Connecting Xiaomi Bluetooth headphones to Android: A complete guide to problem solving

Xiaomi wireless headphones are among the most popular smartphone accessories due to their combination of price, quality and functionality. However, even with such devices, users sometimes have difficulties when connecting for the first time. This article will help you understand how to properly pair Xiaomi Bluetooth headphones (including Redmi Buds, Mi True Wireless, Xiaomi FlipBuds and others) with an Android phone, avoid typical errors and optimize the sound.

We're going to look at not only the basic steps of connecting, but also the nuances that are often overlooked in standard instructions, from enabling pairing mode on different headphone models to adjusting codecs for better sound, focusing on solving problems when the phone can't see the headphones or the connection is constantly breaking, and if you're experiencing these difficulties, here you'll find proven ways to fix them.

1. Preparing Xiaomi headphones for connection

Before pairing with a phone, you need to properly activate the search mode on the headphones themselves. This process may differ from Xiaomi models, but the general principle remains. Importantly, if the headphones have already been connected to another device, you need to reset them first (more about this in the next section).

For most people. TWS-Xiaomi headphones (such as Redmi Buds 4 Pro or Xiaomi Buds 4) standard procedure looks like this:

• 🔋 Get your headphones out of the charging case – they should automatically turn on.
• 🔄 Press the touchpad (or mechanical button) on both headphones simultaneously on the 5-10 seconds until the light flashes white and red (in some models, only white) signaling a transition to pairing mode.
• 📱 On the phone, open Settings. → Bluetooth and wait for the device to appear in the list of available devices.

Neck mounted models (such as Xiaomi Mi Neckband Bluetooth) usually have a separate on/patch button, which must be held until the indicator flashes. Note that some headphones (such as Redmi AirDots 3) may require only one earphone to be removed from the case to activate the search mode.

2. Resetting headphone settings before connecting

If the headphones were previously paired with another device (such as an iPhone or other Android smartphone), they should be reset to factory settings, which will eliminate conflicts with the new connection.

After reset, the headphones will automatically go into pairing mode. If this does not happen, remove them from the case and re-press the touch panels (or buttons) for 5 seconds.

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If the headphones don't reset, check the case charge - at a level below 10%, the reset may not work. Connect the case to charging for 5-10 minutes and try again.

3. Step-by-step instructions for connecting to Android

When the headphones are ready to pair, move on to the phone setup. The instruction is suitable for all Android 8.0 and newer smartphones (including Xiaomi, Samsung, Realme and other brands). On older versions of Android, the interface may differ.

Open Settings → Connected devices → Bluetooth|

Turn on Bluetooth (slider in upper right corner)|

Click "Device Search" or "Add New Device" |

Select your headphones from the list (the name should contain "Mi", "Redmi" or "Xiaomi")|

Confirm the pairing (type 0000 or 1234 if necessary)|

Wait for the message "Connected"-->

On some Xiaomi smartphones (such as the Redmi Note 12 or POCO X5), there is an option in the Bluetooth menu to add additional settings (cog in the upper right corner).

• 🔍 Visibility for all devices – if the phone does not find headphones.
• 🎵 The priority of sound for media – for automatic switching of audio to headphones.
• 🔄 Autoconnect – so that the headphones connect to the phone when extracted from the case.

Once you've successfully connected, check the sound: run music or video. If there's no sound, go to Settings → Sound → Output and select your headphones manually.

4. Solving Connection Problems

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

⚠️ Attention: If the headphones are connected but the sound is interrupted or late, the problem may be in the Bluetooth codec. → The phone. → Version. MIUI and click 7 times on the version line to activate Developer Mode. → Additionally. → For developers, select a codec AAC or aptX (if supported).

Problem 1: The phone can't find the headphones

• 🔌 Check the charge of the case and headphones - at a level below 20%, they may not turn on.
• 🔄 Reboot Bluetooth on your phone: Turn it off and turn it on again.
• 📱 Remove the headphones from the list of conjugate devices and reconnect.
• 🛠️ Update your phone’s firmware – older versions of Android may have Bluetooth bugs.

