How to connect headphones Xiaomi Mi Wireless: instructions with photos and tips for error elimination

Why Xiaomi Mi Wireless Needs a Special Approach

Xiaomi Mi Wireless headphones (including Mi True Wireless Earbuds Basic 2, Mi AirDots and Mi Earbuds 4C) have gained popularity due to a combination of affordable price and high-quality sound. However, their connection often raises questions among users — especially if it is a first pairing or changing the device. Unlike other brands, Xiaomi’s connection protocol may require additional steps, such as resetting to factory settings or installing proprietary software.

In this article, we will not only discuss the standard procedure for connecting to Android, iOS and Windows, but also the nuances that the manufacturer does not say, for example, why the headphones may not be identified on the iPhone or why one of the headphones suddenly stops working after updating the firmware, you will also find a table compatibility with different versions of Bluetooth and tips for optimizing sound for specific scenarios (games, calls, music).

If you have already tried to connect headphones and encountered an error, skip the basic steps and go straight to the “Problem Solving” section, which contains unique diagnostic methods that are not described in the official documentation of Xiaomi.

Preparing headphones for the first connection

Before pairing, make sure that the Xiaomi Mi Wireless headphones are fully charged. The charging indicator (usually a white or red LED) should burn stably, not blink. If the indicator does not respond to the connection to the charger, check the cable and the Type-C port for damage.

An important caveat: some models (such as the Mi AirDots Pro) have a reset button hidden under a rubber plug, and if the headphones were previously connected to another device, they may need to be returned to the factory settings.

• 🔋 Put the headphones in the case and close the lid.
• 📱 Hold the button on the case (or touchpad on headphones) for 10-15 seconds until the indicator flashes red and white.
• 🔄 Open the case cover - the headphones will automatically go into pairing mode (the indicator will flash white).

If the light doesn’t flash, try an alternative method: remove both earbuds from the case and hold the touchpads on both earbuds simultaneously for 8-10 seconds, which force the search mode to activate.

Remove the headphones from the case | Check the charge level (the indicator should burn) | Hold the reset button (if any) | Wait for the white LED to blink-->

Connecting to Android smartphones

On Xiaomi, Redmi or other Android smartphones, pairing is made as easy as possible with built-in support for AAC and SBC profiles. However, there are a few life hacks that will speed up connection and improve connection stability.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the settings → Bluetooth on your smartphone.
2. Remove the headphones from the case – they should automatically appear in the list of available devices called Mi True Wireless... or Mi AirDots.
3. Click on the headphone name in the list. If you request a code confirmation, type 0000 (standard PIN for Xiaomi).
4. Wait for the message “Connected.” Some firmware (e.g. MIUI 14) may require additional permission to access contacts and call history, which is necessary for the microphone to function properly.

After connecting, it is recommended to go to Bluetooth Settings → Device settings (cog next to the headphone name) and:

• 🎵 Turn on Absolute Volume to synchronize volume between phone and headphones.
• 🔊 Turn off Dual Audio if you plan to use only these headphones.
• 📞 Activate Call Priority for Better Voice Quality.

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If the headphones are plugged in but the sound is interrupted, try turning off Bluetooth energy-saving mode in the developer settings (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version – press 7 times, then go back to Additional Settings → For developers → Disable Bluetooth A2DP hardware offload).

Connection to iPhone and iPad

While Xiaomi Mi Wireless isn’t officially certified for iOS, it’s compatible with iPhone and iPad via standard Bluetooth 5.0 protocol.

1. Open Settings → Bluetooth on your Apple device.
2. Place the headphones in pairing mode (see the section "Preparation").
3. In the list of devices, find Mi... and click on the name. Code confirmation (0000) may not be required.
4. After connecting, check the sound – if it’s distorted, go to Settings → Bluetooth → I icon next to the headphones → Sound and select High-quality Sound (AAC).

Problems on iOS and their solutions:

• 🚫 Headphones are not defined: turn off and turn on Bluetooth again on the iPhone, then restart the headphones (put in the case for 10 seconds).
• 🔊 Sound is interrupted: disable Auto Switch in Bluetooth settings (it interferes with stable connection).
• 🎧 Only one headphone works: reset the headphones to factory settings and repeat pairing.

