Xiaomi wireless headphones are a popular solution for music lovers and active users, but sometimes owners face a problem: the phone sees only one headphone, and the second remains silent. The reasons can vary from a failure of synchronization between the headphones themselves to errors in the Bluetooth settings on the smartphone. In this article, we will discuss how to connect both earphones at the same time to enjoy stereo sound, and also consider typical errors and ways to fix them.
The feature of Xiaomi devices (such as Redmi AirDots, Mi True Wireless Earphones or Xiaomi Buds 4) is that they use TWS (True Wireless Stereo) technology, where one headphone is a master and the second is a slave. If the communication between them is broken, the phone can only see the main headphone.
Why is it that only one Xiaomi headphone can see your phone?
Before you start setting up, it's important to understand the cause of the problem, and here are the most common scenarios.
- 🔋 Battery is discharged in one of the headphones – even if the indicator is on, the charge can be critically low for synchronization.
- 🔄 Couple failure TWS — Headphones “disconnected” after incorrectly turning off or updating the firmware.
- 📱 Bluetooth error on the phone – the module cache is clogged, or there was a software failure.
- 🔧 Firmware incompatibility – if the headphones and phone were updated separately, conflicts may arise.
- 🎧 Mechanical damage - ingress of moisture, falls or wear of contacts in the case.
80 percent of the time, the problem is solved by resetting your headphones or cleaning your Bluetooth cache, but sometimes you need more in-depth manipulation, which we'll talk about below.
Preparing headphones for connection
Before you connect your headphones to your phone, make sure they are ready to sync:
- Charging: Place both headphones in the case and wait 10-15 minutes. Indicators should burn red (charge) or white/green (full charge).
- Removal: Take the headphones out of the case - they should automatically turn on and start flashing red and white (pairing mode).
- Indicator verification: 🔴 Red is low charge. 🔵 Blue/white – Connectivity Ready. 🟢 Green - connected to the device.
If one of the headphones doesn't blink or is lit in a monolithic color, it's a signal of a problem. Try to force it to restart:
⚠️ Warning: Do not use sharp objects to press buttons inside the cover - this can damage the contacts.
Charge the case and headphones to 100%|Remove both headphones from the case|Make sure the indicators flash white/blue|If necessary, reset the headphones (clamb the button for 10 seconds)-->
Reset Xiaomi headphones to factory settings
If the headphones are not synchronized with each other, you will need a hard reset.
| Model headphones | Resetting method | Sign of successful discharge |
|---|---|---|
| Redmi AirDots (1-2 gen) | Press the button on the case for 15 seconds, until the indicator begins to flash red and white. | The indicator flashes white with double the frequency. |
| Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 | Press the touch panels on both headphones for 10 seconds. | The voice alert is “Reset successful.” |
| Xiaomi Buds 3/4 Pro | Press the left earphone touch panel three times for 2 seconds. | The indicators go out, then flash purple. |
| Redmi Buds 3 Pro | Place the headphones in the case, press the button on the case for 20 seconds. | The indicator case flashes green → red → white. |
After resetting, the headphones will automatically go into pairing mode, and if that doesn't happen, remove them from the case and wait for the lights to flash.
💡
If the headphones don't sync after reset, try connecting them to another device (like a laptop) to help you identify whether the headphones are in the headphone or the phone.
Step-by-step instructions for connecting to Xiaomi phone
The instructions are relevant for smartphones on MIUI 12-14 (including Redmi Note, POCO, Xiaomi 11/12/13 series):
- Open Bluetooth settings: Go to Settings → Connections and Sharing → Bluetooth. Activate the Bluetooth switch (if it is turned off).
- Start searching for devices: Click Device Search (or Add a new device). Make sure the headphones are in pairing mode (blink white/blue).
- Select headphones in the list: In the list of found devices will appear the name of your model (for example, Redmi). AirDots_R Mi True Wireless Earphones 2). Click on the name and the connection will start.
- Confirm pairing: If the phone requests confirmation (such as code 0000 or 1234), enter it. Wait for the message Connected.
Critical detail: if only one headphone is displayed in the list of devices (for example, Redmi). AirDots_L), It means the pair is out of sync. Reset the headphones and try to reconnect.
What if your phone doesn’t see the headphones at all?
Customization of sound for stereo mode
Even after a successful connection, it may turn out that the sound is only going through one earpiece, and this is due to the wrong audio profile settings on the phone.
- Open Settings → Sound and vibration → Sound quality.
- Select Bluetooth audio and make sure Stereo mode (A2DP) is enabled.
- If you have a codec option, select SBC or AAC (for better quality).
- Restart the music playback - the sound should go to both headphones.
Some Xiaomi models (such as the POCO F3 or Redmi K40) may require additional customization:
- 🔊 Open the notification panel and hold the Bluetooth icon.
- 🎵 Press the badge. ⚙️ headphone-name.
- 🔄 Enable the Use option for calls and media.
⚠️ Note: If two separate devices are displayed in Bluetooth settings (e.g. Redmi) AirDots_L redmi AirDots_R), It means the pair is torn. Don't plug them in separately, reset and re-pair.
Solving common problems
If after all the manipulations the sound still goes through only one earphone or the connection is constantly cut off, check the following points:
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The sound is only in one headphone. | The headphones are not synchronized with each other. | Perform a pair reset (see section above) |
| Permanent communication breakdowns | Interference from other Bluetooth devices | Disable unnecessary devices, reboot the phone |
| Phone can't see headphones | Outdated firmware Bluetooth module | Update your phone through Settings → System Update |
| Poor sound quality | Selected inappropriate audio codec | Change the codec to AAC or aptX in Bluetooth settings |
If the problem persists, try clearing the Bluetooth cache:
- Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Find Bluetooth in the list of system applications.
- Select Warehouse. → Clear the cache.
- Reboot the phone and reconnect.
💡
If the headphones are plugged in, but the sound is only going through one, 90 percent of the time, the loss of synchronization between the headphones themselves is to blame. Resetting the TWS pair solves the problem.
Additional Tips for Stable Work
To avoid problems in the future, follow these guidelines:
- 🔋 Regularly update your headphone firmware through the Mi Home or Xiaomi Wear app (if supported).
- 📱 Don’t connect your headphones to multiple devices at the same time – it can cause conflicts.
- 🧹 Clean contacts in the case and on headphones with a dry cotton swab once a month.
- 🔄 Avoid forced Bluetooth shutdowns while playing music.
If you use Xiaomi headphones with a phone from another brand (such as Samsung or iPhone), there may be codec issues.
- On Android: Install the Developer Options app and enable Bluetooth Debugging.
- On iPhone: Reset network settings (Settings → Main → Reset → Network settings reset).