How to connect different headphones Xiaomi: all the ways and nuances

Have you bought a new Xiaomi headphone but don’t know how to connect it to a phone or other device? Or do you want to sync two pairs of headphones for simultaneous use? In this article, we’ll look at all possible scenarios, from standard Bluetooth connectivity to non-obvious features that will help connect even different Xiaomi headphone models to each other.

Connection problems often arise from protocol incompatibility, outdated software, or incorrect settings. We'll explain in detail how to avoid common errors and achieve stable performance. And if you want to use two devices at once, like a headphone and a speaker, you'll find these instructions here.

It does not matter if you have Xiaomi AirDots, Buds 4 Pro or any other model: the article contains universal and specific solutions for all popular gadgets of the brand.

What Xiaomi headphones can be connected to each other

Not all Xiaomi headphones support simultaneous connection to a single audio source, depending on the Bluetooth version and proprietary technology.

• 🔹 Xiaomi AirDots 3/Pro, Buds 4/Pro, FlipBuds Pro – supports dual connectivity (you can use two devices at the same time).
• 🔹 Redmi AirDots 2/3, Xiaomi Air 2 SE — They only work with one device at a time.
• 🔹 Xiaomi Earbuds S and budget models – do not have multithreading.

If you want to connect two different pairs of headphones (like the AirDots 3 and Buds 4 Pro), you can't do that directly, you need additional software or an adapter, but you can connect them to one smartphone in turn and quickly switch between them.

Also worth considering is the MIUI version on your smartphone, which is older than MIUI 12.5, and has a dual audio feature that allows you to stream audio to two devices at once, but it doesn't work with all headphone models.

Standard connection of Xiaomi headphones to a smartphone

Starting with the baseline scenario, connecting headphones to a Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO phone, the process is almost the same for all models, but there are nuances:

1. 📱 Turn on Bluetooth on your smartphone: Settings → Connections and sharing → Bluetooth.
2. 🎧 Get the headphones out of the case - they will automatically go into pairing mode (the indicator blinks).
3. 🔍 In the list of available devices, find the name of your model (for example, Mi True Wireless Earphones 2).
4. 🔗 Click on the name to connect. Confirm the pairing if you need to.

If the headphones are not defined:

• 🔋 Check the charge of the case and the headphones themselves (the indicator should burn white or red).
• 🔄 Reset the headphones: Put them in the case, close the lid for 10 seconds, then pull out.
• 📲 Update your headphone firmware through the Mi Home app or Xiaomi Earbuds.

On some models (for example, Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro) to activate the pairing mode, you need to hold the button on the case for 3-5 seconds until the indicator begins to flash white and red alternately.

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If the headphones have already been connected to another device, reset their settings: put them in the case, hold the button for 15 seconds until the indicator flashes red twice.

How to connect two devices to one headphone (multipoint)

Multipoint (simultaneous connection to two devices) is available in Xiaomi AirDots 3 Pro, Buds 4 Pro and later.

1. 📱 Connect the headphones to the first device (for example, a smartphone).
2. 🎧 Transfer the headphones to pairing mode (hold the button on the case until the indicator blinks).
3. 💻 Connect to the second device (laptop, tablet) via Bluetooth.
4. 🔄 Now headphones will automatically switch between devices depending on the active sound source.

If the function is not working:

• 🔄 Update the headphone firmware through Mi Home.
• 📲 In Bluetooth settings on your smartphone, enable the option of Double Audio (available in the MIUI 12.5+).
• 🔧 Reset the headphone settings (see instructions above).

Important: on headphones Xiaomi Buds 3 and older, multipoint works only with devices on Android 10+ and iOS 14+. On older versions of the OS, problems with automatic switching may occur.

How to connect two different sets of Xiaomi headphones to the same phone

If you want to connect, for example, AirDots 3 and Buds 4 Pro to the same smartphone at the same time, then standard means this is impossible – Bluetooth 5.0+ does not support simultaneous audio transmission to two different devices (except in the case of dual audio in MIUI).

But there are workarounds:

1. 🎛 Use a Bluetooth transmitter with dual output support (e.g. Creative) BT-W5 or Avantek APA-1000).
2. 💻 Connect headphones to your PC via Bluetooth-enabled adapter A2DP Sink and configure the output of sound to two devices in parameters Windows/macOS.
3. 📱 Use apps like SoundAssistant (for Samsung) or Dual Audio (requires root rights to Xiaomi).

The most reliable way is to use an external Bluetooth transmitter, which allows you to connect two sets of headphones to a single source (for example, a TV or a smartphone) without delay, minus the additional costs and the need to carry a device.

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Synchronous music listening on two pairs of Xiaomi headphones without lags will require an external Bluetooth transmitter with support for aptX Low Latency.

Synchronize Xiaomi headphones with non-Xiaomi devices

Xiaomi headphones work well not only with the brand’s smartphones, but also with devices from other manufacturers.

• 🍎 On iPhones, some features (such as gestures or equalizer) may not work without the Xiaomi Earbuds app, which is not available in the App Store.
• 🖥 Windows sometimes has problems with the aptX codec. To avoid them, select Bluetooth settings. AAC or SBC.
• 📺 On TVs (e.g. Xiaomi) TV Samsung or Samsung may need manual pairing via Bluetooth menu.

If the headphones are connected, but the sound is interrupted:

1. 📶 Reduce the distance between devices (optimally – up to 1 meter).
2. 🔄 Reconnect the headphones.
3. 🔧 In Bluetooth settings, turn off Absolute Volume (on Android).

On the MacBook for stable work of headphones Xiaomi is recommended to disable the function of Automatic sound switching in Bluetooth settings.

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If on the iPhone, Xiaomi headphones quickly discharge, turn off the background update for applications in the iOS settings: Settings → Main → Content update.

Solving Connection Problems

If Xiaomi headphones don’t connect or are not working smoothly, check out the following points:

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi AirDots 2 and Redmi AirDots do not support the protocol LE Audio, therefore on Android 13 devices+ You can have pairing problems, so the solution is to roll back the Bluetooth stack or use the headphones in compatibility mode.

• 🔋 Make sure the case charge is above 30%. When the charge is low, the headphones may not turn on.
• 📲 Update the firmware of your smartphone. MIUI (Below 12) there are Bluetooth bugs.
• 🔧 Reset network settings on your smartphone: Settings → System system → Resetting settings → Reset Wi-Fi, mobile network and Bluetooth.
• 🎧 Check the headphones on another device to rule out hardware malfunction.

If one of the headphones is not working:

1. 🧲 Put both earphones in the case and close the lid for 30 seconds.
2. 🔄 Get them out and wait for the automatic connection.
3. 🔧 If the problem persists, reset the settings (hold the button on the case for 15 seconds).

On Xiaomi Buds 3 Pro and later, there is an automatic headphone testing feature to run it:

1. Open the Mi Home app.


2. Select your headphones.




3. Go to the "Diagnostics" section.




4. Press "Display Test."

Additional features and hidden capabilities

Xiaomi headphones have a few hidden features that many people don’t know about:

• 🎵 Customization of gestures: in the Xiaomi Earbuds app, you can reassign touch actions (for example, double touch to launch a voice assistant).
• 🔊 Low Lag Mode: Activated in the Game and Video App Settings. Reduces lag to 80-100 ms.
• 🌙 Automatic Shutdown: Headphones can be set to turn off after 5–60 minutes of inactivity.
• 🎧 Monosound: in the availability settings of Android, you can turn on mono mode if one headphone does not work.

Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro and FlipBuds Pro have a transparent mode with ambient noise level control to configure it:

1. 📱 Open the Xiaomi Earbuds app.
2. 🔊 Go to the Noise section.
3. 🎛 Choose Transparent Mode and Adjust Slider.

Also in these models, an equalizer setting with preset profiles (bass, vocals, classics) or manual adjustment is available.

FAQ: Frequent questions about connecting Xiaomi headphones