The Xiaomi Mi band 2 is the latest iteration of Xiaomi’s health Band series lineup. Unlike its predecessor, the Mi band, the Mi Band 2 comes with an OLED touch panel display. The Mi Band 2 comes loaded with features. Its low cost makes it one of the most attractive health bands on the market. Our unit was purchased for 1999 rupees only (About $30) from Amazon India. Xiaomi was generous enough to provide a Pedometer to measure your steps. It is an IP67 waterproof, dust-proof and sweat resistant device. That being said, it only took a couple of minutes to setup the device, and we were ready to roll in no time. If you are here to setup your device, do read along. In this post, we will focus on how to configure Xiaomi Mi band 2 step by step.
Also Read “How to Reset You Mi Band 2 in Android“
Steps to Configure Xiaomi Mi Band 2
- Take the sensor and assemble it into the strap. You would need to insert the sensor from above while inserting into the belt.
- Pinch to fix and snap the Mi Band 2 around your wrist.
- Download and install the “Mi Fit” from the Google Play Store.
- You need to pair the Mi Band 2 with your Android Phone using the App instructions. Ensure that the Bluetooth on your phone is turned on.
- There is no dedicated Bluetooth button on the Mi Band 2. You need to pair the device using your Mi Fit App.
- Press the button on the Mi Band 2 as soon as it vibrates and receives a notification from your phone.
- After pairing is complete, the Mi Band 2 will start tracking your movements, sleeping patterns, and heart rate.
Do note that, to install and configure the Mi Fit app, you need to have a Mi account. You would either need to “Sign Up” or Sign In to the App before configuring the Mi Band 2 device. See the following screenshots for your reference.
During the initial setup, you would need to provide the following details in the Mi Fit app
- Gender
- Height
- Weight
It helps the app to calculate BMI and give you lifestyle recommendations accordingly.
As soon as the device was successfully paired with my Android phone, it started to download and flash the Mi Band 2 with the latest firmware. See the screenshot below:
Automatic Firmware Update
Ensure that you keep the Mi Band 2 close to your phone so that there are no interruptions in the firmware upgrade process. There are chances of bricking the device in case of connection issues. Users will not see this coming since the app will not ask for any permissions. The upgrade will trigger automatically, and users would just have to wait till the process is complete. Another advantage of this device is that you can install the Mi Fit app on multiple devices without going through the initial setup. You can access the data through your online profile saved on the Mi Cloud, which is good.
Other noted features include sleeping pattern tracking and other lifestyle recommendations. By default, the Band disables the continuous heart rate tracking, and you would need to turn it on from the app. Even though this reduces the battery life a bit, but that should not be a huge problem. The App integrates with Google Fit on Android devices as well as Apple health kit on iPhones with ease.
Configure Xiaomi Mi Band 2 Notifications
You can configure Xiaomi Mi Band 2 with the following 3rd party services:
- Snapchat
Messaging and Call notifications can also be enabled from the app. It also adds negatively to the battery life and is disabled by default.
Technical Specifications of the Xiaomi Mi Band 2
- Model Name: XMSH04HM (Mi Band 2)
- Battery Capacity: 70 mAh (Li-Polymer)
- Weight: 70 grams
- Connection Type: BlueTooth 4.2 BLE (Low Power)
- Wrist Band Length: 155mm – 210mm (Adjustable) 235mm full length
- Materials Used: Aluminum Alloy
- Water & Dust Resistant: IP67
Android 4.4 and above is required at a minimum to run the companion App. The good news is that all Mi phones have built-in compatibility with the device. iPhones with iOS 7 and above with BlueTooth 4.0 support is required.
Conclusion:
I hope this information was useful. Do drop us a comment or suggestions in the comment section below to let us know.