How to connect Xiaomi AirDots to your smartphone: instructions with photos and tips

Xiaomi AirDots wireless headphones (and their modifications: AirDots Pro, AirDots 3, AirDots Youth) have become one of the most popular accessories due to the combination of price, sound quality and convenience. However, even with such simple devices, users often have problems with the first connection: headphones are not on the list of available devices, only one earphone is connected, or the connection is constantly broken. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to connect AirDots to a phone, tablet or computer, and also explain how to avoid typical errors.

It’s important to understand that the connection process can vary depending on the headphone model and firmware version. For example, AirDots 3 Pro supports Bluetooth 5.2 technology with low latency, and old AirDots Basic runs on Bluetooth 4.2 – this affects the stability of the connection. We will look at universal methods that will suit any version, and also discuss the nuances for specific models separately.

1. Headphone Preparation for Connection: What to Do Before Connecting

Before you try to pair Xiaomi AirDots with your phone, make sure the headphones are fully charged and in pairing mode. A common novice error is trying to connect when the case or headphones are discharged.

• 🔋 Case and headphone charge: Case indicator should be white or green (depending on model) If LED flashes red, charge the device for at least 30 minutes.
• 📱 Bluetooth compatibility: Your smartphone should support Bluetooth 4.0 or later. On Android, check in Settings → The phone. → Bluetooth version.
• 🔄 Resetting previous connections: If the headphones were already connected to another device, they need to “forget” in the Bluetooth settings of that gadget.

If you just took the headphones out of the box, they should automatically go into pairing mode when you first remove them from the case.

⚠️ Warning: Not all AirDots models are dropped the same. 3/Pro Hold the button on the case. 10 For older models (AirDots Basic) press and hold the touch panels on both headphones for a while. 15 seconds.

Charge the case and headphones to 100%|Check the Bluetooth version on your phone|Reset previous connections in settings|Remove headphones from the case to activate the pairing mode|If necessary, perform a hardware reset-->

2. Standard Android connection: step-by-step instructions

The process of connecting Xiaomi AirDots to an Android phone (including Xiaomi, Samsung, Realme and other brands) takes no more than a minute if done correctly.

1. Open Bluetooth settings on your phone: go to Settings → Connected devices → Bluetooth (on) MIUI The path may be different: Settings → Activate Bluetooth if it is turned off.
2. Take both earphones out of the case. They should automatically turn on and go into pairing mode (the indicators on the headphones will flash red and white).
3. In the list of available devices, find the name of your headphones. It can appear as: Mi True Wireless Earphones Basic (for AirDots Basic), Redmi AirDots (for Redmi models), Mi AirDots Pro or Mi AirDots 3 (for the corresponding versions).

Click on the headphone name in the list. In a few seconds, the notification "Connected to media audio" will appear.

If the headphones don’t appear in the list, try the following:

• 🔄 Reboot Bluetooth: Turn off and turn on the module on your phone again.
• 📴 Check the headphones: put them back in the case, close the lid, then pull them out again.
• 📱 Update your phone’s firmware: Outdated Android versions (below 8.0) may not work properly with AirDots.

AirDots Basic (1st version)|AirDots Pro/Pro 2|AirDots 3/3 Pro|Redmi AirDots (or Buds)|Another model-->

Connection to iPhone (iOS): features and possible problems

While Xiaomi AirDots is designed for the MIUI ecosystem, they work well with the iPhone, but there are a few nuances:

• 🍎 There is no separate AirDots management app on iOS (unlike Android, where you can use Mi Home or Xiaomi Wear).
• 🔊 Some features (such as gesture customization or charge check) will not be available.
• 🎵 Codec AAC (The default iPhone can deliver worse sound quality than Android’s aptX.

Instructions for iOS:

1. Open the settings → Bluetooth on the iPhone.
2. Take the headphones out of the case and wait until they appear in the list of "Other devices" (can take up to 30 seconds).
3. Click on the headphone name. If you get a confirmation request, select "Connect."
4. After connecting, check that the status bar shows the headphone icon (near the battery indicator).

⚠️ Note: On iOS 16 and later, there may be an issue where AirDots only connect in Phone Audio mode. To fix this, go to Settings. → Bluetooth, click on the "i" icon next to the headphones and select "Use for Media".

4. Connection to a PC or laptop (Windows/macOS/Linux)

Xiaomi AirDots wireless headphones can be used not only with smartphones, but also with computers. The process of connecting to Windows, macOS or Linux is almost identical, but there are some features.

For Windows 10/11:

1. Press Win + I, go to Devices → Bluetooth and other devices.
2. Turn on Bluetooth and click "Add Device" → "Bluetooth".
3. Take the headphones out of the case and wait for them to appear in the list. Select them and click "Plug in."

For macOS:

1. Open System settings → Bluetooth.
2. Click "Connect" next to the AirDots name in the list.
3. If the headphones don’t show up, try rebooting the Bluetooth module on a Mac: hold Shift + Option and click on the Bluetooth icon in the menu bar, then select Reset Bluetooth module.

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If Windows AirDots connects but only sounds to one headphone, open Control Panel → Sound, find the headphones in the list, click Properties → Additional and turn off the option “Disable audio devices to improve performance”.

5. Solving typical connection problems

Even if you follow instructions correctly, users often encounter errors, and let's look at the most common cases and how to fix them.

Problem 1: Headphones are not defined by the phone

• 🔌 Check the charge: if the indicator on the case does not burn, the headphones are discharged.
• 🔄 Reset: for AirDots 3, hold the button on the case for 20 seconds until the indicator blinks 3 times.
• 📱 Update your phone firmware: on Android 12+ There may be Bluetooth bugs. LE Audio.

Problem 2: Only one headphone is connected

• 🎧 Check the sync: Put both earphones in the case, close the lid, then pull them out again.
• 🔗 Reset the connection: in Bluetooth settings, “forget” the device and connect again.
• 🔊 Check the sound balance: on Android go to Settings → Sound. → Stereo balance.

Issue 3: Permanent connection breaks

• 📶 Remove interference: Move away from Wi-Fi or microwave sources.
• 🔋 Check the case charge: if the level is below 20%, failures may occur.
• 📱 Turn off power saving: on Xiaomi add Bluetooth to exceptions in Settings → Battery → Energy conservation.

6. Additional settings and chips for Xiaomi AirDots

Once you've successfully connected, you can customize AirDots to suit your needs, and let's look at the most useful features:

Customization of gestures (for models with touch control)

• 👆 Double tap: default playback/pause. You can reassign to voice assistant.
• 👇 Triple touch: track skip (on AirDots 3 Pro).
• 🔇 Retention: on/off noise reduction (if supported).

To change gestures on Android, use the Xiaomi Wear app (available on Google Play).

Checking the level of charge

To find out the charge of headphones and case can be in several ways:

• 📱 On Android (c) MIUI): Open the notification curtain - there will be a charge level displayed.
• 🍎 On iOS: Add the Battery widget to the home screen.
• 🔌 For all models: Put your headphones in the case and open the lid - the indicator will show: White: charge over 60% Orange: 30-60% Red: less than 30% Blinking red: less than 10%

Activation of low latency (for games and videos)

Xiaomi AirDots 3 Pro headphones support low latency (up to 80ms), but it only activates when connected to Xiaomi devices on MIUI 12.5 and later.

1. Connect the headphones to the Xiaomi phone.
2. Open Settings → Connected devices → Headphone settings.
3. Activate the option "Low Delay Mode".

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Low latency mode significantly reduces lag when watching videos or games, but can slightly degrade sound quality due to compression of the audio stream.

7. How to Update Xiaomi AirDots Firmware

The manufacturer periodically releases firmware updates for AirDots, which improve connection stability, add new features or fix bugs. You can update the headphones only through the official Xiaomi Wear app (formerly Mi Home).

Instructions:

1. Install the Xiaomi Wear app from Google Play or the App Store.
2. Connect the headphones to the phone via Bluetooth.
3. Open the app, find your AirDots in the list of devices and go to their settings.
4. If an update is available, a notification will appear. Click "Update" and wait until the process is complete (don't turn off the headphones!).

⚠️ Warning: Do not interrupt the update process - this can cause the headphones to break. If the update is hanging, put the headphones in the case, close the lid for 10 seconds, then try again.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi AirDots