How to work headphones Xiaomi Air 2 SE: a detailed analysis of all the functions

Wireless headphones Xiaomi Air 2 SE They've become one of the brand's most popular accessories because of their combination of affordable prices and advanced features. TWS-Headphones (True Wireless Stereo) offer users not only high-quality sound, but also convenient control, long battery life and stable connection. However, many owners do not fully understand how their work works – from the principles of transmitting sound over Bluetooth to noise reduction and gesture recognition algorithms.

In this article, we will discuss how the Xiaomi Air 2 works. SE From the interface process to the hardware and software, to the sonic chip and energy-saving technologies, you'll learn what protocols are used to communicate, how the system works. ENC-And then we'll also uncover little-known things that don't appear in the official manual.

If you're just planning to buy it, or you're already the lucky owner of these headphones, it's going to help you use it 100 percent, and let's start with the most important thing, which is connectivity and synchronization.

How to connect Xiaomi Air 2 SE to a smartphone

The process of pairing Xiaomi Air 2 SE with a phone or other device is based on Bluetooth 5.0 technology, which provides higher data transfer speeds and lower power consumption compared to previous versions.

When you first open the charge case cover, the headphones automatically go into search mode (unless they have been paired before). At this point, they send a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) broadcast signal that is detected by nearby devices, your smartphone in turn scans the air for available devices and displays Mi True Wireless Earphones Basic 2 SE in the list.

After selecting headphones in the Bluetooth menu, paired keys are exchanged - these are unique codes that encrypt the connection and prevent the connection of unauthorized devices. SE protocol A2DP for audio transmission and AVRCP To control playback (pause, next track) but to make calls, you use protocol. HFP (Hands-Free Profile, which is responsible for the microphones.

• 📱 Automatic Connection: After the first pairing, the headphones will connect to the last device automatically when removed from the case (if Bluetooth on the phone is turned on).
• 🔄 Multi-connection: Air 2 SE Support simultaneous connection to two devices (e.g. smartphone) + notebook, but can only play sound from one.
• 🔋 Energy saving: If headphones are not used for more than 5 minutes, they automatically turn off to save charge.

⚠️ Attention: If the headphones are not connected to the phone, try resetting them. To do this, press and hold the button on the case for 10 seconds (the indicator flashes red and white.

Sound chip and audio processing: what is hidden inside

The heart of Xiaomi Air 2 SE is a specialized audio chip from Qualcomm - QCC3020. This processor is optimized for working with wireless headphones and provides:

• 🎵 Codec support: SBC (standard AAC (For better quality on iOS, unfortunately, aptX or LDAC not supported here.
• 🔊 Dynamic drivers: Speaker diameter 7.2 mm, which allows you to play frequencies from 20 Hz (low bass notes) to 20 kHz (high frequencies).
• 🎤 ENC-Noise reduction: Environmental Noise Cancellation technology filters out external noise during calls, improving voice legibility.

The QCC3020 chip features a built-in digital signal processor (DSP) that adjusts sound in real time, for example, if you listen to music in a noisy place, the DSP automatically amplifies the average frequencies (where the main vocals are) so that they don't sink into the surrounding sounds, a feature called Adaptive Sound, and works without additional settings.

But there’s a caveat: by default, the headphones are set to a “universal” sound profile that may not be liked by everyone. Fortunately, the Mi Home app (or Xiaomi Wear for newer versions) has an equalizer with presets:

⚠️ Note: If after updating the firmware headphones sound became quieter or there were distortions, try resetting the equalizer settings to factory. → Reduce the sound.

💡

To check the current version of the headphone firmware, open the Mi Home app, select Air 2 SE in the list of devices and go to About section. Current version at 2026 is 1.7.0.3 or higher.

Gesture Management: Which Teams Are Supported

Xiaomi Air 2 SE features touch panels on the outside of the body that recognize touch and gestures. Unlike more expensive models (such as Air 2 Pro), there is no support for voice commands, but the basic control functions are implemented well.

• ⏯️ Single touch: Pause/play music or answer/complete call.
• ⏭️ Double touch: Switch to the next track (right earphone) or the previous one (left-handed).
• 📞 Triple touch: Calling the voice assistant (Google Assistant or Siri, depending on the device).
• 🔕 Touch and Retain (2 seconds): Deflection of incoming call.

It's important to understand that gestures only work when you're actively connected to your device. If the headphones are just in a case or connected, but the music is not playing, the sensors will be inactive. Also, you can adjust the sensitivity of the panels in the Mi Home app (Settings → Signature Management). If the headphones respond to random touch (for example, when walking), reduce sensitivity.

Another thing that's really useful is that you automatically pause when you take one of your headphones off, and this is called In-Ear Detection, and it works with a built-in infrared sensor, and when you take the earphone out of your ear, it stops playing, and when you come back, it continues, so to turn it off, go to the headphone settings and deactivate the pause option when you take it off.

Open the Mi Home app|Select Air 2 SE device-list|Go to Settings → Gesture management|Set up sensitivity and assign actions for each gesture|Save the changes-->

How the battery and charging work: myths and reality

One of the key advantages of the Xiaomi Air 2 SE is long battery life, with the manufacturer claiming up to 20 hours of battery life in music playback mode (including case recharging) and up to 5 hours on a single headphone charge. But how do these numbers actually work?

Each headphone has a battery capacity. 43 mAh, and in the charging case — 300 For comparison, the Air 2 The capacity of the case is 500 mAh, which explains the difference in autonomy, and the charger and the case are done using protocol. USB-C (5V/1A), The full charge cycle takes about 1,5 hours.

The secret to long work lies in several technologies:

• 🔋 Adaptive energy consumption: Chip QCC3020 dynamically adjusts energy consumption depending on volume and content type (music/calls).
• ⚡ Fast charging: 10 minutes in a case gives up to 1.5 hours of playback.
• 🌡️ Protection against overheating: At temperatures above 40°C charging is automatically suspended.

There are a few things that are not mentioned in the advertisement:

⚠️ Note: If the headphones have not been used for a long time (more than 3 months), their batteries may discharge to a critical level. In this case, the case will not be able to charge them - you will need to first recharge the headphones themselves from the headphones. USB-cable (without case) for 5-10 minutes, and then put them in the case.

Connection and Sound Problems: Causes and Solutions

Despite the reliability of the Xiaomi Air 2 SE, users sometimes face typical problems: headphones do not connect, the sound is interrupted or one of the headphones is quieter than the other.

1. Headphones are not on the list of Bluetooth devices

Reasons:

• 🔌 Headphones discharged or not activated (not removed from the case).
• 📱 Bluetooth is turned off or flight mode is turned on.
• 🔄 Headphones are already paired with another device (for example, a laptop).

Solution: Make sure the headphones are charged and the indicator on the case flashes white. If the problem persists, reset the settings (hold the button on the case for 10 seconds).

2.The sound is interrupted or "breaks"

This is due to interference in the Bluetooth connection.

• 📶 Weak signal (many obstacles between phone and headphones).
• 🔊 Codec is used. SBC instead AAC (iPhone always AAC, Android may be different).
• 🔋 Low battery charge headphones (below 20%).

Solution: Reconnect your headphones, reduce the distance to your phone, or reboot the Bluetooth module on your smartphone (turn off/on Bluetooth).

3.One earphone is quieter or not synchronized

This is most often due to the difference in volume levels between the left and right headphones. Check the balance of sound in the phone settings (Settings → Sound → Stereo Balance). If that's not the problem, reset the headphones.

💡

If after all the manipulations the problem persists, check the firmware version of the headphones.Old software can cause conflicts with new versions. Android/iOS. Update the firmware through the Mi Home app.

Hidden functions you didn’t know about

Xiaomi Air 2 SE has a few “secret” features that are not advertised in the official instructions.

• 🎧 Mono mode: You can only use one headphone (right or left) for calls or music. Just remove one earphone from the case and the other one will remain disconnected.
• 🔊 Game mode: Reduces the latency to 120 ms (versus the standard 180-200 ms). → Low-delay mode.
• 📱 Automatic Device Switching: If the headphones are connected to two devices (like a phone and a laptop), they will automatically switch to the one from which the sound is coming.
• 🔋 Economy mode: Disables In-Ear Detection and reduces the brightness of the indicators to save charge.

Another little-known feature is custom beeps, and when you plug in or turn off, the headphones make a standard sound, but you can replace it.

1. Download a short audio file in.mp3 format (up to 3 seconds).
2. Place the file in the MiHome/sounds folder in the internal storage.
3. In the Mi Home app, select Settings → Notification sounds and specify your file.

This feature doesn’t work on all firmware, but if your version of the software is 1.5.0.0 or newer, the odds are high.

Comparison with other Xiaomi models: which is better?

To understand how the Xiaomi Air 2 SE compares favorably with other models of the brand, compare them with the nearest competitors in the lineup:

Xiaomi Air 2 SE They occupy a niche budget TWS-They're better than the Air 2 Pro in terms of autonomy and noise reduction, but they're better off in terms of price (ANC) or support for aptX, then Air 2 SE — best-choice.

Compared to AirDots 3, the Air 2 SE has the advantage of a deeper sound (due to its closed design) and better ergonomics. AirDots 3, in turn, is suitable for those who prefer open sound and less weight.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi Air 2 SE