Xiaomi Redmi Airdots headphones (including Airdots 1/2/3/Pro) have become one of the most popular wireless headsets due to the combination of price and functionality. However, many users face difficulties when trying to switch the track - standard gestures do not always work, and the description of the controls in the instructions is often vague. This article will reveal all possible ways to change music to Redmi Airdots, including hidden functions and solutions to typical problems.
We're going to look at not only basic touch commands, but also alternative methods, from voice control to customization in the Mi Home app, and we're going to focus on the differences between models -- for example, Airdots 3 Pro has a different switching algorithm than the first version. If you've ever wondered why double tap doesn't work or how to turn on autopause when you take off your headphone, here are the answers.
Touch control: basic gestures for all models
The main way to switch tracks on Redmi Airdots is to tap the touchpad on the headphone case, but the algorithm depends on the firmware version and model. Here are the universal commands that should fire on most devices:
- 🎵 Single touch - playback / pause.
- 🔀 Double touch – transition to the next track (by default).
- 🔙 Triple touch – return to the previous track (some models require customization).
- 📞 Long-term retention (2 seconds) – refusal of an incoming call or activation of the voice assistant.
Important: Redmi Airdots 3 Pro and Airdots S have a more sensitive touchpad, sometimes with a light touch. If gestures don't recognize, try:
- 🧹 Wash the headphones with a dry napkin (dust and sweat interfere with the operation).
- 🔋 Reboot the headphones (hold the button on the case for 10 seconds).
- 📲 Update the firmware through Mi Home (instruction below).
A common mistake is that users confuse double and triple touches, and in practice, it takes only 0.5 seconds to get between two taps, otherwise the system will perceive them as two single gestures, and train on a flat surface, so it's easier to control the force of the press.
2.Gestural settings in the Mi Home app
If you don’t like standard commands (like switching tracks with a single touch), you can reassign them to the official Mi Home app, which works for Airdots 2/3/Pro, but is not supported by the first version.
Instructions for changing gestures:
- Open Mi Home and connect the headphones to your account (if not connected).
- Go to Profile. → My devices. → Redmi Airdots.
- Select the Control Settings (or Touch Controls in English).
- Click on the desired gesture (such as “Double Touch”) and select the action: Next Track, Previous Track, or Voice Assistant.
- Save the changes and sync the headphones.
☑️ Preparation for gesture adjustment
⚠️ Warning: After changing gestures, you may need to reset your headphone settings (hold the button on the case for 15 seconds until the red light flashes).This is due to a bug in the firmware versions below 1.4.0.3.
| Model headphones | Support for gesture settings | Max: Number of customized teams |
|---|---|---|
| Redmi Airdots 1 | ❌ No. | — |
| Redmi Airdots 2 | ✅ Yes. | 3 gestures |
| Redmi Airdots 3/Pro | ✅ Yes. | 4 gestures (including retention) |
| Redmi Airdots S | ✅ Yes. | 2 gestures |
3.Voice control: Siri, Google Assistant and Alice
If the touch commands seem uncomfortable, you can switch music with your voice through the smartphone’s built-in assistant, a technique that works on all Redmi Airdots models, but requires pre-tuning.
Activation algorithm:
- Connect the headphones to your phone via Bluetooth.
- Activate the voice assistant: 📱 On Android: Hold the button on your headphone for 2 seconds or say, OK, Google". 🍎 On iPhone: Double tap on the headphone (if configured) or "Hello Siri".
- "Next Track" / "Next Song"
- "Previous Track" and "Previous Track"
- "Pass on the Pause" / "Pause Music"
In Yandex Music, a similar function is called “Management from Bluetooth devices” and is located in Settings → Player.
Why does the player ignore the commands of headphones?
Critical feature: On Redmi Airdots 3 Pro, when connected to an iPhone, track-switching gestures can conflict with iOS system commands. The solution is to disable the "Use as a phone headset" option in Bluetooth settings.
5. Alternative methods: physical buttons and case
Few people know, but Redmi Airdots' charging case can also be involved in controlling playback, indirectly, but here are some of the tricks that are not obvious:
- 🔄 Fast Earphone Removal/Insertation – Some models (such as the Airdots S) automatically pause music when placing the earphone in the case. → track-pass → continuation.
- 🔋 Case button – on Airdots 3 Pro long-term hold of the button on the case (5 seconds) resets the headphone settings, which sometimes solves management problems.
- 🎧 Touching both headphones simultaneously - on some firmware this includes "noise ignoring" mode, which can interfere with gesture recognition.