How to set up buttons on Xiaomi headphones: from basic features to hidden features

Xiaomi headphones are among the most popular smartphone accessories due to the combination of price, sound quality and functionality. However, many users do not even suspect that the buttons on the case or touch panels can be completely reconfigured to suit their needs. Whether you use the budget Redmi AirDots or the flagship Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro, the possibilities of customization are surprising: from playback control to calling a voice assistant or activating transparency mode with a single touch.

In this article, we will discuss all the ways to adjust the buttons on Xiaomi headphones – as through the standard Mi app. Home/Xiaomi Wear, and through the hidden menus in MIUI. You'll learn how to double-task a Google Assistant, why the gestures on one side don't work, and how to reset to factory settings if something goes wrong. And you'll also learn unique chips for support models. LDAC and ANC, which the manufacturer does not advertise.

Which Xiaomi headphones support button settings?

Not all Xiaomi headphones allow button reassignment, a feature available for most wireless devices released after 2020, as well as some wired models with remote control.

• 🎧 Xiaomi AirDots (all generations including AirDots 3 Pro and AirDots Youth)
• 🎧 Redmi Buds (from Buds 3 to Buds 5 Pro)
• 🎧 Xiaomi Buds (Buds 4 Pro, Buds 3T Pro, Buds 3 Pro)
• 🎧 Xiaomi FlipBuds (all versions)
• 🎧 Wireless models with remote control: Mi Basic, Mi Hybrid, Mi Dual Driver

To check compatibility, check the headphone firmware version in the Mi Home or Xiaomi Wear app. If the device menu has a Touch Management or Button Settings section, your model supports customization.

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 (model) TWS2) have limited settings – they can only change the function of double touch, but not triple or hold.

Preparing for Configuration: What to Do Before Changing the Buttons

Before you start reassigning buttons, follow a few mandatory steps to avoid crashes:

1. Update your headphone firmware. Go to the Mi Home app, select your headphones, and check for updates in the About Device section. → Update of the PO.
2. Connect the headphones to your smartphone. They should be in pairing mode (the indicator flashes white/blue).
3. Disable other Bluetooth devices that may cause interference.
4. Close background apps, especially if they use a microphone or audio (e.g. Zoom, Discord).

If the headphones are not defined in the app, try resetting them to the factory settings.

1. Put both earbuds in the case.
2. Press and hold the button on the case (usually located behind) for 10-15 seconds until the indicator flashes red.
3. Connect the headphones again through the Settings → Bluetooth.

Customize buttons through the Mi Home app (Xiaomi Wear)

The main way to customize is through a proprietary app. The interface may vary slightly depending on the headphone model, but the general logic persists.

Step 1: Open Mi Home (or Xiaomi Wear for new models) and select your headphones from the device list. If they don't exist, click Add Device and follow the instructions.

Step 2. Go to Touch Management (or Customize buttons for wired models) and see a diagram with gestures available here:

• 👆 Single touch (left/right headphone)
• 👆👆 Double touch.
• 👆👆👆 Triple touch.
• 🔄 Containment (1-2 seconds)

Step 3: Assign actions for each gesture.

Step 4: Save your settings and test new gestures, and if the buttons don't respond, reconnect your headphones or reboot your smartphone.

Make sure the headphones are connected to the smartphone

Check the charge level (minimum 20%)

Test gestures on a flat surface (not in motion)

Reset your settings if the buttons don’t work-->

⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro and Redmi Buds 5 Pro models, the default retention function is responsible for level adjustment ANC. If you reassign it to another action, noise management will be available only through the application.

Hidden button settings in MIUI (for advanced users)

If the standard options in Mi Home are not enough, you can use hidden menus in the firmware MIUI. This method does not work on all devices, but allows you to assign action buttons that are not in the official application (for example, launching a specific application or turning on Game Mode).

Instructions for MIUI 14+:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and click on MIUI Version 7 times.
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable Bluetooth debugging.
3. Install the Xiaomi app ADB/Fastboot Tools (available on GitHub).
4. Connect the headphones and in the app select the Bluetooth partition, then Customize Buttons.

In this menu, you can assign the following extended actions to the buttons:

• 🔊 Quick switching between devices (e.g. from phone to laptop)
• 🎮 Activation of Game Mode (reduced sound delay)
• 📱 Launching a specific application (such as Spotify or YouTube Music)
• 🔋 Display of the level of charge of headphones (voice alert)

Features of settings for wired headphones Xiaomi

Xiaomi Wired Headphones (such as Mi Hybrid Pro) HD Mi Dual Driver, or Mi Dual Driver, has a physical remote with 1-3 buttons, and their settings are different from wireless models and depend on the firmware version of the smartphone.

For most models, the following functions are available:

• 🎵 Single tap: playback/pause or answer to a call.
• 🎵🎵 Double tap: the next track.
• 🎵🎵🎵 Triple press: previous track (on some models – voice assistant call).
• 🔄 Retention: Rejecting a call or activating Google Assistant.

To reassign the buttons:

1. Connect the headphones to your smartphone.
2. Open the Settings. → Connected devices → Headphone settings.
3. Select the button settings and assign new actions.

If the button settings section is missing, try using third-party apps like Button Mapper (root rights required or a third-party application is required). ADB).

💡

For wired headphones Xiaomi Mi ANC Type-C Retaining the Remote button turns on/off active noise emitter (ANC). This is the only model with such a function among the wired devices of the brand.

Problem Solving: The buttons don’t work or don’t work properly

If after setting up the headphone button Xiaomi stopped responding or triggered with a delay, the reasons may be as follows:

For the diagnosis of malfunctions:

1. Check the headphones on another smartphone (preferably not Xiaomi).
2. Install the nRF Connect app and scan your headphones for connection errors.
3. If the problem is with only one button, the touch module may be damaged (repair required).

⚠️ Attention: Headphones Xiaomi Buds 3T Pros have a known problem with false positives when worn in cold weather, and it's because of sensor sensitivity, so the solution is to reduce the sensitivity of gestures in settings or put a hat over your headphones.

Additional chips: what else can be done with buttons

In addition to the standard features, Xiaomi headphones support several hidden features that few people know about:

• 🔄 Fast switching between devices: on models with Bluetooth 5.2+ (For example, Buds 4 Pro triple touch left earphone switches the audio stream between the phone and the laptop.
• 🎤 Activation of microphone for recording: Holding the button on the wired Mi Hybrid remote turns on the microphone even if the headphones are not in call mode.
• 🔋 Voice charge report: on the Redmi Buds 5 Pro, a double touch of the right earphone voices the battery level.
• 🎧 Monosound: If you remove one earphone from your ear, the sound will automatically switch to mono mode (works on Buds 3 Pro and later).

Activation of some functions requires:

1. Update the headphones to the latest version.
2. Include experimental functions in Mi Home (Section Lab).
3. Use your smartphone on MIUI 13+ Android 12+.

💡

Headphones Xiaomi FlipBuds Pro support swipe up/down gesture to adjust the volume – this is the only model in the lineup with such a function.

FAQ: Frequent questions about setting buttons on Xiaomi headphones