Connecting Xiaomi wireless headphones to Samsung phone: instructions and problem solving

Xiaomi wireless headphones are some of the most popular accessories on the market due to their combination of price, sound quality and functionality. However, many users have difficulty connecting them to Samsung smartphones, especially when it comes to models with proprietary chips like Dual Audio or Samsung Scalable Codec. In this article, we will discuss not only the standard pairing procedure, but also nuances that will help to avoid typical errors.

It’s important to understand that the connection algorithm may vary slightly depending on the Android version (e.g., One UI 5.1 vs One UI 6.0), the headphone model (Xiaomi AirDots 3, Buds 4 Pro, FlipBuds Pro), and even whether you plug them in for the first time or reset after a reset. We’ve taken all these scenarios into account to make the instruction universal. If your headphones were already paired with another device, don’t worry, one section has a separate guide to reset.

Also in this article, you will find a compatibility table for popular Xiaomi and Samsung models, tips for audio optimization for AAC/SBC codecs, and answers to frequent questions — for example, why one earphone connects and the second one does not, or how to turn on low latency for games.

1. Preparing Xiaomi headphones for connection

Before you start pairing, make sure your Xiaomi headphones are ready to connect, which is especially important if they are new or have previously been connected to another device.

• 🔋 Charging headphones and case: Make sure the headphone charge level is at least 30%. If the indicator on the case flashes red, plug it into charging for 10-15 minutes. Some models (Xiaomi Buds) 3T Pro) may not enter low-charge pairing mode.
• 📦 Case extraction: Take both earphones out of the charger case and they must automatically turn on (usually accompanied by an audible signal or a voice message in Chinese/English).
• 🔄 Reset previous connections: If the headphones have already been paired with another device, they need to be returned to factory settings. To do this, press and hold the button on the case (or touch panel on headphones) for 10-15 seconds until the indicator starts flashing red and white (some models – quickly flash white).

Xiaomi AirDots 2/3 and Redmi Buds 3 have a reset button inside the case, which you press when the headphones are inside. FlipBuds Pro resets through the touchpad on the headphones themselves (touch it 4 times in a row).

⚠️ Warning: If the indicator on the case continues to burn blue after reset (rather than flashing white), the headphones are still in the mode of connecting to the last device.

2. Step-by-step instructions for connecting to a Samsung phone

Now, the interface process itself. The manual is suitable for most Samsung One UI 4.0 and later smartphones (including the Galaxy S23, A54, Z Flip5, etc.). If you have an older model (e.g., the Galaxy S10 with One UI 2.5), the interface may be slightly different, but the logic remains the same.

Turn on Bluetooth on your phone in one of the ways:

• 📱 Through the Quick Settings Panel: Swipe down from the top edge of the screen and click on the Bluetooth icon.
• ⚙️ Through Settings: Go to Settings → Connections → Bluetooth and activate the switch.

Next, follow the following steps:

1. Activate pairing mode on the headphones: After extracting from the case, Xiaomi headphones should automatically go to search mode (the indicator flashes white). If this does not happen, press and hold the touchpad on one of the headphones for 3 seconds until you hear the voice message "Pairing".
2. Find the headphones in the list of devices: On a Samsung phone, the name of your headphones will appear in the Bluetooth menu (for example, "Mi True Wireless Earphones 2" or "Redmi Buds 4").
3. Confirm Connection: A request for code confirmation (usually 0000 or 1234) may appear on the phone screen. Enter it and click "Connect".
4. Wait until sync is complete: The headphones will connect first as "Audio Device", then as "Media Device". That's fine - that's how Samsung configures A2DP (for music) and HFP (for calls).

If it went well, you'll hear a beep in your headphones, and you'll see a Bluetooth icon in the status bar of your phone that says the device's name, and you can now test the sound by playing any song or video.

Headphones charged (indicator not red)|

Headphones removed from the case and included |

Bluetooth on the phone activated |

Previous connections reset (if necessary)|

Headphones in pairing mode (blinking white light)-->

3. Reset Xiaomi headphone settings (if not connected)

If Xiaomi headphones refuse to connect to Samsung despite all attempts, most likely their settings have gone wrong.This is a common problem after updating the phone's firmware or if the headphones have previously been paired with an iOS device.

Once reset, Xiaomi earphones will be completely clean — you can connect them to Samsung as new.

• 📵 Are the headphones connected to another device (like a laptop or tablet) and disconnect them from all gadgets.
• 🔄 Update the headphone firmware through the Mi Home app (if available for your model).
• 📱 Reboot Samsung phone – sometimes resetting network settings helps (Settings) → General management → Reset → Reset the network settings).

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi Buds 3 Pro and newer models may need to reset control gestures via the Xiaomi Earphones app. Without this, some features (such as active noise cancellation) will not work.

4.Samsung Sound and Codec Optimization

Samsung smartphones use the SBC codec for wireless headphones by default, which provides stable but not the best sound. If your Xiaomi headphones support AAC or aptX, you can manually switch to them for better sound. Here's how to do this:

Open the Settings. → Connections → Bluetooth, find your headphones in the list of connected devices and click on the icon ⚙️ next to their name:

1. Select "Sound Quality and Effects".
2. Turn on the "Use" switch HD-audio" (if available).
3. In the Bluetooth Codec section, select AAC (Priority for Music) or aptX (if the headphones support).

For Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro and FlipBuds Pro models, it is also recommended to enable Low Latency Mode in Bluetooth settings.This will reduce lag when watching videos or games. Note that this mode may slightly worsen the sound quality due to compression.

If the codec changes, the sound starts to break, go back to SBC, which is the most stable option, especially in densely built environments or with a large number of wireless devices nearby.

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To check the current codec used for the connection, install the Bluetooth Codec Info app from Google Play. It will show not only the codec, but also bitrate, sampling rate and other parameters in real time.

5. Solving typical connection problems

Even after successful pairing, users often experience problems, and here are the most common scenarios and ways to fix them:

Problem 1: Only one headphone is connected

If only the right or left headphone is connected to the Samsung phone, and the second one is not determined:

• 🔄 Reboot both headphones: Put them in the case for 10 seconds, then pull out.
• 🧲 Remove the headphones from the list of Bluetooth devices on your phone and connect again.
• 🔋 Check the charge of the headphones – sometimes one of them discharges faster and turns off.

Problem 2: Constant communication breakdowns

If the sound is interrupted or the headphones are turned off after a few minutes:

• 📶 Make sure there are no interference sources nearby (microwaves, other Bluetooth devices).
• 🔄 Switch to codec. SBC Bluetooth.
• 📱 Turn off the Dual Audio function in Bluetooth settings if it is enabled.

Problem 3: Headphones are connected, but there is no sound

If the headphones are paired, but music is played through the phone's speaker:

• 🔈 Check if Call Only is activated in Bluetooth settings (turn it off).
• 🎵 Make sure that the player app (such as YouTube Music or Spotify) has access to the Bluetooth device.
• 🔄 Reset your headphones or reboot your phone.

If neither of these methods worked, try connecting the headphones to another device (like a tablet or laptop) and if the problem persists, one of the headphones or case may have malfunctioned.

6. Additional settings to improve the work

To maximize the potential of Xiaomi headphones on Samsung, we recommend you to configure the following settings:

Customization of control gestures

Most Xiaomi models support gesture control (e.g., double-touch for playback/pause) to customize them:

1. Install the official Xiaomi Earphones app from Google Play.
2. Connect the headphones to the phone and open the application.
3. Go to the Gestures section and assign actions for touching (e.g., Triple Touch – Calling Voice Assistant).

Activation of noise reduction (ANC)

If your model supports active noise cancellation (Xiaomi Buds 3 Pro, FlipBuds Pro), turn it on:

• In the Xiaomi Earphones app, go to “ANC Settings”.
• Select the noise reduction level ("Weak", "Mediternary", "Strong").
• Activate Transparency mode for conversations (missing external sounds).

Optimization for games and video

To reduce the latency of sound in games or when watching videos:

• Enable Low Lag Mode in Bluetooth settings (available on Samsung with One UI 5.0 and later).
• Use the aptX Low Latency codec (if the headphones support it).
• In the developer settings (Settings → About Phone → Build Number → Press 7 times) turn on “Switch off absolute Bluetooth volume”.

Important: Headphones Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro and later automatically switch to low latency when starting games, if the Samsung phone enabled the function of “Game Mode”.

7. Compatibility of Xiaomi and Samsung models: table

Not all Xiaomi headphones work equally well with Samsung phones, and below is a table of compatibility of popular models with support for codecs, noise reduction and other features:

If your model is not in the table, check its specifications on the official Xiaomi website or in the Mi Home application. For maximum compatibility, we recommend choosing models with support for aptX or AAC - they are better optimized for Samsung ecosystems.

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For Samsung phones with One UI 6.0 and later, Xiaomi headphones with support for aptX Adaptive or LDAC are best suited – they provide minimal latency and high sound quality.

FAQ: Frequent questions