How to change the type of headphones Xiaomi: the transition between TWS, wired ANC-model

Xiaomi headphones are some of the most popular gadgets on the market due to their combination of price, quality and functionality, but not all users are aware that some models support changing the type of connection or mode of operation. For example, you can transfer Xiaomi AirDots from mono-connection to stereo mode, activate it. ANC (Active noise cancellation on supported models, or even emulate wired connectivity through adapters, and in this article we will look at all possible scenarios for changing the type of headphones, from software settings to hardware modifications.

It’s important to understand that not all Xiaomi models support flexible mode change. For example, budget Redmi Buds often lack the ability to switch between Mono and Stereo, while flagship Xiaomi FlipBuds Pro allows you to control the level of noise reduction through a proprietary app. We will look at the official methods (through the MIUI Xiaomi Wear and other alternative solutions for advanced users, including firmware and third-party adapters.

If you want to optimize your headphones for specific tasks — whether it's sports, office work or listening to music in a noisy environment — this guide will help you understand the nuances. But remember: some operations (such as flashing) can take away warranties and lead to irreversible damage to the device.

1. What types of Xiaomi headphones can be changed?

Before you try to change something, you need to understand what parameters can be adjusted in your model. Conventionally, all Xiaomi headphones are divided into three categories if possible modification:

• 🔄 Software-configurable: models with support for regime change through official software (for example, Xiaomi Buds) 3 Pro ANC or Redmi Buds. 4 Active with switching between Mono/Stereo).
• 🛠️ Hardware Modified: Devices that can be reflashed or modified physically (e.g., Xiaomi AirDots with custom firmware to change codecs).
• 🚫 Unchangeable: budget models with no flexible settings (e.g. Redmi Buds 3 Lite).

To determine which category your model belongs to, check its characteristics on the official Xiaomi website or in the Xiaomi Wear app.

• 🎧 Support ANC/Transparency Mode (active noise cancellation or transparency mode).
• 🔗 Connection in Mono mode (one headphone) or only Stereo (pair).
• 🔄 Availability of firmware updates through MIUI or Fastboot.

If your model doesn't support the right mode out of the box, it doesn't always mean it can't be activated. For example, some users successfully turn on the right mode. ANC Xiaomi Buds 3 via the engineering menu, although officially no feature.

2.Official ways to change the type of connection

The safest way to change the mode of work of headphones is to use official tools from Xiaomi. Let’s consider two main methods: through the Xiaomi Wear app and through the Bluetooth settings in the smartphone.

2.1. Setup via Xiaomi Wear

The Xiaomi Wear app (formerly Mi Fit) allows you to manage most of the headphone features, including:

• 🔊 Switching between modes ANC/Transparency/Off (for supported models).
• 🎵 Changes in equalizer and sound profiles.
• 🔋 Optimizing power consumption (e.g., turning off one headphone to save charge).

Instructions for setting:

1. Install the Xiaomi Wear app from Google Play or the App Store.
2. Connect the headphones to the smartphone via Bluetooth.
3. Open the app, select your headphones in the list of devices.
4. Go to the section Sound Settings or Listening Modes (the name may vary depending on the model).
5. Select the desired mode (for example, ANC for noise reduction or Mono for using a single headphone).

If the app doesn’t have the right options, your model doesn’t officially support them, and you can try alternative methods (see section 4).

2.2. Configure via Bluetooth-smartphone

Some regimes (e.g, Mono/Stereo) You can change the Bluetooth settings of your phone:

1. Open the Settings. → Bluetooth on your smartphone.
2. Find your Xiaomi headphones in the list of connected devices.
3. Press the gear icon (⚙️) headphone-name.
4. Select the Sound or Media option.
5. If available, switch from Stereo to Mono (or vice versa).

Note that not all smartphones and headphone models support this menu, for example, on iPhones, such settings may not be available, and on iPhones, these settings may not be available. Xiaomi/Redmi s MIUI They're usually available.

