Why Xiaomi’s right-hand earphone doesn’t work: full diagnostics and repairs

You took Xiaomi's wireless headphones out of your case, turned on your favorite playlist, and suddenly you found that the right earphone was not making sound or was malfunctioning, a situation that many Mi True Wireless Earbuds or Redmi Airdots or Xiaomi Buds owners know, and the problem can be either a banal connection failure or a serious hardware breakdown.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible reasons why Xiaomi’s right-hand earphone might be silent or not functioning properly, from a dead battery to a broken speaker, how to diagnose a malfunction yourself (including without special tools), what settings to check first, and when to contact the service center. We’ll also give step-by-step instructions for the most common models, including the Mi Air 2 Pro, Redmi Buds 3 and Xiaomi Buds 4.

Important: if the headphone is not fully turned on (the indicator does not flash, is not determined by the phone), the causes and solutions will be different – we have discussed them in a separate section.

1. Checking the underlying causes: battery, connection, contamination

Start with basic checks – 60% of the time, the problem is solved in 5 minutes without disassembly or repair.

A discharged battery on the right earphone is the most common reason for silence. Even if the case is charged, one of the headphones may not have been in contact with the charging contacts.

• 🔋 Charge level of the case - plug it into the charger and see the indication. 1-2 light bulbs, the case is discharged and can not charge the headphones.
• 🔌 Headphone and case contacts - gently wipe them with a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. Oxidation or dirt disrupts charging.
• ⚡ The indicator on the headphone - when placed in the case, it should flash red (discharged) or white (charged). If the indicator does not burn, there is a problem with contacts or battery.

An unstable Bluetooth connection could also be the reason why Xiaomi's right-hand earphone isn't working.

• 📱 Reconnect your headphones – remove them from the list of Bluetooth devices on your phone and reconnect them.
• 🔄 Reset network settings on your phone (in Settings) → System system → Reset → Reset Wi-Fi, mobile network and Bluetooth).
• 🎧 Connect to another device (tablet, laptop) – if it both headphones work, the problem is in the settings of your smartphone.

⚠️ Note: If the right headphone Xiaomi connects, but the sound goes only in the left, check the balance of the stereo in the phone settings. → Special facilities → Streo balance (slider should be in the middle).

2. Resetting headphones to factory settings

If the basic checks don't work, the next step is hard reset, which clears all the stored connection settings and returns the device to the "out of the box" state.

Instructions for most Xiaomi/Redmi models:

1. Place both headphones in the case and close the lid.
2. Press and hold the button on the case (usually located behind or below) for 10-15 seconds until the indicator starts flashing red and white alternately.
3. Release the button, the reset is complete, and now you need to reconnect the headphones, just like you did when you first used them.

For touch-controlled models (e.g. Xiaomi Buds 4):

• Touch and hold the touchpad on both headphones simultaneously for 10 seconds.
• Wait until the indicators start flashing purple (reset signal).

⚠️ Note: After reset, the headphones can be temporarily defined as two separate devices (Mi True). Wireless_Left Don't plug them in separately, wait until they're combined into one device).

Make sure both earbuds are in the case

Charge cover at least 30%

Disable headphones from all Bluetooth devices

Press the reset button exactly for 10-15 seconds-->

If the reset didn’t help, go to the software check.

3. Update to the headphone firmware

Outdated firmware can cause one of the headphones to malfunction, especially after an OS update on the phone. Xiaomi regularly releases patches to fix bugs with sound and connection.

To update the firmware:

1. Install the official Mi Earphones app (for Android) or Xiaomi Wear (for iOS).
2. If a new version is available, click Update and wait for the process to complete (don’t turn off the headphones or close the app!).

For Redmi Airdots 3 Pro and later, the update can be automatically done when connected to the Internet.

• Open Mi Earphones → Choose your headphones. → About the programme.
• Compare the version with the latest one on the official Xiaomi forum.

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If the Mi Earphones app doesn't see the headphones, try clearing the app's cache in your phone's settings (Settings) → Annexes → Mi Earphones → Memory. → Clear the cache).

Hardware malfunctions: speaker, contacts, microphone

If the software methods didn't work, it's probably hardware, and let's look at the most common breakdowns and their signs.

Dynamic damage

Symptoms:

• 🔊 The sound in the right earphone is distorted (wheezing, crackling) or completely absent.
• 🎵 When playing music, extraneous noises are heard (as if the speaker "bursts").
• 📉 The volume of the right earphone is significantly lower than the left (even at a balance of 100%).

Reasons:

• 💦 Getting moisture (even if the headphones are positioned as waterproof, IPX4 Does not protect against full immersion or steam in the bathroom).
• 🎧 Mechanical damage to the membrane (fall, strong compression).
• ⚡ Power overload (connection to amplifiers or faulty audio devices).

What to do:

• 🔍 Visual inspection - flash a flashlight into the speaker grille. If you see moisture or deformation, repair is only possible in the service.
• 🎧 Test on another device, connect the headphones to a PC or another phone, and if the problem persists, the speaker malfunctions.

Oxidation or break of contacts

Contacts inside the earphone oxidize over time, especially if the device was operated in a wet environment.

• 🔌 The headphone is periodically turned off (it works, then silent).
• 🔋 Not charged in the case (indicator does not burn).
• 📱 The phone is displayed as "Connected but without sound".

Provisional decision:

1. Carefully disassemble the headphone (if you have experience).
2. Wipe the contacts of the battery and board with an alcohol solution (at least 70%).
3. Check the integrity of the wires going from battery to board.

⚠️ Note: Disassembly of headphones Xiaomi is not warranty. If the device is warranty, contact the service center - repair contacts there will cost 500-1500 ₽ (model-wise).

5.Right earphone microphone problems

In some Xiaomi models (such as the Mi Air 2 Pro or Redmi Buds 3 Lite), the microphone is only built into the right earphone. If it is faulty, it can affect the operation of the entire device.

Signs of malfunctioning microphone:

• 🎤 When you call, the person doesn’t hear your voice (or hears it very quietly).
• 🔇 In the phone settings, the right earphone is displayed as "Without a microphone".
• 📱 When recording voice through headphones, recording is only from the left channel.

How to check:

1. Connect your headphones to your phone and call another number (or use a voice recorder).
2. In Mi Earphones, check the microphone settings (Settings) → Microphone → Microphone test).
3. If the microphone is not working, try cleaning the microphone hole (it is located on the bottom of the headphone) with a needle or compressed air.

If the microphone is physically damaged, it will cost 800–2000 to replace it in the service. ₽ (For Xiaomi Buds 4 and newer microphones are built into both headphones, so the problem may be less critical.

6.Coverage problems: charging and synchronization

The case on Xiaomi wireless headphones performs two key functions: charging and synchronizing between the headphones. If the case is faulty, the right earphone may not work even when fully charged.

Signs of problems with the case:

• 🔋 The right earphone is not charged (the indicator does not burn when placed in the case).
• 🔄 Headphones are not synchronized (the phone displays as two separate devices).
• 📱 The case is not determined when connected to the charger (the indicator does not burn).

Diagnostics and solutions:

If the case is physically damaged (cracks, dents), it can disrupt contact with the headphones, and the temporary solution is to put a piece of foil under the contacts of the case for better fit.

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If the case does not charge the right earphone, but the left one charges normally - the problem is in the contacts of the case, not in the earphone.

7. When to contact the service center

Not all breakdowns can be repaired by yourself.

• 🔧 You took apart the headphone and found chopped wires or burned items on the board.
• 💦 The headphone was in the water (even if after that drying and turned on).
• 🔋 The headphone battery swelled (seems by the deformation of the body).
• 🎧 After falling, the headphone does not turn on or emits extraneous sounds (squeaking, crackling when moving).

Cost of repair in unofficial services:

Xiaomi’s official service centers may refuse repairs if:

• The headphones have traces of self-repair.
• The warranty period (usually 12 months) has expired.
• The breakdown occurred due to mechanical damage (fall, compression).

Alternative to repair is buying a new headphone. On AliExpress or Mi Store you can find original parts (for example, the right earphone for Redmi Airdots 2 costs 800-1500). ₽).

8.The right earphone doesn't turn on at all

If the right earphone does not respond to pressing, does not flash the indicator and is not determined by the phone, the reasons may be as follows:

A. Battery discharged to zero

If the earphone was long dead, the power controller could lock.

1. Place the headphone in the case for 24 hours (even if the indicator is not on).
2. Use a knowingly working cable and power supply (5V/1A).
3. If after a day the headphone is not charged - the problem is in the battery or board.

B. Failure of the switch

In mechanical button models (e.g. Redmi Airdots), the button can stick or oxidize.

• Press the button 10-15 times carefully, sometimes it helps to develop contacts.
• If the button does not click, disassemble the headphone and clean the contacts with alcohol.

B. Firmware failure

In rare cases, the earbud firmware can go off, which causes it to stop turning on.

• Connect the headphone to the PC through a special adapter (for example, USB-C to TWS) You can also use the Mi Flash Tool.
• This method is suitable only for experienced users - the wrong firmware can finally "kill" the headphone.

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If the right earphone doesn't turn on, but the left one is working, it's a local problem (battery, button, board) if you don't turn on both, it's the case or the general sync failure.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi's broken right earphone