Finding the answer to the question where the microphone is on Xiaomi’s phone is often a pressing need when people stop hearing you or the recording quality of the recorder has deteriorated dramatically. Owners of this brand of smartphones face the problem of clogging holes with dust, moisture or protective films that block access to sound. Understanding the exact location of the acoustic module is the first step to solving the problem without going to the service center.
Modern Xiaomi smartphones come with a whole system of microphones, which can range from two to four depending on the model. Redmi Note or Xiaomi Mi series use different layout schemes, so there is no universal answer for all devices. It is important to carefully examine the body of your device to identify all the audio inputs and understand which one is responsible for a particular function.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the architecture of recorders, their safe cleaning methods, and software diagnostics. You will learn how to distinguish a microphone hole from a speaker, and what to do if standard cleaning methods do not help return clean sound. The main microphone in 90% of Xiaomi models is located in the bottom end, next to the USB Type-C or Micro-USB charging connector.
Model layout on different models
Xiaomi engineers have a set of standards in case design, but with the release of new series, the layout of components can change. Most often, in the lower part of the body, on the end face or on the back next to the camera lens, you can find one or two holes. If you see two holes from the bottom, one of them is the speaker and the other is the main microphone.
The Xiaomi Mi series (e.g. Mi 9, Mi 10, Mi 11) is characterized by the location of the main microphone in the lower end, often to the left or right of the charging connector. The additional noise reduction microphone in such models is usually hidden on the upper end, next to the IR port or the socket of 3.5 mm. Flagship models can have a third microphone integrated directly into the camera unit on the rear panel.
The Redmi and POCO series budget models often have a simpler design, where the microphone can be combined with a charging connector into a single module or displayed with a separate hole on the bottom edge. In some cases, especially in protected models, the entrance can be hidden under a special mesh or rubber plug to protect against moisture.
To determine exactly where the microphone of the Xiaomi phone is in your particular case, use the following table, compiled based on popular series:
| Smartphone series | Location of the main microphone | Location of the second microphone | Features |
|---|
| Xiaomi Mi (Flagships) | Lower end (left/right of USB) | Upper end | There is often a third microphone in the camera box. |
| Redmi Note | Lower end (separate hole) | Upper end or back panel | The hole is often round, without a net. |
| POCO (Game) | Lower end | Upper end | Can be shifted to the edge for convenience inlandscape |
| Xiaomi Redmi (Budget) | Lower end (inside the frame) | Missing or combined | Often one mono-record microphone |
⚠️ Note: Do not confuse the microphone hole with the speaker hole.The speaker is usually elongated with a series of slots, and the microphone is a small circular hole, often deepened inside the body.
If you can't visually identify the item you want, try blowing neatly into the intended hole while recording to the recorder, and a sharp surge in volume or characteristic noise will indicate the location of the active sound sensor.
📊 Where do you often search for a microphone on your Xiaomi?
Downside.
On the back of the cameras.
On the top end.
I don't know where he is.
Differences between primary and secondary microphones
Modern devices use a noise reduction system that requires at least two microphones, a primary microphone that captures a user's voice while talking or recording a video, and is highly sensitive and focused on the speaker.
The second microphone is often called the noise-cancellation microphone, and its job is to pick up background noises so that the processor can subtract them from the main signal, which is why when you call in a noisy place, your interlocutor hears you clearly, and the hum of the street or the wind is cut off, and this microphone is usually located farther from the mouth, for example, on the upper end or behind.
Some models, such as the Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi Note 12 Pro, may have a third microphone, which is used to record stereo sound when shooting videos or to improve the performance of the voice assistant Google Assistant and Xiao AI. The location of the third sensor often varies and can be located near the main camera.
- 🎤 Main microphone: located at the bottom, responsible for transmitting your voice to the interlocutor.
- 🔇 Noise reduction microphone: located on top or behind, removes background noise.
- 🎥 Video microphone: can be separate, provides stereo sound in horizontal mode.
- 🤖 Assistant microphone: often combined with the main one, but activated separately when called by voice.
Understanding the difference is critical in diagnosis, and if you're not heard on a regular call, the problem is probably the bottom microphone, and if the people complain of echoes or noise and the recorder writes normally, the top noise reduction sensor may be faulty.
How does the noise reduction algorithm work?
The algorithm compares signals from two microphones. Your voice comes to the main microphone louder than the secondary microphone. Background noise comes to both microphones at the same volume. The system subtracts the signal from the second microphone from the first, leaving only your voice.> Visual identification and differences from other holes On the lower edge of a modern smartphone, you can count up to four different holes, and it is easy for a beginner to get confused. In addition to the microphone, there is a speaker, a charging connector and possibly a hole to extract. SIM-To find the acoustic input, you need to look carefully at the shape and depth of the hole. The microphone hole is almost always round and has a diameter of about 1 mm. Often inside it is visible metal or plastic mesh, protecting the membrane from getting large debris. The speaker, in turn, is a series of several elongated slots or one large oval hole, and sometimes manufacturers mask the microphone, making it indistinguishable from decorative elements or placing it in line with the speaker, in which case the flashlight will help. Light at a sharp angle on the lower end: the microphone hole will have a characteristic depth and go deep into the body, whereas decorative indentations are often blind. In moisture-protected models (such as the Xiaomi Mi 11 or the 13 series flagships), the holes can be tightened with a tight mesh that is visually almost invisible, this is done to prevent water from entering. ⚠️ Warning: Never use sharp metal objects (needles, pins) to check the holes to the touch. You can pierce a protective membrane, which will cause moisture to get inside and the microphone to fail. If you have a protective film or case installed on your device, make sure that their holes match the holes in the case. Often, a cheap case blocks the microphone, which makes the sound deaf or disappear altogether. The most common reason why the microphone stops working on Xiaomi is banal pollution. Pocket dust, tissue pile, skin fat and small debris eventually bury the microphone with a soft saw, which first makes you go through the dried with a dough, and a dried tooth, which will not get a little bit of water from the smirky wiring. Don't push hard to keep the dirt from getting deeper. If dry cleaning didn't work, you can humidify the cotton swab lightly with alcohol. It's important that the wand be slightly wet, not wet. Gently wipe the area around the hole and the edge of the net. Alcohol evaporates quickly and degreases the surface without causing contact corrosion. There's also a "scotch" method that's proven to remove the sticky plaque. Put a small piece of transparent tape on the sticky side on the hole and pull the dust out with a sharp dust. ☑️ Checklist of safe cleaning of microphone Turn off phone Use dry soft brush Blow with compressed air (caution) Wipe with alcohol wipe of edge Check sound with voice recorder: 0 / 5 After cleaning, be sure to let the device lie down. 5-10 You can use the time to let the moisture (if alcohol was used) evaporate completely, and then turn on your phone and check the quality of the recording. Before you carry the phone for repair or disassemble it, you should make sure that the problem is in the hardware, not in the software failure. MIUI And HyperOS has built-in tools to check all the components, and the most reliable way is to use the engineering menu. To enter the test mode, open the Phone app and type in the code ##6484##. The menu will open. CIT (Customer Inspection Test). In the list, you can find Main Mic or Sub Mic, and you can click on it and run a test, and the phone will ask you to say something, and then it will play back a record or signal level, and you can use a standard voice recorder. Write a short piece in a quiet room and then in a noisy room, and if you hear a crackling sound in silence, a hissing or a very quiet sound, even if you speak directly into the hole, it's a sign of a malfunction. If the sound is normal, but you can't hear it in messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp), check the permissions of the applications in the settings. Go to Settings → Annexes → All the apps, find the right messenger and make sure that the permission to use the microphone is on. Sometimes after updating the system, the permissions are reset, and the application simply does not have access to the hardware". Symptoms Possible cause Test Method Solution Interviewer does not hear completely Complete pollution or plume break Test in the engineering menu (CIT) Cleaning or replacing the module Quiet sound, need to shout Partial contamination of the mesh Recording recorder Deep brushing Hear echo Not working second microphone (noise) Call with the speaker on Check the top hole Cock and interference Moisture or oxidation Visual inspection under a magnifying glass Cleaning alcohol, drying 💡If it's on the engineering menu (CIT) The microphone test shows Fail or no sound, it's a hardware problem. Software resets won't help. Frequent problems and ways to solve them One of the specific problems for Xiaomi is a software bug where the microphone is captured by another application. For example, you completed a call to Viber, but the background process did not release the resource, and now there is no sound in a normal call. The solution is simple: reboot the device. This will kill all the hanging processes. Another common situation is the conflict after the MIUI update. Users often notice that after the update the sound becomes quieter. In this case, it helps to clean the system cache or, in extreme cases, reset to factory settings. However, before reset, make sure to back up the data. If the phone fell or was hit, the microphone connector on the board could leave. In models where the microphone is displayed on a flexible plume (often combined with a charger), if you need to transfer the phone through a Bluetooth bag, or even if you have a problem with a blowout. Turn off Bluetooth completely and check if the sound is coming through the main microphone. ⚠️ Warning: If the phone falls into water, do not try to dry it with a hair dryer or battery. Hot air drives moisture deeper into the case. Put the device in a container with silica gel on top of the battery. 24-48 In the case of software and cleaning methods that don't work, and the engineering menu doesn't pass the test, the most likely physical membrane breaks, and it's consumable, and it won't take long to replace it in the service center, and it won't hit the budget. Why does the microphone only wheez on WhatsApp and work on normal calls? That indicates a software conflict or a specific app's setup. Check if WhatsApp has noise cancellation enabled, which may not work properly. Also try to clear the WhatsApp app cache in your Android settings. If it didn't work, reinstall the messenger. Can you replace the microphone with Xiaomi yourself? Yes, if you have the skills to work with small electronics and tools (dryer, suckers, screwdrivers). However, in modern models, the microphone is often soldered into the charging board or assembled with the bottom speaker. It will require accurate soldering with the thermophen, which is difficult to do without experience. Does the cover affect the microphone? Yes, poor-quality or unoriginal covers can block the hole or create a resonant camera, distorting the sound. Remove the case and conduct a test. If you need to do a cleaner, then you will try to clean it with a cleaner, if you do it with a cleaner, then you will do it with a cleaner, or a shorter, if you will do it in the surve, then you will do it with a cleaner, if you will do it with a cleaner, then, then you will do it with a cleaner, if you will do it with a cleaner, then you will do it. Where is the microphone when recording video to the front camera? When recording to the front camera, the main bottom microphone is usually used, because it is better. However, in some scenarios (noise-cancellation selfie mode), the system can switch to the top microphone, and you can check this by recording the video and closing the holes with your finger.