Repair of Xiaomi wireless headphones: from reset to soldering contacts

Xiaomi wireless headphones are some of the most popular gadgets because of their price-to-quality ratio, but even they are not immune to breakdowns. One earphone stops working, the sound stops, the device refuses to charge. If your AirDots, Buds or FlipBuds start to flop, don't throw them away: 80% of the time, you can solve the problem yourself.

In this article, we’ll look at all the typical malfunctions of Xiaomi wireless headphones, from software failures to hardware breakdowns, how to get sound back into one headphone, restore Bluetooth connectivity, fix the charging jack, and even replace the battery, and if repairs prove too difficult, give you tips on where to go for professional help.

This is a good choice for most models: Redmi AirDots (1/2/3/Pro), Mi True Wireless Earbuds, Xiaomi Buds 3/4, FlipBuds Pro and others, and for convenience, we've divided the instructions by problem type and added visual schemas, error codes, and a list of tools you might need.

1. Diagnostics problem: why are the headphones not working?

Before you take on a soldering iron or reset your settings, you need to know exactly what's going on. Xiaomi's wireless headphones can break for three main reasons:

• 🔋 Power problems: do not charge, discharge quickly, one earphone does not turn on.
• 🔊 Sound problems: no sound in one/both headphones, distortion, noise.
• 📶 Connection problems: not on the list of devices, disconnected, not synchronized with each other.

Start with a simple test:

1. Try connecting the headphones to another device (smartphone, tablet, laptop).
2. Check if the case is being charged from another cable/charging.
3. Examine the headphones for physical damage (cracks, dents, oxidation of contacts).

If the headphones don’t turn on at all, check:

• 🔌 Charging the case (the indicator should burn when connected to the USB).
• 🔄 Correct placement of headphones in the case (contacts should coincide).
• 🔋 Battery status (if the headphones are old, the battery may have failed).

⚠️ Note: If Xiaomi headphones fall into water or have been exposed to extreme humidity, don’t turn them on right away.Let them dry for at least 24 hours in a dry place (such as in rice or silica gel).

2. Resetting settings: a universal way to return to work

More 50% Xiaomi's wireless headphone problems are solved by completely resetting the settings, which removes all the stored connections and returns the device to factory settings. 3/4 and FlipBudds Pro.

How to reset:

1. Place both headphones in the case and close the lid.
2. Connect the case to the charger (the indicator should burn red).
3. Press and hold the button on the case (usually located behind or below) for 15-20 seconds until the indicator flashes red and white (or red and blue for some models).
4. Release the button, reset is complete. Now the headphones must appear on the list of available Bluetooth devices as new.

If there is no button on the case (like Mi True Wireless Earbuds Basic 2), use an alternative method:

1. Get the headphones out of the case.
2. Press and hold the touch panels on both headphones simultaneously for 10 seconds until the indicator blinks.

After reset, you may need to re-synchronize the headphones with each other.

1. Get both earphones out of the case.
2. Wait until they automatically connect to each other (the indicators should burn synchronously).
3. Connect them to your phone as a new device.

⚠️ Note: Some models (FlipBuds Pro) may have a firmware crash after a reset. If the sound gets worse or artifacts appear, check for updates in the Mi Home or Xiaomi Earbuds app.

3. Charging contacts repair: if the headphones are not charged

One of the most common problems is the oxidation or contamination of contacts in the case or on the headphones themselves, which causes the device to either not charge at all or to charge very slowly, and in 90% of cases, the problem can be fixed on its own without soldering.

You'll need:

• 🧴 Cotton swabs.
• 💧 Alcohol (isopropyl or medical 90%+).
• 🔍 Loop or flashlight (to inspect contacts).
• 🧲 Magnet (optional, for the extraction of metal debris).

Step-by-step:

1. Look at the contacts on your headphones and in your case, and if you see green oxidation or dirt, you need to clean them.
2. Soak the cotton swab in alcohol and gently wipe the contacts. Don't press too hard to avoid bending them.
3. For hard-to-reach places, use a toothpick wrapped in cotton.
4. Allow the contacts to dry for 5-10 minutes.
5. Check charging: If the problem persists, try another cable or power supply.

If the contacts are bent or broken, they can be straightened neatly with a needle or tweezers. On Redmi AirDots 3 Pro models, the contacts often depart from the board - in which case soldering will be required.

💡

If the headphones still don't charge after cleaning the contacts, try waking them up by holding the button on the case for 30 seconds, sometimes helping with software failures of the charging controller.

