How to connect Xiaomi Bluetooth headphones to your Android phone: instructions with pictures and tips

Why Xiaomi Headphones Don’t Connect to Android and How to Fix It

Xiaomi’s wireless headphones are some of the most popular on the market for price-performance. However, even with devices like the Redmi AirDots 3 Pro, Xiaomi Buds 4 or FlipBuds Pro, users face problems when connecting first, most often due to incompatibility of Bluetooth versions, the power saving mode on the phone or bugs in the headphone firmware.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can connect, from standard pairing via Bluetooth menus to using the Mi Earphones app (formerly Xiaomi Earphones), and learn what to do if the phone can’t see the headphones, how to reset them to factory settings, and what hidden features are activated only through official software.

The instructions are suitable for all Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO headphone models (including AirDots, Buds, FlipBuds) and Android 8.0+ phones. If your device is older, check Bluetooth 4.2+ support in specs.

1. Preparation of headphones and phone for connection

Before pairing, make sure both devices are ready to connect, often because of a discharged headphone or the on-set mode of the aircraft on the smartphone.

Load your headphones into your case and make sure the indicator is white/green.

Turn off the mode on the plane on the phone

Turn Bluetooth on in the notification curtain

Remove old headphone connections in settings (if any)

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Pay special attention to the indicator on the case:

• 🔴 Red flashing - headphones are discharged (charge) 10-15 minute).
• 🟢 Green constant - full charge, ready to pair.
• 🔵 Blue flashing – headphones are already in search mode (you can connect).
• ⚪ White flashing - charging is going (you need to wait for the green one).

If the indicator is not burning at all, check the contacts in the case for pollution or try to reset the headphones (instructions in section 5). On the phone, turn off the Adaptive Battery (Settings → Battery → Energy Saving Mode), as it can block the background work of Bluetooth.

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If the Xiaomi Buds 3 Pro headphones or newer, they can be charged wirelessly – just put the case on a 5W+ Qi charge.

2. Standard connection via Bluetooth menu

This is the most versatile method that works on any Android phone.

1. Open Settings → Connections → Bluetooth (on some firmware, the path may differ: Settings → Devices → Bluetooth).
2. Activate the Bluetooth slider (if it's gray).
3. Remove the headphones from the case – they will automatically go into pairing mode (the indicator will start flashing blue and red).
4. In the list of available devices, find the name of your headphones (such as Redmi AirDots 3 or Mi True Wireless Earphones 2) and tap it.
5. Confirm the connection if a request appears (some phones need to enter). PIN-code - usually 0000 or 1234).

If the headphones don’t appear on the list:

• 🔄 Reboot Bluetooth on your phone (turn off/on the slider).
• 📱 Try connecting from another device (tablet, laptop) to check the performance of the headphones.
• 🔋 Check the case charge – if it is discharged below 10%, the headphones may not turn on.

Redmi AirDots (1-3 generation)

Xiaomi Buds (any generation)

Xiaomi FlipBuds Pro

POCO Pop Buds

Another model

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3. Connect via the Mi Earphones app (official way)

The Mi Earphones app (formerly Xiaomi Earphones) not only makes it easier to connect, but also gives you access to hidden settings:

• 🎧 Equalizer setting (bass, high frequencies).
• 🔊 Noise reduction adjustment (ANC) FlipBuds Pro and Buds 3 Pro.
• ⚙️ Updating the firmware of headphones (important for fixing bugs).
• 📊 View the charge level of each headphone separately.

How to connect through the application:

1. Download Mi Earphones from Google Play (Chinese models may need APK with APKCombo).
2. Open the app and allow access to Bluetooth and Locations (required!).
3. Take the headphones out of the case – the application will automatically detect them.
4. Slip the model name in the list and follow the instructions on the screen.

If the app doesn't see the headphones:

• 📲 Make sure the phone has geolocation enabled (required to scan Bluetooth devices on Android 12)+).
• 🔄 Reinstall the app and clear the cache (Settings) → Annexes → Mi Earphones → Warehouse → Clear the cache).
• 📱 Check compatibility: the app only works with headphones Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO 2019 year-old.

