip a slide. → Connected devices → IR-blaster → Mode of presentation.

6: Stepmer and battery: how to reduce energy consumption

One of the main drawbacks of the built-in pedometer is the increased battery consumption. ~5 to 10 percent of the daily expenditure, to reduce that:

• 🔋 Turn off background location in Health settings (only for accurate distance calculation).
• ⏳ Reduce the frequency of data updates to 1 time per hour (some firmware has such a parameter).
• 🛑 Stop the Health app from working in Supersaving mode.

If you don’t need constant synchronization, set up manual data export:

1. Open up Health. → Settings → Synchronization.
2. Turn off Auto Sync.
3. Turn on Export when connecting to Wi-Fi (saves mobile traffic).

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The largest battery consumption occurs when the pedometer and GPS (Turn off geolocation if you're more interested in saving energy than accuracy of the route.

On devices with Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 (for example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra), you can use hardware pedometer acceleration, which reduces the load on the processor.

1. Activate Performance Mode in Settings → Battery.
2. Turn on Optimization for games (the parameter also affects the operation of sensors).

7. Stepper on older Xiaomi models (Redmi) 4/5/Note 7 etc.)

If you have a Xiaomi smartphone from 2017-2019 (e.g., Redmi Note 5, Mi 8), the built-in pedometer may work differently.

• 📱 Step data is stored in the Mi Fit app (not Health).
• 🔄 Synchronization only occurs when the application is open.
• ⚠️ Sensors are less accurate (frequent false positives).

To set up a pedometer on older devices:

1. Install Mi Fit from Google Play (if not).
2. Connect your Xiaomi account and allow access to sensors.
3. Enable Continuous Synchronization in the application settings.

On the Redmi. 4/4A And other budget models, the pedometer may not work at all because of the lack of sensors:

1. Install the Sensor Test app from Google Play.
2. Check if the Accelerometer and Shagomer are on the list.
3. If there are no sensors, the pedometer can only be launched via an external device (e.g., Mi Band).

FAQ: Frequent questions about pedometer on Xiaomi