Connecting two Xiaomi wireless headphones to one device: the complete guide

Xiaomi wireless headphones are no longer a luxury — they have become an integral part of everyday life. But what if you want to share music with a friend or use two sets of headphones at the same time? For example, to watch a movie together without unnecessary wires or to create an immersive sound environment. Unfortunately, the standard Bluetooth protocol does not support connecting two audio devices to the same source at the same time — but Xiaomi has workarounds.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can sync two Xiaomi wireless headphones (including AirDots, Buds, FlipBuds, and others) with a single smartphone, tablet, or PC. You’ll learn about the built-in features of the micro-ecosystem, third-party apps, and hardware solutions, and the limitations that exist for different versions of MIUI and firmware. Importantly, not all methods are universal — some work only with certain models of headphones or devices.

Why standard Bluetooth doesn’t support two headphones at the same time

The technical limitation is the Bluetooth Classic protocol specification (and even BLE in most cases), which means that a single audio source can only transmit audio to one device at a time.

• 🔹 Profile A2DP — It's designed to stream audio to one device, and even if your smartphone can see both earbuds, it can't transmit sound synchronously.
• 🔹 Channel bandwidth – for stable sound transmission in high quality (for example, aptX or LDAC) All available lane required.
• 🔹 Synchronization delays – even if the protocol supported stream duplication, headphones could play sound with a difference of milliseconds, which is critical for music or video.

Xiaomi has partially solved this problem for its devices, however, thanks to MIUI proprietary chips and Bluetooth 5.2+ support with Dual Audio (on some models), but there is a nuance: the feature does not work with all headphones and requires specific conditions.

Official method: Dual Audio function in MIUI (only for selected models)

Starting with MIUI 12.5 and later, some Xiaomi smartphones (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro, Xiaomi 11/12 series, POCO F3, etc.) support the Dual Audio function. It allows you to transmit sound to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously, but with important reservations:

⚠️ Note: Dual Audio only works with headphones that support Bluetooth 5.0+ codec SBC or AAC. Headphones with aptX or LDAC may not synchronize.

To activate the function:

1. Connect the first set of headphones to the smartphone in the standard way (via Settings → Bluetooth).
2. Connect the second set (it should appear in the list of available devices).
3. Open Settings → Connections and Sharing → Dual Audio
4. Activate the switch and select both headphones in the list.

Does your smartphone support MIUI 12.5+?

Is there a "Dual Audio" option in the settings?

Are both earphones connected to the same device?

Whether the codec is used SBC/AAC (Check in the Bluetooth settings)-->

If you don't have Dual Audio on the menu, your smartphone model doesn't support it, and you'll have to use alternative methods.

Alternative methods for all Xiaomi models

If your smartphone does not support Dual Audio, or headphones are not synced through it, you can use one of the following methods:

Applications for sound duplication

There are third-party applications that emulate the Dual Audio function at the software level.

• 🎧 SoundAssistant (only for Samsung, but works on some Xiaomi via workarounds).
• 🎧 Bluetooth Dual Audio (requires root rights on some devices).
• 🎧 Bose Connect (official Bose app, but sometimes works with Xiaomi headphones).

Example of settings through SoundAssistant:

1. Download APK from the official website (version for Android 10+).
2. Enable the developer mode on Xiaomi (Settings → About Phone → MIUI version – press 7 times).
3. In Developer Settings, activate Debugging over USB and Allow location simulation.
4. Launch SoundAssistant, select Dual Audio and plug in both headphones.

⚠️ Note: Dubbing applications can cause delays of up to 200-500 ms. This is critical for video, but not as noticeable for music.

2.Use of Bluetooth transmitter

If the software methods don't work, you can use an external Bluetooth transmitter with Dual Link support.

• 📡 1Mii B06 Pro (supports two headphones at the same time).
• 📡 Avantree Oasis Plus (with aptX Low Latency codec).
• 📡 Creative BT-W5 (PC-wise TV).

Connection diagram:

1. Connect the transmitter to the sound source (smartphone, TV, PC) via Aux or USB-C.
2. Activate Dual Pairing on the transmitter (usually with a long push of a button).
3. Connect both sets of headphones to the transmitter.

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If the transmitter does not recognize the headphones, try resetting them to factory settings (usually by pressing the button for 10-15 seconds).

3. Bluetooth splitter (Y-cable)

For headphones with a Type-C or Lightning connector (if you use an adapter), you can use a Y cable with two Bluetooth modules, such as UGREEN Bluetooth Audio Splitter, which creates two separate Bluetooth connections, but requires:

• 🔌 Supported sound source USB OTG (Most of the Xiaomi support).
• 🔋 Adequate charge (the cable consumes additional energy).
• 🎵 Codec SBC (to minimize delays).

Xiaomi headphone compatibility: which models support dual-connection

Not all Xiaomi headphones can work in pairs, and below is a table of compatibility of popular models with different connection methods:

Headphones Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro and newer support the LE Audio protocol with Audio Sharing function, which allows you to connect them to a single source without additional devices (but requires a smartphone with Android 13+ and Bluetooth 5.2).

Problem Solving: What to do if the headphones are not synchronized

Even with the right setup, there can be problems, and here are the most common ways to solve them:

1. One earphone connects, the second does not.

• 🔄 Reboot both earbuds (put in the case for 10 seconds, then pull out).
• 📱 Remove both devices from the list of conjugated devices in Settings → Bluetooth and reconnect.
• 🔧 Update the firmware of headphones through the Mi Home app or Xiaomi Wear.

2. The sound only goes to one earpiece

• 🎛️ Check the sound balance in Settings → Sound. → Stereo balance (should be in the center).
• 🔊 Enable Mono/Stereo mode in Bluetooth settings (if any).
• 🔋 Charge both headphones to 100% – at low charge, one channel can turn off.

3. Sound delay (lag) during dual connection

• 📶 Switch the codec to SBC (in Bluetooth settings next to the headphone name).
• 📵 Disable other Bluetooth devices (fitness bracelets, smart watches).
• 🔄 Reboot your smartphone – sometimes resetting the Bluetooth stack helps.

Features of connecting to a PC, laptop or TV

On Windows and macOS, standard tools don’t support Dual Audio, but there are workarounds:

For Windows 10/11:

1. Install a Bluetooth stack from Broadcom (if your adapter supports it).
2. Use Voicemeeter to create a virtual audio device and duplicate stream.
3. Connect the headphones via a Bluetooth transmitter (as described above).

For macOS:

Starting with macOS Monterey, the Audio MIDI Setup feature was introduced to create a multi-output device:

1. Open the software → Utilities → Audio MIDI Setup
2. Click + in the lower left corner and select Create a Multi-Output Device.
3. Add both headphones to the list and activate the device.

For Xiaomi TVs (Mi TV, Redmi TV):

Xiaomi TVs on MIUI TV don't support Dual Audio natively.

• 📺 Use a Bluetooth transmitter with optical output (TOSLINK).
• 🎮 Connect your headphones through the Game Controller (if you have a TV supportive).
• 🔊 Buy a Bluetooth sound bar and connect your headphones to it.

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On PC and TV, the audio delays during dual connection can reach 300-500 ms. For watching movies, it is better to use a Bluetooth transmitter with support for aptX Low Latency.

Energy and Safety: What You Need to Know

Using two headphones simultaneously affects:

• 🔋 Battery life – both headphones and sound source will discharge faster by 30-50%.
• 📶 Stability of connection - in conditions of interference (metro, crowded places) breaks are possible.
• 🔊 Sound quality – when used SBC High and low frequencies are lost.

Recommendations for extension:

• 🔄 Turn off dual mode when you don’t need it.
• 📴 Use headphones with Bluetooth 5.2 support+ (They're more energy efficient).
• 🔋 Keep your headphone case charged – some models (such as the Buds 4 Pro) can be recharged directly while in use.

⚠️ Warning: Prolonged use of two headphones at the same time at maximum volume can lead to overheating of the Bluetooth module of the smartphone. If the case is noticeably warm, take a break for 10-15 minutes.

FAQ: Frequent questions about connecting two Xiaomi headphones