You took out a Xiaomi Redmi AirDots headphone, Mi True Wireless Earbuds or another model, but instead of the usual stereo sound, you hear only one channel? Or does not have any headphones connected at all? TWS-Xiaomi devices, but in 90% of cases it can be eliminated without contacting the service center.
In this article, we will look at all the possible reasons why the headphones stopped working synchronously, from a banal discharge to a firmware failure, you will receive step-by-step instructions with photos and videos on how to return stereo sound, and also learn in which cases repairs will be required. We will pay special attention to the Redmi Buds models. 3/4, Xiaomi Buds 4 and other popular gadgets of the brand - their settings may differ!
Before you start repairing, check the obvious: both headphones must be charged (the indicators on the body burn white or red), and the case must have enough charge to synchronize. If the indicators do not glow at all, the problem may lie in a discharged case battery or contact malfunction.
Why Xiaomi Headphones Split: 5 Main Reasons
Headphone disconnection rarely happens spontaneously - usually preceded by specific user actions or technical failures.-5 Why Xiaomi has stopped working together:
- 🔋 Discharge one of the headphones. If the left or right earphone is dead, it can fall out of the pair.
- 📱 Firmware failure: After updating the software via Mi Fit or Xiaomi Wear, the headphones may lose communication with each other.
- 🎧 Mechanical damage to the contacts: Falling, moisture or dust on the metal contacts in the case leads to poor connection.
- 🔄 Reset settings on one earphone. If you accidentally reset (for example, holding a button on one device), the pair will steam.
- 📡 Interference from other Bluetooth devices: In places with a lot of active gadgets (metro, offices), headphones can lose communication.
According to service centers, 60 percent of the time, the problem is solved by rebooting the headphones or resetting the settings. The other 40 percent is due to hardware problems (contact wear, Bluetooth failure), and then we'll go into detail on how to diagnose and fix each of the causes.
Method 1: Reboot the headphones through the case (works in 80% of cases)
The simplest and most effective method is to force both headphones to restart, which will work if the problem is caused by a temporary communication failure between the devices.
Instructions:
- Place both headphones in the charging case and close the lid.
- Wait 10 seconds – the headphones should go out (this means that they have started charging).
- Open the case cover and hold the button on the back (if any) for 15-20 seconds until the indicators start flashing red and white.
- Close the case, wait 30 seconds, then pull out the headphones - they should automatically sync.
If there is no button on the case (like the Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro), use an alternative method:
Wait for the headphones to be fully charged (indicators are burning white)|Take both earphones out of the case |Hold the touchpads on both headphones for 10 seconds until you flash red |Put the headphones back into the case for 30 seconds |Reconnect to the phone-->
Important! On Redmi Buds 3 Lite and Redmi AirDots 2, the reset is done differently: hold the touchpad on one earpiece for 20 seconds until the beep sounds.
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If you reboot your headphones separately but not together, try connecting them to another smartphone or tablet, which will help eliminate the problem on the side of your main device.
Method 2: Resetting settings to factory (if the reboot didn’t help)
If a simple reboot doesn't get back synced, you'll need a full reset, which will delete all the connections you saved and bring the headphones back to the boxy state.
Instructions for most Xiaomi models:
- Place both headphones in the case and close the lid.
- Open the lid and hold the button on the case for 30 seconds until the indicators start flashing red and white quickly (on some models, only white).
- Remove the headphones from the case – they should automatically enter the pairing mode (blinking white light).
- On your phone, remove your headphones from the list of Bluetooth devices (Settings → Bluetooth → Xiaomi [model] → Forget the device).
- Connect the headphones again via the Bluetooth menu.
For models without a button on the case (Xiaomi Buds 4, Redmi Buds 4 Pro):
1. Get the headphones out of the case.
2 Hold the touch panels on both headphones for 15 seconds until the sound of the beep.
3. Place the headphones back in the case for 10 seconds, then pull out - they should sync.On Redmi AirDots 3 Pro models, the reset is performed only through the Mi Fit/Xiaomi Wear application. Manually return factory settings is impossible!
What if the headphones don’t connect after reset?
Method 3: Checking and cleaning contacts in the case
If the headphones are charged unevenly or one of them is not determined by the case, the problem can lie in contaminated or oxidized contacts, this is especially true for models older than 1-2 years or after moisture.
How to clean contacts:
- 🧴 Use a cotton swab dipped in isopropyl alcohol (at least 70%) and carefully wipe the metal contacts on the headphones and inside the case.
- 🧲 To remove oxidation, you can use an eraser (wash the contacts in soft movements).
- 🌬️ After cleaning, dry the contacts with a dryer in cold mode or leave for 10 minutes at room temperature.
If the contacts are physically damaged (scratching, bent), try to straighten them gently with a thin screwdriver. Do not use abrasive materials (sandpaper, metal brushes) - this will exacerbate the problem.
⚠️ Attention! If the headphones stopped charging at all after cleaning, check if the contacts inside the case have moved. In some models (Redmi AirDots S), they are attached to thin wires and can move away from the board if you clean the case carelessly.
| Sign of malfunction | Probable cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| One earphone is not charging. | Contamination/oxidation of contacts | Cleaning with alcohol or swallow |
| The indicator on the case flashes red | Low charge of the case or KZ in contacts | Charge the case, check contacts for short circuit |
| Headphones charge but don’t sync | Firmware failure or inflammation | Resetting settings (see Method 2) |
| One headphone is connected as a mono | Loss of communication between headphones | Reboot through the case (see Method 1) |
Method 4: Update the firmware via Mi Fit/Xiaomi Wear
Xiaomi headphones periodically receive firmware updates that fix synchronization errors. If your headphones disconnected after the update or did not connect to the application for a long time, check the relevance of the software.
Instructions:
- Install the official application: For older models (Redmi AirDots 1/2) - Mi Fit. For new ones (Xiaomi Buds 4, Redmi Buds 4 Pro) - Xiaomi Wear.
Connect the headphones to the phone via Bluetooth.
Profile → My devices. → [Your model]
Update firmware
On Redmi Buds 3 Pro and later, the update can take up to 10 minutes. Do not interrupt the process - this can lead to complete failure of the headphones.
⚠️ If the headphones stopped turning on after the upgrade, try resetting them to factory settings (see Method 2). If this does not help, contact the service - perhaps the firmware is installed with an error.
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Updating your firmware through third-party apps (such as TWS Toolbox) can lead to loss of warranty and irreversible crashes.
Method 5: Checking for hardware malfunctions
If none of the software methods worked, the problem could be hardware, and here are the signs that indicate a breakdown:
- 🔊 One headphone does not turn on at all (no indication, sounds).
- 🔋 The headphone is charged, but does not hold the charge (quickly discharged).
- 🎵 The sound is there, but it is very distorted (wheezing, interruptions).
- 📶 Headphones are connected, but constantly disconnect after 1-2 seconds.
What you can do on your own:
- Check the battery: if the headphone discharges in 5-10 minutes, most likely, the battery is worn out, you can replace it in the service (cost - from 800 rubles).
- Microphone test: Call someone and see if you can be heard through each earpiece, and if the microphone is not working, the problem may be a damaged plume.
- Diagnostic Bluetooth: connect the headphones to another device, and if the problem recurs, the communication module malfunctions.
Average cost of repairs in service centers:
| Type of breakdown | Cost (ruble) |
|---|---|
| Replace the battery in one headphone | 800–1 500 |
| Repair/replace contacts in the case | 1 000–2 000 |
| Replacement of Bluetooth module | 2 000–3 500 |
| Diagnosis + oxidation cleansing | 500–1 200 |
If headphones are warranty, do not disassemble them yourself - this will void warranty obligations. Contact the official Xiaomi service or an authorized partner.
Method 6: Alternative methods (if nothing helps)
If the standard methods didn’t work, try these non-obvious solutions:
- 📵 Turn off Bluetooth on all devices within a 10-meter radius. Sometimes the headphones conflict with other gadgets (columns, smart watches).
- 🔄 Change your headphones to the case. On some models. 2) Left and right headphones have different roles (master/slave), And reshuffling them might help.
- 🌡️ Heat the case (e.g., put it on a warm battery for 5 minutes) and it sometimes helps if the problem is poor contact due to cold.
- 📲 Use Developer Mode on Android: Activate Developer Mode (7 times click on Build Number in your phone settings). Enable Bluetooth debugging in the developer menu. Reconnect your headphones.
Extreme method (only for experienced users!):
1. Install the TWS Toolbox app on your phone (available on 4PDA).
2. Connect the headphones in debugging mode.
3 Manually assign Master/Slave roles through the app menu.
⚠️ Risk: Incorrect settings can completely disable the headphones!