What to do if one headphone Xiaomi Airdots does not connect: the full guide

Did you get Xiaomi Airdots headphones (or their modifications: Redmi Airdots, Mi True Wireless Earbuds) out of the case, but one of them stubbornly refuses to connect? TWS-In 80 percent of cases, the fault is due to loss of sync between the headphones or a firmware failure, not a physical breakdown. In this article, we will analyze all possible causes – from the banal battery discharge to hidden Bluetooth settings – and give step-by-step instructions for restoring work.

Important: the action algorithm depends on which earphone is not working (right or left), whether it responds to presses and whether it is identified in the list of Bluetooth devices. For example, if the right earphone flashes white and the left earphone does not, this indicates different degrees of discharge or pair failure, we structured solutions from simple to complex so that you can quickly find your case.

Before you start a repair or reset, check three key points:

• 🔋 Case and headphone charge: connect the case to charge for 10-15 minutes, even if the indicator is on. Sometimes the contacts are oxidized, and the real charge is below the displayed charge.
• 🔗 Sync the pair: pull both headphones out of the case - if one doesn't blink or flashes red, it's a signal of loss of communication.
• 📱 List of Bluetooth devices: remove Xiaomi Airdots from your phone's memory and try to connect again. on Android: Settings → Bluetooth → ⚙️ headphone-on → Delete.

Basic checks: charge, cleanliness, mechanical damage

Start with the obvious, the physical condition of the headphones and the case, and often the problem is the trivial things that users overlook, like oxidizing the contacts on the headphones or in the case, can block one of them from charging, which makes it shut off.

Here's what we need to do:

• 🔍 Check the contacts: take a magnifying glass and check the metal pads on the headphones and inside the case. If they are darkened or covered with plaque, gently clean them with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol (do not use abrasives!).
• 🔋 Check the case charge: plug it into the power source for 30 minutes, even if the indicator shows charge. Sometimes the power controller fails, and the real charge is lower.
• 🔊 Sound test: If the earphone is on (blinking) but not connected, try calling a voice assistant (e.g. Hey Google or Hello Siri). If there is sound, the Bluetooth connection is a problem.

⚠️ Attention: if the headphone does not respond to pressing and does not blink when extracting from the case, do not try to disassemble it yourself. Xiaomi Airdots uses adhesive connections, and if you open it neatly, you can damage the microphone plumes or speaker.

If you have a problem after cleaning the contacts and charging, move on to the next step, but first answer the question:

2.Reset headphones Xiaomi Airdots to factory settings

The most effective way to get back up is a full reset, which restores factory settings, resets vapors and clears the Bluetooth cache, and the procedure is different for different Xiaomi Airdots models, so we've compiled instructions for the most popular versions.

Common algorithm:

1. Place both headphones in the case and close the lid for 10 seconds.
2. Then, wait until you both start to blink white and red.
3. Press and hold the touchpad on both headphones simultaneously for 15-20 seconds until the indicators start flashing red 3 times in a row.
4. After reset, the headphones will automatically go into pairing mode (blinking white and red). Connect them to the phone as a new device.

If the reset didn't work, maybe the problem is the headphone firmware.

Make sure the case is charged more than 30 times%|

Check that both earphones are clean and free of mechanical damage |

Remove headphones from the list of Bluetooth devices on your phone |

Close all applications that use Bluetooth (such as music players)-->

3. Update the firmware of headphones via Mi Home or Airoha

Failures in one headphone are often associated with outdated or damaged firmware. Xiaomi regularly releases updates for its own devices. TWS-Headphones, but they are installed automatically only if three conditions are met:

• 📱 Headphones are connected to the phone via the official app (Mi Home or Airoha).
• 🔋 Case charge and headphone charge >50%.
• 📶 Stable Internet connection (Wi-Fi or mobile network).

How to update the firmware manually:

1. Install the Mi Home app (for Xiaomi/Redmi Airdots) or Airoha (for models on an Airoha chip, such as Mi True Wireless Earbuds Basic 2).
2. Connect the headphones to the phone via Bluetooth.
3. Open the app, find your headphones in the list of devices and go to the Firmware Update section.
4. If the update is available, click Update and wait until it is completed (don’t turn off the headphones!).

⚠️ Warning: If your headphones become depleted or lose touch with your phone during a firmware update, they may fail completely. Always monitor your charge level and don't interrupt the process.

If the application does not have a firmware partition, your model does not support OTA-In this case, try an alternative method:

4. Bluetooth problems on the phone: settings and conflicts

Sometimes the problem isn’t with the headphones, but with your smartphone’s Bluetooth settings, especially for Android 10+ and iOS 14+ devices, where power-saving features have been introduced that limit wireless devices.

What to check on your phone:

• 📵 Flight mode/energy saving: turn them off in settings. On Android: Settings → Battery → Energy saving regime.
• 🔄 Bluetooth Cash: Clean It Through Settings → Annexes → Show system-based → Bluetooth → Warehouse → Clear the cache.
• 🔗 Device conflict: if other Bluetooth gadgets (fitness bracelet, smart watch) are connected to the phone, turn them off temporarily.
• 📱 Version. Android/iOS: Update the OS to the latest version. 12 iOS 15 Connection bugs have been fixed TWS-headphone.

If you use a Xiaomi smartphone, try turning on the Xiaomi headphone mode:

1. Go to Settings → Bluetooth.
2. Find your Airdots in the list and click on ⚙️ near.
3. Activate Priority Connection or Improved Sound Quality (name depends on the phone model).

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On Android-smartphones with a shell MIUI Try to disable the dual Bluetooth connection function (located in Settings) → Bluetooth → It can cause conflicts when connected. TWS-headphone.

5. Hardware malfunctions: when repairs are needed

If none of the software methods worked, it might be a hardware problem, and here are the signs that you're going to break.

• 🔴 The headphone does not blink when extracted from the case and does not respond to pressing.
• 🔊 The sound is there, but very quiet or distorted (may indicate damage to the speaker).
• 🔋 The headphone discharges quickly (in 5-10 minutes) or does not hold a charge.
• 📶 You lose contact with your phone even if the second headphone is stable.

Common hardware malfunctions Xiaomi Airdots:

If you decide to repair headphones yourself, here’s what you can do without special skills:

1. Battery replacement: Airdots batteries are standard (for example, C103450 for Redmi Airdots), they can be bought on AliExpress for 100-200 rubles.
2. Contact cleaning: use alcohol and cotton swabs. For oxidized contacts, eraser (careful!).
3. So, the soldering of the speaker plume: if the sound is lost while moving, the plume may have gone away, and you need a soldering iron and microelectronics experience.

⚠️ Attention: when disassembling Xiaomi Airdots, it is easy to damage the microphone or Bluetooth antenna. If you are not sure of your abilities, contact the service center. The cost of repairing one earphone is from 500 to 1500 rubles (depending on the breakdown).

6. Alternative ways of connecting (if nothing helps)

If standard methods don’t work, try non-obvious solutions that sometimes help you get back to work:

• 🔄 Connecting via another phone: Take a second smartphone (preferably on a different OS - if you have Android, try an iPhone, and vice versa) and try to connect the headphones to it. If they work, the problem is with the settings of your main phone.
• 🎵 Mono mode: Some Airdots models support one earpiece, put a non-working earpiece in the case, and plug the other one separately.
• 🔧 Flashing through Engineering Mode: for advanced users, requires a PC, Nordic nRF Connect, and firmware for your model, and a risky method, if you make a mistake, your headphones can fail.
• 🔋 Discharge to zero: completely discharge both earbuds (leave them on before turning them off), then charge the case 100% and try to reconnect.

If the headphones connect to the phone, but the sound is only one, check the sound settings:

• On Android: Settings → Sound → Stereo balance (should be centered).
• On iOS: Settings → Universal Access → Audiovisual Content → Stereo Balance.

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If one earphone is plugged in and the other isn't, but both flash when removed from the case, the problem is synchronizing the pair, and then only a full reset or flashing helps.

7.When to contact the service center

If you’ve tried all the methods and one Xiaomi Airdots headphone still doesn’t work, it’s time to consider professional repairs or replacements.

• 💥 The headphone is physically damaged (cracks, dents, traces of fluid).
• 🔥 After connecting to charging, the headphone warms or smells of a burn.
• 🎛️ The touchpad does not work (does not respond to touch).
• 🔊 There is a sound, but strongly distorted (wheezing, crackling) is a sign of damage to the speaker.

Where to repair:

• 🏢 Official Xiaomi service centers: warranty repair (if the headphones were purchased less than a year ago) or paid maintenance: mi.com/ru/service.
• 🔧 Local workshops: look for ones that specialize in repairs TWS-The average cost of diagnosis is 300-500 rubles.
• 🛒 Replacement with new ones: if repair costs more than 50% of the price of new headphones, it is more logical to buy a new pair.

Before the service visit:

1. Make sure the problem isn’t with the phone (try connecting the headphones to another device).
2. Take a picture of the check or warranty card (if it is saved).
3. Describe the symptoms in as much detail as possible (when the problem occurred, as you have already tried).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi Airdots