How to connect one headphone Xiaomi to the phone: 5 working ways

You took out a Xiaomi headphone and only one connected, or you want to use a single working headphone from a couple in mono mode? TWS-Headphones brand — from budget Redmi Buds to flagship Xiaomi FlipBuds Pro. the reasons can be different: from software failure to mechanical damage to contacts in the case.

In this article, we’ll look at 5 proven ways to connect a single Xiaomi headphone – both through standard Bluetooth settings and with hidden features. You’ll learn why the phone can’t “see” the second headphone, how to reset the headset to factory settings, and even how to make a single headphone work in mono mode (if the second one is lost or broke).

Before you start, check the obvious: is the case charged (the indicator should burn), is clean contacts on the headphones (wipe them with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol), and does not block the connection of another device (for example, a laptop or tablet).

1. Standard Bluetooth connection (unless the headphone is detected)

Most often, the problem lies in the incorrect synchronization of headphones with each other or with the phone.

1. Remove the headphones from the device list: Open Settings → Bluetooth on your phone, find your Xiaomi headphones in the list, and click “Forget the device” (on iPhone) or “Disable” → “Delete” (on Android).
2. Reset the headphones: Put both earphones in the case, close the lid and wait 10 seconds. Then pull them out and hold the touchpad on both earphones for 15-20 seconds until the indicators start flashing red and white (this is a reset signal).
3. Reconnect: Activate Bluetooth on your phone, take the headphones out of your case, they must automatically go into pairing mode (blinking white light). Select them from the list of available devices.

If only one headphone is connected after these actions, proceed to the next method.

⚠️ Attention: On models of Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro and newer reset is performed differently - you need to hold the touch panel only on the right earphone for 10 seconds until the sound of the sound signal.

Remove headphones from your phone's memory | Wipe contacts in your case | Charge your case to 50%+| Turn off Bluetooth on other devices-->

2. Forced synchronization of headphones with each other

Sometimes Xiaomi headphones lose communication with each other, and the phone connects to only one (usually the right one) to restore the pair:

1. Put both headphones in the case and close the lid.
2. Take them out and wait 5 seconds – they should automatically synchronize (blink synchronously).
3. If synchronization does not occur, hold the touch panels on both headphones for 10 seconds until you hear a double beep.
4. Connect to them via Bluetooth as a new device.

On the models Redmi Buds 4 Active and Xiaomi Buds 5 for forced synchronization you need:

1. Get the headphones out of the case.


2 Hold the touch panel on the left earphone for 5 seconds (until the red flashes).




3. Quickly press 2 times on the right earphone.

If the left earphone does not connect after these manipulations, the problem may be damage to its Bluetooth module or a discharged battery (even if the case is charged).

3.Using one headphone in mono mode (if the second one breaks)

If you only have one working earpiece (like the right one), you can use it yourself.

• 🔹 Take the earphone out of the case and wait until it goes into pairing mode (blinking white light).
• 🔹 On your phone, turn on Bluetooth and find the device on the list. It can be called Mi True Wireless... or just look for the device. LE_... (left-right).
• 🔹 Connect to it. The sound will only play through one earpiece.

On Android (especially on Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO smartphones), you may need to adjust:

1. Go to Settings → Special Options → Sound → Monoaudio.
2. Turn on the option and select Left Channel or Right Channel depending on which headphone is running.

⚠️ Warning: Mono mode may not have a microphone (on some models it only works when both headphones are connected) and battery life will be reduced as a single earphone discharges faster.

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If the phone can't see a single headphone, try connecting it to another device (like a laptop), and if it does, the problem is with your smartphone settings, not the headset.

4. Headphone firmware update (if available)

Failures in operation TWS-Headphones are often solved by updating the firmware. Xiaomi can do this through the official Mi Home or Xiaomi Earbuds app (depending on the model:

1. Install the app from Google Play or the App Store.
2. Connect your headphones to your phone (preferably both, even if one doesn’t work).
3. Open the app, find your headphones in the list of devices and check for updates in the firmware section.
4. If an update is available, follow the on-screen instructions (usually you need to confirm the installation and wait until it is completed).

For Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro and later, the firmware updates automatically when connected to the Internet, but sometimes requires manual start-up. The table below shows the current firmware versions for popular models (June 2026):

If your firmware is outdated but the app doesn’t offer an update, try:

• 🔹 Reconnect the headphones to the phone.
• 🔹 Remove them from the Mi Home app and add them again.
• 🔹 Use a different smartphone (sometimes the update gets stuck on a particular device).

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Updating your firmware can fix connection issues, improve communication stability, and add new features (e.g., support for AAC or LC3 codecs).

5. Checking hardware faults

If none of these things worked, the problem could be hardware, and here are the typical malfunctions and their signs:

• 🔋 Battery in the headphone: Even if the case is charged, one of the headphones may not charge due to contaminated contacts or a bloated battery.
• 📡 Bluetooth module is damaged: if the headphone is not detected on any device, the communication chip may have failed, a common problem after falls or moisture.
• 🔌 Oxidized contacts: Metal contacts (e.g. Redmi AirDots) will eventually produce oxide that interferes with charging and synchronization.
• 🎧 The speaker is damaged: if the earphone is plugged in but there's no sound, check it on another device, maybe the membrane is torn or the wire has gone off.

For diagnosis:

1. Try connecting the problem headphone to another phone/laptop.
2. See if it is charged in the case (the indicator should flash or burn red).
3. Check if the touchpad responds to touch (for example, when holding should sound sound).

⚠️ Warning: If a Xiaomi earphone gets caught in rain or has been submerged in water, don't turn it on immediately. Put it in rice or silica gel for 24 hours, then try charging. Turning on a wet device can cause a short circuit!

6. Alternative methods: Connection through third-party applications

If standard methods don’t work, try specialized management tools. TWS-They allow you to manually reset your settings, test the speakers, and even wake up a broken earphone.

Recommended annexes:

• 📱 TWS Checker (Android): Shows the charge level of each headphone, tests the connection and lets you reset settings via Reset TWS.
• 🍎 Earbuds Battery (iOS): Displays headphone and case charge, helps diagnose synchronization problems.
• 🔧 Bluetooth Auto Connect (Android): automatically reconnects headphones if communication is interrupted.

Instructions for TWS Checker:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Connect your headphones to your phone (at least one).
3. Open the TWS Checker and select your headphones from the list.
4. Press Reset TWS and confirm the reset.
5. Reboot the headphones (put it in the case for 10 seconds) and reconnect.

For iPhone, you can also use the AirBattery app – it shows the charge of each headphone separately and helps diagnose connection problems.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)