Xiaomi headphones are connected separately - reasons and 5 ways to solve

You pulled Xiaomi headphones out of the case, and they connected to the phone separately — the left and right work as two independent devices? This is a common problem faced by owners of wireless headphones brand, from budget Redmi AirDots to flagship FlipBuds Pro. In most cases, the malfunction is not related to a breakdown, but caused by a failure of synchronization between headsets or Bluetooth errors.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible reasons why Xiaomi headphones are defined as two separate devices, and give you step-by-step instructions for restoring their pairing work. You’ll learn how to reset, update your firmware, check for compatibility with your phone, and even what to do if the problem lies in a hardware failure.

Why Xiaomi Headphones Are Connected Separately: 6 Main Reasons

Before you start repairing or resetting, it’s important to understand what caused the headphones to disconnect. Here’s a full list of reasons why the headset can work as two separate devices:

• 🔋 Discharged battery in one of the headphones (most often right) – if the charge is below 10%, synchronization may be interrupted.
• 📱 Firmware failure – especially after automatic updates via Mi Home or Xiaomi Earbuds app.
• 🔄 Incorrect order of connection – if first connected only one earphone, the second may not pick up the connection.
• 📡 Problems with the phone or headphone Bluetooth module (for example, after falling or getting moisture).
• 🔧 Resetting the settings of one of the headphones (accidental or after updating).
• 🛠️ Hardware malfunction – damage to contacts in the case or synchronization chips.

80% of the time, the problem is solved software-free, without going to the service center, but if Xiaomi headphones are disconnected after mechanical impact (impact, fall into the water), there is a high risk of physical damage, and then you will need repair.

Method 1: Reboot your headphones and phone (the easiest method)

Start with a basic reset, which helps in 60% of cases where the problem is caused by a temporary communication failure.

1. Put both headphones in the case and close the lid.
2. Wait 30 seconds, and they will be completely shut down.
3. Take the headphones out of the case and wait until they start flashing white/red (search mode).
4. On the phone, turn off Bluetooth for 10 seconds, then turn it back on.
5. Connect to the headphones as a new device.

If Xiaomi headphones are still being identified separately after the reboot, move on to the next method. Importantly, don't try to plug them in one at a time, which could make the problem worse!

💡

On some models (such as the Redmi Buds 3 Pro) to fully reboot, you need to press and hold the touchpad on both headphones for 10 seconds until the indicator goes out and blinks again.

Method 2: Resetting headphones to factory settings

If a simple reboot doesn’t work, do a hard reset, which removes all the saved settings, including connection history, and returns the headphones to the original settings. The instructions below are universal for all Xiaomi models, but some headsets (such as the Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro) may require additional steps.

How to Reset Xiaomi Headphones:

Put both headphones in the case and close the lid | Open the case lid and wait until the headphones start flashing | Press and hold the touchpads on both headphones simultaneously for 15-20 seconds | Wait until the indicators flash red and white (reset signal) | Remove the headphones from the list of conjugated devices in the Bluetooth settings | Connect to them again as a new device-->

After reset, the headphones should automatically sync with each other and connect to the phone as a single device.

• 🔋 The charge level of the case and headphones (must be at least 30%).
• 📱 Compatibility of your smartphone with Bluetooth 5.0+ (Xiaomi headphones may not work properly with older versions).
• 🔄 Availability of firmware updates in the Mi Home or Xiaomi Earbuds app.

Method 3: Update the firmware through the official application

Outdated or damaged firmware is one of the most common reasons Xiaomi earphones are connected separately, and the manufacturer regularly releases updates to fix synchronization errors to update the software:

1. Install the official app: For most models, Xiaomi Earbuds (available on Google Play and the App Store). For older headsets (such as Redmi AirDots S), Mi Home.

Connect the headphones to the phone via Bluetooth.

Open the app and select your model from the list of devices.

Settings → Updating the firmware

Update

Once the firmware update is updated, the headphones will automatically restart. Check if the sync has recovered. If the problem persists, try resetting (method 2) - sometimes the firmware is only applied correctly after a complete reset.

⚠️ Warning: Don't interrupt the firmware update process! If Xiaomi headphones run out or communication is interrupted during firmware, they may stop turning on. Charge the case to 100% before upgrading.

Method 4: Phone Compatibility Check and Bluetooth Configurement

Sometimes the problem isn't with the headphones, it's with the phone or its settings.

• 📱 Bluetooth Version: Xiaomi headphones require Bluetooth 5.0 or later. On older smartphones (such as Bluetooth 4.2), sync failures may occur. Check the version in the phone settings: Settings → The phone. → Information on the PO → Bluetooth version.
• 🔄 Conflict with other devices: If other Bluetooth headsets are connected to the phone (such as a smartwatch or speaker), they may interfere with the connection.
• 🔋 Energy savings: some phones (especially on the phone) MIUI) aggressively disable Bluetooth in the background. Add headphones to the exception list: Settings → Battery → Energy conservation → Applications without restrictions.

Also, try connecting your headphones to another phone or tablet, and if the second device is working normally, it's a problem with your smartphone settings, and if it's disconnecting there, it's the headphones themselves.

⚠️ Attention: On phones Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco firmware MIUI 14+ It can trigger a bug that defines the headphones as two devices. Solution: Turn off dual audio in Bluetooth settings.

Method 5: Diagnostics of hardware malfunctions

If all software methods have been tried, but Xiaomi headphones are still connected separately, a hardware breakdown is possible.

• 🔌 Check contacts in the case: often oxidation or contamination of metal contacts leads to the fact that one of the headphones does not charge and sync.
• 🎧 Sound test: If one of the headphones makes sound (for example, when connected), and the second does not, this is a sign of a malfunction of the speaker or chip.
• 🔋 Charging: Put the headphones in the case for 1 hour, then check the charge level of each in the app.If one of them is not charging, the problem is the battery or power controller.

Typical hardware malfunctions leading to the separation of headphones:

If you suspect a hardware breakdown, but do not have experience in electronics repair, it is better to contact the Xiaomi service center.

💡

Before contacting the service, check the warranty: if the headphones were purchased less than a year ago, the repair should be free (provided there are no mechanical damages).

Frequent questions about the separation of headphones Xiaomi