Smartphone Xiaomi/Redmi|iPhone|Android from another brand|PC/laptop|Other-->

Connection to computers on Windows and macOS

On Windows 10/11 and macOS, pairing is similar to mobile devices, but there are nuances to drivers and audio profiles. For example, on Windows, headphones can connect as a Headset instead of Stereo.

For Windows:

1. Open Settings → Devices → Bluetooth and other devices.
2. Click Add Add the device → Bluetooth.
3. Select Mi True Wireless from the list.
4. After connecting, check in the Control Panel → Sound that the headphones are defined as Stereo, not the Headset.

If the sound is distorted or monophonic:

1. Open Device Manager (Win + X → Device Manager).
2. Find in the Mi True Wireless list, right-click and select Update Driver → Search for drivers on this computer → Select from the list.
3. Choose Generic Bluetooth Audio or AVRCP instead of the standard driver.

For macOS:

• Open System settings → Bluetooth.
• Hold the button on the headphone case until they appear in the list.
• After connecting, check in System Information → Bluetooth that the A2DP profile is used (for music) and not HFP (for calls).

Solving Connection Problems

Even after successful pairing, users often encounter common errors, and here is a table of the most common problems and ways to fix them:

Xiaomi’s unique mistakes:

• 🔴 The red light flashes: the headphones are discharged or there is a firmware error. Connect the case to charging for 30 minutes, then reset the settings.
• 🟢 The green light flashes: the headphones are in firmware update mode. Don't interrupt the process, wait for stable white light.
• 🔵 Blue light is on all the time: Game Mode is activated (low latency). To turn off, tap the touchpad three times on the right earphone.

⚠️ Warning: If after updating the firmware through Mi Home, the headphones stopped connecting - return them to the factory settings and repeat pairing. In 20% of cases, flashing through the Xiaomi Flash Tool helps (instruction in the spoiler below).

Optimization of sound and additional functions

Once successfully connected, you can improve the sound quality and use hidden headphone features, for example, in Mi AirDots Pro 2 and later, a low-latency mode (Game Mode) is available, which reduces the lag to 88 ms - critical for gaming and watching videos.

How to turn on Game Mode:

• On Android: Tap the touchpad on the right earphone three times.
• On iOS: The mode is activated automatically when you run supported games (e.g. PUBG Mobile or Call of Duty).

To adjust the equalizer:

• 🎛️ Nana Xiaomi/Redmi: Use the built-in Equator in Settings → Sound. → Sound quality.
• 🎧 On other devices: install Wavelet (Android) or Boom 3D (iOS/macOS).

Hidden control gestures:

• 👆 One touch: playback/pause.
• 👆👆 Double touch: next track (right earpiece) / previous track (left earpiece).
• 👆👆👆 Triple touch: Calling the voice assistant (Google) Assistant/Siri).
• 🔇 Holding 2 seconds: Turning off the microphone during the call.

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Game Mode significantly reduces audio latency, but increases battery consumption by 15-20%. Use it only when necessary.

Update of the headphone firmware

Xiaomi regularly releases firmware updates for its wireless headphones, fixing connection errors and improving sound. You can check the relevance of the version through the Mi Home app (available for Android and iOS).

How to update firmware:

1. Install Mi Home from the App Store or Google Play.
2. Connect the headphones to your smartphone.
3. Open the app, go to Profile → My devices → Mi Wireless headphones.
4. If an update is available, a notification will appear – click Update.
5. Do not remove the headphones from the case and do not interrupt the connection until the process is completed (it will take 2-5 minutes).

After the update:

• 🔄 Reset the headphones (put in the case for 10 seconds).
• 📱 Reconnect them to the device.
• 🎧 Check the sound – in new versions of the firmware may change the balance of frequencies.

⚠️ Warning: If the headphones start to run out quickly after the upgrade, reset them to factory settings. In firmware older than 1.4.0.7, there was a power management error fixed in later versions.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions