How to connect both Xiaomi headphones: if one headphone does not work or they are not synchronized

Xiaomi's wireless headphones are some of the most popular gadgets because of their price-performance ratio, but even they sometimes fail users. One of the most common problems is that only one headphone is connected, and the other one is silent, flashing or not responding at all, and the reasons can be different, from a banal battery discharge to a failure of synchronization between headphones.

In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to connect both Xiaomi headphones to a phone, tablet or computer, and also tell you what to do if they refuse to work together (1/2/3/Pro), Mi True Wireless Earphones (Basic/2/SE), Xiaomi Buds 3/4 Importantly, the algorithms may vary slightly depending on the firmware and Bluetooth version, but the general logic remains the same.

If you have tried to reboot your headphones and nothing has worked, don’t rush to bring them to the service. 90% of the time, you can solve the problem yourself in 5-10 minutes, following our recommendations. And if you just bought headphones and don’t know how to connect them correctly, you will also find a step-by-step instruction with pictures and videos (see section below).

Why is there only one Xiaomi headphone?

Before we get to the problem, we need to understand why, and here are the most common scenarios where the headphones stop working in pairs:

• 🔋 One of the headphones died – even if both were in the case, sometimes one of them does not charge due to poor contact.
• 🔄 Synchronization failure between headphones – they “forgot” each other after updating the firmware or resetting settings.
• 📱 Bluetooth problems on your phone: conflict with other connected devices or an outdated version of the protocol.
• 🎧 Mechanical damage - ingress of moisture, fall or wear of contacts in the case.
• 🔧 Outdated firmware - in old versions of the headphone software there were bugs with connection.

Interestingly, in Redmi AirDots 3 Pro and later, the problem is often associated with automatic switching between devices (Dual Device Connection function).If the headphones were previously connected to two gadgets at the same time (for example, a phone and a laptop), they can “hang” when trying to sync.

To determine the exact cause, check:

1. Does the indicator on the problem headphone burn when extracted from the case?
2. Does the phone see both headphones on the list of available Bluetooth devices?
3. Does the connection reset after the headphones return to the case?

Preparation before connection: charge check and reset

If one of the headphones doesn't respond, start with basic checks. Most often, the problem is solved at this stage.

1. Checking the charge of headphones and case

Even if the indicator on the case is green, it does not guarantee that both earphones are charged.

• 🔋 Take both earbuds out of the case and look at their indicators: Red flashing - discharged (to be charged); White/blue flashing - ready to plug in. No indication - earbud is faulty or completely discharged.
• 🔌 Connect the case to the charge for 10-15 minutes, then repeat the check.

If one earphone is not charging, try:

• Clean contacts in the case and on the headphone with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol.
• Change headphones in the case (sometimes helps with poor contact).
• Use another charger (maybe not have enough power).

2. Resetting headphones to factory settings

If the charge is normal, but the headphones still don't sync, do a hard reset.

Important! Once reset, Xiaomi's headphones will be removed from the list of paired devices on all gadgets. They will have to be reconnected.

Check the charge of the case and headphones|Perform a reset (hard reset)|Make sure that the Bluetooth on your phone is on|Remove an old pair of headphones from the list of devices-->

How to connect both Xiaomi headphones to the phone (Android/iOS)

If the headphones are reset and charged, move to the connection. Instructions are universal for Android (including: MIUI) and iPhone, but there are nuances.

Step 1: Introducing a pairing mode

To make the headphones visible to the phone:

1. Get both headphones out of the case – they should automatically turn on (white/blue indicator flashes).
2. If the indicator does not blink, press and hold the touchpad on any headphone for 3-5 seconds until you hear the “Connect” sound (in voice-enabled models).
3. On some models (e.g. Redmi AirDots 3 Pro) you need to press the button on the case once to activate the pairing mode.

Step 2: Connecting via Bluetooth

On the phone:

1. Open Settings → Bluetooth.
2. Turn on Bluetooth and wait for a device called Mi True Wireless, Redmi AirDots or the like to appear on the list.
3. Click on the headphone name and confirm the pairing.

