Xiaomi Redmi 8 shows connected headphones, but they are not: how to remove the icon and return sound

Why does Redmi 8 think headphones are connected when they aren’t?

You played music on the Xiaomi Redmi 8, but the sound only goes through the speaker - is the headphone icon on the screen? Or the phone stopped playing sound at all, "thinking" that you are listening through a wired headset? This problem is typical of Xiaomi's budget smartphones with a 3.5 mm jack, and the reasons can be both software and hardware.

In 80% of cases, a contaminated or damaged audio jack is to blame - dust, moisture or mechanical damage to the contacts causes the system to "see" the connection of the headphones, and less often the problem lies in a firmware failure, especially after MIUI updates, or incorrect operation of the sound driver. In the most advanced cases, it may be necessary to replace the connector or even the motherboard.

In this article, we will look at all possible solutions, from simple (reboot, clean the connector) to radical (firmware, repair), you can diagnose the problem yourself and choose the best way to fix it.

1.Fast Solutions: Rebooting and Checking the Obvious

Before you take your phone apart or carry it to the service, try the basic methods. They work 30 to 40 percent of the time and don't require any special skills.

• 🔄 Reset your phone. Hold the power button for 10 to 15 seconds until the screen goes out, then turn the device on again.
• 🎧 Put your headphones on and off. Put your headphones in the headphones, wait for the icon to come out, then carefully remove them. Sometimes that resets the connector state.
• 🔊 Check the In-Air mode. Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → On the plane mode and turn it off if it's active.
• 📱 Turn off Bluetooth. In the notification panel, tap the Bluetooth icon or go to Settings. → Bluetooth and deactivate it. Sometimes the phone confuses wireless and wired headphones.

If after this action, the headphone icon disappeared, but the sound still does not go through the speaker, try to increase the volume with the buttons on the sidebar or in the notification panel.

2. Cleaning of the audio jack: step-by-step instructions

A contaminated connector is the most common cause of a false headphone sensor operation, and dust, pocket pile, or contact oxidation create a bridge between the terminals of the connector, and the phone thinks the headset is connected, and you can clean it yourself, but it's important to do it carefully so that you don't damage the contacts.

Toothpick or plastic spatula | Alcohol (90% and above) or contact cleaning fluid |Fen (drying) |Lupa or flashlight for inspection | Cotton swabs (not metal!)

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Step-by-step algorithm:

1. Turn off the phone and remove it. SIM-card/memory card, if any, will prevent short circuit.
2. Light the connector with a flashlight. If you see dust, pile, or corrosion (green/white), start cleaning.
3. Carefully remove the garbage with a toothpick or plastic spatula. Movement should be parallel to the contacts, not across, so as not to bend them.
4. Drink the cotton swab with alcohol and wipe the contacts inside the connector.
5. Dry the dryer connector in cold air mode for 2-3 minutes or leave the phone for 1 hour at room temperature.

After cleaning, turn on your phone and check if the headphone icon has disappeared. If the problem persists, proceed to the next method.

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Do not use compressed air (canisters) to clean the connector - a strong jet can damage the microphone or speaker located nearby.

3. Resetting sound settings and checking drivers

If hardware methods didn't work, the problem could be software. A failure of the sound driver or incorrect MIUI settings often leads to a "phantom" headphone connection. In this section, we'll reset the audio settings and check the drivers.

Method 1: Resetting the sound settings

1. Go to Settings. → Sound and vibration.
2. Slip on the three dots in the top right corner and select Reset.
3. Confirm the action. The phone will reboot, and the sound profiles will return to factory values.

Method 2: Check the driver through the engineering menu

This method requires caution, but allows you to diagnose the problem at the system level:

1. Open the Phone app and dial ##36446337## (engineering menu code for Xiaomi).
2. Go to the Hardware Testing → Audio section.
3. Select Headset Mode and check status: if it shows Inserted (connected), despite the lack of headphones, the problem is in the hardware.

If the engineering menu shows that the headphones are not connected, but the icon on the screen remains, the problem is most likely in the MIUI interface. Try updating the firmware or resetting the phone settings (for this, see the next section).

4. Update firmware and reset to factory settings

Audio system failures often occur after MIUI updates or because of conflicts with custom firmware. If your Redmi 8 started to "see" headphones after the update, try rolling back to the previous version or installing fresh firmware.

Step 1: Check the current version of MIUI

Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version. If an update is available, install it:

1. Go to Settings. → Updating the system.
2. Click Check Updates and wait for the download.
3. Install the update and restart the phone.

Step 2: Reset to factory settings

If the update didn't work, do a hard reset.This will delete all data from the phone, so make a backup first!

1. Go to Settings → Additional → Recovery and Reset.
2. Select Reset and confirm the action.
3. After the reboot, set the phone up as new and check the audio.

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If the resetting didn’t help, the problem is almost certainly hardware — a connector, plume, or sound chip is damaged.

5. Diagnostics of hardware malfunctions

If the software methods didn't work, it's time to check the hardware. Xiaomi Redmi 8 for the recognition of headphones respond:

• 🔌 3.5 mm audio connector – most often fails due to mechanical damage.
• 📶 The plume connecting the connector to the motherboard can move away or rubbish.
• 🔊 Sound chip (codec) – rare, but it happens that it burns up when voltage surges.

How to diagnose:

1. Check the multimeter connector (if you have skills): - Transfer the multimeter to resistance check mode (200 Ohms). - Connect the probes to the connector contacts (contact circuit for 3.5 mm: left channel, right channel, ground, microphone). - If the resistance between any contacts is close to 0 Ohms (short circuit), the connector is defective.
2. Take apart the phone (instruction below) and check if the plume is moving away from the connector or motherboard. - If the plume is damaged, it must be replaced.
3. Test with other headphones: - Connect the headphones, if the sound is only in one ear or with interference, the problem is the connector or the chip.

If you are not sure of your skills, it is better to contact the service. The average cost of replacing the audio jack in Xiaomi Redmi 8 is 800-1500 rubles, the plume is 1200-2000 rubles.

6. Alternative solutions: Bluetooth and USB-adapter

If repairs are not possible or feasible, you can get around the problem with external devices, which are temporary measures, but they will allow you to use the phone without sound restrictions.

• 🎧 Bluetooth headphones or speakers. Connect your wireless headset through Settings → Bluetooth. minus: the additional cost of buying a device.
• 🔗 USB-C → 3.5 mm adapter. If the phone connector is damaged, use the adapter to connect the headphones through the charging port.
• 📱 Outside USB-Sound adapter, connects through OTG-It's a cable that emulates a sound card, and it's suitable for listening to music through speakers or headphones.

How to choose an adapter:

Any adapter with a CS43130 or ES9280AC chip is suitable for the Redmi 8, which provides good sound quality.

• Baseus HM06 (USB-C, ~500 RUB)
• UGREEN CM198 (USB-C, ~ 800 rubles)
• Apple USB-C 3.5mm (if you want a high level of compatibility)

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In the case of USB-Adapter disable the option to disable USB-sound when blocked in the developer settings (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — Tap 7 times, then return to the additional → For developers).

7.When to contact the service: signs of a serious breakdown

If none of these methods worked, the problem may be deeper than it seems.

⚠️ Warning: If the phone stopped turning on after cleaning the connector with alcohol, there may be corrosion of contacts.

• 🔥 The headphone icon appears even after the connector is replaced - this may indicate damage to the sound chip on the motherboard.
• 🔊 Phone has lost all sound, including calls and notifications – power amplifier may malfunction.
• 💥 After falling or getting moisture, other glitches appeared (the touchscreen does not work, spontaneously reboots) - a comprehensive diagnosis is required.

The cost of repair in the official service Xiaomi (2026):

Before visiting the service, make a backup copy of the data - some repairs require a complete reset of the phone, and also check if the warranty period has expired (for Redmi 8, it is 12 months from the date of purchase).

FAQ: Frequent questions about the problem with headphones on Xiaomi Redmi 8