AirPods and Xiaomi: How to Connect, Configure and Solve Problems

Apple’s wireless AirPods have long been the benchmark for convenience for iPhone owners, but what to do if you have a Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphone? Many users mistakenly believe that AirPods are incompatible with Android — they actually work, but with limitations. In this article, we’ll discuss how to properly connect AirPods Pro, AirPods 2/3 or even AirPods Max to a Xiaomi device, which features will be available and which won’t, and how to solve typical connectivity and sound problems.

Note right away: AirPods on Xiaomi don’t support automatic switching between devices (like in the Apple ecosystem), low battery notifications, and some control gestures. However, the basic features — listening to music, answering calls, and activating the voice assistant — work without problems.

Compatibility of AirPods with Xiaomi: which models are supported

All AirPods (including AirPods) 1/2/3, AirPods Pro 1/2 Both AirPods and AirPods Max are physically compatible with Xiaomi, as they use standard Bluetooth protocol. MIUI and headphone models:

• 🔹 AirPods 1/2 Generations: Work like normal Bluetooth headphones (without support) AAC older versions MIUI).
• 🔹 AirPods 3 and Pro: Supports AAC (Better sound quality, but there may be delays when watching videos.
• 🔹 AirPods Max: Connect, but manage them through MIUI uncomfortable (no battery widgets).

Important: Xiaomi doesn’t block the connection of AirPods, but also does not optimize its firmware for them. For example, when you open the case cover, the connection window immediately appears — Xiaomi does not have this.

Step-by-step: how to connect AirPods to Xiaomi

The process of connecting AirPods to Xiaomi is almost the same as connecting to other Bluetooth devices, but there are a few nuances.

1. Place the AirPods in the case and open the lid. Press and hold the button on the back of the case (for AirPods Pro/AirPods 3) or the button on the headphones (AirPods Max) until the indicator flashes white.
2. On a Xiaomi smartphone, go to Settings → Bluetooth and turn on device search.
3. In the list of devices found, your AirPods model (such as the AirPods Pro) will appear. Click on it to pair.
4. Confirm connectivity on both devices. AirPods Max may require additional confirmation via the Noise Control button.

If the headphones don’t appear on the list, try:

• 🔄 Reboot AirPods (click the button on the case for 15 seconds before blinking orange).
• 📱 Update MIUI Up to the latest version (in old firmware there are bugs with the AAC).
• 🔌 Connect the headphones to another device (like an iPad) and then try connecting to Xiaomi again.

Charge the case to 50%+

Update MIUI to the latest version

Make sure that AirPods are not connected to another device

Enable search mode (blinking white indicator)-->

What AirPods feature works for Xiaomi and which don’t

Even after a successful connection, not all AirPods features will be available on Xiaomi.

The main disadvantage is the lack of battery widgets in the status bar of MIUI. To see the charge of the AirPods and the case, you will have to install third-party utilities (we will talk about this below). Also, Xiaomi does not work with the "Find Headphones" function (as in iCloud), so if you lose AirPods, it will be more difficult to track them.

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If the sound is interrupted after connecting, try turning off the Absolute Volume option in Bluetooth settings (on Xiaomi) – this often solves the problem with stuttering.

How to check the charge of AirPods on Xiaomi: an overview of applications

By default, MIUI doesn't show the charge level of the AirPods, but third-party apps solve this problem.

• 📱 AirBattery (free, no advertising): shows the charge of headphones and case in real time, supports notifications at low charge.
• 🔋 MaterialPods (paid version with advanced features): widget for the main screen, usage history, gesture settings.
• 🛠️ Podroid (for advanced users): allows you to change the name of AirPods, reset settings and check the firmware version.

To set up AirBattery:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Connect the AirPods to your smartphone.
3. Open AirBattery – the charge level will be displayed automatically.
4. In the settings, enable the Battery Notification option.

Note that some applications (like MaterialPods) require permission to access notifications and Bluetooth, and without these permissions, they won’t be able to read data from AirPods.

Solving problems: AirPods don't connect, sound is interrupted, microphone is not working

If AirPods refuse to connect to Xiaomi or fail, try the following solutions:

⚠️ Note: If AirPods were previously connected to an iPhone, they can automatically switch back to it.To avoid this, forget the device in the iPhone settings (Bluetooth) → "i" next to AirPods → Forget this device).

1. AirPods are not on the Bluetooth Device List

• 🔌 Reboot AirPods (press the button on the case for 15 seconds).
• 📱 Reboot your Xiaomi smartphone.
• 🔄 Reset your network settings on Xiaomi: Settings → Memory and backup copies → Resetting settings → Resetting network settings.

2.The sound is interrupted or delayed

• 🎧 In Bluetooth settings on Xiaomi, turn off Absolute Volume.
• 📶 Turn off Wi-Fi (sometimes interferes with 2.4 GHz frequency).
• 🔋 Check the charge of AirPods – at a level below 20%, there may be failures.

3.The microphone is not working during calls

• 🎤 In the call settings, select AirPods as the input device (Settings) → Annexes → Phone. → Input device).
• 🔄 Reconnect the headphones (forget the device and pair again).
• 📞 Try using another app to make calls (like Google Phone instead of the standard one).

If problems persist, check if MIUI conflicts with AirPods at the software level. For example, some firmware versions for Xiaomi 12/13 have an AAC bug, in which case a forced switch to the SBC codec (via Developer Options) will help.

How to improve the sound of AirPods on Xiaomi: MIUI settings and codecs

By default, Xiaomi uses the SBC codec for AirPods, which gives mediocre sound quality. To enable AAC (which supports AirPods 2/3/Pro), you need to:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times)
2. Go to Settings → Additional → For developers → Bluetooth settings.
3. Select AAC from the codec list.
4. Reconnect the AirPods.

If you don't have an AAC option or the sound gets worse, go back to SBC, and you can also improve the sound by:

• 🎛️ Equator in MIUI: Go to Settings. → Sound. → Equalizer and choose Preset Bass or Pop.
• 🔊 Dolby Atmos Disable: This feature can conflict with AirPods, causing delays.
• 🎧 Third-party players: Poweramp or Neutron offer more flexible audio settings than a standard player MIUI.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 10) have codecs AAC It's unstable, and the sound can be interrupted, so you'd better leave it. SBC.

Alternatives AirPods for Xiaomi: which headphones are better to choose

If you don’t like the limitations of Xiaomi’s AirPods, consider alternatives with better integration:

If you’re interested in the Apple ecosystem (like the MacBook or iPad), AirPods are still a good choice, even for Xiaomi, but if you’re only using Android devices, it makes sense to use headphones that support LDAC or aptX, and they’ll give you better audio quality.

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Xiaomi’s AirPods are a trade-off between usability and functionality. They work, but without the chips of the Apple ecosystem. If you want all the features, consider alternatives from Xiaomi or Sony.

FAQ: Frequent questions about using AirPods with Xiaomi