How to Connect Galaxy Buds to Xiaomi Phone: A Complete Guide to Problem Solutions

You bought Samsung Galaxy Buds, but you don't know how to connect them to a Xiaomi smartphone? This task only seems simple - in practice, users face a lot of nuances: from the lack of sound to constant connection breaks. Unlike the Samsung ecosystem, where headphones connect to the phone in just one click, owners of Xiaomi (especially on MIUI 12-14) have to take into account the features of the firmware and Bluetooth configuration.

In this article, we will not only give you a basic pairing instruction, but also analyze all possible problems: why the phone does not see the headphones, how to fix the delays in games, what to do if one earphone does not work, and how to set up AAC/SBC And then we'll compare the compatibility of different Galaxy Buds models.+ before Buds2 Pro) with Xiaomi phones on Snapdragon and MediaTek chips.

1.Preparation for connection: what to do before pairing

Before you try to pair Galaxy Buds with Xiaomi, follow a few mandatory steps that will save you 90% of the typical problems:

• 🔋 Charging headphones and case: Make sure the headphone charge level is not lower 30%. If the indicator on the case flashes red - connect it to the charger on the case 10-15 Galaxy Buds won’t be visible in Bluetooth search if discharged.
• 📱 Xiaomi firmware update: Check the relevance MIUI In Settings → The phone. → Update the system. MIUI 12.5 may cause problems with codecs AAC.
• 🧹 Cleaning up the Bluetooth Device List: Remove all previously connected headphones (especially if you've tried to pair them with other phones). → Bluetooth → ⚙️ → Remove the device.
• 🔄 Headphone reset: If the Galaxy Buds have already tried to connect to another device, reset. To do this, press the touch panels on both headphones for 10 seconds (until the red indicator flashes).

Pay particular attention to Xiaomi’s power saving mode, and in some firmware (e.g. MIUI 13 for Redmi Note 11), it automatically turns off Bluetooth in the background.

1. Go to Settings → Battery and performance → Energy saving mode.
2. Select No Limits or add the Bluetooth app to exceptions.

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If your Xiaomi is on a MediaTek chip (like the Redmi 10C or Poco M4 Pro), turn off the dual Bluetooth connection feature in the settings before connecting.

2. Step-by-step instructions: how to connect Galaxy Buds to Xiaomi

Now, the pairing itself. The instruction is suitable for all Galaxy Buds models (including Buds Live, Buds Pro and Buds2 Pro) and Xiaomi phones on Android 10 and later.

Open the case cover with headphones | Press the button on the back of the case for 2-3 seconds (until the white indicator flashes) | On the phone, turn on Bluetooth in the notification panel or through Settings → Bluetooth | In the list of available devices, select Galaxy BudsXXX (where XXX is the model) | Confirm the pairing on the phone and in headphones (if required)

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Important point: if the headphones do not appear in the list of devices, try an alternative method:

1. Close the case cover, wait 5 seconds and open it again.
2. Press and hold the button on the case for 10 seconds (until the indicator flashes red and white), which force the headphones to pair.
3. On your phone, update the list of Bluetooth devices (swipe down the Bluetooth menu).

After successful connection, check:

• 🎧 Sound in both earbuds: Play the test track (like Spotify or Mi Music). If the sound is only in one headphone, see the problem solving section.
• 📊 Connection code: In Bluetooth settings, an active icon should be displayed next to the headphone name AAC or SBC. If there is SCO — The sound quality will be bad.

3. Sound optimization: settings for better quality

Even after successfully connecting, the sound in Galaxy Buds on Xiaomi can be frustrating: wheezing, delays, low volume, the reason for this is suboptimal settings of codecs and system parameters. Here's how to fix:

3.1 Selection of Bluetooth codec

Xiaomi uses the SBC codec by default, which is compatible with all devices, but it gives mediocre quality. For the Galaxy Buds, it is better to force AAC on:

1. Open Settings → Bluetooth.
2. Press on. ⚙️ near the Galaxy Buds.
3. Select Audio Codec → AAC (if you don’t have an option, see spoiler below).

Set up the equalizer

The Galaxy Buds sound signature is designed for Samsung firmware, so on Xiaomi, basses can seem weak and high frequencies can seem sharp.

1. Open Mi Music or Google Play Music.
2. Go to Settings. → equalizer.
3. Choose Basa or Pop preset, or set the sliders manually: 60Hz: +3dB (for bass) 230Hz: 0dB 910Hz: -1dB 3.6kHz: +1dB 14kHz: +2dB (for air)

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On Xiaomi phones with speakers configured to Dolby Atmos (like the Xiaomi 12T Pro), turn off this mode when using Galaxy Buds.It conflicts with Bluetooth codecs and causes sound delays.