Attention! If only one headphone is displayed in the list (e.g. Redmi). AirDots_R), that means that:

• 🔴 Left/right side not synchronized with main headphone.
• 🔴 The headphones didn’t drop correctly (repeat hard reset).
• 🔴 One of the headphones is faulty (check on another device).

Step 3: Checking the performance

After connection:

• 🎵 Turn on music and check if the sound is playing in both headphones.
• 🔊 If only one sound comes from one, try it:

💡

If the headphones are connected but the sound is interrupted, try turning off Absolute Volume in the Android Developer Settings (path: Settings: Settings) → The phone. → Assembly number (7 taps) → Developer settings → Turn off absolute volume).

Features of connection to the computer (Windows/macOS)

Connecting Xiaomi headphones to a PC or laptop is a little more difficult than connecting to a phone, especially if you’re using Windows. 10/11. The main problem is Bluetooth drivers and conflicts with other devices.

Instructions for Windows

1. Turn Bluetooth on your PC (via Control Panel) → Devices and printers or icon in tray).
2. Activate the pairing mode on the headphones (see step 1 in the previous section).
3. In Windows, click Add Device → Bluetooth.
4. Choose Xiaomi headphones from the list. If you don't have them, update the Bluetooth driver:

Frequent error: Windows defines headphones as Hands-Free audio devices, not Stereo.

1. Open the control panel. → Sound.
2. Find the headphones in the list, right-click → Properties.
3. In the General tab, select Use this device (included).
4. In the tab Additional set 2 channels, 16 bits, 44100 Hz.

Instructions for macOS

On a Mac, the connection is easier:

1. Open System settings → Bluetooth.
2. Activate the pairing mode on the headphones.
3. Wait for Xiaomi to appear on the list and click Connect.

In the Redmi AirDots models 3 Pro and Xiaomi Buds 4 The firmware is updated automatically when connected to the phone Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco latest version MIUI. On other devices, the update may not apply!

How to update the firmware manually?

Xiaomi doesn’t officially provide manual upgrade tools, but there are workarounds:

1. Put your headphones on the phone. Xiaomi/Redmi s MIUI 12+.
2. Open the Settings app → Bluetooth.
3. Click on the gear icon next to the headphones' name.
4. If an update is available, the Update Firmware button will appear.

For other phones:

• Use the Mi Home app (not all models are supported).
• Try third-party firmware (risky, can lead to breakage!).

Attention! Do not interrupt the process of updating the firmware - this can lead to complete inoperability of the headphones. If during the update the indicator on the headphones went out and the sound disappeared - immediately return them to the case and wait 5 minutes.

💡

If your headphones stop working after you upgrade, do a hard reset and plug them back in, and 90 percent of the time, that solves the problem.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even after a successful connection, there can be problems, and here are the most common ways to fix them:

If neither of these methods worked, try connecting your headphones to another device (another phone, tablet, or PC) and if the problem persists, one of the headphones or case is likely to be faulty.

💡

Before contacting the service, check the warranty: in most Xiaomi models, the warranty period for headphones is 12 months from the date of purchase.

Alternative ways to connect (if nothing helps)

If the standard methods didn’t work, try these non-obvious solutions:

1. Connection via the Mi Home app

Some models (for example, Mi True Wireless Earphones 2) support advanced settings through the proprietary app:

1. Install Mi Home from Google Play or App Store.
2. Sign up or sign in to your Xiaomi account.
3. Click Add Add the device (+) → Choose headphones from the list.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen (scanning may be required) QR-box-code).

2.Use of Mono Mode (for separate connection)

If the synchronization between the headphones is broken, but each of them works separately, you can use mono-mode:

• Only take one headphone out of the case (for example, the right one).
• Connect him to the phone as usual.
• The sound will come from only one earpiece, but it’s better than nothing!

To return to stereo, reset and reconnect both headphones.

3. Connection via Developer Mode (for power users)

If the headphones are defined as two separate devices (Redmi). AirDots_L redmi AirDots_R), You can try to force them to synchronize:

1. Enable Developer Mode on your phone (7 taps by Build Number in settings).
2. Open the Developer Settings → Turn on Bluetooth HCI Sniffer.
3. Connect both earphones separately, then reboot the phone.

Attention! This method doesn't work on all phones and can cause Bluetooth to run in an unstable way. Use it at your own risk!

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions