Connecting AirPods to Xiaomi: Full Instruction with Typical Error Solutions

Are AirPods compatible with Xiaomi phones?

The question of Apple AirPods compatibility with Android smartphones, including the Xiaomi lineup (Redmi, POCO, Mi), arises for many users. Although the headphones were developed for the Apple ecosystem, they work perfectly with devices based on Android 6.0 and above – and this covers almost all current Xiaomi models of the last 5-7 years.

The main difference is the connection protocol: AirPods use Bluetooth 5.0+ with proprietary Apple extensions (like Apple W1/H1 chip) that are not fully supported by Android. But the basic functions - audio playback, gesture control, microphone - work consistently. Moreover, many users note that the sound of AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods 3 on Xiaomi is no worse than on iPhones if you configure the codecs correctly.

It’s important to understand that Xiaomi with MIUI 14+ automatically activates the AAC and SBC codecs, which provides high-quality sound, but Hi-Res audio will require manual tuning through the developer, which we will discuss in detail in the section on audio optimization.

Preparation before connection: 5 mandatory steps

Before you start pairing, make sure your devices are ready to connect, and neglecting these points is the main cause of connection failures.

• 📱 Update. MIUI: Go to Settings. → The phone. → System update. AirPods version recommended for stable operation MIUI 12 and higher (or Android 10)+ for POCO).
• 🔋 Headphone Charging: Make sure the AirPods case charge level is at least 20%. When the charge is low, the connection may be interrupted.
• 🔄 Reset previous connections: If the headphones were already paired with another device (like an iPhone), reset: press the button on the back of the case for 15 seconds until the indicator flashes orange.
• 📶 Disable other Bluetooth devices: In Settings → Bluetooth Remove All Unnecessary Devices to Avoid Conflicts.
• 🛠️ Check the Bluetooth region: Some Xiaomi firmware (especially global) may have a restriction on connecting devices with Apple W1 CHIPS.Change region to "India" or "Europe" in Settings → Additionally. → Region.

Charge AirPods up to 30%+

Update MIUI to the latest version

Reset your headphones (if connected to your iPhone)

Disable other Bluetooth devices

Reboot the phone-->

If you connect AirPods Pro 2 or AirPods 3, additionally check for the “Low Latency” feature in your Xiaomi’s Bluetooth settings.It reduces lag when watching videos, but can reduce connection stability in subways or elevators.

AirPods 1/2

AirPods 3

AirPods Pro 1

AirPods Pro 2

AirPods Max-->

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

The pairing process takes no more than 1-2 minutes, if you follow the algorithm. Consider the universal method that works on all Xiaomi models, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Mi 11 and older devices.

1. Activate the pairing mode on AirPods: Open the case cover (don't take the headphones out!). On the back of the case, press the button for 5-7 seconds until the indicator flashes white (for AirPods 1/2) or green (for AirPods Pro/3).
2. Turn on Bluetooth on Xiaomi: Go to Settings → Bluetooth and activate the slider. Alternatively, swipe down the notification panel and hold the Bluetooth icon.
3. Find the headphones in the list: In the list of available devices, the item "AirPods [your name]" (if you haven't previously reset) or simply "AirPods" will appear.
4. Confirm pairing: The connection request will appear on the screen - click "Couple" or "OK". Some Xiaomi firmware may need to be entered PIN-code: default is 0000 or 1234.
5. Check the connection: Once you've successfully connected, a Bluetooth headphone icon marked "Connected" will appear on the list. Take one headphone out of the case, and the sound should automatically switch to it.

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If the headphones don’t appear in the list, try rebooting the Bluetooth module: turn off Bluetooth, turn on Flight Mode for 10 seconds, then turn it off and re-search.

Xiaomi with MIUI 13+ will be notified after you connect with a suggestion to install the “AirBattery” app (to display the level of charge of the headphones). This is not necessary, but useful – the app shows the charge of each headphone and case separately, as on the iPhone.

Solving Typical Connection Problems

Even if you follow the instructions correctly, you can have failures, and let's look at the most common mistakes and how to fix them.

⚠️ Warning: If the AirPods Pro 2 is only played in mono mode (one headphone), check your Bluetooth settings. → Additionally. → Absolute volume. This parameter has to be turned off.

For Xiaomi models with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1/2 processor (such as the Xiaomi 12/13 Pro), activating dual Bluetooth via an engineering menu can help.

1. Please dial the phone application ##4636##.
2. Go to Phone Information → Bluetooth.
3. Enable the option of "Dual-channel A2DP".

Optimizing Sound: How to Improve Quality on Xiaomi

Xiaomi uses SBC (basic) or AAC (medium layer) codecs by default, but you can activate more advanced settings for AirPods, especially on models that support aptX or LDAC (for example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra).

To change the codecs:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and click on MIUI Version 7 times.
2. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
3. Find Bluetooth Codecs and select AAC (for quality and stability balance) or aptX (if supported).
4. Activate P bitrate Bluetooth and set the value of 500+ Kbit / s.

For bass fans, it is recommended to include eQUALIZER in the standard Mi Music player:

• 🎵 Open the player and go to Settings → equalizer.
• 🔊 Select Preset Bas Boost or Manually Adjust: Increase Sliders by 60 Hz and 250 Hz.
• 🎧 Activate "3D-sound" for volumetric effect (works only with wired headphones, but sometimes improves the perception on the AirPods Pro).

⚠️ Attention: On AirPods 1/2 When activating the aptX codec, a delay in sound may occur before 200 In that case, go back to AAC.

Gesture management and configuration of functions

The AirPods have gesture control, but Xiaomi has different setups than the iPhone, and the following commands are used by default:

• ⏯️ Double touch (on AirPods) 1/2): playback.
• 🔊 Compression of the rod (on AirPods Pro): switching noise reduction modes.
• 📞 Triple touch (on AirPods 3): Calling a voice assistant (on Xiaomi it will be Google Assistant).

To reassign gestures:

1. Install MaterialPods from Google Play (free version with basic functionality).
2. Open the application and go to Settings → Management.
3. Select the action for the left/right earphone: next track, previous track, call assistant or turn off the sound.

Xiaomi with MIUI 14 has built-in support for AirPods management through the notification panel:

• 🎵 When playing music, swipe down the screen.
• 🔘 In the notification panel will appear widget with pause buttons, skip and noise reduction mode (for AirPods Pro).

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On Xiaomi with Android 13+, AirPods gestures can be reassigned without third-party applications - just press the Bluetooth icon in the notification panel and select "Device Settings".

How to Disable AirPods from Xiaomi and Connect to Another Device

If you need to temporarily turn off your headphones or reconnect them to your iPhone/other phone, do the following:

Temporary shutdown (saves a pair in the phone’s memory):

1. Open Settings → Bluetooth.
2. Find AirPods in the list and click on the gear icon.
3. Select "Disable" (not "Delete!").

Complete removal (needs to connect to another device):

1. In the same menu, click "Delete" or "Forget the device".
2. Confirm the action.
3. To connect the headphones to the new device, reset them (button on the case 15 seconds) and repeat the pairing process.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi firmwares, after removing AirPods from the Bluetooth list, can automatically connect again when you open the case. → Memory and network → Resetting the network.

If you plan to switch between Xiaomi and iPhone frequently, install the AirPods Switcher (Android) app.

• 🔄 Quickly switch between devices without re-pairing.
• 🔋 Display the charge level on both devices.
• 🎧 Save individual audio settings for each gadget.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions