Connecting Xiaomi wireless headphones to a laptop via Bluetooth: full instruction for Windows

Xiaomi wireless headphones are a popular accessory among users due to the combination of price, sound quality and convenience. However, when you first connect to a laptop running Windows 10 or 11, many people face problems: the device is not detected, the sound is interrupted or not at all. This article will help you understand how to pair correctly, avoid typical errors and adjust stable operation.

We’ll look at two scenarios: connecting new headphones (like the Redmi Buds 4 Pro or Xiaomi Buds 3T) and reconnecting with previously paired devices. We’ll focus on Bluetooth settings in Windows, as they often cause problems. If your laptop can’t see headphones or the sound is distorted, at the end of the article you’ll find a unique solution for Xiaomi models with a Qualcomm QCC3040 chip that isn’t mentioned in standard instructions.

1. Preparing Xiaomi headphones for connection

Before pairing with a laptop, you need to put your headphones in search mode. Xiaomi and Redmi models may have a different process, depending on the generation and type of control (touch or button).

• 🔋 Charging: Make sure the headphones are at least 30% charged. When the battery is low, they may not be in pairing mode. Check the indicator: flashing red light signals a discharge.
• 🎧 Case extraction: Remove both earbuds from the charger case. Some models (e.g. Xiaomi Buds 3 Pro) automatically turn on when removed.
• 🔄 For touch models (e.g. Redmi Buds 4): Hold the touchpad on the right earphone for 5-7 seconds until the light flashes red and white. For button models (e.g. Mi True Wireless Earphones 2): Press the power button for 3-5 seconds before the double beep.
• 📱 Resetting (if previously connected to another device): To reset, hold the button/touchbar for 10-15 seconds until the indicator flashes red 3 times.

If the headphone indicator doesn’t respond, check if the button or sensor is stuck. For models with a case (such as Xiaomi FlipBuds Pro), try putting the headphones back in the case, closing the lid for 10 seconds, then re-extract.

2. Bluetooth check on a laptop: settings and drivers

A common cause of connection problems is a faulty Bluetooth driver or a disabled adapter. Before pairing, follow the following steps:

1. Turn on Bluetooth: Press Win + A to open Notification Center. Find the Bluetooth tile and activate it (should turn blue). If there is no tile, go to Settings → Devices → Bluetooth and other devices and turn on the switch.
2. Adapter check: Open Device Manager (Win + X → Device Manager). Deploy Bluetooth branch. If there is an exclamation point next to the adapter, the driver is not working correctly.

Updating drivers

• Right-click on the Bluetooth adapter → Update the driver → Automatic search.
• If Windows doesn’t find updates, download the driver from the laptop manufacturer’s website (for example, for Lenovo or HP).

Notebooks with a Wi-Fi/Bluetooth combo adapter (such as the Intel AX200) may require a separate installation of the Intel Wireless Bluetooth package. If the adapter is not in the Device Manager, it may be disabled in the BIOS/UEFI (you need to log in when you load a laptop, usually on the F2 or Del key).

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If your laptop can't see your headphones, try turning off the power saving mode for your Bluetooth adapter. Open the Adapter Properties in Device Manager → Power Management → uncheck the "Allow this device to be turned off to save energy."

3. Step-by-step instruction: connecting Xiaomi headphones to Windows

When the headphones are paired and the Bluetooth on your laptop is activated, move on to the connection. Consider the process for Windows 10 and 11 (the differences are minimal):

1. Open Bluetooth settings: Windows 10: Start → Settings → Devices → Bluetooth and other devices. Windows 11: Start → Settings → Bluetooth and devices.
2. Add a new device: Click Add Device → Bluetooth. In the list, find your headphones (the name will contain Mi, Redmi or a model, for example Redmi Buds 4 Pro). Click on them and wait for pairing to complete. On headphones, the indicator should stop flashing and burn blue/white.

Sound check

• Once connected, the headphones should automatically become a sound output device.
• If the sound is going through the speakers of the laptop – click on the volume icon in the tray → select Xiaomi [Model].

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If Xiaomi headphones are plugged in but the sound is interrupted every 2-3 seconds, the problem may be the processor’s power settings: Try turning off Intel SpeedStep technology in the BIOS or install a High Performance power circuit.

5. Sound tuning: how to improve the quality of playback

Even after a successful connection, users often experience poor sound quality, such as hissing, cliffs or low volume, due to the settings of Bluetooth codecs and profiles.

• 🎵 Codec Choice: Open the Control Panel → Sound. → Headphone properties → In the default format section, select AAC (Priority for Xiaomi) or aptX (if supported). SBC — It gives you the worst quality.
• 🔊 Volume Up: In the same properties in the Levels tab, check that the volume slider is at its maximum. Activate the Sound Improvement tab - turn on the Bass Boost or Virtual Surround options.
• 📶 Reduced audio delay: For games or videos: In the headphone properties in the tab, select Low Latency if available. Disable other Bluetooth devices, which may interfere with the device.

For models with ANC (active noise cancellation) (e.g. Xiaomi FlipBuds Pro), check that the feature is enabled: this is usually done by double-tapping the touchpad on one of the headphones. If the ANC doesn't work, update the headphone firmware via the Mi Home app (available for Android/iOS).

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If you hear echoes or interference in Xiaomi headphones when talking, turn off the microphone in the sound settings: Control Panel → Sound → Record, find the headphones and turn them off (right click → Disable).

6.Reconnect and control multiple devices

After the first pairing, Xiaomi headphones must automatically connect to the laptop when Bluetooth is turned on.

• 🔄 Automatic connection not working: Remove headphones from the list of devices (Parameters) → Bluetooth → Remove the device.Pair the pairing again (see section 3).
• 📱 Conflict with other devices (e.g., phone): Xiaomi headphones remember the last connected device. To switch to a laptop, disconnect them from the phone or turn off Bluetooth on it. For multipoint models (such as Redmi Buds 4 Pro), you can connect headphones to two devices at the same time. To do this, after pairing with a laptop, turn on Bluetooth on your phone - the headphones will connect automatically.