💡

If the headphones are connected only in Mono mode, try resetting them to factory settings: press the button on the case of the charging case for 10-15 seconds until the indicator flashes red and white.

3.Switching between Mono and Stereo: nuances

Many users have a problem when Xiaomi headphones only connect in Mono mode (one earphone is working, the other is silent), this can be due to a failure of synchronization between the headphones or incorrect Bluetooth settings, let’s figure out how to fix the situation.

Reasons for Automatic Switching to Mono

Headphones can switch to Mono mode for the following reasons:

• 🔋 Low charge of one of the headphones (the device automatically turns it off to save energy).
• 🔄 Synchronization failure between left and right headphones (often occurs after a firmware update).
• 📱 Incompatible with your smartphone’s Bluetooth protocol (e.g., older models don’t support Bluetooth) A2DP stereo).
• 🛠️ Physical damage to one of the headphones (check contacts in the charging case).

3.2 How to force Stereo to be turned on

If the headphones connect to Mono, try the following steps:

Reset the headphones to factory settings|Update the firmware through Xiaomi Wear|Connect the headphones to another device (PC/tablet)|Check the charge of both headphones (should be) >20%)|Reboot your smartphone-->

If nothing helps, the problem may be the firmware, in which case the firmware will help (see section 5).

⚠️ Warning: If the headphones are still running in Mono after reset, don't try to disassemble them yourself. 80% of the time, the problem is solved software-based, and physical intervention can bring the device down.

Activation ANC Transparency Mode on supported models

ANC (Active Noise Cancelling and Transparency Mode are some of the most popular features in today’s headphones, but not all Xiaomi models support them officially.

Official activation ANC

If your model supports you ANC (For example, Xiaomi FlipBuds Pro or Buds 3 Pro, you can turn it on like this:

1. Open the Xiaomi Wear app.
2. Select your headphones in the list of devices.
3. Go to Noise Reduction or ANC.
4. Select the noise reduction level (weak, medium, strong) or activate the Transparency Mode.

On some models (for example, Xiaomi Buds 3) ANC It could be hidden in an engineering menu to open it:

1. Connect the headphones to your smartphone.
2. Enter the dialer code ##36446337## (for the phone number number number) MIUI).
3. In the menu, find the Headset section or ANC and activate the function.

⚠️ Attention: Engineering menus are designed to test devices. Incorrect settings can cause headphones to crash or phone communication to lose. Before entering the menu, make sure the headphones are charged more than 50 times%.

4.2. ANC Unaccompanied models: Is it possible?

Some users are trying to activate ANC In models where this function is not officially available (e.g. Redmi Buds 3 Pro:

• 🔄 Reflashing headphones on custom firmware with support ANC.
• 🛠️ Hardware modifications (e.g., microphone or control chip replacements).

However, such methods are extremely risky:

• 🚨 Warranty loss – any interference with firmware or hardware will void warranty obligations.
• 💥 Failure – the wrong firmware can “brick” the headphones (make them inoperable).
• 🎧 Sound deterioration – custom firmware is often optimized worse than official, leading to distortions.

If you do decide to experiment, look for firmware and instructions in specialized forums (for example, for example, XDA Developers or 4PDA). Remember: headphones with artificially activated ANC They can overheat and discharge faster due to the increased load on the processor.

5.Reflashing Xiaomi headphones: risks and instructions

Flashing is an extreme method of redesigning headphones, and you should only resort to it if the official methods don't work.

• 🔄 Update your firmware to the latest version (if the automatic update doesn’t work).
• 🛠️ Install custom firmware with additional features (for example, support) LDAC or ANC).
• 🔧 Correct synchronization errors between headphones.

But flashing is a complex and dangerous process, and the following is a simplified guide for models on a Qualcomm chip (e.g., Xiaomi AirDots Pro 2).

Preparation for flashing

Before starting, make sure that:

• 🔋 Headphones charged to 100%.
• 💻 You have a Windows PC and Qualcomm drivers installed.
• 📁 You downloaded the official or custom firmware for your model (file with the extension.bin or.hex).
• 🔌 You have a USB-Type-C cable to connect the case to the PC.

