Why Xiaomi’s headphone stopped working: diagnostics and repair

You’ve turned on your favorite playlist, but instead of stereo sound, you hear only half of the composition – one Xiaomi headphone is silent? This problem is familiar to many owners of the brand’s wireless headphones, from the budget Redmi AirDots to the flagship Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro. The reasons can lie in both banal connection failure and hardware malfunctions that require the intervention of the service center.

In this article, we'll look at all the possible reasons why one earbud stopped working, from software bugs to physical damage, you'll get step-by-step diagnostic instructions, self-repair checklists, and tips on how to avoid repeat breakdowns, and if the problem is more serious than you thought, you'll know when to contact the service and how much it will cost in 2026.

1. Checking basic settings: what to do first

Before you disassemble your headphones or carry them for repair, make sure that the problem is not in the settings of your smartphone or the device itself. In 60% of cases, a broken earphone can be “reanimated” with simple manipulations.

Start by checking the sound balance in your device settings. On Android, go to Settings → Sound → Stereo Balance (the path may vary depending on the shell). On iOS, check Settings → Universal Access → Audiovisual Content → Balance. If the slider moves left or right, the sound will only play in one earbud.

• 🔊 Make sure the headphones are connected correctly: turn them off in the Bluetooth menu and reconnect them.
• 📱 Reboot the smartphone: bugs in the Bluetooth module can lead to the “loss” of one of the headphones.
• 🔋 Check the headphone charge: if one headphone is discharged more, it can automatically turn off to save energy.

If the basic manipulations didn't work, move on to a deeper diagnosis, but first answer the question:

2. Software glitches: how to reset Xiaomi headphones to factory settings

One of the most common culprits for earphone silence is a firmware failure or Bluetooth profile conflict, especially for models that support the use of the headphone. ANC (active noise reduction) or LDAC-codec, where the software part is responsible for synchronizing sound between headphones.

To rule out software malfunction, perform a hard reset of the headphones. Xiaomi/Redmi:

1. Place both headphones in the case and close the lid.
2. Press and hold the button on the case (or the touchpad on the headphones) for 10-15 seconds until the indicator starts flashing red and white.
3. Open the case cover and wait for automatic reconnection.

For models with support for the Mi Home or Xiaomi Earbuds application, additionally reset via the software:

1. Open the app and go to the headphone management section.
2. Select Settings → Resetting settings.
3. Confirm the action and wait for the process to be completed.

Make sure your headphones are over 30%|

Disconnect them from all devices in Bluetooth menu |

Close background applications that use sound (music, games)|

Prepare the instruction for setting up (if any) ANC oralization)-->

If the headphone still doesn’t work after reset, the problem may lie in the incompatibility of the firmware with your smartphone. For example, owners of Xiaomi Buds 3 Pro faced a bug when one headphone turned off when connecting to devices on Android 13 with the shell of MIUI 14, in which case it will help to update the firmware of the headphones or roll back the version of MIUI on the phone.

3. Hardware malfunctions: what breaks most often

If the software methods have failed, it’s time to consider the physical breakdowns. Xiaomi’s wireless headphones have typical “weaknesses” that lead to one of the modules failing:

To diagnose a hardware breakdown, follow the following steps:

1. Check the charging response: place the headphone in the case and see if the indicator lights up, if not, the problem is in the contacts or the battery.
2. Try connecting to another device: if the headphone does not work on either the phone or the laptop, it is in him.
3. Light a flashlight into the speaker: with mechanical damage, membrane ruptures or foreign objects are often visible.

Critical information: in 2023, Xiaomi recognized a defect in the batch of headphones Redmi Buds 4 Active (part number from 2208 to 2211), where due to the soldering marriage, one earphone stopped working after 3-6 months of use. If your model falls into this range, contact the service under warranty - even if it expired, the company goes to meet.

4. Restoration of contacts: cleaning and soldering at home

If the diagnosis shows that the problem is in the charging contacts or Bluetooth antenna, you can Attempt to restore them yourself.

• 🔧 Screwdriver with cross tip (for disassembly of the case).
• 🧴 Alcohol or isopropyl alcohol (for cleaning contacts).
• 🔥 A soldering iron with a thin sting (if soldering is required).
• 🕯️ solder and flux (to restore connections).

Step-by-step instructions for cleaning contacts:

1. Carefully open the case with a plastic card or a mediator, and be careful, the latches are fragile.
2. Look at the contact areas on the earphone and in the case, and the oxidation or contamination will be visible as a dark coating.
3. Wet the cotton swab in alcohol and clean the contacts. For hard-to-reach areas, use a toothpick.
4. Let dry for 10-15 minutes and collect the case back.

If the contacts are soldered, act as follows:

1. Put the flux on the ration site.
2. Carefully touch the soldering iron with a drop of solder to the contact. Do not overheat - 1-2 seconds are enough!
3. Check the integrity of the connection with a multimeter (if any).

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If you don't have a soldering iron on hand, you can temporarily resuscitate contacts with conductive glue (like Permatex), apply it thinly over the damaged area and let it dry for 24 hours, which will extend the life of the headphones by 2-3 months, but will not replace a full soldering.

⚠️ Attention: If you have never soldered microelectronics, it is better to entrust the repair to a specialist. Incorrect soldering can lead to short circuit and complete failure of the headphones. In Xiaomi services, the restoration of contacts costs from 800 to 1500 rubles (2026).

5. Bluetooth problems: why the earphone connects but doesn't play sound

A situation where the earphone is determined by the system, but the sound is only going to one channel, often associated with incorrect operation of the Bluetooth profile.

• 📱 Codec conflict (e.g., the device tries to use aptX, and the headphones only support AAC).
• 🔄 Failure to allocate roles (main/led headphone).
• 🚫 OS-level audio locks (for example, in Windows, the headphone can be defined as a “Hands-Free device»).

How to fix it:

1. On Android, go to Settings → Connected Devices → Cog settings next to the headphones → Audio codec. Try changing the codec to SBC (the most versatile).
2. On Windows, open Control Panel → Sound, find the headphones in the list of playback devices and set them as “default device.”
3. If the headphones are defined as Hands-Free AG Audio, disable them, remove them from the list of devices and reconnect them.

For models with Mi TrueWireless Stereo support (such as the Xiaomi Air 2 Pro), forced role switching can help:

1. Put both earbuds in the case.
2. Take out only a working earpiece and wait 10 seconds.
3. Get the second headphone out – the system should automatically sync them.

⚠️ Note: If you use headphones with a Bluetooth 5.2 transmitter+ (For example, Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro, but if you plug them into a Bluetooth 4.0 device, one of the headphones can turn off to save power. LE Audio.Solution - Update your Bluetooth adapter on your PC or use a compatible device.

6. When to contact the service: prices and warranties

If all of the above methods have not worked, it is likely that the problem requires professional intervention, and here are signs of serious breakdown, for which it is worth contacting the service:

• 🔥 The earphone warms up when charging or using (a sign of short circuit).
• 💧 Liquid intake (even if the headphones have protection) IP54, Salt water or sugary drinks can hurt the fee).
• 🔊 Complete absence of sound during the operating indicator (chain break or amplifier failure is likely).
• 🔋 The headphone discharges in 5-10 minutes (battery malfunction).

Cost of repair in official Xiaomi services (2026):

⚠️ Note: If your headphones are warranty (usually 12 months from the date of purchase), do not disassemble them yourself - this will cancel the warranty obligations. Xiaomi services check the fillings on the case and headphones. When liquid enters, the warranty also does not work, even if the damage is not visible externally.

To verify the guarantee status:

1. Find the serial number on the case (usually under the lid or on the sticker).
2. Go to mi.com/global/verify.
3. Enter the serial number and date of purchase (specified in the check).

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If you bought the headphones less than 14 days ago, you can return them to the store under the Consumer Protection Act (Article 25) - even if the warranty case is not confirmed, the main thing is to keep the check and the package.

7. Prevention: how to prolong the life of wireless headphones

To avoid repeated breakdowns, follow these recommendations:

• 🔋 Charge your headphones correctly: do not leave them in the case connected to the socket for more than 2-3 hours.
• 🧼 Clean your headphones once a month: Use a soft brush to remove earwax and alcohol wipes to disinfect.
• 🌧️ Avoid moisture: even if the model has protection IP54, Do not use headphones in the rain or in the pool.
• 📦 Store in a case: This protects against dust, shocks and loss (many models automatically turn off when placed in a case).
• 🔄 Update your firmware: check for updates via Mi Home or Xiaomi Earbuds app – they fix synchronization bugs.

For active noise reduction (ANC) models, additionally:

• Do not turn on the ANC in the subway or aircraft - sudden pressure drops can damage the speaker membrane.
• Turn off the ANC when not in use – this reduces the load on the headphone processor.

If you lose your headphones often, use the device search feature in the Mi Home app, which works even if the headphones are turned off, but the last connection is saved.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi headphones that don't work