Apple smartphone owners often find themselves wanting to use more affordable accessories like Xiaomi Mi True Wireless Earbuds instead of expensive original ones. The process of pairing these devices with the iOS operating system has its own nuances, different from working with Android gadgets. Despite the lack of a proprietary iPhone application, the basic functionality of the headphones is preserved completely.
The main difficulty is that iOS does not allow you to manage fine equalizer settings or reassign gestures without third-party software, but the standard connection is stable. You do not need to be a technician to perform this operation, just follow a clear algorithm of actions. In this material, we will analyze all the steps, from the first activation to solving common synchronization errors.
Xiaomi Airdots (including the Basic, S, Pro versions) use the standard Bluetooth 5.0 protocol, which ensures compatibility with the Apple ecosystem. It is important to understand that the initial setup requires care, since the headphones must go into search mode. If you miss this point, the device may not be determined in the list of available gadgets.
Preparation of headphones and smartphone for pairing
Before starting the procedure, make sure your Mi True Wireless Earbuds are sufficiently charged.The indicator on the case should burn red while charging and turn off or change color when fully charged.Discharged headphones can go into search mode too quickly and you won't be able to find them in the phone's menu.
You also need to check the version of your iPhone's operating system.While Bluetooth is the universal standard, older versions of iOS may not properly display the device name or battery level.We recommend upgrading your smartphone to the current version available for your model.
- 📱 Make sure that the Bluetooth module is enabled on the iPhone in Settings → Bluetooth.
- 🔋 Charge the case and the headphones themselves to at least 50% for stable operation.
- 🧹 Clear the list of previously connected devices if the memory is full.
Special attention should be paid to contact hygiene, wipe the charging contacts on the headphones themselves and inside the case with dry soft cloth. Oxidation or dust can cause one of the headphones to fail to charge and turn on, which will disrupt the mating process.
⚠️ Note: Do not try to connect headphones if they are already actively used by another device. Xiaomi Airdots Bluetooth module can try to automatically reconnect to the latest gadget, igniting requests from the iPhone.
Step-by-step process of connecting Xiaomi Airdots to iOS
The most important step is to enter pairing mode correctly. Unlike many other headsets, Xiaomi does not have a separate pairing button on the case. All the magic happens automatically when you remove from the case, but only when you first connect.
Remove both earbuds from the charge case at the same time, and the lights on them should start flashing white, which means they're in search mode and ready to connect, and if only one earbud flashes, they're out of sync, and you need to repeat the procedure by putting them back in the case.
☑️ Checking connection readiness
Now pick up your iPhone and go to the settings menu. Find the Bluetooth section and wait for the new device to appear on the Other Devices list, which can be called Mi True Wireless EBs, AirDots or Mi True Wireless EBs Basic depending on the specific modification.
Click on the device name. In a few seconds, you'll hear the voice-approval "Connected" in your headphones, and the lights will stop flashing and light up once every few seconds or go out. Now the audio stream is broadcast to the headset.
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If the iPhone sees two identical devices called Airdots, don't be alarmed. That's normal for some versions of the firmware. Choose any one, the second will disappear after a successful connection.
Control setting and functional verification
Once the connection is successful, it’s worth checking the touchpads. Xiaomi Airdots has dual-touch control setup by default. However, iOS limits control over Android. You won’t be able to call Siri in the standard way through long retention, as this feature is often reserved for Google Assistant or Xiaomi AI.
For listening to music and conversations, the functionality is fully maintained. You can pause the tracks with a double touch of the right earphone (by default), and also switch the songs with a triple tap.
| Action. | Right earpiece | Left earpiece |
|---|---|---|
| Single touch | No function. | No function. |
| Double touch. | Reproduction/Pause | Reproduction/Pause |
| Triple touch. | Next track | Previous track |
| Containment (2 seconds) | Dismissing the call | Dismissing the call |
Importantly, volume control directly from headphones is often absent in standard firmware, and you'll have to adjust the sound level with buttons on the iPhone body or through Control Center, which is a limitation of the HFP protocol in this implementation.
Using third-party applications to enhance opportunities
Because the official Mi Earbuds app (or Xiaomi Earbuds) for iOS is either missing from the App Store or is extremely unstable and does not support older models, users resort to third-party solutions. These utilities allow the charge level of each headphone separately, which the standard iOS interface does not know how to do.
One popular solution is the Material Pods or AndroPods app (although the latter is focused on Android, iOS analogues are searched for by request "Battery for Airpods/Xiaomi"), which reads telemetry via Bluetooth and outputs it into widgets.
Installation of such software gives the following advantages:
- 📊 Exact percentage of left and right headphone charge.
- 🔊 The ability to check the firmware version (in some cases).
- 🎚️ Access to an extended equalizer (depending on the model).
⚠️ Attention: Third-party applications require Bluetooth access and geolocation.Be careful when granting permissions to unknown developers so as not to violate data privacy.
It is worth remembering that third-party software can not reassign button functions (for example, make double-touching include Siri). This requires changing the internal NVRAM memory of the headphones, which on iOS is almost impossible to do without jailbreaking and specific utilities.
Problem Solving: Headphones don’t connect or are seen as one
A common problem is that the iPhone sees two Mi True Wireless EBs, or it doesn't see either, even though the lights are flashing, which means that the left-right earphone is out of sync, and they work independently of each other instead of being a stereo pair.
To fix the situation, you need to reset. Put both headphones in the case. Press and hold the touchpads on both headphones simultaneously for 5-10 seconds until the indicators light up red. After that, remove them - they should start flashing white again, signaling readiness for mating.
Reset algorithm:
1. Put it in the case.
2Push and hold. 5-10 sec (to red light).
3. Forget the device in the Bluetooth iPhone settings.
4 Reconnect the connection again.Another common problem is the quiet sound or lack of it in one of the headphones. Check the sound balance in the iPhone settings: Settings → Universal Access → Audiovisualization → Balance. The slider should be strictly in the center. Also check the speaker grid for earwax.
What to do if the reset does not help?
Features of the microphone and calls on iOS
When calling over an iPhone, you use the SBC codec, which is the standard for voice transmission. The communication quality on Xiaomi Airdots is usually good, but there is a caveat: noise cancellation is one-sided. The microphone is located on a leg or body, and when the wind is the interlocutor can hear noises.
It is important to know that while talking music control can be blocked by the iOS system. Once the call is complete, the music sometimes does not resume automatically, in which case you need to manually start playback in the Apple Music app or another player.
- 📞 To answer the call, a double touch of any headphone is usually used.
- 🔇 There are no standard gestures to turn off the microphone during a conversation.
- 📱 End of call – long retention (about 2 seconds).
If someone complains of a quiet voice, try pressing the earbud tighter against your ear or changing the angle of inclination. Airdots design suggests that the microphone hole should be directed forward to your mouth, not down.
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The stability of the connection Xiaomi Airdots with the iPhone directly depends on the version of Bluetooth and the absence of interference in the 2.4 GHz range.