Modern smartphones of the Redmi i Xiaomi line offer ample opportunities to expand functionality through wearable electronics. Proper synchronization of gadgets allows you to turn an ordinary timer into a powerful tool for monitoring health and managing tasks. However, the initial setup process often raises questions among users due to the features of the shell MIUI or the new HyperOS.
In this article we will look in detail at how to establish a connection between your phone and a smartwatch, be it original Xiaomi Watch or third-party devices. You will learn about the nuances of working with system permissions, which are critical for the stable operation of notifications. Proper setup at the start will save you from constant disconnections in the future.
Preparatory stage before pairing
Before starting the procedure, make sure that both devices are charged at least 50%. Low battery levels can cause communication modules to shut down unexpectedly during critical communication phases. Also check that you have a stable Internet connection on your smartphone, as most applications require downloading watch face profiles and firmware updates.
Enable the module Bluetooth in your notification shade Redmi. It is important not only to activate it, but also to make sure that the phone is visible to other devices. To do this, go to the Bluetooth settings and make sure that the “Visibility to other devices” slider is active. This is a basic requirement, without which searching for a gadget will be impossible.
If you have previously tried to connect this watch to another phone, be sure to reset the settings on the accessory itself. Old pairing information may conflict with the new connection. Typically, this function is located in the watch settings menu in the “System” or “About device” section.
⚠️ Attention: If your watch was previously linked to another Mi Cloud or Google Fit account, you may need to completely unlink it through the web interface or application on the old device, otherwise the new phone will not see the gadget.
Download the necessary application in advance. For the ecosystem Xiaomi this is most often Zepp Life (formerly Mi Fit) or Mi Fitness. Watches from other brands, such as Huawei or Amazfitmay require their proprietary utilities from Google Play Market. Do not use third-party APK files from unverified sources to avoid installing malware.
☑️ Ready to connect
The pairing process through the system settings
The fastest way to establish a connection is to use the built-in Android tools. Open menu Settings → Connected devices → Connecting a new device. The phone will begin automatically searching for available gadgets within range. When the name of your watch appears in the list, click on it to initiate (pairing).
A digital confirmation code will appear on the screen of your watch and smartphone. Check the numbers: they must match exactly. Press “Connect” on your phone and confirm the action with a check mark on the accessory display. This security mechanism protects against accidental connection to other people's devices in public places.
After successful pairing, the system may prompt you to set up additional functions, such as synchronizing contacts or call history. Agree with these suggestions if you plan to use your watch to answer calls. Refusing these permissions will limit the functionality of the device to only displaying the time.
If the phone does not see the clock in the general list, try restarting the Bluetooth module: turn it off, wait 10 seconds and turn it on again.
However, system pairing is often incomplete. Without installing a proprietary application, you will not be able to update the firmware, change watch faces, or set up sleep monitoring. Therefore, immediately after the basic connection, proceed to installing and configuring specialized software.
Configuration through proprietary applications Zepp and Mi Fitness
For full operation of brand accessories Xiaomi i Amazfit registration in the ecosystem is required. Launch the application Zepp Life and log in through your Mi Account, Google or Facebook account. When you first launch the app, it will ask for a number of permissions: access to location, notifications, and background work. Provide them all, otherwise data synchronization will be interrupted.
In the main application menu, select the “Profile” tab and click “Add device”. Select your model from the list. The application will automatically switch to searching via Bluetooth. Keep your phone and watch close to each other without shielding them with your body or metal objects.
The process may take from 30 seconds to 2 minutes. During this time, the watch may display a loading logo or progress bar. Do not press any buttons on the device to avoid interrupting the handshake protocol. Once completed, you will see the main screen with steps and heart rate data.
| Function | Zepp Life (Mi Fit) | Mi Fitness | Third Party Applications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Support for older models | Full | Limited | Depends on drivers |
| Interface | Classic | Modern, minimalistic | Various |
| Synchronization with Google Fit | Direct | Through intermediaries | Often missing |
| Dial store | Huge selection | Expanding | Depends on the brand |
If you have a new watch model released after 2023, the system may strongly recommend using the application Mi Fitness instead of an outdated one Zepp. New data encryption protocols are better supported in new software. Ignoring this requirement may lead to the impossibility of installing security updates.
Optimizing work in the MIUI and HyperOS system
Shells from Xiaomi are known for aggressive energy saving, which can “kill” background watch application processes. To ensure that notifications arrive consistently, you must manually configure autorun. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications, find your watch application (for example, Zepp) and open its properties.
Find the “Autorun” item and activate the toggle switch. Then go to the Battery Saver section and select the No Limits mode. This will prevent the system from forcing the app to close when the phone screen is off. Without this setting, you risk missing important messages in instant messengers.
It is also recommended to pin the application in memory. Open the running apps menu (swipe up and hold or the menu button), find the watch app window and pull it down to reveal the lock icon. This is a visual indicator that the process is protected from RAM cleaning.
⚠️ Attention: After major updates to the HyperOS system, power saving settings may be reset to factory settings. Check the autorun status of watch applications after each smartphone software update.
For correct operation of geofencing and route tracking while jogging, enable constant access to geolocation. In the permissions settings, select the "Always Allow" option instead of "Only when in use." This will allow the watch to correctly transmit route data even when the phone is locked in your pocket.
Why does the watch turn itself off?
MIUI's aggressive power saving mode often closes background Bluetooth services to save battery. The solution is to disable battery optimization for a specific application and fix it in RAM.
Solving common connection problems
Users often encounter a situation where the watch connects, but the data is not synchronized. In 80% of cases, the problem lies in a Bluetooth version conflict. Make sure your phone is not set to Calls Only mode in the settings of the paired device. Go to the Bluetooth settings, click on the gear next to the name of the watch and check that the “Contacts”, “Messages” and “Media” items are active.
Another common mistake is time desynchronization. If your watch shows the wrong time even though you are connected to your phone, check your time zone settings. In the application Zepp or Mi Fitness the “Synchronize time with phone” checkbox should be checked. Manually setting the time on the watch itself is often blocked by the system when there is an active connection.
If the application constantly crashes when you try to log in, try clearing its cache. Go to Settings → Applications → [Your application] → Storage → Clear cache. Do not click “Clear all data” if you do not want to re-enter your username and password, although this sometimes helps with critical authorization errors.
In rare cases, completely resetting the phone’s network settings helps. This will delete all saved Wi-Fi networks and Bluetooth pairs, but often resolves issues with the Android communications stack not working correctly. Use this measure only if other methods have not helped.
The stability of the smartwatch on Redmi is 90% dependent on the correct energy saving settings and autorun permissions, and not on the quality of the accessory itself.
Additional features and personalization
After successful setup, access to the watch face store opens. You can choose a static image or a complex interactive watch face that displays the weather, heart rate and steps in real time. Keep in mind that complex animated watch faces consume more power on both the watch and phone when syncing.
Set notifications selectively. You should not duplicate all notifications from your smartphone on your wrist, this will create information noise. In the application, select only important messengers and calls. For Redmi the Do Not Disturb function is also available according to a schedule, which is synchronized between the phone and the watch.
Use the phone search function. If you lost your smartphone in your apartment, double-clicking the watch button or a command in the menu will make the phone ring loudly, even if it is in silent mode. This is a convenient security feature that is worth testing immediately after setup.
Why does the application not see the watch when searching?
Most often the problem is that the watch is already paired with the phone through the Bluetooth system menu, but has not been added to the application. Go to Bluetooth settings, tap “Forget device” for the watch, and then search strictly inside the Zepp or Mi Fitness app.
Is it possible to connect a Huawei watch to Redmi?
Yes, it is possible. You will need to download the Huawei Health app from the AppGallery store or a third-party source as it may not be available on Google Play. The pairing process is similar, but the installation of additional Huawei Mobile Services is required.
How to reset the watch to factory settings?
This is usually done through the menu of the watch itself: Settings → System → Reset. If the watch is frozen, hold down the side button for 15-20 seconds until vibration and the logo appear. After the reset, they can be connected as a new device.
Why aren't notifications coming from WhatsApp?
Check two things: first, whether the watch app is allowed to access notifications in Android settings. Secondly, go to the settings of the application itself (Zepp/Mi Fitness) → Profile → Notification settings and make sure that the switch opposite WhatsApp is active.