Why is one headphone Xiaomi silent and how to turn both on: all ways to solve it

The problem of one of Xiaomi’s wireless headphones refusing to work is familiar to many owners of Redmi AirDots, Mi True Wireless, Buds or FlipBuds models, most often after updating the firmware of the smartphone, discharging the headphone battery or accidentally resetting the settings. In 90% of cases, the malfunction is software-based - and it can be fixed without contacting the service center.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible reasons why a single headphone doesn’t connect, make a sound, or display as a standalone device on the Bluetooth list. You’ll get step-by-step instructions for Android, iPhone, and Windows, and how to avoid similar problems in the future.

If your headphones don't sync after falling or getting moisture, check them for physical damage first, in which case repairs may be needed.

1. Checking basic settings: what to do first

Before you start to do complex manipulations, make sure that the problem is not the basic settings.

✅ Charge level. One of the headphones could have been more severe than the other. Place both earphones in a case for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove them and try to reconnect them. 3T Pro and newer indicator on the case shows the charge of each headphone separately – if one of them does not blink, its battery is completely discharged.

✅ Bluetooth on your device. Make sure Bluetooth is on on your smartphone/PC and the headphones are within range (no more than 10 meters without obstacles). On Android, check if the charge saving mode is activated - it can turn off background connections.

✅ Connect to another device. Sometimes the headphones stick on the previous gadget (for example, a laptop or tablet), go to the Bluetooth settings on all devices that the headphones have previously connected to, and remove them from the list of associated devices.

• 🔋 Charge the case and headphones. Connect the case to charge for 30 minutes, even if the indicator is on.
• 📱 Rebooting your smartphone: A simple but effective way to reset the time errors of a Bluetooth module.
• 🔄 Resetting the network on a smartphone. On Android: Settings → System system → Reset → Resetting Wi-Fi, Mobile Network and Bluetooth.

⚠️ Note: If Xiaomi headphones connect as two separate devices (e.g. Mi True) Wireless_L and Mi True. Wireless_R), Don't try to plug them in separately, it will cause the sync to break. You'll need to reset your headphones first (more on that below).

2.Resetting headphones Xiaomi: a universal way

If the basic checks didn't work, the next step is to reset the headphones hardware, which will bring them back to factory settings and make them sync again, and the instructions are suitable for all models, including the Redmi AirDots 3, Mi True Wireless 2 and Buds 4.

How to Reset Xiaomi Headphones:

1. Open the case cover and hold the button on the back (or touch zone on cases without a physical button) for 15-20 seconds until the indicator flashes red and white (in the new models - red and green).

On models Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro and FlipBuds Pro reset is performed differently:

1. Remove the headphones from the case.


2.Push and hold the touchpads on both headphones simultaneously for 10 seconds.




3. Wait for the beep and the flashing of indicators.

Make sure your headphones are at least 30 times charged%|

Remove headphones from the Bluetooth list on all devices |

Prepare a charging cable (in case of discharge during discharge)|

Check that there are no other active Bluetooth devices nearby (may interfere with pairing)-->

After reset, the headphones may not connect the first time. If the sound is only in one earphone, try turning off mono mode (more on this in the next section).

3. disabling monomode (if one headphone works separately)

Many Xiaomi models support mono mode, which allows you to use only one headphone (for example, right or left), sometimes this mode is activated accidentally, and the headphones stop syncing.

For Android (via Mi Earphones app):

• 📱 Open the Mi Earphones app (download from Google Play if it isn't available).
• 🔗 Connect the headphones to the smartphone.
• 🎧 Go to the headphone settings section → Sound mode.
• 🔄 Choose Stereo (not Mono (left) or Mono (right)).

For iPhone (without the app):

There is no official Xiaomi headphone management app on iOS, but you can try:

1. Go to Settings → Bluetooth.
2. Find your headphones in the list and click on the i icon next to the title.
3. Select Forget this device, then reconnect the headphones.

Manual reset of monomode (for all models):

If the application does not help, do the following:

1. Put both earbuds in the case.
2. Take out just one headphone (like the right one) and wait 5 seconds.
3. Get the second headphone out – they should sync automatically.
4. If the sound is only in one headphone, return both to the case and repeat the procedure.

⚠️ Note: On Redmi AirDots 2 and Mi True Wireless 2, the mono mode can be activated by double tapping one of the headphones' touchpads. Check the gesture settings in the Mi Earphones app.

Redmi AirDots (1-3 generation) |

Mi True Wireless (1-2 generation) |

Xiaomi Buds (3-4 Pro)|

Redmi Buds (4-5)|

Another model-->

4.Firmware problems: Update and rollback

Incorrect firmware is one of the most common reasons why one earbud stops working. Xiaomi regularly releases updates for its headphones, but sometimes they contain errors.

How to update the firmware headphones:

• 📲 Install the official Mi Earphones app (for Android) or Xiaomi Wear (for iOS).
• 🔗 Connect headphones to your smartphone via Bluetooth.
• 🔄 In the application, go to the Firmware Update section (usually located in the headphone settings menu).
• 📥 If you have an update available, download it and install it. Don't turn off your headphones during the process!

How to roll back firmware (if the update broke sync):

Unfortunately, Xiaomi does not provide an official way to roll back firmware for headphones.

1. Reset the headphones to factory settings (see section 2).
2. Connect them to an Android smartphone with the Mi Earphones app installed.
3. If the app appears notification about the availability of the update, do not install it – this means that the current version of the firmware is not the latest, and the headphones can earn correctly.

If your headphones stopped working after the firmware update, try contacting Xiaomi support via the official chat or c.mi.com forum.

5. Features of connecting to Windows and Mac

Xiaomi headphones are optimized primarily for Android, so when connecting to Windows or Mac, there may be specific problems.

Problems with Windows 10/11:

• 🖥️ The headphones are plugged in, but the sound is only going to one earphone. → System system → Sound, select your headphones and tap Device Properties. Under Spatial Sound, select Unplugged.
• 🔊 Headphones are defined as Headphone and Head microphone separately. Solution: Remove both devices from the Bluetooth list, then reconnect the headphones by selecting the Stereo Sound option.
• 🔄 Permanent communication breaks. Solution: Turn off Bluetooth settings to Allow devices to connect to this computer for other gadgets.

Problems on the Mac:

• 🍎 The headphones are plugged in, but the sound is interrupted. Solution: Go to System Settings → Bluetooth, find your headphones and press Delete. Then plug them back in, holding the button on the case until it appears on the list.
• 🔇 The microphone is not working. Solution: C System settings → Sound. → Entrance select your headphones as the input device.

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If Xiaomi headphones don’t connect to Windows, try using a Bluetooth 5.0 adapter (e.g. TP-Link). UB500). Built-in modules on many laptops work unstablely with TWS-headphone.

For stable Windows operation, it is also recommended to disable power saving for the Bluetooth adapter:

1. Open Device Manager (Win + X → Device Manager).
2. Find the Bluetooth partition, open it and select your adapter.
3. Go to the Power Management tab and uncheck the box from the Allow Disconnection of this device to save energy.

Physical damage and repair

If none of the software methods worked, the problem may be the hardware, and let's look at the typical malfunctions and their signs:

• 🔋 Battery discharged in one earphone, symptoms: one earphone discharges quickly, does not hold charge. Solution: battery replacement (in service center).
• 🎛️ Symptoms: one earphone is not charging in the case, the indicator is not burning.
• 📡 Faulty Bluetooth module. Symptoms: Headphones are not detected by any device, the indicator does not flash. Solution: repair or replacement of the earphone.
• 💧 Moisture infestation. Symptoms: the sound is interrupted, the earphone cracks. Solution: drying in rice (24 hours) or repairing.

How to check which earphone is faulty:

1. Try to connect each headphone separately in mono mode (if the model supports).
2. See if the problem headphone is charged in the case (the indicator should flash when placed in the case).
3. Check if the touchpad responds to touch (on gesture-enabled models).

⚠️ Warning: If Xiaomi headphones fall into water or are exposed to extreme humidity, do not turn them on immediately. Place them in a dry place for 24-48 hours. Using a hair dryer or heaters can damage electronics!

The cost of repairing Xiaomi headphones in service centers:

7. Alternative solutions: if nothing helps

If you’ve tried all the ways but one earbud still doesn’t work, consider the following options:

• 🔄 Use headphones with a different device, try connecting them to another smartphone, tablet or PC, and if the problem recurs, a malfunction in the headphones.
• 🛠️ PC flashing. Some models (e.g. Redmi AirDots 3 Pro) have unofficial Windows firmware utilities!
• 🔊 If stereo is not restored, you can use the working earphone in mono mode (for example, for calls).
• 🆕 Buy a new headphone. On AliExpress and in official Xiaomi stores, you can buy a separate headphone (left or right) to replace. Cost: 1000-2 500 ₽ model-wise.

Where to buy spare parts for headphones Xiaomi:

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Before buying a new headphone, make sure that the problem is not the case. Sometimes a case malfunction causes one of the headphones to be incapacitated, which causes it to not turn on.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi headphones