How to connect Xiaomi AirDots to iPhone 12: a complete guide to solving typical problems

Xiaomi AirDots (including AirDots Pro 2, AirDots 3 and Redmi AirDots) have become a popular choice among iPhone users due to the combination of affordable price and high-quality sound. However, connecting Xiaomi’s wireless headphones to the iPhone 12 sometimes raises questions — especially for those who are first to encounter Bluetooth devices from Chinese brands. In this article, we will examine not only the standard pairing procedure, but also nuances that are often missed in official instructions.

It’s important to understand that the iPhone 12 runs on iOS, which has its own features of interacting with devices on Android-oriented chips (like most Xiaomi headphones), which can lead to unexpected errors, from the lack of sound in one earphone to sudden breaks in the connection. We analyzed user feedback and technical forums to collect all possible ways to solve problems, and optimize the settings for better sound.

Preparation of headphones Xiaomi AirDots to connect

Before you start pairing, make sure your Xiaomi AirDots are ready to go, and many users miss this stage, causing the Later to get into errors.

• 🔋 Charge the case and headphones: even if the indicator on the case is on, it does not guarantee that the headphones themselves are charged. Connect the case to charge for 10-15 minutes, then take out the headphones and check if the LEDs light up when pressed.
• 🔄 Reset the settings (if the headphones have already connected to another device): to do this, place both headphones in the case, then press and hold the button on the case for 10-15 seconds until the indicator starts flashing red and white.
• 📱 Disconnect Headphones from Other Devices: If AirDots were previously paired with an Android smartphone or laptop, remove them from the list of Bluetooth devices on those gadgets.

Pay special attention to the case and headphone indicators, and AirDots Pro 2 and AirDots 3 have different LEDs:

If the indicators do not behave as indicated in the table, this can signal a battery malfunction or software failure, in which case try to fully discharge and charge the case, and then repeat the reset.

Step-by-step: how to connect Xiaomi AirDots to the iPhone 12

Now, to the interface process itself, follow the instructions carefully, because the order of action is important, especially if you're plugging in your headphones for the first time.

1. Open the case cover and pull out both earbuds. They should automatically turn on (you'll hear the beep).
2. Activate pairing mode: For AirDots Basic/Pro 2: press and hold the button on the case for 3-5 seconds until the indicator flashes white. For AirDots 3/Redmi AirDots: tap the touchpad on both headphones simultaneously and hold for 5 seconds.
3. Open Bluetooth settings on iPhone 12: Go to Settings → Bluetooth. Make sure the Bluetooth slider is on (should be green).
4. Find the headphones in the list: In the Other Devices section, the name of your headphones should appear (for example, Mi True Wireless Earphones or Redmi). AirDots_R). Click on the name to start the connection.

Confirm the conjugation

• If you receive a request for code confirmation (usually 0000 or 1234), enter it.
• Wait for the message Connected.

Once you've successfully connected, the headphones will appear in My Devices, so you can listen to music or answer your phone, but there are a few things that you can do:

The sound comes from both headphones |Indicators on the headphones are white (do not blink) | The iPhone settings display the level of charge of the headphones | Headphones automatically connect when removed from the case-->

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If the headphones aren't being determined, try turning off and re-enable Bluetooth on your iPhone, as well as rebooting your smartphone.This resets the Bluetooth module's cache and often solves the problem.

Typical problems and their solutions

Even with the right connection, iPhone 12 users can face a number of problems, and we've compiled some of the most common ones and ways to fix them.

1. Headphones plug in, but only sound in one.

This problem is most often caused by the unsynchronized work of the headphones.

• 🔄 Reset your headphone settings (as described in the first section) and reconnect.
• 🎧 Check the sound balance in the iPhone settings: Go to Settings → Universal access → Audiovisual content → Stereo sound balance. Make sure the slider is in the middle.
• 📱 Update your headphone firmware (if available). Use the Mi Home or Xiaomi Wear app (more in the next section) to do this).

2.The headphones are constantly switched off

If the connection breaks after a few minutes, the reasons may be as follows:

• 📶 Weak Bluetooth signal: Make sure there are no obstacles between the iPhone and the headphones (walls, metal objects).
• 🔋 Low headphone charge: even if the indicator is on, try to fully charge the case and headphones.
• 📱 Conflict with other devices: Disable Bluetooth on other gadgets that previously connected to AirDots.

3. Poor quality of sound or stuttering

If the sound is interrupted or interference is heard, follow these steps:

• 🎵 Turn off the high-quality audio function in Bluetooth settings (if enabled). To do this: Click on the i icon next to the headphone name in the list of devices. Turn off the high-quality audio option (if any).
• 📱 Close background apps, especially those that use a microphone or play audio (e.g. YouTube, Spotify).
• 🔄 Reconnect the headphones manually, removing them from the list of devices.

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If the sound problems only occur in certain applications (such as Zoom or Discord), check the microphone settings in these applications.

Update firmware Xiaomi AirDots via iPhone

Many users are unaware that Xiaomi AirDots’ headphone firmware can be upgraded, and this often solves connectivity and sound issues.Unfortunately, the official Mi Home app doesn’t always work correctly with the iPhone, but there are workarounds.

Here's how to update the firmware:

1. Download the Xiaomi Wear or Mi Home app from the App Store (the latter may not support all headphone models).

Check for updates

• Go to the headphone settings in the app.
• If an update is available, the Update Firmware button will appear.

Important: Updating the firmware can take up to 10 minutes, and you can’t interrupt the process – this will cause the headphones to crash. Make sure the charge level of the case and headphones is not lower than 50%, and the iPhone is connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi (non-mobile data).

Optimizing Sound for iPhone 12

Even after a successful connection, the sound of Xiaomi AirDots on the iPhone 12 may not seem perfect.This is because iOS defaults to the AAC codec, which doesn’t always work optimally with Chinese headphones.

• 🎛️ Set up the equalizer: Open the settings → Music. → Equator. For bass, choose Bass or Hip-Hop. For pure sound, try Acoustic or Rock.
• 🔊 Turn off volume limit: Go to Settings → Music. → Volume limit: Turn off the option or set a maximum value.
• 📱 Use third-party players (for example, VLC Poweramp, which offer more flexible audio settings.

You should also pay attention to the microphone settings (if you use headphones for calls):

• In some AirDots models, the microphone works better if you turn on Transparency mode (in the headphone settings in the Mi Home app).
• Keep your iPhone closer to your mouth when talking, which improves voice quality.

How to turn off and reconnect the headphones

If you need to temporarily disable Xiaomi AirDots (for example, to connect them to another device), do the following:

1. Disconnect via iPhone: Go to Settings → Bluetooth. Click on the i icon next to the headphone name. Select Forget this device.
2. Disconnect through headphones: Place both headphones in the case and close the lid - they will automatically shut down. To force the switch off, press and hold the touchpad on both headphones for 5 seconds (until the beep).

Reconnection

• Get the headphones out of the case – they should automatically connect to the iPhone if they were previously paired.
• If this does not happen, activate the pairing mode (as in the instructions above).

If you’re trying to connect them to an iPhone when they’re already connected to a MacBook or Android smartphone, first disconnect them from the previous gadget.

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If the headphones don't automatically connect when you remove them from the case, reset them and re-pair them, which often solves the problem.

Comparison of Xiaomi AirDots with other wireless headphones for iPhone

If you haven’t bought Xiaomi AirDots yet and are doubtful about their compatibility with the iPhone 12, let’s compare them to other popular models:

As you can see from the table, Xiaomi AirDots win in price and autonomy, but lose AirPods in optimization for iOS. If you care about connection stability and microphone quality, you may want to consider alternatives. However, for most tasks (listening to music, podcasts, rare calls), AirDots does a great job.

FAQ: Frequent questions about connecting Xiaomi AirDots to iPhone 12