Xiaomi headphone delay: how to reduce the lag of sound by 100%

You watch a movie, play PUBG Mobile or listen to music, but the sound in Xiaomi headphones is half a second behind the picture? This problem is familiar to many owners of Bluetooth headsets — especially budget models like Redmi AirDots or Mi True Wireless Earbuds. Latency arises from the features of wireless data transmission, but it can be reduced to minimal values — or removed completely.

In this article, we’ll look at 7 proven ways to reduce the lags in Xiaomi headphones, from simple smartphone settings to deep firmware changes. You’ll learn which Bluetooth codecs are best to use, how to turn on Game Mode on Android, and why even changing the sound source sometimes helps. All methods have been tested on Redmi Buds 3/4, Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro, FlipBuds Pro and other popular headsets of the brand.

Important: some of the solutions require root rights or special applications, but most of the ways work out of the box on any smartphone — whether it's Xiaomi, Samsung or iPhone. Let's start with the simplest one!

1. Enable low latency mode (Game Mode) on your smartphone

Modern Xiaomi smartphones (and many other Android devices) have a hidden mode for games that optimizes the transmission of sound over Bluetooth.It reduces data buffering, reducing latency to 80-120 ms – this is enough for a comfortable viewing of video or game.

How to activate:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Sound. → Bluetooth sound quality (on some firmware, the path may differ).
• 🎮 Find the Low Lag, Game Mode or Optimize for Games option and turn it on.
• 🔄 Reconnect your headphones so that the changes take effect.

If this option is not on the menu, try to enable it through the developer:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version and tap 7 times on this item to unlock Developer Settings.
2. Go back to the main settings menu and find a new section for developers.
3. Scroll down and enable Bluetooth Debugging and Bluetooth Optimization for gaming (if any).

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI The Game Mode option may conflict with aptX or LDAC If the sound becomes intermittent after the mode is turned on, return the codec settings to the AAC (see next section).

2. Select the optimal Bluetooth codec

A codec is the language in which your smartphone communicates with your headphones, and it affects not only sound quality, but also latency. By default, most Xiaomi devices use SBC, a universal, but not the fastest codec. To minimize the lags, you better switch to:

• 🎵 aptX Low Latency – the best choice for games and video (latency) ~40ms but requires headphone support).
• 📊 AAC — Balance between quality and speed (supported by all Xiaomi headphones).
• ⚡ LDAC — High quality but high latency (not suitable for gaming).

How to change the codec:

1. Put the headphones on the phone.
2. Open the Settings. → Connected devices → Settings (⚙️) near your headphones.
3. Choose Sound Quality or Bluetooth Codec.
4. Try alternately aptX LL, AAC and SBC to check for latency.

If you don’t have a codec choice in your settings, install the Bluetooth Codec Changer app (requires Android 10+), which allows you to manually prioritize codecs even on non-rooted devices.

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On the iPhone, the codec is always fixed as AAC — you can’t change it, but Apple optimizes audio better than many Android devices, so the latency on iOS is often less even with the same headphones.

3. Update the firmware of headphones and smartphone

Manufacturers regularly release updates that optimize the Bluetooth stack. For example, in Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro after the update to version 4.7.15, the delay was reduced by 30% due to an improved synchronization algorithm.

How to update your headphones:

1. Install the official Mi Earphones app (for AirDots) or Xiaomi Earbuds (for Buds/FlipBuds) from Google Play.
2. Connect the headphones to the phone and open the application.
3. Go to the Software Update or Firmware Update section.
4. If a new version is available, download and install it (earphones should lie in a case with an open lid).

For the smartphone:

• 📲 Go to Settings. → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 🔄 Click Check Updates and install the latest version. MIUI.

⚠️ Warning: Don't interrupt the process of updating your headphones! If the case battery runs out during firmware, the headset may fail. Charge the case to 100% before the update.

4.Use specialized synchronization applications

If system settings don't help, try third-party utilities that forcibly reduce sound buffering.

