How to connect AirPods to Xiaomi smartphone: full instructions with solutions to typical errors

Why AirPods and Xiaomi are not always friends out of the box

Apple’s AirPods wireless headphones have become a standard accessory for millions of users, but their integration with Android smartphones — especially Xiaomi devices — is often questionable. Unlike Apple’s ecosystem, where pairing occurs in seconds, owners of Redmi, POCO or Mi have to deal with nuances, from the lack of automatic switching between devices to problems with displaying charge levels. This article will not just explain how to connect AirPods to Xiaomi, but also reveal hidden settings for maximum comfort.

It’s important to understand that AirPods were originally designed to work with the iPhone, so on Android, some of the features (such as spatial sound or automatic ear detection) may not work correctly or at all. However, with the right settings and additional applications, you can achieve almost the same level of convenience. We tested the connection on Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and POCO F5 models – the instruction is universal for all smartphones of the brand based on MIUI 14 and later.

If you’ve tried to connect your headphones to your smartphone and you’ve encountered errors (e.g., “Device not found” or “failed to connect”), don’t be quick to blame the technology. 80% of the time, the problem lies in Bluetooth settings or profile conflict. Next, we’ll break down the step-by-step algorithm, and also reveal 5 hidden reasons why AirPods may not connect to Xiaomi.

Preparation for connection: what to do before pairing

Before you click "Plug in," make sure your smartphone and headphones are ready to connect.Neglecting these steps often leads to crashes, especially on devices with custom firmware or outdated versions of MIUI.

First, check out the Bluetooth version on your Xiaomi. AirPods 2 and later require Bluetooth 5.0 or higher for stable performance. You can find out the version from the Settings menu → About phone → Full specification. If your smartphone supports Bluetooth 4.2 (like Redmi 5 Plus), a connection is possible, but expect audio delays and frequent connection breaks.

Second, reset your AirPods if they were previously paired with another device.

1. Place the headphones in the charging case and close the lid.
2. Wait 10 seconds, then open the lid.
3. Press and hold the button on the back of the case for 15 seconds until the indicator flashes orange (on AirPods Pro 2 - white).

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If the indicator on the case does not flash after 15 seconds, try to connect the case to charging for 30 minutes - sometimes a discharged battery blocks the reset.

Third, turn off the Power Saving and Adaptive Battery feature on your smartphone in Settings → Battery. These modes can limit Bluetooth, causing audio interruptions, and we recommend temporarily disabling the VPN and developer mode (if activated) – they sometimes conflict with Apple protocols.

Step-by-step: how to connect AirPods to Xiaomi

Now, to the process of pairing, follow the instructions carefully, the order of action is important.

1. Open the AirPods charge case cover and make sure the headphones are inside.The front display should flash white (if flashing green - the headphones are already connected to another device, reset as described above).

2. On a Xiaomi smartphone, go to Settings → Bluetooth and activate the slider. Wait for your AirPods to appear on the list of available devices (e.g., “AirPods Pro (John’s)”). If the device doesn’t show up:

• 🔄 Reboot Bluetooth on your smartphone (turn off and turn on again).
• 📱 Make sure the distance between the headphones and the phone is less than 1 meter.
• 🔋 Check the case charge – at a level below 10%, AirPods may not broadcast the signal.

3. Click on the name AirPods in the list of devices. A pairing request window will appear - confirm the connection. Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Mi 11) may need to enter PIN-It's 0000 or 1234 by default, but for AirPods. PIN Not required – if the system requests it, it is a sign of a profile conflict.

Power saving mode is off|AirPods reset to factory settings|Bluetooth on Xiaomi is on and visible to everyone|Distance between devices < 1m-->

4. Once you've successfully connected, the AirPods icon will appear on the Bluetooth menu marked "Connected." However, the setting doesn't end there! To avoid future problems, follow these additional steps:

• 🎧 Open the notification bar and make sure AirPods are selected as the audio output device.
• 🔊 Go to Settings. → Sound. → Sound quality and select «LDAC» or «AAC» (The latest is optimized for Apple).
• 📲 Install the AirBattery app (link to Google Play) to display the headphone charge level in real time.

AirPods 1/2|AirPods 3|AirPods Pro 1|AirPods Pro 2|AirPods Max-->

Solving Typical Connection Problems

Even after successful pairing, Xiaomi users often encounter bugs.We have compiled TOP-5 bugs and ways to fix them, based on analysis of the 4PDA and Mi Community forums.

The problem with automatic switching between devices deserves special attention. On the iPhone, AirPods instantly switch between the Mac and iPad, but on Android this feature is not.

1. Install the AirPods Switcher app (requires Android 10+).
2. Enable the “Auto-switch” option in the application settings.
3. Add Xiaomi to the list of trusted devices.

Optimizing Your Sound: How to Get Maximum Quality

By default, Xiaomi uses the SBC codec for Bluetooth devices, which provides mediocre sound quality. To unlock the potential of AirPods, you need to manually adjust the settings.

Choice of codec:

- Go to Settings → Bluetooth, click on the gear icon next to the AirPods.

In the Codec section, select AAC (optimized for Apple) or LDAC (for high bitrate, but with possible delays).

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⚠️ Note: AptX codec is not compatible with AirPods – its choice will lead to the absence of sound.

Equalizer setting:

Settings → Sound → Equalizer, choose Preset Bass or Pop for a balanced sound.

For AirPods Pro with active noise reduction, it is recommended to disable the built-in MIUI equalizer, as it conflicts with Apple's algorithms.

Removal of sound delay:

If the sound is “lagging behind” the video, turn on the developer settings (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version – press 7 times) option “Disable the absolute volume of Bluetooth”.

- For games, use the "Game Turbo" mode in Settings → Special features.

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For the AirPods Max on Xiaomi, be sure to turn off the Transparent Mode feature in the headphone settings (via AirBattery). Otherwise, background noise will be heard due to microphone conflict.

Additional annexes for extended functions

Standard facilities MIUI We're limited to using AirPods, but third-party apps can unlock the potential. 7 popular utilities and chose the top-3:

1. AirBattery (free, Google Play):

- Shows the charge level of the case and each headphone separately.

Notifies low charge (<30%).

- Supports the widget on the main screen.

⚠️ Note: The app requires permission to "Exact Location" to work with Bluetooth.This is secure - no data is shared with the developer.

2. Assistant Trigger (paid version - 199) ₽):

Allows you to set up a double touch to call Google Assistant (similar to Siri).

Supports gestures for playback control (play/pause, next track).

It only works on Android 9+.

Wavelet (free of charge):

Advanced equalizer with support for AirPods.

Automatic correction of sound for the genre of music.

Bass Tuner to amplify low frequencies without distortion.

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If the charge level is not displayed correctly after installing AirBattery (for example, 100% with discharged headphones), restart the smartphone. This resets the Bluetooth cache.

Comparing AirPods to Xiaomi Alternatives: Should You Overpay?

Price of AirPods Pro 2 into 2026 year-round 24 000 ₽, Xiaomi wireless headphones (e.g. Buds) 4 Pros stand in 3-4 Let's see if the overpayment is justified:

AirPods Pro 2 only pays for its price if you:

• 🎧 You already own Apple devices and want universal headphones.
• 🎵 Appreciate premium sound and noise cancellation.
• 💻 Often working with a MacBook or iPad.

In all other cases, Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro or Redmi Buds 5 will be a more rational choice – they do not require additional settings and are fully integrated into the MIUI ecosystem.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions