How to Reconnect Xiaomi Headphones to Phone: 7 Ways + Error Solving

Why Xiaomi Headphones Refuse to Connect – and What to Do About It

Did you get your Xiaomi AirDots or Redmi Buds out of your case and they stubbornly don't want to connect to your phone? Or suddenly stopped automatically connecting after updating your firmware? The problem is familiar to many owners of Xiaomi wireless headphones - and in 90% of cases it is solved in 5 minutes without contacting the service center.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible causes, from a simple battery discharge to a Bluetooth smartphone malfunction, how to force your headphones to reset, reconnect them to a new device, and what to do if one earphone doesn’t work or the sound is interrupted. The instructions are relevant for all models, from the old Mi AirDots Basic to the fresh Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro.

Spoiler: Half the time, a simple case reset helps, but if it doesn't work, read on.

Method 1: Classic reconnection via Bluetooth

Start with the obvious, remove the headphones from the list of associated devices and reconnect them, which will work if the problem is caused by a temporary communication failure.

Instructions for Android (on the example of MIUI 14):

1. Open Settings → Bluetooth.
2. Find your headphones (like Redmi Buds 3 Lite) and tap the icon. ⚙️ near.
3. Choose to Delete the device (or Forget it).
4. Return the headphones to the case, close it for 10 seconds, then open it again.
5. On your smartphone, click Device Search and select your headphones from the list.

For the iPhone, the path is a little different:

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Bluetooth.
• 🔄 Click on the "i" next to the headphone name.
• 🗑️ Select Forget This Device.
• 🔋 Remove the headphones from the case and hold the pairing button (usually on the back of the case) for 5 seconds until the indicator starts flashing white.

💡

If the headphones don’t appear in the Bluetooth list, try rebooting your smartphone – sometimes it helps even with proper headphones.

Method 2: Reset Xiaomi headphones to factory settings

If a simple reconnect doesn't work, you'll have to do a hard reset, which erases all the settings you saved and returns the headphones to the boxy state, and it works for all models, but the button combinations may be different.

The following is a general guide for most Xiaomi/Redmi Buds:

1. Put both headphones in the case and close the lid.
2. Connect the case to the charging (it is necessary!).
3. Open the lid and hold the button on the case for 15-20 seconds until the indicator flashes red and white quickly.
4. Release the button, reset is complete. The headphones are now ready for a new pairing.

For touch-controlled models (e.g. Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro):

• 🎧 Get the headphones out of the case.
• 👆 Hold both sensors on your headphones for 10 seconds until you hear a beep.
• 🔄 The indicator on the case will flash red - reset is performed.

⚠️ Note: After reset, Xiaomi headphones may lose touch with the Mi Earphones app. You will have to reconfigure gestures and equalizer.

Method 3: Compatibility check and firmware update

Sometimes headphones refuse to connect because of outdated firmware or incompatibility with the Bluetooth version on a smartphone.Redmi AirDots 2, for example, is not friendly with Bluetooth 5.2 on some Samsung phones.

How to check and update the firmware:

1. Install the official Mi Earphones app (for Android) or Xiaomi Wear (for iOS).
2. Connect the headphones to the app.
3. Go to the Firmware Update section (usually in the headphone settings menu).
4. If a new version is available, follow the instructions on the screen.

Compatibility with Bluetooth versions:

If your smartphone is older than the specified versions, the headphones can connect, but with loss of features (for example, touch control or ANC will not work).

Method 4: Solving problems with one headphone

A common complaint is that the left or right earphone doesn't connect, although the second one is working normally, and the reasons can range from battery discharge to hardware failure.

Checklist for diagnosis:

If the headphone is not charged:

• 🔋 Check the contacts in the case – often they are contaminated or oxidized.
• 🔄 Try to clean the contacts on the headphone with a soft toothbrush soaked in alcohol.
• ⚡ Connect the case to another charger (sometimes the problem is in the power supply).

Critical malfunction: If the earphone is not identified by the case even after cleaning the contacts and resetting, the charging controller is likely to fail, in which case only a replacement of the earphone or repair in the service will help.

⚠️ Warning: Do not use sharp metal objects to clean the contacts - this can damage the coating and cause short circuits.

Method 5: Configure connection priority (for multi-purpose devices)

If your Xiaomi headphones are connected to multiple devices (like your phone and laptop), they can get confused about priorities, especially for multipoint models (Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro, Redmi Buds 5).

How to set priority:

1. Open the Mi Earphones app.
2. Go to the headphone settings.
3. Find the Connected Devices or Multipoint section.
4. Remove unnecessary devices from the list or prioritize your smartphone.

For Windows/macOS:

• 🖥️ Go to Bluetooth settings on your computer.
• 🗑️ Remove headphones from the list of devices.
• 🔄 Reconnect them, but don’t use them at the same time as your phone – it can cause conflict.

💡

Xiaomi's multipoint is unstable. For a sustainable connection, it's better to use headphones with only one device at a time.

Method 6: Diagnostics of hardware problems

If none of these things worked, it might be a physical malfunction.

Symptoms and their causes:

The most vulnerable elements in Xiaomi headphones:

• 🔋 Battery - after 1.5-2 years, the capacity falls by 30-50%, headphones discharge in an hour.
• 📡 Bluetooth module – fails after falls or overheating.
• 🔌 Charging contacts – oxidized from moisture or contaminated.

If headphones are warranty, do not try to disassemble them yourself - this will cancel warranty obligations. Xiaomi official service centers in Russia accept devices with a check or by serial number (if the purchase was through the Mi Store or authorized partners).

Method 7: Alternative Connection Methods (for Power Users)

If standard methods do not work, you can try non-obvious solutions that sometimes help even in hopeless cases.

Method 1: Forced connection via ADB (for Android)

adb shell settings put global bluetooth_on 0


adb shell settings put global bluetooth_on 1

These commands reboot the Bluetooth module at the system level. Before using, enable USB Debugging in the developer settings.

Method 2: Use of third-party applications

• 📱 Bluetooth Auto Connect – Automatically restores the connection.
• 🔧 Btool – a Bluetooth diagnostic tool (requires root).
• 🎛️ Developer Options – Enable Verbose Bluetooth logging for detailed diagnostics.

Method 3: Connecting via another protocol

Some models (e.g. Xiaomi AirDots Pro 2S) support LE Audio connectivity to enable it:

1. Install Developer Options on your smartphone.
2. Activate the Enable LE Audio option.
3. Reconnect the headphones.

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB And changing system settings can cause Bluetooth to be unstable.

FAQ: Frequent questions about reconnecting Xiaomi headphones