Problem 2: Headphones are connected, but there is no sound

• 🎧 Check if the microphone only mode is activated (in some models this is switched by triple touch).
• 🔊 In the phone sound settings, select headphones as the output device.
• 🔄 Reconnect the headphones: turn them off in the Bluetooth menu and connect them again.

Problem 3: Permanent connection breaks

• 📶 Make sure there are no interference sources nearby (Wi-Fi routers, microwaves).
• 🔋 Check the charge of the headphones – at a level below 15%, the connection can become unstable.
• 🛠️ Update your headphone firmware through the official Mi Earphones app (available on Google Play).

5. Sound optimization and additional settings

Once connected successfully, you can improve the sound quality.

1. Set up the Bluetooth codec:

• 🎵 AAC — Optimal for music (supported by all Xiaomi models).
• 🎧 aptX LDAC — High quality (available on flagship phones).
• 📞 — Universal, but with the worst quality (used by default).

To change the codec, activate Developer Mode (as described above) and select the desired option in Settings → Developer → Bluetooth Codec.

2. Activate the functions of the headphones:

• 🎚️ Equalizer – in the Mi Earphones app or standard player.
• 🔇 Noise suppression (ANC) — Available in FlipBuds Pro, Buds 4 Pro.
• 🎤 Transparency mode – for conversations without removing headphones.

3. Set up sensor control:

In the Mi Earphones app, you can reassign actions to touch:

• 👆 One touch - playback/pause.
• 👆👆 Double touch - the next track.
• 👆👆👆 Triple touch – Calling the voice assistant.

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For models with ANC (for example, Xiaomi FlipBuds Pro) noise reduction is enabled by long-term retention of the touch panel on any headphone.

6. Connect to Multiple Devices (Multipoint)

Some Xiaomi models (such as the Buds 4 Pro or FlipBuds Pro) support connecting to two devices at the same time, which is convenient if you use headphones with both your phone and your laptop.

1. Connect the headphones to the first device (such as a phone).
2. Open the Mi Earphones app and activate the Multipoint option (some models call it Dual Connection).
3. On the second device (laptop), turn on Bluetooth and find the headphones in the list of available.
4. Confirm pairing. Now the headphones will automatically switch between devices based on activity.

Note that Multipoint may reduce connection stability, especially if devices are far apart, and some features (such as ANC) may not be running at full capacity.

⚠️ Warning: If the headphones don't switch between devices automatically, manually disconnect them from one device before connecting to another. You can't play sound from two sources at the same time, only one will be active.

7. Verification of compatibility and support of functions

Not all Xiaomi headphone features are available on all smartphones. For example, the aptX Adaptive codec only works on phones with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 series chipset (such as the Xiaomi 13 Pro or POCO F5 Pro).

To check the current connection codec:

1. Activate Developer Mode (as described above).
2. Go to Settings → For developers → Bluetooth codec.
3. Choose the best option depending on your headphone model and phone.

8. Alternative ways of connecting

If standard pairing does not work, alternative methods can be tried:

Method 1: Mi Earphones App

The official application from Xiaomi not only updates the firmware, but also simplifies the connection:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Open it and follow the instructions on the screen.
3. The application will automatically find the headphones and offer to connect.

Method 2: Fast Pair Mode (Fast Pair)

Some Xiaomi models (such as the Buds 4 Pro) support Google’s Fast Pair technology.

1. Turn on Bluetooth on your phone.
2. Open the case with headphones next to the phone.
3. On the phone screen, a notification will appear with a suggestion to connect - click on it.

Method 3: Connecting via ADB (for power users)

If the headphones are defined by the phone but not connected, you can reset your Bluetooth cache via ADB:

adb shell pm clear com.android.bluetooth


adb reboot

This command clears the Bluetooth settings and reboots the phone, and you'll have to reconnect all your Bluetooth devices once you do it.

FAQ: Frequent questions about connecting Xiaomi headphones