Elimination of delays in sound (lags) in games and video

If the sound in Galaxy Buds is 0.5-1 second behind the picture, the problem lies in Bluetooth buffering.

• 🎮 For games: Enable Game Mode in Bluetooth settings (if any). Also in game settings (for example, PUBG Mobile or Call of Duty – Select Low Sound Latency.
• 🎥 For video: On YouTube or Netflix, turn off Adaptive Sound Quality in Playback Settings.
• 🔧 System solution: Install Samsung’s SoundAssistant app (available at APKMirror) and activate Low Latency option.

4. Common Problems and Their Solutions

Even with the right Galaxy Buds connection to Xiaomi, there can be crashes. We have collected the TOP-5 issues and proven ways to fix them:

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If Galaxy Buds are connected but immediately disconnected through 5-10 Seconds, the problem is in conflict with the Mi Band or other wearable device. Turn it off temporarily or reset the network settings on the phone (Settings) → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings).

⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi phones with MIUI 14 (e.g., Xiaomi 13 or Redmi Note 12) can trigger automatic audio switching to the speaker when calling. To avoid this, turn off the option of Auto-Switching audio devices in call settings.

5.How to Update Galaxy Buds Firmware Without a Samsung Phone

Galaxy Buds firmware affects connection stability, sound quality and uptime, and is usually updated through the Galaxy Wearable app, but it doesn't work on Xiaomi.

Method 1: through third-party applications

Install one of these apps (available on Google Play or APKMirror):

• 📱 Galaxy Buds Manager (from ThePBone) – Supports firmware updates for Buds+, Buds Live and Buds Pro.
• 🔄 Buds Controller – allows you to check the firmware version and install updates manually.

Instructions:

1. Connect Galaxy Buds to your phone.
2. Open the app and wait for the model definition.
3. If an update is available, follow the on-screen prompts (a stable internet connection is required).

Method 2: via PC (for advanced users)

If the apps don’t help, you can flash headphones through your computer using the Samsung Firmware bootloader utility:

1. Download the firmware for your model from samfw.com.


2. Install ADB drivers on the PC.




3. Connect the headphones to the PC via Bluetooth.




4. Launch the command:




adb push firmware.bin /sdcard/




adb shell am start -n com.samsung.android.app.watchmanager/.update.UpdateActivity




5. Follow the instructions on the screen.

⚠️ Warning: Continuous updates to Galaxy Buds firmware through unofficial methods may result in a loss of warranty.If the headphones stop turning on after firmware, they can only be restored through the Samsung Service Center.

6 Compatibility Comparison: Which Galaxy Buds Models Work Best With Xiaomi

Not all Galaxy Buds are equally well-compatible with Xiaomi.We tested 5 popular models on phones with Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 (Xiaomi 12 Pro) and MediaTek Helio G96 (Redmi Note 11 Pro).

Bottom Line: Galaxy Buds+ and Galaxy Buds Pro are best suited for Xiaomi – they work consistently with the AAC codec and have minimal latency. Buds2 Pro and Buds Live models often conflict with MediaTek chips, so their purchase is justified only for phones on Snapdragon (for example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Black Shark 5).

7. Alternative ways to connect: if Bluetooth does not work

If your Xiaomi persistently doesn’t see Galaxy Buds over Bluetooth, try alternative methods:

Connect via the Galaxy Wearable app (bypassing restrictions)

The official Galaxy Wearable app isn’t installed on Xiaomi, but it can be launched via APK:

1. Download Galaxy Wearable from APKMirror (version at least 2.2.45).
2. Install APK by pre-allowing installation from unknown sources.
3. When you first start up, the app will give you an error, "Device not supported." Close it and go to Settings → About the program.
4. Click 5 times on the App Version to activate Hidden Mode.
5. Now you can connect Galaxy Buds manually through the app menu.

7.2.Using a Bluetooth 5.0 adapter

If the problem is hardware incompatibility (for example, you have an old Redmi 7A with Bluetooth 4.2), buy an external Bluetooth 5.0 adapter (for example, Baseus BLE Audio Transmitter). Connect it to your phone via USB-C and pair it with Galaxy Buds.

Connect via Windows or Mac (for music transfer)

If you only need headphones to listen to music, you can use your phone as a sound source for your PC:

1. Connect Galaxy Buds to your computer.
2. On the phone, turn on Bluetooth Sound Transfer in the developer settings.
3. Install Voicemeeter or VB-Cable on your PC to route your sound.
4. Music from the phone will now be streamed to headphones via PC.

8. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)