Wireless headphones have long been an integral part of everyday life — they are convenient for listening to music, podcasts, audiobooks or calls. Owners of Xiaomi Redmi 10 often face the question of how to connect a new headset correctly, especially if you used to use wired models. The process of pairing through Bluetooth seems simple, but in practice, nuances can arise from the invisibility of the device in the list to problems with sound after connecting.
In this article, we will discuss all possible ways of connecting, from standard pairing to solving typical errors. You will learn how to prepare headphones and phones, what settings to check in MIUI, and what to do if the headset refuses to connect. The instructions are relevant for all versions of Redmi 10 (including Redmi 10 2022, Redmi 10C, Redmi 10A) and are compatible with most brands of headphones: Xiaomi AirDots, Apple AirPods, Samsung Galaxy Buds, Sony WH-1000XM, JBL, Huawei FreeBuds and others.
We will focus on the hidden features of MIUI 12/13/14, which make it easier to work with Bluetooth devices, but often go unnoticed by users, such as automatic switching between devices or priority connection for certain headsets.
1. Preparation of headphones and phone before connection
Before you start pairing, make sure both devices are ready to connect, and skipping this stage is a common cause of failure.
For wireless headphones:
- 🔋 Charging: Make sure the headset is at least 30% charged.Discharged headphones may not turn on or off while pairing.
- 📦 Pair mode: Most models automatically go into search mode when they first turn on. If the headphones have already been used with another device, they should be reset (instruction below).
- 🎧 Indication: Check if the LED flashes (usually blue/white for AirDots or red/white for Galaxy Buds).If not, the headphones are off or discharged.
For Xiaomi Redmi 10:
- 📱 Bluetooth: Activate the module in the notification curtain or through Settings → Connections → Bluetooth.
- 🔄 Visibility: Make sure the phone is visible for other devices (the “Make Visible” option in Bluetooth settings).
- 🚫 Limits: Turn off Do Not Disturb or Saving Charge modes – these can block the connection.
Charge headphones up to 30%+
Turn Bluetooth on Redmi 10
Put the headphones in pairing mode
Turn off battery savings
Make sure there is no interference (other Bluetooth devices nearby)-->
If you connect Xiaomi AirDots or Redmi Buds headphones, check out the branded Mi Pop-up feature, which automatically opens the connection window when you first turn on the headset next to your phone. To make it work, make sure that Bluetooth settings → Additional feature Show notifications about new devices.
2. Standard Bluetooth connection: step-by-step instructions
The most common way is to pair via the Bluetooth menu.
- Open Settings on Redmi 10 and go to Connections → Bluetooth.
- Activate the Bluetooth slider (if it's off). The phone will start scanning the available devices.
- In the list, find the name of your headphones (for example, Mi True Wireless Earphones or WH-1000XM4) and tap it.
Once you've successfully connected, you'll see the headphone name next to it, and you'll see a Bluetooth icon in the status bar, and to check the sound, open any audio file or video.
Xiaomi AirDots/Redmi Buds
Apple AirPods
Samsung Galaxy Buds
Sony WH-1000XM or other full-size
JBL, Huawei or another brand-->
If the headphones don't appear on the list, try:
- 🔄 Reboot Bluetooth on your phone (turn off/on module).
- 📱 Restart the scan (stamp the update icon in the upper right corner of the Bluetooth screen).
- 🔋 Remove the headphones from the case and put them back again (for TWS- models).
3.Fast connection for Xiaomi headphones (Mi Pop-up)
Owners of branded headsets (AirDots, Redmi Buds, FlipBuds) can use an accelerated pairing method through a pop-up, which works only on the first connection and requires:
- 📱 MIUI 12 or later.
- 🔋 Headphones with a charge of >15%.
- 📦 Open case (for TWS- models).
How it works:
- Open the headphone case cover (do not remove them!).
- Bring the case to the back cover of Redmi 10 (distance <5 cm).
- On the phone screen, a pop-up window will appear with the model name and the Connect button.
- Slip the button and wait for the process to be completed.
If the window doesn't show up,
- 🔄 Reboot the phone.
- 📱 Check if Show notifications for new devices are enabled in Settings → Bluetooth → More.
- 🔋 Make sure the headphones have not been paired with another device before (reset is needed).
💡
If Mi Pop-up doesn’t work, try closing all background apps — sometimes they block pop-ups.
4.Resetting headphones before reconnecting
If the headset has already been used with another phone or tablet, it must be reset to factory settings, otherwise the Redmi 10 may not see the device or connect with errors.
| Brand/model/model/model/model/ | Resetting method | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi AirDots / Redmi Buds | Put the headphones in the case, then press and hold the button on the case for 15 seconds until the red indicator flashes. | After resetting, the headphones will automatically go into pairing mode. |
| Apple AirPods | Press and hold the button on the back of the case for 15 seconds before changing the color of the indicator from amber to white. | It requires an iOS device to completely reset (but for Android, the hardware method is enough). |
| Samsung Galaxy Buds | Open the Galaxy Wearable app, go to Settings → Data Reset. | No App: Hold the touchpads on both headphones for 10 seconds. |
| Sony WH-1000XM4 | Hold the power button and the Custom button (NC/Ambient) for 5 seconds at the same time. | The indicator will flash blue 4 times. |
After reset, the headphones will appear in the list of available devices as new. If the reset did not help, check:
- 🔋 Case charge and headphones (sometimes a discharged case blocks the reset).
- 📱 Bluetooth protocol compatibility (e.g., AirPods Pro 2 requires Bluetooth 5.0, which is available in Redmi 10).
What to do if the headphones are not reset?
5. Solving typical connection problems
Even after successful pairing, there can be failures. Let's look at the most common ones.
🔊 No sound in the headphones.
If the headphones are connected, but the sound goes through the speaker of the phone:
- 📱 Check in the notification curtain that the Bluetooth headphones have been selected for sound.
- 🔄 Reconnect the headset (turn off and switch on Bluetooth again).
- 🎵 Make sure that the player app (e.g. Spotify or YouTube) does not have audio output installed on the speaker.
🔄 Headphones are constantly switched off
Causes and solutions:
- 📶 Interference: Get away from interference sources (Wi-Fi routers, microwaves, other Bluetooth devices).
- 🔋 Battery Savings: Turn off the Bluetooth Battery Optimization option in Settings → Battery → Optimization.
- 📱 Outdated firmware: Update MIUI to the latest version (see section below).
🚫 Device not found on list
Possible causes:
- 🔧 Headphones are not in pairing mode (see section 4).
- 📱 The phone has Flight Mode or Traffic Saving enabled.
- 🔄 The phone's Bluetooth module is malfunctioning (reboot the device).
💡
If the headphones are connected but the sound is interrupted, the problem may be in the Bluetooth codec. In MIUI, you can manually select the codec (AAC, SBC, aptX) in the device settings.
6. Sound optimization and additional settings
After you connect, you should adjust the settings for better sound. The following options are available in MIUI:
Settings of Bluetooth device:
- Go to Settings → Bluetooth.
- Slip the gear icon next to the name of your headphones.
- Here you can:
The sound settings in MIUI:
- 🎛 Settings → Sound and vibration → Sound quality: Choose High quality for music or Clear voice for calls.
- 🔇 Settings → Sound and vibration → Sound effects: Turn off unnecessary enhancements (e.g., 3D-sound) if they distort the sound.
For headphones with support for ANC (active noise cancellation) (for example, Xiaomi FlipBuds Pro or Sony WH-1000XM4), install the brand app.
- 🎧 Adjust noise reduction levels.
- 🔋 Track the battery.
- 🔄 Update the firmware of the headset.
💡
If you hear noises in your headphones when listening to music, try turning off dual audio in your Bluetooth settings, a feature that may conflict with some TWS- models.
7. Update phone firmware and headphones
Connection failures are often associated with outdated software. Check the relevance of the firmware on both devices.
For Xiaomi Redmi 10:
- Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
- Check for updates and install the latest version of MIUI.
- After the update, restart the phone.
For headphones:
- 🎧 Xiaomi AirDots: Updates are installed automatically when you connect to MIUI. To check the firmware version, open Bluetooth Settings → Cog next to the device → Software version.
- 🍎 Apple AirPods: Requires an iPhone to upgrade.
- 📱 Samsung Galaxy Buds/Sony: Use proprietary apps (Galaxy Wearable or Sony Headphones Connect).
If after the update, the headphones stopped connecting, reset (see section 4) and repeat pairing.
8. Alternative ways of connecting (for experienced users)
In rare cases, standard pairing doesn't work because of software failures, so you can try alternative methods.
Method 1: Connecting through Developer Mode
- Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and tap the MIUI version 7 times.
- Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
- Find the Bluetooth debugging option and turn it on.
- Reboot the phone and repeat the pairing.
Method 2: Using Third-Party Applications
If your Bluetooth module is failing, try apps like Bluetooth Auto Connect or Bass Booster.
- 🔄 Forced reconnect devices.
- 🎵 Set up the equalizer for specific headphones.
- 📊 Monitor the stability of the connection.
How to reset Bluetooth settings on Redmi 10?
Important! Alternative methods can cause Bluetooth to work in an unstable way, and only use them if the standard methods don't work.