How to restart Xiaomi Mi True Wireless Earbuds Basic 2 (Airdots 2): a complete guide to reset and restore

Why Xiaomi Airdots 2 headphones may require a restart?

Xiaomi Mi True Wireless Earbuds Basic 2 (better known as Airdots 2) has become one of the most popular wireless headsets thanks to a combination of price, sound quality and autonomy. However, like any electronics, they are not immune to failures. Over time, users face problems: one earbud does not connect, sound is interrupted, the device is not determined by the phone or completely stops responding to buttons.

80 percent of these problems are solved by software reset, a procedure that returns the headphones to factory settings, but not everyone knows that there are three types of restart: soft reset (analogue of off/on), hard reset (complete resetting), and forced recovery through Mi Home, each method is applied depending on the symptoms of the malfunction.

In this article, we will discuss all the official and hidden ways to restart Airdots 2, including rare tricks that are not described in the manual Xiaomi.

Resetting Preparation: What to Do Before Restarting

Before you start resetting, follow a few mandatory steps to avoid additional problems and save important data.

• 📱 Turn off your headphones from all devices. Go to your Bluetooth settings on your smartphone, find Airdots 2 in the list of associated devices, and select Forget (or Delete) to prevent conflicts when you reconnect.
• 🔋 Charge the case and headphones, charge level should be at least 30%, with low charge, the reset can be interrupted, which will lead to a bootloop ( loop reboot).
• 📋 Write down the current settings. If you used uniform volume (Dual) EQ) Or you set up gestures in Mi Home, reset will return everything to factory parameters.
• 🛠️ Prepare an alternative device. Some methods will require a second smartphone or tablet with the Mi Home app installed.

⚠️ Note: If the headphones were connected to the Mi Account (Xiaomi account), after the reset, you may need to re-authorize!

Method 1: Soft reset (restart)

This is the most gentle way to help with temporary freezes, and it doesn't erase the settings, but it restarts the headphone system.

• 🎧 The headphones are connected, but the sound disappears after a few seconds;
• 🔄 One of the headphones is periodically switched off;
• 📵 The touch control buttons are delayed.

For a soft reboot:

1. Place both headphones in the charging case and close the lid.
2. Wait 10 seconds, then open the case.
3. Remove the headphones and hold the touch buttons on both headphones for 5 seconds until the indicators start flashing red.
4. Close the case again for 10 seconds, then remove the headphones - they will automatically restart.

If the problem persists after that, proceed to a hard reset.

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After a soft reboot, try connecting your headphones to another device (like a tablet) to help rule out a smartphone problem.

Method 2: Hard reset (reset to factory settings)

Hard reset erases all user settings and returns the headphones to the "out of the box" state, which is used if:

• 🔌 Headphones don’t connect to the phone at all;
• 🔊 The sound is missing from both headphones;
• 🔄 Indicators burn non-standard (for example, constantly red or blue).

Hard-dumping instructions:

1. Place both headphones in the charging case and close the lid for 5 seconds.
2. Open the case and simultaneously press and hold the touch buttons on both headphones.
3. Hold the buttons for 15-20 seconds until the indicators start flashing white and red alternately (this is a signal of a successful reset).
4. Release the buttons, close the case for 10 seconds, then remove the headphones.
5. On your smartphone, remove Airdots 2 from the list of Bluetooth devices and perform a new pairing.

⚠️ Warning: If the headphones are not flashing white and red after reset, but are constantly burning red, this is a sign of battery discharge. Charge the case for 30 minutes and repeat the procedure.

After a hard reset, the headphones may require a firmware update, which we'll discuss in the next section.

Method 3: Recovery through the Mi Home app

If the standard reset didn’t work, try to restore the headphones through the official Mi Home app.

• 📱 Headphones are defined by the phone, but do not reproduce sound;
• 🔄 Firmware is damaged (for example, after an interrupted update);
• 🎛️ Sensory gestures are not working properly.

Instructions:

1. Install the Mi Home app from Google Play or the App Store.
2. Sign in to your Mi Account (or create a new one).
3. Connect the headphones to the phone via Bluetooth.
4. In Mi Home, go to Profile → Settings → Add device → Headphones.
5. Select Mi True Wireless Earbuds Basic 2 and follow the app's hints.
6. If the app offers to update the firmware, agree. You can not interrupt the update: it can bring the headphones down!

Method 4: Forced firmware updates (for power users)

If all the previous methods didn't work and the headphones are still buggy, it might be the damaged firmware, in which case you can try a forced manual update through the Mi Home, which requires caution!

You'll need:

• 📱 Smartphone with Mi Home version 6.0.100 or later;
• 🔌 Charging case with a charge level of more than 50%;
• 🌐 A stable Internet connection (preferably Wi-Fi).

Step-by-step:

1. Make sure the headphones are connected to the phone via Bluetooth.
2. Open Mi Home, find Airdots 2 in the list of devices and go to their settings.
3. Slip on the three dots in the top right corner and select Update firmware.
4. If the update does not start automatically, click Update Checker.
5. Wait for the firmware to load (it can take up to 5 minutes).
6. Do not turn off Bluetooth or close the app until the process is complete.

⚠️ Note: If during the update, the indicators on the headphones have gone out, and the process has stalled at 0% - this is a sign of firmware incompatibility. Immediately remove the headphones from the case and contact the service center. Continued update in this case may lead to a breakdown of the Bluetooth controller.

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Forced firmware updates are a last resort, only use them if other methods have failed, and you are sure that the problem is software, not hardware.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Many users make the same mistakes when restarting Airdots 2, which only makes the problem worse.

• ❌ Resetting just one earpiece, if you drop the earphones separately, they lose sync. Always drop both at the same time!
• ❌ If you release the buttons before the time (before flashing white/red), the reset will not be completed.
• ❌ Using a non-original charging cable, cheap cables may not provide enough current, causing the case to not be fully charged and the discharge is incorrectly discharged.
• ❌ Update firmware via mobile Internet. If the connection is unstable, the firmware file can download with errors.

To avoid problems:

• ✅ Use the original Xiaomi cable to charge the case.
• ✅ Before resetting completely discharge and charge the headphones (this helps reset the battery calibration).
• ✅ If the headphones do not respond to buttons, try to clear the contacts in the case and on the headphones with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol.

When Resetting Doesn't Help: Signs of Hardware Failure

If you've tried all the methods, but the headphones still don't work, it's probably a hardware problem. Here are the key signs that the device needs to be brought into service:

• 🔴 Indicators do not burn at all (even when charging) - a malfunction of the power controller.
• 🔊 The sound is missing in both headphones, but they are determined by the phone - a problem with speakers or audio chip.
• 🔋 Case does not charge headphones (despite the fact that it is charging itself) – contacts or headphone battery are damaged.
• 📵 Headphones connect, but immediately turn off – a malfunction of the Bluetooth module.

In these cases, self-repair is not recommended, as Airdots 2 have a sealed body and sensitive electronics.

The cost of repairs in 2026:

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions