Synchronization of headphones Xiaomi Earbuds: full instruction for all models

Xiaomi Earbuds wireless headphones have become a popular accessory due to the combination of high-quality sound, convenience and affordable price. However, even with such advanced devices, users sometimes face difficulties when connecting or re-synchronizing for the first time. This article will help you understand how to pair headphones with different devices, avoid typical errors, and what to do if the connection constantly breaks down.

We will consider not only the standard procedure for connecting via Bluetooth, but also the nuances of working with various models - from the budget Redmi AirDots to the flagship Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro. Particular attention will be paid to solving problems that arise when synchronizing with Android, iOS and Windows, and also tell you how to reset headphones to factory, if they are no longer determined by the device.

If you have just purchased new headphones or faced with the fact that they do not connect after updating the firmware of the smartphone – this instruction will help to return the functionality of the gadget without contacting the service center.

Preparation of headphones Xiaomi Earbuds for synchronization

Before you first connect, you need to make sure that the headphones are ready to pair. Most Xiaomi Earbuds models go on sale in standby mode, but some require pre-activation.

🔋 Charge the case -- even if the indicator shows the charge level, plug the case into the power supply for 10-15 minutes, and this will eliminate power problems during synchronization.
🎧 Remove the headphones from the case – in most models, automatic activation occurs when the lid is opened (for example, in Xiaomi Buds 3 Pro).
🔄 Reset previous settings (if the headphones have already been used) – hold the touchpad on both headphones for 10-15 seconds until the white/red light flashes.
📱 Disable Bluetooth on other devices – if the headphones have previously been connected to another smartphone or laptop, it may interfere with new pairing.

Important: Redmi AirDots 2/3 and Xiaomi Earbuds Basic models do not support multi-profile connectivity - they can only pair with one device at a time.

If the indicators on the headphones do not respond to the extraction from the case, check:

🔌 Contacts in the case -- they could have oxidized or contaminated. Wipe them with a cotton swab soaked in alcohol.
🔋 Charge level -- if the case is under 10%, the headphones may not turn on. Connect the case to charge for 30 minutes.
🛠️ Physical damage—Cracks in the body or moisture can block sensors.

📊 What Xiaomi Earbuds model do you use?

Redmi AirDots (1/2/3 generation)

Xiaomi Buds (3/4 Pro)

Xiaomi Earbuds Basic

Another model

I haven't bought it yet.

Standard procedure for connecting to a smartphone on Android

Sync with Android devices (including Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO) is done via the standard Bluetooth menu.

Open the case cover – the headphones should automatically turn on (the indicators will flash white or blue).
Activate Bluetooth on your smartphone – go to Settings → Connected devices → Bluetooth.
Find the headphones in the list – they will show up as Mi True Wireless Earbuds Basic, Redmi AirDots_XXXX or similar (name depends on the model).
Click on the headphone name, the pairing process will begin, and confirm the connection if you request it.

Once successfully connected, the headphone icon will appear in the status bar of the smartphone, and in the Bluetooth settings, they will be marked as “Connected”. Some models (for example, Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro) support additional features through the Mi Earphones app (available on Google Play).

Charge the case to 50% and above|Disconnect Headphones from Other Devices|Make sure Bluetooth is on your smartphone|Place headphones next to the smartphone (no more than 1 meter)|Update the firmware of the smartphone (if an update is available)-->

If the headphones are not displayed in the list of devices:

🔄 Reboot the Bluetooth module on your smartphone (turn off/on Bluetooth or reboot your phone).
📱 Check compatibility — some older smartphones (on Android 8.0 and below) may not support Bluetooth 5.0, which is used by newer headphone models.
🔧 Update your headphone firmware – use the official Mi Earphones app (not available for all models).

What if the headphones are connected, but the sound is only in one?

This problem is often associated with incorrect synchronization between the right and left earbuds. Try: 1. Place both earbuds in the case and close the lid for 10 seconds. 2. Remove them and hold the touchpads on both earbuds for 15 seconds until double blinking. 3. Reconnect to the smartphone. If the problem persists, check the sound balance settings in the Settings → Sound → Balance Stereo (should be in the middle).

Connecting to iPhone and other devices on iOS

While Xiaomi Earbuds are optimized for the Android ecosystem, they also work well with iPhones, iPads, or MacBooks, and the connection process is almost the same, but there are a few nuances:

Open Settings → Bluetooth on your Apple device.
Get your headphones out of the case – they should automatically go to search mode (blinking white/blue indicator).
In the list of available devices, find the name of your model (for example, Mi True Wireless Earphones 2) and tap it.
Confirm the connection if a pop-up window appears.

