How to set up Xiaomi AirDots headphones: a complete guide from connectivity to fine-tuning

Xiaomi AirDots wireless headphones (including Pro, 2, 3 and other models) SE) They have become one of the most popular gadgets in the Mi Ecosystem lineup thanks to a combination of affordable price, high-quality sound and usability. However, many users have difficulty connecting or configuring additional features for the first time, from activating low latency for gaming to syncing with multiple devices. From basic phone sync to hidden features that aren’t written in the official manual.

We’ll look at not only standard scenarios (connecting to Android and iOS, resetting to factory settings), but also advanced options — for example, how to update your firmware through the Mi Home app or why one earphone may be behind another. We’ll focus on typical bugs that leave AirDots undetectable or discharge quickly. If you’ve just unpacked the box or have been using headphones for a month but want to make the most of them, read on.

1. Preparation of Xiaomi AirDots headphones for the first connection

There are a few steps you need to take before you sync AirDots to your phone, and even if the headphones are new, they may be in sleep mode or require manual activation.

• 🔋 Charge the case: Connect the case to the power source (use the original cable) USB-C The front indicator should be red (charging) or white (full charge) and the minimum level for the first switch on is 30%.
• 🎧 Remove the headphones: Remove both earphones from the case - they must automatically turn on (blinks red and white indicator).If this does not happen, press and hold the touchpad on each earphone for 5 seconds.
• 📱 Activate Bluetooth: On your smartphone, turn on Bluetooth in settings or through the Quick Access Panel. For Android, it is also recommended to turn off power saving mode for Bluetooth (in some firmware, it limits device search).

If the headphones have previously been connected to another device, they can automatically try to connect to it. To avoid this, reset (instructions in the next section). Also make sure that there are no other active Bluetooth devices (columns, smartwatches) nearby that can cause interference.

⚠️ Attention: If the headphones don't respond to the extraction from the case, check the contacts inside the compartments. Often the problem is oxidation or contamination of metal sites - wipe them with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol.

2. Step-by-step connection to Android and iOS

The process of syncing Xiaomi AirDots with the phone differs depending on the operating system. Below are the current instructions for Android 10+ iOS 14+, including nuances for different headphone models (for example, AirDots Pro supports dual connection to two devices at the same time).

For Android:

1. Open Settings → Bluetooth and make sure the feature is active.
2. Remove the headphones from the case – the list of available devices should appear the name Mi True Wireless Earphones (or similar for your model).
3. Click on the headphone name and confirm pairing. On some firmware (e.g, MIUI) A pop-up will appear with a suggestion to install the Mi Home app – this is not necessary, but is recommended for accessing additional settings.
4. Once connected, check the sound: turn on any track. If only one earpiece sounds, return both to the case and reconnect.

For iOS (iPhone/iPad):

1. Go to Settings → Bluetooth.
2. Take the headphones out of the case and wait for the Mi True Wireless device to appear on the list.
3. Click "Connect." On iOS, you may need to confirm the code -- usually 0000 or 1234.
4. After pairing, check the microphone: go to Settings → Bluetooth → Mi True Wireless → Microphone and select the mode Always use for calls.

On iOS, some AirDots features (such as customizing touch gestures) may not be available without third-party apps like AirDots Pop. Also note that the iPhone case charge indicator is not always displayed - this requires MIUI-Mi Home appliance.

3. Setting up sensory control and gestures

All Xiaomi AirDots models are equipped with touch panels that respond to touch. By default, basic gestures are supported (play/pause, next track), but they can be reconfigured through the official application.

Standard gestures (without the appendix):

• 👆 One touch: Playback/pause (on any headphone).
• 👆👆 Double touch: - Left earphone: previous track (or call voice assistant). - Right earphone: next track.
• 👆👆👆 Triple touch: activation of voice assistant (Google) Assistant/Siri).
• 🔇 Holding 2 seconds: Turning off/on the microphone during the call.

Customization through Mi Home:

1. Install the Mi Home app from the App Store or Google Play.
2. Add headphones to the app: press + → Bluetooth device → Mi True Wireless Earphones.
3. Go to the device settings and select Gesture Management.
4. Assign new actions for single, double and triple touches (available options: volume control, call assistant, switching noise reduction modes).

On the AirDots 3 Pro and later, the “low latency” feature is also available, which reduces the sound latency to 88 ms. It is activated by triple tapping on the right earpiece (if not reassigned). Note: in this mode, the sound quality slightly deteriorates due to compression of the audio stream.

⚠️ Attention: If touch panels don't respond to touch, check if they're film-covered (a common problem with new headphones). Sensitivity can also decrease when high humidity is present - dry the headphones before use.

4. Update firmware and reset to factory settings

Regular firmware updates for Xiaomi AirDots fix synchronization errors, improve sound quality and add new features (e.g. codec support) LC3 Update is done through the Mi Home app, but there are nuances:

How to update firmware:

1. Connect your headphones to your phone via Mi Home.
2. Open the device card in the application and check the Firmware Update section.
3. If a new version is available, click Update and wait for the process to be completed (the headphones should lie in a case with the lid open!).
4. Do not interrupt the update - this can lead to a "brick" (earphones will stop turning on).

The latest firmware update for AirDots 3 for June 2026 is 1.7.0.3, which adds support for transparent mode (transmission of external sounds) and improves the stability of connection to Windows devices.

Reset to factory settings:

If the headphones are glitching (not synchronized, one earphone is not working), perform a full reset:

1. Put both earphones in the case.
2. Open the case cover and press simultaneously on the touch panels of both headphones.
3. Hold for 15 seconds until the indicators start flashing red-white-red.
4. Close the case cover for 10 seconds, then reconnect again.

⚠️ Warning: After reset, AirDots Pro headphones may lose case binding. To reconnect, put them in a case for 30 seconds with the cover closed, then remove the indicators must sync (blink white at the same time).

5. Sound optimization and synchronization problems

Even after a successful connection, Xiaomi AirDots users may face typical problems: different volume in the headphones, audio delay or constant communication interruptions.

Problem: One earphone is quieter than the other

• 🔊 Check the sound balance in your phone settings: on Android, go to Settings → Special facilities → Balance stereo sound and set the slider to 0.
• 🧹 Clean the speaker mesh on a quiet earpiece with a soft brush (dust and earwax can drown out the sound).
• 🔄 Reset the headphone settings (instructions in the previous section).

Problem: Lag (sound delay) when watching video

Delays due to the use of codecs SBC or AAC, Not optimized for video synchronization:

• 🎮 Turn on low latency with a triple touch of the right earphone (available on AirDots) 3/Pro).
• 📱 On Android, install the Developer Options app and activate Disable Bluetooth A2DP hardware offload (in some firmware, this reduces lag).
• 🔗 Use Bluetooth 5.0+ Adapter (if you connect to a PC or an old phone).

Problem: Constant communication breakdowns

If the headphones go off after a few minutes or the sound is interrupted, check:

• 📶 Distance to phone: Bluetooth works stably up to 10 metres without obstruction.
• 🔋 Charge level: when the discharge is below 20%, the connection may become unstable.
• 📱 Power Saving Mode: On Android, Turn Off Battery Optimization for Bluetooth in App Settings.

A critical nuance for AirDots Pro models and newer: if the headphones are connected to two devices at the same time (for example, a phone and a laptop), when playing the sound on one of them, the second device will lose communication every 3-5 minutes. This is not a breakdown, but a feature of the Bluetooth Multipoint protocol. To avoid cliffs, turn off the unnecessary device manually.

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If you use AirDots with Windows PC, install Qualcomm’s Bluetooth Audio Receiver driver (available on the manufacturer’s website) to solve the problem of sound cliffs when playing through a browser (for example, on YouTube or Twitch).

6 Additional features: noise cancellation, transparent mode and voice assistant

New Xiaomi AirDots models (starting with AirDots 3 Pro) support active noise cancellation (ANC) It's transparent, but these features often go unnoticed. Here's how to activate and configure them:

Active noise cancellation (ANC)

ANC AirDots operates by using microphones that pick up external noises and generate opposite sound waves:

1. Open the Mi Home app and select your headphones.
2. Go to the noise reduction settings.
3. Select a level. ANC: Weak, Medium or Strong (recommended for planes and trains).

Pay attention: ANC Reduces headphone time by 1-1.5 hours due to additional processor load.

Transparent mode

This feature allows you to hear ambient sounds (such as a conversation or car signals) without removing the headphones.

• 🔄 Double touch on the left earpiece (unless reassigned).
• 📱 Through Mi Home in the section Ambient sound mode.

Voice assistant

By default, triple tap activates Google Assistant or Siri, but you can reassign the action to another assistant (for example, Alice from Yandex):

1. In Mi Home, select Gesture Management → Triple touch.
2. Click Voice Assistant and select the service you want.
3. On Android, you may need to install an assistant app (for example, Yandex with Alice).

On the AirDot model. SE Voice assistant is not supported at the hardware level – instead, triple tap switches tracks.

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Noise suppression (ANC) Transparent mode is available only on models with a Qualcomm chip QCC3040 (AirDots 3 Pro and later. On older versions, these features are software emulated and perform worse.

7 How to extend battery life

Official life of Xiaomi AirDots varies from 4 to 7 hours on a single charge (depending on the model), but in practice this figure can be reduced due to improper operation.

• 🔌 Charge the case correctly: use the original cable and power adapter 5V/1A. Quick Charge Could Shorten Battery Life.
• 📴 Turn off your Bluetooth headphones when you're not using them. Even when you're in standby mode, they're using 5 to 10 percent of your charge per hour.
• 🎵 Reduce volume: Playing at maximum volume reduces operating time by 30-40%.
• 🌡️ Avoid extreme temperatures: Do not leave your headphones in the sun or cold (optimum range: 0–35)°C).

If the headphones start to discharge quickly (less than 2 hours of operation), check the status of the battery:

1. Connect the headphones to the Mi Home.
2. Open Battery Status – If the capacity is below 80%, the battery needs to be replaced.
3. For models with removable batteries (for example, AirDots 1), you can order a replacement at the service center.

⚠️ Attention: If the case has stopped charging the headphones, check the contacts inside the compartments for oxidation. Often the problem is solved by cleaning with alcohol. If the case indicator flashes red when connected to charging, this indicates a malfunction of the power controller - repair is required.

8. Connect Xiaomi AirDots to other devices (PC, Mac, Smart) TV)

While Xiaomi AirDots are optimized for smartphones, they can be connected to other gadgets.

Connection to Windows 10/11:

1. Open Settings → Devices → Bluetooth and other devices.
2. Click Add Add the device → Bluetooth.
3. Remove the headphones from the case and select Mi True Wireless Earphones from the list.
4. If the sound goes to only one headphone, install the Bluetooth driver. A2DP (Download from Qualcomm website).

Connection to Mac:

1. Go to System Settings. → Bluetooth.
2. Hold the power button on the case for 2 seconds until the indicator starts flashing white.
3. Select the headphones in the list and click Connect.

Connecting to Smart TV (Android TV, Samsung, LG):

Not all TVs support Bluetooth headphones. Check compatibility:

• 📺 On the remote. TV press Settings → Sound. → Sound output → Bluetooth devices.
• 🔍 If AirDots are not displayed, use a Bluetooth transmitter (such as Xiaomi Bluetooth Audio Receiver) connected to a 3.5mm connector or HDMI ARC.

Samsung. TV You may need to disable the function TV SoundConnect, which conflicts with the connection of third-party headphones.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi AirDots