How to connect two Xiaomi headphones to the same phone: all working methods

Connecting two pairs of Xiaomi wireless headphones to a single smartphone is a challenge faced by users who want to share sound with a friend or use different devices for multimedia and calls. While standard Bluetooth protocol does not support connecting multiple audio devices to a single source at the same time, there are workarounds in the Xiaomi ecosystem. In this article, we will discuss three working methods, including official MIUI functions, third-party applications and hidden settings that will allow you to synchronize sound in two pairs of headphones — be it Redmi AirDots 3 Pro, Xiaomi Buds 4 or other models.

It's important to understand that not all methods are equally effective: some are latent, others only work with certain models of smartphones or headphones. We tested each method on devices with MIUI 14 and HyperOS to provide current data. If you tried to connect the second pair of headphones through the standard Bluetooth menu and you got a mistake, don't despair: there are solutions, and they do not require root rights or complex manipulation.

Why does Xiaomi not see the second pair of headphones?

The problem with connecting two pairs of Bluetooth headphones at the same time is the limitations of the Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) protocol, which by default allows a smartphone to transmit audio streams to only one device, even if several paired gadgets are stored in memory.

• 🔹 Double audio in MIUI — functions that allow you to duplicate the sound into two devices (available on all models).
• 🔹 Samsung’s SoundAssistant, a third-party application compatible with Xiaomi and supporting multi-stream audio.
• 🔹 Hidden developer settings that activate experimental Bluetooth modes.

In addition, some Xiaomi headphone models (such as the Buds 3T Pro or AirDots Pro 2) support Dual Mode, which allows you to connect them to two devices at once - but this does not solve the problem of synchronous audio playback from one source.

• 📱 Version MIUI/HyperOS on a smartphone (current functions are available with MIUI 12.5+).
• 🎧 Headphone model (some budget Redmi AirDots don't support advanced Bluetooth profiles).
• 🔋 The level of charge of both headphones (at low charge, connection breaks are possible).

⚠️ Note: If you use Xiaomi headphones with a Qualcomm chip QCC3040 (For example, Buds 3 Pro, trying to connect them simultaneously with another pair via standard Bluetooth can cause the synchronization between the left and right earphone to fail.

Method 1: Dual audio in MIUI (official function)

Starting with MIUI 12.5, Xiaomi has added an experimental Dual Audio feature that allows you to duplicate audio across two Bluetooth devices, but it doesn’t work on all smartphone models and requires pre-tuning.

1. Open Settings → Connections and Sharing → Bluetooth.
2. Connect the first pair of headphones (e.g. Xiaomi Buds 4).
3. Click on the gear icon next to the connected device and select Double Audio (if you don’t have an option, go to the next method).
4. Activate the slider and connect the second pair of headphones through the same menu.

If there is no dual audio option, try enabling it through the developer’s hidden settings:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone and 7 times click on the MIUI version to activate the Developer Mode.
2. Go back to the basic settings, open Additional → for developers.
3. Find the option to Enable Bluetooth Dual Audio (English: Enable Bluetooth Dual Audio) and activate it.
4. Reboot your smartphone and try again.

Smartphone on MIUI 12.5 or later

Both pairs of headphones support A2DP

Developer mode is enabled (if the option is hidden)

The sound in the headphones is turned off before the second pair is connected-->

This method works consistently on Xiaomi 13/14 and Redmi K60 flagships, but can cause audio delay (up to 200 ms) on budget models due to the hardware limitations of the Bluetooth chip. If the sound in the headphones starts to "float" or interrupt, try reducing the bitrate of the audio in the playback settings.

Method 2: SoundAssistant App (for all Xiaomi models)

If your version of MIUI doesn’t have dual audio, use Samsung’s third-party SoundAssistant app.Although it’s designed for Samsung devices, it works well on Xiaomi and allows you to connect up to 5 Bluetooth devices at a time (although synchronous playback is only supported for two).

Instructions for setting:

1. Download SoundAssistant from Google Play.
2. Open the app and provide all the permissions you request (access to Bluetooth, microphone, notifications).
3. Go to the Dual Audio section and activate the slider.
4. Connect the first pair of headphones through the standard Bluetooth menu, then in SoundAssistant, click Add Device and select the second pair.

Features of working with SoundAssistant:

• 🎵 The sound is duplicated without loss of quality (codecs are supported) SBC, AAC, aptX).
• 🔊 You can adjust the volume for each device separately.
• ⚠️ On some Xiaomi models, for example, POCO X3) The application may conflict with the built-in audio driver – in this case, the reboot will help.

💡

If SoundAssistant doesn’t see the second pair of headphones, try connecting them first via standard Bluetooth, then running the app and selecting the “Update Device List” option.

Important: When using SoundAssistant on Xiaomi with Snapdragon chip 8 Gen 1/2 It is possible to automatically disable one of the headphones when playing video in high resolution (4K/60fps). This is due to the limitation of the bandwidth of the Bluetooth controller Qualcomm WCN6855.