• 🎧 SoundAssistant (Samsung) – works on Xiaomi, allows you to adjust the delay manually.
• 🎛️ Bluetooth Auto Connect – Optimizes Connectivity and Lowers Lags.
• 🎮 Game Turbo (built-in to the game) MIUI) — Activates low latency mode for games.

Instructions for SoundAssistant:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Open Settings → Bluetooth Sound Latency.
3. Move the slider to the Low or Very Low position.
4. Restart sound playback.

For Game Turbo:

1. Run a game or a video.
2. Swipe down to call the notification bar and tap on the Game Turbo icon.
3. Enable the option to improve sound or low latency.

Install one of the proposed applications

Close all background programs (especially messengers)

Connect the headphones directly to the phone (without intermediaries)

Check the battery charge of the headphones (minimum 50%)

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5. Check the sound source and file format

The delay may not be due to the headphones, but to the source.

• 📺 YouTube or Netflix use adaptive buffering that adds lags.
• 🎮 In games, sound is often processed separately from video, creating dissonance.
• 💿 Music in format FLAC or WAV It takes longer to decode.

How to reduce the delay from the source:

• 🎥 On YouTube, try to include Statistics for Nerds (right click) → Stats for nerds) and look at the Audio Buffer Health value. If it's below 0.5, increase the buffer in the player settings.
• 🎵 For music, convert files into AAC 256 kbps or MP3 320 kbps – they are faster to decode.
• 🖥️ Nana Windows/Mac In the sound settings, select the format 16 bit, 44100 Hz (instead of) 24 bit, 48000 Hz).

If you watch a video on a Smart TV or Xiaomi Mi Box, try:

1. Turn off sound processing in the TV settings (Sound → Additional → Sound processing: Off).
2. Use an external Bluetooth transmitter (e.g., Xiaomi Bluetooth Audio Receiver) connected directly to the source.

6.Reset the headphone and phone settings

Sometimes the delay is due to a conflict of saved settings, and a full reset of headphones and reconnection often solves the problem.

How to Reset Xiaomi Headphones:

1. Place both headphones in the case and close the lid.
2. Open the lid and hold the button on the case (or the touchpad on the headphones) for 10-15 seconds until the indicator starts flashing red and white.
3. Remove the headphones from the list of Bluetooth devices on your phone.
4. Reconnect them as a new device.

For the smartphone:

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Connected devices.
• 🔄 Find your headphones, tap the icon ⚙️ and select Forget the device.
• 🔄 Reboot your phone and connect your headphones again.

⚠️ Note: On some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi AirDots 2), the reset results in a return to the factory firmware.If you have a sound problem after that (e.g., missing the bass), update your headphones through the official app.

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Resetting helps in 60% of cases where the delay is caused by a software failure. If the problem persists, check hardware compatibility (see next section).

7. Check hardware compatibility

If neither of these methods worked, the problem could be that your smartphone and your headphones are incompatible.

• 📱 Bluetooth Version: Xiaomi Buds 3 Pro headphones support Bluetooth 5.2, but if your phone is equipped with Bluetooth 4.0, there will always be a delay.
• 🔋 Battery status: With headphones under 20%, the processor starts to save energy, which increases the lag.
• 📶 Interference: Others Bluetooth/Wi-Fi frequency-wise 2.4 GHz (e.g. routers, microwaves) can cause interference. Try using headphones elsewhere.

How to check the Bluetooth version on your phone:

1. Install the AIDA64 app from Google Play.
2. Open the System section → Bluetooth.
3. Check out the Bluetooth version string.

If your phone supports Bluetooth 4.2 or lower and your headphones support 5.0+, consider the following options:

• 🔄 Buy a 5.0 Bluetooth adapter (e.g. Xiaomi Bluetooth 5.0) USB Adapter).
• 📱 Use headphones with another device (tablet, laptop).
• 🎧 Consider buying headphones with Bluetooth 4.2 for better compatibility.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the delay in Xiaomi headphones