You can download the firmware on forums like 4PDA or XDA. Pay attention to the version of your headphone chip – the firmware should be compatible with your model!

5.2 Step-by-step firmware instruction

You will need the QFlash Tool or DFU Tool. Let's look at the QFlash Tool:

1. Unpack the archive with firmware in a folder on the PC.
2. Open the QFlash Tool on behalf of the administrator.
3. In the Programmer Path field, specify the path to the file. prog_emmc_firehose.mbn (usually comes complete with firmware).
4. In the Load field XML select the file rawprogram0.xml.
5. Press Load Patch and specify the file patch0.xml.
6. Connect the charger case with headphones to the PC in firmware mode (usually you need to press the button on the case for 10-15 seconds until the indicator starts flashing blue).
7. In QFlash Tool, press Download and wait for the process to end (usually 2-5 minutes).
8. After successful firmware, turn off the case and restart the headphones.

If the process ends in error, try:

• 🔄 Repeat the firmware with another version of QFlash Tool.
• 📁 Check the integrity of the firmware files (possibly the archive has downloaded with errors).
• 🔌 Use the other USB-port.

⚠️ Warning: If your headphones are no longer on or are not detected by your phone, try returning the factory firmware. 90% of the time, this solves the problem. If not, contact the service center (but the warranty will be lost).

Hardware modifications: adapters and improvements

If the software methods don't work, you can try the hardware solutions.

• 🔌 Use a Bluetooth adapter to connect wired headphones to a smartphone without a 3.5 mm connector.
• 🛠️ Replace the chip or microphone to activate ANC (soldering).
• 🔋 Install an additional battery in the case to increase the operating time.

Consider the two most popular scenarios: the use of adapters and the revision of the ANC.

6.1. Bluetooth adapters for wired headphones

If you have your favorite wired headphones, but your smartphone is 3.5mm free, you can use a Bluetooth adapter. For example, Xiaomi Bluetooth Audio Receiver allows you to:

• 🎧 Connect any wired headphones to your smartphone via Bluetooth.
• 🔊 Use aptX or AAC pitch-up.
• 🔋 Work up to 10 hours on a single charge.

Instructions for connection:

1. Turn on the adapter (press the power button for 3 seconds).
2. Activate Bluetooth on your smartphone and find the Mi Audio Receiver device.
3. Connect the headphones to the adapter through a 3.5 mm connector.
4. Customize the sound in the Xiaomi Wear app (if the adapter is supported).

Note: Adapters are delaying the sound (~100–200 ms), which may be critical for gaming or watching video.

Improvement for activation ANC

If you are willing to take a chance, you can try to modify the headphones for support. ANC. It's gonna take a while:

• 🛠️ Stolen iron and solder.
• 🔧 Microphones with noise reduction support (you can take from old headphones).
• 📶 Multimeter for circuit inspection.

Common algorithm:

1. Disassemble the headphone body (carefully so as not to damage the speaker).
2. Find a control board and contacts to connect additional microphones.
3. Seal new microphones according to the scheme (you can find it on the forums on your model).
4. Squeeze your headphones with custom firmware with support ANC.
5. Get the body together and test the work.

Please note that:

• 🚨 Failure risk – improper rationing can damage the fee.
• 🎧 Sound deterioration – additional microphones can cause interference.
• 💰 Cost: Sometimes it is cheaper to buy a new model with ANC, rework.

💡

Hardware modifications are only justified for power users, and in most cases it is easier and cheaper to buy headphones with the right functions out of the box.

7. Comparison of Xiaomi models on possible type change

To make it easier for you to navigate, we have compiled a table with popular Xiaomi models and their capabilities to change the type of connection or functionality.

If your model is not in the table, check its features on the official Xiaomi website or in the documents included in the package.

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing the type of headphones Xiaomi