4. Recover sound in one headphone

If the sound is lost in only one earphone, the problem can be either software (synchronization failure) or hardware (damage to the speaker or wire).

• 🔄 Reboot the headphones (put in the case for 10 seconds, then pull out).
• 📱 Check the sound balance in the phone settings (sometimes the left/right ear is turned off in the accessibility settings).
• 🔊 Try connecting your headphones to another device.

If this does not work, do the forced synchronization:

1. Put both earphones in the case.
2. Take out only a working earpiece and wait 10 seconds.
3. Get the second headphone out – they should sync automatically.
4. If synchronization has not occurred, press the touch panel on the idle headphone 3 times in a row.

If the sound is still missing, the problem may be:

• 🔌 Poor contact dynamics (often occurring after falls).
• 🔋 A discharged battery in one headphone.
• 🎛️ Damaged wire between the board and speaker.

To repair the speaker or wire, you'll need to disassemble the earphone. This is a tricky procedure, because Xiaomi cases are usually glued together. If you're not sure about your abilities, you'd better contact the service. However, for Redmi AirDots models, you can try it yourself:

⚠️ Note: The FlipBuds Pro and Buds 4 models use active noise cancellation, and malfunctioning microphones can lead to no sound. Check if the microphones are mud-covered (clean them with a soft brush).

5. Replace the battery in headphones or case

The average battery life of wireless headphones is 2-3 years. If your Xiaomi is running out in an hour or the case is not holding the charge, it's time to change the battery. Headphones usually use a battery type 301230 or 301030 (depending on the model), for the case — 3.7V 300–500mAh.

Instructions for replacing the battery in the headphone:

1. Disassemble the body (see spoiler above).
2. Solder off the old battery, carefully heating the contacts with a soldering iron (temperature not higher than 300)°C).
3. Sell the new battery, observing polarity (red - plus, black - minus).
4. Seal the body with superglue or special glue for plastic.

For battery replacement in the case:

1. Remove the bottom cover (usually it is on latches or screws under rubber legs).
2. Disconnect the old battery from the charge.
3. Connect the new one, securing it with double-sided tape.
4. Collect the case and check the charging.

Where to buy a battery:

• 🛒 AliExpress (search by headphone model) + "battery").
• 🛠️ Radio parts stores (for example, Chip and Deep").
• 🔧 Service centers (sometimes selling parts).

💡

Replacement of the battery in the case Xiaomi is better to trust professionals – there are often used thin plumes that are easy to damage.

6. Software problems: firmware update and calibration

Sometimes Xiaomi headphones start to glittle after updating the smartphone or because of a failure in the firmware of the device itself, in which case the firmware or calibration will help.

How to update firmware:

1. Install the official annex: 📱 For AirDots and Buds - Mi Home. 📱 FlipBuds Pro: Xiaomi Earbuds.

Connect the headphones to the app via Bluetooth.

Go to the Update section and follow the instructions.

If the update doesn’t help or the headphones aren’t defined in the app, try calibrating:

1. Put the headphones in the case.
2. Open the lid and press the reset button (as in resetting), but hold it for 30 seconds.
3. After flashing the indicator, take out the headphones and wait for automatic calibration (can take up to 1 minute).

On touch-controlled models (Buds 3 Pro, FlipBuds), sometimes the gesture settings are confused to reset them:

1. Open the Mi Home app.
2. Go to headphone settings → gesture management.
3. Press Reset to factory.

7. When to contact the service: complex breakdowns

Not all problems can be solved by yourself. Contact the service center if:

• 🔊 The speaker emits wheezing or does not work completely (possibly damaged membrane).
• 🔋 Headphones don’t turn on even after battery replacement (power controller problem).
• 📡 Bluetooth communication is permanently interrupted at a distance of less than 1 meter (antenna malfunction).
• 💧 Headphones were filled with liquid (professional cleaning is required).

Official Xiaomi service centers in Russia:

• 📍 Moscow: 16 Leo Tolstoy St. (at the Atrium shopping center").
• 📍 St. Petersburg: Marshal Govorov str., 35 (in the shopping center "Gulliver").
• 📍 Other cities: list on the site mi.com/ru/service/center.

Cost of repair in unofficial services:

Before the service visit:

• 📋 Write down the model of headphones (written on the case or in the documentation).
• 🛠️ Check if they have a warranty (usually 12 months).
• 💰 Ask the cost of diagnosis (in some services it is paid).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi headphone repair