How to connect Samsung Galaxy Buds headphones to Xiaomi smartphones

The integration of ecosystem devices from different manufacturers often raises questions among users, especially when it comes to the popular Samsung Galaxy Buds wireless headphones and smartphones from the Xiaomi, Redmi or Poco line. Despite the fact that both devices are based on the Android operating system, their software shells - MIUI (or HyperOS) and One UI - have significant differences in the protocols for pairing and managing audio codecs.

The challenge is not the Bluetooth connection process itself, which is a universal standard, but access to the advanced functionality of the headset. Samsung phone owners get full control of the audio settings, equalizer and firmware updates through the system application, which is not available in the Google Play store for other brands devices by default.

However, this does not mean that using the Xiaomi plus Samsung bundle is impossible or limited to basic music playback functions. There is a proven algorithm of actions that allows you to activate all the hidden capabilities of the headset, including noise cancellation (ANC) and touch control, without the need to flash your smartphone or obtain superuser rights.

⚠️ Attention: Before starting the pairing procedure, make sure that your Xiaomi smartphone has an up-to-date firmware version installed. MIUI, Older versions of Bluetooth stack may not work properly with new aptX Adaptive codecs.

To get started, you’ll need to charge your headphone case by at least 50% so that it doesn’t suddenly go into power saving mode during the setup process, check if the wireless module is on the system, and remove old records from the list of previously paired devices if the headphones have previously connected to another phone.

Preparation of Bluetooth module and resetting of settings

The first stage of setup involves creating a blank slate for a new connection. Often, old cached data on Android can conflict with new authorization requests, especially if you've previously tried to connect your headphones and the process has stopped. Start by going to the Settings menu. → Bluetooth on your Xiaomi device.

In the list that opens, find all devices called Galaxy Buds, Buds+ or Buds Pro and click on the gear icon next to them by selecting "Disable" or "Forget Device." This is a critical step, as it clears the pairing profile and resets security flags that may have blocked reconnection.

Once the list is cleared, you need to put the headphones themselves into forced pairing mode. To do this, place both earphones in the charging case, open the lid and press the touch panels on both headphones simultaneously (or the button on the outside of the case, depending on the model) for about 7-10 seconds.

• 🔵 The indicator on the case will start flashing blue, green and red, signaling the transition to search mode.
• 🔵 On the screen of the smartphone Xiaomi in the list of available devices should appear the name of your headset.
• 🔵 Do not press the connection button in the standard Bluetooth menu yet, as you must first prepare the software environment.

Now that the device is visible to the system and ready to go, you can move on to installing specialized software that will unlock the full potential of the audio device.

⚠️ Warning: If the indicator on the case flashes only red, it means low battery charge. Put the case on wireless charging or connect the cable USB-C 15 minutes at least.

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For a stable Bluetooth connection, it is recommended to disable the “MIUI Optimization” function in the Xiaomi settings in the “Developers” menu, but this can affect the operation of other applications, so do this only if you have connection problems.

Installation of Galaxy Wearable on Xiaomi devices

The official Galaxy Wearable app is a key link in the setup chain, and the problem is that when you try to download it from the Google Play Store on non-Samsung devices, the store can report that "the device is not compatible." It's an artificial restriction that's easily bypassed.

You don’t have to look for doubtful things. APK-files on third-party resources that could compromise data security. There is an official method of installation through the Galaxy Store, which is available for installation on any Android smartphone. First go to the security settings of Xiaomi (Settings) → Passwords and security → Privacy) and allow the installation of applications from unknown sources for the browser or file manager.

Then download the Galaxy Store installation file from Samsung’s official website or APKMirror trusted resource. Once installed, start the store, log in to your Samsung account (a requirement) and search for “Galaxy Wearable.” Now the system will allow you to download and install the application, as it is considered compatible within the ecosystem store.

After installing the main Galaxy Wearable application, it will automatically offer to install additional plugins: Galaxy Buds Plugin and Samsung Audio Plug-in. Agree with all the proposals, since it is the plugin that is responsible for transmitting specific control commands, and the audio plugin is necessary for the correct operation of high-quality codecs.

It is important to note that after installing all the components, you should not immediately open the application, you first need to perform the initial pairing through the Bluetooth system menu, and then start the Galaxy Wearable for the final synchronization of profiles.

The pairing process and the initial setup

Once all the preparatory steps have been completed, we move to the direct connection of the devices. Open the Settings → Bluetooth menu on your Xiaomi and click on the headphone name in the list of available devices. The system will request confirmation of pairing — click OK or Connect.

Once you've successfully connected, you'll have a battery-level headphone icon in the status bar. Now launch the Galaxy Wearable app. It'll start looking for a connected device. If the process freezes in the "Device Search..." phase, try restarting your smartphone without turning off Bluetooth.

When the first launch, the application will offer to update the headphone software. Updating the firmware of the headphones through the application on Xiaomi is possible only with a stable connection to the Wi-Fi network, since files can weigh more than 50 MB. Interrupting this process can lead to incorrect operation of the sensors.

In the application menu you can configure the following parameters:

• 🎚️ Equalizer and sound profiles (Bass Boost, Soft, Dynamic).
• 🖐️ Assigning actions to touch and hold touch panels.
• 🔇 Setting up the noise reduction level and transparent mode (for Pro models).
• 🔍 Search for headphones if you have lost one in the room.

Also available in the app is the "Auto-Switch Sound" feature, which allows you to automatically transfer audio to headphones when they are removed from the case. On Xiaomi smartphones, this feature is unstable and may require manual activation in the Settings → Connections menu.

Customization of audio codecs and sound quality

One of the main reasons for buying premium headphones is support for high-quality codecs such as SSC (Samsung Seamless Codec), aptX and AAC. The standard Android Bluetooth stack on Xiaomi can by default use the SBC codec, which provides the worst audio quality.

To activate high-resolution codecs, you need to go to the hidden developer menu. → About the phone and quickly press 7 times on the item "Version" MIUI", Notice: You have become a developer".

Then go to Settings → Advanced Settings → For developers. Find the "Bluetooth Audio Codec" or "Bluetooth Audio Codec." From the list of available codecs, select aptX Adaptive or aptX HD if your headphones support these formats. Unfortunately, the SSC codec only works in tandem with Exynos processors and Samsung phones.

For fans of pure sound, it is also recommended to turn off the Absolute Volume feature in the same developer menu, which will allow you to adjust the volume independently on the smartphone and in the headphones themselves, which sometimes helps to remove background noise or distortion at maximum volume.

Once the codec is changed, be sure to restart the music player or streaming service to make the changes take effect.Some apps, such as Spotify or YouTube Music, may cache audio settings and not apply the new settings immediately.

Solution: If the headphones are not visible or working

Despite the versatility of Bluetooth, Xiaomi users often face a situation where the phone sees the headphones, but the connection does not occur, or the sound appears and disappears, most often the problem lies in the aggressive energy saving system MIUI, which “kills” background processes.

To fix this, look up the Galaxy Wearable and Bluetooth apps (all apps, including system ones), click on them and select "Start." Allow the background and remove battery consumption restrictions by selecting "No restrictions."

Another common problem is to de-synchronize the left and right earbuds when the sound is only coming from one side, in which case a full reset helps. Put the headphones in the case, close the lid, wait 10 seconds, open the lid and press the touchpads for 15 seconds until the indicator lights up green.

⚠️ Note: When performing a full reset of the headphones, all saved equalizer settings and button assignments will be deleted, and they will have to be configured again through the application.

If the problem with interruption of sound persists, try to disable the function "Absolute volume" in the Bluetooth settings (as mentioned earlier) or temporarily disable Wi-Fi, as in the 2.4 GHz range signals can interfere.

Additional features and hidden capabilities

Once successfully set up, Xiaomi and Galaxy Buds owners gain access to a number of features that are usually considered exclusive, such as Game Mode, which is activated automatically when you start games on your phone if the Wearable app has an option enabled.

You can also make a call to Google Assistant or Bixby for a long press, and although Bixby will not work on Xiaomi (system integration is required), the call to Google Assistant or Yandex.Alice (through the default assistant settings) is successful.

Unlike Samsung owners, Xiaomi users won’t see the beautiful animation of opening the case on the full screen, but the charge level of the case and each headphone individually will be displayed in the Battery widget in the notification curtain or on the desktop if you use the system widgets.

For advanced users, the ability to reassign volume buttons is available. Through third-party applications such as Button Mapper, you can adjust track or volume control directly from the headphones if standard gestures do not cover all needs.

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The main secret to stable operation is to allow the Galaxy Wearable app to auto-start and work in the background, otherwise MIUI will turn off the headphones to save energy in 15 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)