4.Solving problems: the phone doesn't see Xiaomi headphones

If the headphones don’t appear in the list of Bluetooth devices, the reasons may be as follows:

For Xiaomi AirDots Pro 2 and later, try an alternative way to enter pairing mode:

1. Put the headphones in the case.
2. Open the case lid.
3. Press the button on the case for 20 seconds (the indicator will flash red 3 times).
4. Get your headphones out, they'll go into search mode.

⚠️ Note: If the headphones have previously been connected to another device (such as an iPhone), they can automatically connect to it. To avoid this, reset them to factory settings (section 5).

5.Reset Xiaomi headphones to factory settings

If the headphones are glitchy, not plugged in or give out errors, hard reset will help.

Redmi AirDots (1-3 generation) and Mi True Wireless Earphones 2:

1. Put both headphones in the case and close the lid.
2. Open the lid and press the button on the case for 15 seconds.
3. The indicator will flash red → white → red – reset is performed.

For Xiaomi Buds 3/4 and FlipBuds Pro:

1. Get the headphones out of the case.
2. Press the touch panels on both headphones simultaneously for 10 seconds.
3. The indicators on the headphones flash red 2 times.

For POCO Pop Buds:

1. Put the headphones in the case.
2. Press the button on the case for 30 seconds (the indicator will go out and blink blue).

Once reset, the headphones will disappear from the list of conjugated devices on all gadgets, and they will have to be reconnected as new ones.

⚠️ Attention: On models with ANC (Active noise cancellation may require recalibration of the microphones after reset. → Noise reduction settings → Sizing.

6. Update to Xiaomi headphone firmware

Outdated firmware is a common cause of connectivity problems, especially on new Android 13/14 smartphones. There are two ways to update your headphones:

Method 1: Through the Mi Earphones app

If the app sees the headphones but offers an update:

1. Put the headphones on the phone.
2. Open Mi Earphones and go to Settings → Firmware Update.
3. Download the new version (requires a stable Wi-Fi connection).
4. Do not turn off the headphones and do not close the application until it is completed (takes 3-5 minutes).

Method 2: Manually through a firmware file

For advanced users (if the automatic update does not work):

1. Download the firmware for your model from the official Xiaomi website (Support → Downloads section).
2. Put the.bin or.zip file in the root of the phone’s internal memory.
3. Open Mi Earphones, go to Settings → Local Update and select the downloaded file.

After the update, the headphones will automatically restart. Check the firmware version in the app - it should change (for example, from 1.4.5 to 1.7.2).

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The firmware update solves 80% of connectivity issues, especially on Android 13+ and phones with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2+ chips.

7. Additional settings for better sound

After successful connection, optimize sound and control:

Setting up Bluetooth codecs

On Android 10+, you can manually select an audio codec for better quality:

1. Go to Settings → System → Developer → Bluetooth audio settings (if there is no item, activate the developer mode).
2. Choose Codec → AAC (for quality balance) or aptX (for high definition, if supported).
3. Turn off Absolute Volume (to adjust volume separately on your phone and headphones).

Customization of gestures (for models with touch control)

In the Mi Earphones app, you can reassign actions:

• 🎵 Double touch: playback / pause, next track, call voice assistant.
• 📞 Retention: Acceptance/rejection of a call, inclusion ANC.
• 🔇 Triple touch: activation of transparent mode (for FlipBuds Pro).

For models with ANC (for example, Xiaomi Buds 3 Pro) in the application, additional modes are available:

• 🌊 Adaptive ANC — Automatically adjusts the noise reduction level.
• 🚆 Transport mode - increased suppression of low-frequency noise (for aircraft, trains).
• 🏠 Home Mode – Soft Noise Canceling for the Office.

FAQ: Frequent questions about connecting Xiaomi headphones