Xiaomi Wireless Headphones Work One at a Time: Reasons and 7 Ways to Fix

You pulled Xiaomi Redmi AirDots or Mi TrueWireless headphones out of your case, but one of them doesn't connect, stay silent or work separately from the pair? This problem is found in 15% of users of the brand's wireless headsets - and most often solved without going to the service center. In this article, we will analyze 7 proven ways to synchronize headphones, from basic to advanced, and also tell you how to avoid repeated failures.

The causes of the problem can be different: from the banal discharge of one of the headphones to software errors in the firmware. For example, in the models of Redmi Buds 3 Pro and Xiaomi Buds 4, sometimes pairs get knocked down after updating the software through the Mi Home app. And in old AirDots (2019), the problem is often associated with wear of contacts in the charging case. We have collected all the current solutions for 2026 - with step-by-step instructions and screenshots.

Important: If the headphones have never worked together (for example, after buying), it is likely a marriage - contact the seller immediately.

1. Checking the underlying causes: charging and physical damage

Before you reset or reflash your headphones, eliminate obvious problems. In 40% of cases, one of the headphones does not work because of:

• 🔋 Discharged battery – check the indicators on the case (both LEDs should burn when charging).
• 🔌 Bad contact in the case - clean the metal contacts on the headphones and in the case nest with a cotton swab soaked in alcohol.
• 🎧 Mechanical damage – check the speaker for dirt or moisture (especially for Redmi Buds 3 Lite without protection) IPX4).
• 📱 Bluetooth Errors on Smartphone – Try Connecting Headphones to Another Device.

If the indicator on the problem earphone does not light up when placed in the case, try to force the charge: hold the earphone in the case for 10 seconds, then remove and paste back, sometimes triggered when the power controller "hangs."

⚠️ Note: Do not use abrasive materials ( sandpaper, metal brushes) to clean contacts - this will damage the coating and worsen conductivity.

2. Resetting headphones to factory settings

If the basic checks don't work, the next step is hard reset, which removes all the connections you've saved and returns the headphones to a boxy state, and the instructions vary depending on the model.

For Redmi AirDots (all generations) and Mi TrueWireless 1/2:

1. Place both headphones in the case and close the lid.
2. Press and hold the button on the case for 15 seconds (the indicator should flash red 3 times).
3. Open the lid – the headphones will automatically go into pairing mode (the indicators will flash alternately white / red).

For Redmi Buds 3/4 Pro and Xiaomi Buds 4/5:

1. Get the headphones out of the case.
2. Press the touch panels on both headphones for 10 seconds until you hear the beep.
3. Place the headphones back in the case for 5 seconds, then pull out - they should sync.

After reset, reconnect your headphones to your phone via Settings → Bluetooth. If one of the headphones is still undetectable, move on to the next way.

Make sure both earphones are charged (>30%)

Close all applications that use Bluetooth (music, games)

Disable headphones from all devices manually

Prepare a paper clip to press the reset button (if the button is recessed)

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3. firmware update via Mi Home/Mi Fitness

In 2023-2026, Xiaomi released several firmware updates for headphones that fix synchronization problems. For example, in Redmi Buds 4 Pro, version 4.7.15 fixed the bug from the "loss" of the right earphone after a discharge below 10%.

1. Install the Mi Home app (for most models) or Mi Fitness (for the Xiaomi Buds series).
2. Connect the headphones to the phone via Bluetooth.
3. Open the application, find the device in the list and go to Settings → Firmware Update.
4. If a new version is available, follow the on-screen instructions (don’t turn off the headphones during the process!).

Tip: If the update is 0% or 100%, restart your smartphone and try again. In rare cases, changing the region to India or China helps, where updates sometimes appear earlier.

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If after updating the firmware headphones began to work quieter, reset the equalizer settings in the Mi Home application - sometimes updates reset user presets.

4. Manual synchronization of headphones (if reset did not help)

If the headphones don’t sync after hard reset, try forced pairing manually, which works for most Xiaomi models except the Buds 5 Pro (which uses a different protocol).

1. Take both headphones out of the case and place them next to each other (<5 cm away).
2. Press the touch panels on both headphones for 5 seconds until you hear a double beep.
3. Wait 10-15 seconds – the indicators should start flashing synchronously (this means that the headphones “saw” each other).
4. Connect them to your phone via Bluetooth.

A critical nuance: if one of the headphones flashes red and the other flashes white, it means that they are in different modes (for example, the left in pairing mode, and the right in standby mode).

For models with a button on the case (AirDots, TrueWireless 1), the algorithm is different:

1. Put the headphones in the case.
2. Open the lid and hold the button on the case for 10 seconds until the indicators start flashing alternately.
3. Close the lid, wait 5 seconds and open again – the headphones should sync.

5. Verification of compatibility with the device and OS

Xiaomi’s wireless headphones are optimized for MIUI devices, but sometimes conflict with other systems.

• 📱 On iPhone (iOS 16)+) Automatic switching between devices may not work (you need to manually select headphones in the Bluetooth menu).
• 💻 Windows. 10/11 Sometimes the aptX codec is lost or AAC, What causes one earphone to shut down.
• 🤖 Android with custom firmware (for example, LineageOS) may not have support LE Audio, which leads to a communication break.

Decisions:

• On iPhone: Forget the device in Bluetooth settings and connect again.
• On Windows: Update the Bluetooth driver through Device Manager or install Bluetooth Audio Receiver from the Microsoft Store.
• On Android: Enable Developer Mode and activate Bluetooth Debugging in Settings → System → For Developers.

If the problem only occurs with one device (e.g., headphones work on a phone but not a laptop), the reason is precisely compatibility – try using them with another gadget.

⚠️ Note: Headphones Xiaomi Buds 5 Pro and newer require Bluetooth 5.2+ If your smartphone only supports Bluetooth 5.0 (like the Redmi Note 9), you may have problems syncing.

6. Diagnostics of hardware malfunctions

If the software methods didn't help, there might be a problem with the hardware.

• 🔋 Battery wear – if the headphone discharges in 10-15 minutes, it must be replaced (repair cost) ~1 500–2 500 ₽).
• 🎛️ Bluetooth module damage – more common after falls or moisture.
• 🔌 Oxidation of contacts in the case - leads to unstable charging and synchronization failures.
• 🔊 Failure of the speaker - if the earphone connects, but does not make sound.

How to check:

1. See if the problem earphone heats up when charging (if so, a short circuit is possible).
2. Check if it is defined as a separate device in Bluetooth (e.g., as Mi). TrueWireless_L).
3. Connect your headphones to your PC and check Bluetooth logs through Devices and Printers → Properties → Event Log.

If the headphone is not responsive to reset, is not charged and is not determined by the devices, most likely, repair will be required. ~500 ₽, battery replacement - from 1,200 ₽, replacement of Bluetooth module - from 2 000 ₽.

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Before visiting the service center, be sure to check the warranty card – if the headphones are less than 12 months old, repairs can be free (even for mechanical damage, if they are not obvious).

7. Alternative methods: if nothing helps

If the standard methods didn’t work, try these non-obvious solutions:

• 🔄 Change of headphone: in some models (for example, Redmi Buds 3 Pro) you can assign a left or right headphone to the lead:

Use of third-party applications

Bluetooth Auto Connect

Bose Connect

Connection through AUX-cable

Xiaomi Dual Driver

Last chance is to manually flash through Fastboot (power users only!).

• A computer with Qualcomm or MTK drivers installed (depending on the chip in the headphones).
• Firmware for your model (can be found on the 4PDA or XDA-Developers forums).
• QFlash Tool or SP Flash Tool.

Xiaomi has promised to fix the problem in its next update (expected in the first quarter of 2026).