How to reboot headphones Xiaomi Sport: instructions for all models

Why Xiaomi Sport headphones may require a reboot?

Xiaomi Sport’s wireless headphones (including the popular Air, Air 2, Air 2 SE and AirDots series) are reliable gadgets, but even they sometimes fail. Sound freezes, phone connection problems, a sudden disconnection of one of the headphones, or complete failure are all signals that the device needs a software reset or hardware reboot, and 80% of these malfunctions are resolved without going to the service center.

The reasons for rebooting can range from a simple battery discharge to a firmware conflict after an upgrade. For example, if the headphones are not detected by the phone after connecting to another device, the Bluetooth module cache may be the fault. And if the sound is interrupted or distorted, the problem often lies in incorrect synchronization between the left and right earphones. In this article, we will discuss all the working ways of rebooting, including a hidden combination of buttons to completely reset settings on models 2020-2026.

Method 1: Soft reboot (without resetting settings)

This is the safest method, which does not remove paired devices or reset settings, and is suitable for eliminating temporary freezes when the headphones do not respond to touch or do not connect to the phone after a long downtime.

Instructions:

• 🔋 Put the headphones in the case and close the lid. Make sure the indicator on the case does not flash red (this means that the charge is sufficient).
• ⏳ Wait 10-15 seconds – during this time, the headphones will automatically restart.
• 📱 Take the headphones out of the case and check the connection. If the problem persists, move on to the next way.

⚠️ Warning: If the indicator on the case flashes red and white alternately, this signals a critically low charge.

Check the charge of the case (the indicator should burn white or green)

Make sure the headphones are clean (no moisture or dirt on the contacts)

Turn off Bluetooth on your phone before removing headphones from your case

Try reconnecting 20 seconds after extraction-->

Method 2: Hard reset through a button on the case

If the soft reboot didn’t work, try a forced reset via the physical button on the case, which works for most Xiaomi Sport models, including the Air 2 and Air 2 SE. Importantly, after a hard reset, the headphones will forget all the paired devices and have to reconnect them.

Step-by-step:

1. Place both headphones in the case and close the lid.
2. Press and hold the button on the back of the case (usually located under the Mi logo) for 10-15 seconds.
3. The indicator on the case will start flashing red and white - this means that the reset is started.
4. Release the button and wait until the indicator lights up in permanent white (about 30 seconds).
5. Take out the headphones and re-pair the phone.

⚠️ Warning: Do not interrupt the reset process if the indicator flashes red and green at the same time - this is a sign of updating the firmware. Wait until completion (up to 2 minutes), otherwise the headphones may stop turning on.

Method 3: Reset via the Mi Home mobile app

If the headphones connect to the phone but are not running smoothly (e.g. one headphone is quieter than another or the sound is interrupted), try resetting through the official Mi Home app.This method is suitable for models with firmware support via the app (usually Air 2 and later).

Instructions:

• 📱 Install the Mi Home app (available for Android and iOS).
• 🔗 Connect your headphones to your phone via Bluetooth.
• 🔧 In the application go to the section Profile → My devices. → [The name of your headphones].
• 🔄 Find Resetting or Update Firmware (if available).
• ✅ Confirm the action and wait until the process is completed (may take up to 5 minutes).

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If there is no reset button in the Mi Home, try removing the headphones from the device list in the phone's Bluetooth settings and then plugging them back in again, which often helps with stereo synchronization issues.

Method 4: Reboot via touch combination (for Air 2 SE and later)

Newer Xiaomi Sport models (such as the Air 2 SE or Air 3) support a hidden combination of touches for forced reboot, which is useful if the headphones do not respond to the case button or are not detected by the phone after a firmware update.

How to do this:

1. Get both earphones out of the case.
2. Press and hold the touchpads on both headphones simultaneously for 8-10 seconds.
3. The indicators on the headphones will start flashing red, then go out and light up white.
4. Release the panels and wait for automatic reconnection (can take up to 1 minute).

Method 5: Hardware reset via ADB (for advanced users)

If all previous methods have failed and the headphones have stopped turning on or are not responding to charging, you can try resetting through the recovery mode using ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which is only suitable for users with command line experience and requires a Windows/macOS PC.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install Platform Tools (includes ADB and fastboot).
2. Connect the case with headphones to the computer through USB-Cable (use the original cable from Xiaomi).
3. Open the command prompt (cmd on Windows or Terminal on macOS) and type:

adb devices

If the device is determined (the serial number will appear), execute the reset command:

adb shell am broadcast -a android.intent.action.MASTER_CLEAR

If the team fails, try an alternative method:

fastboot oem unlock

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB This method is recommended only as a last resort if other methods have not helped. Also make sure that you have installed drivers for Xiaomi devices (you can download from the official website).

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Hardware reset via ADB is a last resort: 90% of the time, 1-4 helps. If the headphones don't respond even to ADB, chances are there's a hardware problem (battery, Bluetooth controller) and you need repairs.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many users make common mistakes when rebooting Xiaomi Sport headphones, which leads to a worsening of the problem.

• 🔌 Using a non-original charging cable. Cheap cables may not provide enough current, which means the case does not charge fully and the headphones do not reboot correctly. Always use a kit cable or a certified USB-Type-C.
• 📵 Interrupt the reset process. If you release the case button before the time (before the indicator flashes white), the headphones can freeze in refresh mode, in which case only a full discharge will help. + 1-hour charging.
• 💧 If your headphones or case get wet, dry them for 12 to 24 hours before reset. Moisture can cause a short circuit that will damage the Bluetooth controller.
• 🔄 Frequent resets. Don't use a hard reboot every time you have a minor failure, which can cause your headphones to wear out their flash memory and speed up their failure.

If after several attempts to restart the headphones still do not work, check them on another device (for example, on a tablet or a second phone).If the problem persists, you may need to update the firmware in the service center or replace the battery (for models older than 2 years).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions