Xiaomi smartphone owners often wonder how effectively Apple’s wireless headphones work with the Android operating system. Despite the fact that the ecosystems are formally separated, the basic Bluetooth technology makes it easy to establish a connection. Users can count on stable sound and touch control, although some features will require third-party applications.
The initial setup process takes only a few minutes and requires no deep technical knowledge. Xiaomi uses a MIUI shell or HyperOS, which has a standard Bluetooth protocol that is compatible with any certified device. It is important to consider that to fully use all the features, such as displaying the charge of each ear, you will have to try a little.
In this guide, we will explore all the nuances of pairing, ways to eliminate typical errors and methods of expanding functionality. You will learn how to turn regular wireless headphones into a smart accessory, fully controlled from your smartphone.
Preparation for interconnection of devices
Before you start looking for a device, you need to make sure your AirPods are in pairing mode. This is a critical step, because without active visibility, the smartphone will simply not detect the headset. Charge the case and headphones so that during the setup process they do not suddenly discharge.
Put your headphones inside the charger case and leave the lid open. Most models, including the AirPods Pro and AirPods, have a round tuning button on the back, and that's what's responsible for putting the device into detection mode.
- 🔋 Make sure the case charge is more than 20% for stable operation of the Bluetooth module.
- 📱 Unlock your Xiaomi screen and check if Bluetooth is on in the notification curtain.
- ⚙️ Close all apps that use audio to avoid conflicts when you first connect.
Press and hold the button on the back of the case for 3-5 seconds. The indicator inside or outside the case should start flashing white. This is a signal that the pairing mode is activated and the device is ready to search.
Step-by-step instructions for connecting to Xiaomi
After preparing the headphones, we move on to the settings of the smartphone. the interface of MIUI may differ slightly in different versions, but the logic of actions remains the same for all Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco models.
Open the settings menu and find the Bluetooth partition. Turn on the switch if it's off, and wait for the list of available devices to appear. Your phone will start scanning the airwaves.
☑️ Checking before connection
The Available Devices list should show the name of your headphones, such as AirPods or AirPods Pro. Click on it to initiate a connection. If the system requests pairing confirmation, click OK or Connect.
After the successful connection, the status will change to Connected, and the status bar will appear in the headphone battery icon, and you can now check the sound playback by running any track or video.
Configuring the functionality and displaying the charge
Standard Android tools can only be controlled by basic functions. To see the exact percentage of charge of the left and right earphone separately, as well as the case, you will need to install specialized software. Xiaomi's standard interface shows only the overall charge level.
There are several popular apps on Google Play that emulate the iOS system widget, and the most stable ones are MaterialPods or Capod, which allow you to see the animations of opening the case and detailed statistics.
⚠️ Warning: When installing third-party apps for AirPods, be sure to give them permission to work in the background and access to geolocation (for Bluetooth scanning), otherwise the charge widget will not be updated.
Once you install the app, open it and follow the instructions on the screen. You usually need to run the scan once, after which the app will "remember" your headphones. Now, when you open the case next to your smartphone, beautiful animations will pop up on the screen.
Why does the application require geolocation?
Sensor and gesture control
One of the main problems with using AirPods with Android is the inability to change the touch settings through the system menu. In the Apple world, everything changes in iCloud, but on Xiaomi these settings are blocked.
The default is the factory configuration: double tap to answer a call or launch an assistant, triple tap to skip a track, and you can only change the assignment of actions through third-party applications such as Assistant Trigger or MaterialPods.
- 🎧 Double-touch is often set to run Google Assistant instead of Siri, which is even more convenient for Android.
- 📞 Removing the headphone automatically puts the music on pause (works natively in AirPods Pro).
- 🔇 Noise reduction mode is switched by long pressing on the leg (only for Pro and Max models).
If you want to reassign gestures, download the configurator app, where you can choose what action you'll do when you tap on the touch zone, double or triple, and you can adapt the controls to your habits.
Problems with microphone and sound quality
Often, users find that the sound in their headphones is great, but the microphone is not working well or they hear echoes, which is due to differences in codecs and voice protocols between iOS and Android.
In some cases, reconnecting your headphones or resetting your Bluetooth settings helps, and it’s also worth checking if Absolute Volume is enabled in the developer’s settings, as it can conflict with volume control on the AirPods themselves.
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Quiet sound | Unsynchronized volume | Turn off "absolute volume" |
| Interrupting sound | Wi-Fi interference | Switch Wi-Fi to 5 GHz |
| The interviewer can't hear. | Grid contamination | Clean the microphone with a dry brush |
| No autopause. | Sensor error | Reset the headphones |
To improve the quality of calls, try not to cover the bottom of the headphone leg where the microphones are located with your fingers. In noisy places, it is better to use transparency or noise cancellation mode so that the system can more effectively cut off extraneous noise.
Resetting settings and eliminating errors
If the headphones are no longer connected, visible only in one ear, or the sound has become monophonic, you need to perform a full reset (Hard Reset), which returns the AirPods to factory parameters and clears the pairing memory.
Place both earbuds in the case and close the lid. Wait 30 seconds, then open the lid without removing the headphones. Press the setting button on the back and hold it for about 15 seconds. The indicator should flash yellow and then white.
Then remove the device from the Bluetooth list on your Xiaomi ("Forget the device") and re-pair the pairing procedure, as described at the beginning of the article. 90% of the time, this solves the problem with desynchronization of the left and right channel.
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If only one earphone is connected after reset, put both in the case, close the lid and wait 1-2 minutes, then try again. Sometimes they need time to sync with each other.
Additional features and hidden functions
Even without the iPhone, AirPods remain a quality headset, supporting AAC and SBC codecs, providing good sound on Xiaomi smartphones, and automatically switching between devices if you’ve previously used them on an iPad or Mac.
And it's worth noting that the Find feature, which works at a basic level, and you can see the last place the headphones were connected to the phone, on a Google map, which helps you not lose them in traffic or on the street.
⚠️ Attention: Indoor accurate search function (U1 Android chips and dynamic head-tracking spatial audio don't work, and these technologies are tied to proprietary Apple chips.
Using AirPods with Android is a trade-off, but often justified: You get premium build quality, excellent ergonomics, and a stable connection, sacrificing only some of the “tricks” of the ecosystem.
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Xiaomi’s AirPods work like regular high-end Bluetooth headphones: sound and microphone are available, but third-party apps are needed for full control.