Xiaomi now lets Apple Watch work with its Android phones

Xiaomi’s HyperOS 4 phones can now talk directly to an Apple Watch. You still need an iPhone to set the watch up first, but after that the Xiaomi phone takes over. This is something Apple still does not officially allow on Android.

We first reported Xiaomi was exploring Apple Watch support back in December 2024. At the time it felt like one of those ideas that would eventually disappear, yet here we are nearly two years later with it actually launching alongside the Xiaomi 18 Pro series.

The feature was introduced alongside the Xiaomi 18 Pro series this week as part of HyperOS 4. Xiaomi’s own compatibility page now spells out exactly how it works, and this goes quite a bit further than simply forwarding the odd notification.

What actually works

Once connected, calls, text messages and app notifications from the Xiaomi phone can appear on the Apple Watch. Xiaomi’s Super Island live activities can also be sent across, while health and exercise information recorded by the Apple Watch can travel in the opposite direction and appear inside the Mi Fitness app.

There is also two-way device finding. A Xiaomi phone can make the Apple Watch ring, while the watch can do the same to the phone, which makes the connection feel more like a proper device pairing than a basic notification workaround.

Xiaomi handles this through its Xiaomi Connect app on the Apple Watch. After installing it, the watch displays a QR code that you scan using the Xiaomi phone, then you grant the relevant permissions on both devices.

The official compatibility requirements are fairly broad. Xiaomi says the phone needs HyperOS 4 or later, while supported Apple hardware includes Apple Watch Series 6 and newer, Apple Watch SE 2 and newer, and every Apple Watch Ultra model running watchOS 11 or later.

You still need an iPhone

There is a pretty big catch, though. This does not turn the Apple Watch into a normal Android smartwatch that you can buy, take out of the box and pair straight to a Xiaomi phone.

Xiaomi explicitly says the Apple Watch must first be paired with an iPhone and activated before it can connect to the Xiaomi handset. So an iPhone is still part of the setup process, even if the Xiaomi phone can take over some of the everyday interaction afterwards.

What the company has done is make the watch considerably more useful after someone moves from iPhone to one of its phones. You could keep an existing Apple Watch rather than immediately replacing it simply because you changed smartphone platform.

Part of a bigger push

Xiaomi has been steadily building bridges to Apple’s ecosystem, with file transfers and connectivity for iPhone, iPad and Mac already in place. The watch was always the toughest piece to crack. Xiaomi’s own watches are still the simpler choice, but they’re not who this is for.

Xiaomi admits some features depend on the specific device. It’s not full independence from the iPhone, but it’s a lot closer than anyone expected two years ago.