On iOS, some features may be limited to:

🎵 No support for aptX codec – sound will be transmitted via AAC or SBC, which can slightly degrade the quality.
⚙️ No access to branded settings (e.g., equalizer adjustment via Mi Earphones).
📱 There is no display of headphone charge level in the battery widget (unlike AirPods).

To check the quality of the connection after connection:

Start playing music or video.
Step 5-10 meters away from the device – if the sound starts to interrupt, it may indicate interference from other Bluetooth devices or Wi-Fi routers.
Check for audio latency in games or videos – it can be higher on iOS than on Android due to the features of audio processing.

💡

If the headphones connect to the iPhone but shut down quickly, try turning off the Low Power Feed feature in Bluetooth settings. It can interrupt the connection to save charge.

Synchronization with a laptop or PC on Windows

Connecting Xiaomi Earbuds to a Windows 10/11 computer is usually easy, but sometimes requires additional actions due to driver conflicts or power saving settings.

Turn on Bluetooth on your PC – press Win + A and activate the corresponding button or go to Settings → Devices → Bluetooth and other devices.
Put the headphones in pairing mode: For most models: take them out of the case and hold the touchpad on both headphones for 3-5 seconds until the indicators flash. For Xiaomi Buds 3 Pro: press and hold the button on the case for 2 seconds.

In the list of available devices, select your headphones and click "Connect".

If the headphones are connected, but the sound is not played:

🔊 Check the playback device – right-click on the sound icon in the tray, select Open Sound Settings and make sure the headphones are selected as the output device.
🔄 Update the Bluetooth driver – go to Device Manager → Bluetooth, find your adapter, right-click and select “Update Driver.”
⚡ Turn off power saving mode for Bluetooth adapter: Control Panel → Power supply → Power circuit settings → Change additional power settings → Wireless adapter settings → Power saving mode: Off.

For models that support aptX (such as Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro), make sure your PC also supports this codec. Check this in the Bluetooth device properties in the Services tab.

Model headphones	Supported codecs	Compatibility with Windows
Redmi AirDots 2	SBC, AAC	Yes (without additional drivers)
Xiaomi Earbuds Basic 2	SBC, AAC, aptX	Yes (AptX requires a driver from the adapter manufacturer)
Xiaomi Buds 3 Pro	SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive, LC3	Yes (Windows 11 recommended)
Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro	SBC, AAC, aptX Adaptive, LDAC	Yes (manual adjustment is required for LDAC)

Solving synchronization problems

If Xiaomi Earbuds headphones are not connected or permanently disabled, the reasons can be both software and hardware.

Headphones are not defined by the device

If the headphones don’t appear in the list of available Bluetooth devices, follow the following steps:

Reset the headphone settings – for most models: place the headphones in the case, open the lid and hold the button on the case (or touch panels on the headphones) for 10-15 seconds until red/white flashes.
Check Bluetooth compatibility – headphones with Bluetooth 5.0 may not connect to older Bluetooth 4.0 devices.
Update the firmware of the smartphone / PC - outdated software may contain pairing errors.
Use another device – try connecting the headphones to another smartphone or tablet to rule out hardware malfunction.

The headphones are connected, but the sound is interrupted.

Connection stability problems are often related to external interference or device settings:

📶 Reduce the number of active Bluetooth devices — if other gadgets (fitness bracelets, speakers, keyboards) are working nearby, they can cause interference.
🔌 Disable USB Bluetooth adapters (if you use them on a PC) – they often conflict with embedded modules.
📵 Check your power saving settings – on Android, turn off the Adaptive Battery for applications that use Bluetooth.
🔄 Change Bluetooth codec – in Android developer (Settings → System → Developer → Bluetooth Codecs) select SBC instead of AAC or aptX.

💡

If the sound problems only occur in a particular app (like games or YouTube), try clearing the cache or reinstalling it. Often the crashes are not with the headphones, but with the software.

One earpiece is down.

If the sound is only in one headphone, the reasons may be as follows:

🔋 Battery discharged - place both headphones in the case for 10-15 minutes, then reconnect.
🔄 Sync failure between headphones – reset them to factory settings (instruction above).
🎛️ Incorrect balance settings – check in the smartphone sound settings (Settings → Sound → Stereo Balance).
🛠️ Speaker damage - if the problem persists after the reset, contact the service center.

⚠️ Warning: If the headphones still don't sync after reset, don't try to disassemble them yourself, which will lead to a loss of warranty. In most cases, the problem is solved software-based through Xiaomi service software.

Resetting headphones to factory

If all the connection attempts fail, the last step is to reset the settings completely, which removes all the pairings that you have saved and returns the headphones to their original state, and the instructions vary depending on the model.

Model	Resetting method	Sign of successful discharge
Redmi AirDots (1/2/3)	Put the headphones in the case, open the lid. Hold the button on the case for 15 seconds.	Red indicator flashes 3 times
Xiaomi Earbuds Basic	Take the headphones out of the case. Hold the touchpads on both earphones for 10 seconds.	White indicator flashes quickly, then slowly
Xiaomi Buds 3/4 Pro	Place the headphones in the case. Hold the button on the case for 20 seconds until you blink twice.	The indicator on the case flashes red, then white
Xiaomi FlipBuds Pro	Hold the button on the case for 10 seconds until the beep.	Sound signal + blinking of orange indicator

After reset, the headphones automatically go into pairing mode. Connect them again, as in the first use. If the reset did not help, this may indicate a hardware malfunction (for example, damage to the Bluetooth module in the headphones).

⚠️ Warning: Xiaomi Earbuds headphones do not support partial reset (for example, only for one device in the pairing list).When performing a reset, all stored connections are deleted, including firmware data (in some models).

Additional features and configuration through Mi Earphones

For owners of smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO, the branded Mi Earphones app is available, which expands the capabilities of headphones.

🎛️ Set up an equalizer – select preset profiles or create your own.
🔊 Activate Transparency Mode (for models with support, for example, Xiaomi Buds 3 Pro).
🎧 Update the headphone firmware (if an update is available).
⚙️ Reassign gestures – change the actions when touching touch panels.
📊 View usage statistics—time of operation, charge level, etc.

To connect headphones to the application:

Install Mi Earphones from Google Play (for Android) or the App Store (for iOS, but with limited functionality).
Connect the headphones to the smartphone via Bluetooth.
Open the app – it will automatically determine the model and offer available settings.

If the app doesn't see the headphones:

🔄 Reconnect the headphones — remove them from the list of Bluetooth devices and re-coat.
📱 Update the app — the older version may not support new models.
🌐 Check out the region – some features (such as voice prompts) may not be available in your country.

💡

Mi Earphones has a hidden headphone testing feature. To activate it, go to Settings → About the program and tap 5 times according to the app, and a diagnostic menu will appear where you can check the microphones and speakers.

Frequently asked questions

Can you connect Xiaomi Earbuds to multiple devices at the same time?

Most Xiaomi Earbuds models (except for the Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro and FlipBuds Pro) do not support multi-profile connectivity. To switch to another device, you need to manually disconnect the headphones from the current gadget and connect to the new one. Some models (such as the Redmi AirDots 3 Pro) remember the latest device and automatically connect to it when extracted from the case.

Why do headphones discharge quickly after updating the firmware?

Firmware updates sometimes optimize power consumption, but in rare cases can contain errors. If the update has reduced the time of work: Reset the headphone settings to the factory. Turn off additional features (such as the wear detector or voice prompts) in the Mi Earphones app. Check if the smartphone is enabled with a constant scan of Bluetooth (in the location settings). If the problem is still, contact Xiaomi with the version of the headphone firmware (this can be seen in the app).

How to check the originality of Xiaomi Earbuds?

Fake headphones often have problems with synchronization and sound quality. To make sure they are original: Check the serial number on the case and headphones — it should match the data in the Mi Earphones app. Pay attention to the quality of the packaging — the original headphones come in a tight box with a Xiaomi hologram. Check the firmware — fakes often have outdated software or are not determined by the application. Compare the sound — the original models support aptX or AAC codecs, whereas fakes work only through SBC.

Can I use Xiaomi Earbuds to make PC calls?

Yes, you can use headphones as a headset for Zoom, Discord, Skype, and other applications. To do this: Connect your headphones to your PC via Bluetooth. In Windows audio settings, select them as input (microphone) and output (speakers). In the app itself (e.g., Discord), select Mi True Wireless Earbuds in the audio settings. If you don't hear well, try: Turn off noise cancellation in the microphone settings. Place the microphone closer to your mouth (most models have microphones on the legs of the headphones) Use the microphones in the built-in to the microphones.

How to update the firmware on Xiaomi Earbuds?

The firmware update is only available for some models (e.g. Xiaomi Buds 3 Pro, FlipBuds Pro) and requires the official Mi Earphones app. Update process: Connect your headphones to your smartphone via Bluetooth. Open the Mi Earphones app and go to the "Firmware Update" section. If a new version is available, follow the on-screen instructions. Don't turn off the headphones or close the app during the process. Once the upgrade is done, the headphones will automatically restart. If the update is interrupted: Place the headphones in the case and wait 5 minutes. Re-on if the phone is re-to-turned and re-turned to the upgrade, then re-over to the phone.