Method 3: Using a Bluetooth transmitter (for older models)

If your Xiaomi smartphone is released before 2020 (like the Redmi Note 8 Pro or Mi 9T), official methods may not work due to an outdated version of Bluetooth (4.2 or 5.0 without LE Audio support).

• 📌 1Mii B06 Pro (supports 2 devices at the same time, aptX) LL).
• 📌 Avantek APT-X (Low latency, compatible with Xiaomi Buds).
• 📌 Creative BT-W5 (plug-in).

Connection diagram:

1. Connect the transmitter to the smartphone via USB-C or 3.5mm audio output (if any).
2. Activate Dual Link mode on the transmitter (instructions are attached to the device).
3. Connect the first pair of headphones to the smartphone, the second to the transmitter.
4. In the smartphone sound settings, select as the source USB-audio (if used) USB-transmitter).

The advantage of this method is minimal audio delay (from 30 ms), which is critical for watching videos or games. The disadvantage is the additional cost of the transmitter and the need to carry it with you. If you often share sound with a friend, this device will be a universal solution that is compatible not only with Xiaomi, but also with other brands.

⚠️ Note: When using a Bluetooth transmitter with headphones Xiaomi Buds 3 Pro may have a problem with automatically shutting down one of the channels after 10-15 minutes. To avoid a crash, turn off Auto-Disable When Inactivity in Bluetooth headphone settings (via the Mi Earphones app).

Redmi AirDots (any model)

Xiaomi Buds (3/4 series)

POCO Buds

Another Xiaomi model

Headphones from another brand-->

Problem Solving: What to do if the sound is interrupted or delayed

Even after successfully connecting two pairs of headphones, users often face three main challenges:

1. Sound delay (synchronization is disrupted).
2. Interrupting playback (sound "breaks").
3. Automatically shut down one of the devices.

Here's how to eliminate them:

1. Sound delay (lipsinc)

• 🔧 In SoundAssistant, select aptX codecs. LL or AAC (They have a lower delay than SBC).
• 📱 In the Developer Settings (For Developers) → Audio) set Bluetooth audio quality: 320 kbit/s (AAC).
• 🎬 When watching a video on YouTube or Netflix, turn on the option of Synchronizing the sound in the player.

2. Interruptions of sound

• 📶 Make sure there are no interference sources nearby (microwaves, other Bluetooth devices).
• 🔋 Charge both pairs of headphones to 100% – when low charge they automatically reduce the power of the transmitter.
• 🔄 In the Bluetooth settings of the smartphone, turn off the Adaptive Bluetooth frequency (if any).

3. Automatic shutdown

• ⚙️ In headphone settings (via Mi Earphones) disable Auto-Switching when inactivity.
• 🔄 Reconnect both pairs of headphones, resetting their settings (hold the button for 10 seconds).
• 📴 If the problem persists, try using the plane mode for 10 seconds, then re-activate Bluetooth.

Compatibility with different Xiaomi models

Not all ways to connect two pairs of headphones work equally well on different Xiaomi smartphones. Below is the compatibility table for popular models:

If your model is not listed in the table, focus on the Bluetooth version:

• 🔵 Bluetooth 5.2+ (For example, in Xiaomi 12 or Redmi K50) — supports all methods.
• 🔵 Bluetooth 5.0 (for example, in Redmi Note 10) – possible problems with SoundAssistant.
• 🔵 Bluetooth 4.2 (e.g. in Redmi) 9A) — Only external transmitters are used.

💡

On Xiaomi smartphones with a MediaTek chip (such as the Redmi Note 11), the dual audio feature may conflict with the HyperEngine technology responsible for gaming mode. Before connecting the headphones, turn off the Game Turbo mode in the settings.

Alternatives: When nothing helps

If none of the methods described have worked, consider alternatives:

1. Use of an audio splitter

Wired headphones will be suitable for a Y-shaped splitter of 3.5 mm (for example, UGREEN 30338). USB-C requires an OTG adapter and a splitter (for example, Baseus Splitter), This method guarantees zero latency, but requires wired headphones.

2.AmpMe application (for synchronization of sound over Wi-Fi)

AmpMe allows you to synchronize music playback on multiple smartphones via Wi-Fi or mobile data. Each participant connects their own pair of headphones to their phone, and the app syncs the tracks, minus the delay of up to 500 ms and the dependence on Internet speed.

3. Headphones with Bluetooth Multipoint support

Some headphone models (such as the Sony WH-1000XM5 or JBL Live 660NC) support connecting to two devices at once. You can connect one pair to a smartphone and the other to a tablet or laptop, then sync playback via Spotify Connect or YouTube.

💡

If you share a sound with a friend often, consider buying headphones with Bluetooth 5.3 LE Audio technology (such as the Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro). They support the LC3 standard, which allows you to connect multiple devices to a single source without delay. However, you need a smartphone on Android 13+ with support for LE Audio (such as Xiaomi 14) to work fully.

FAQ: Frequent questions about connecting two Xiaomi headphones