How to set up Bluetooth headphones on Xiaomi: from connectivity to fine-tuning

Wireless headphones have become an integral part of everyday life, but their initial setup on Xiaomi smartphones sometimes raises questions for users. Even if you have never connected a device over Bluetooth before, the process takes no more than 2-3 minutes — provided you know all the nuances. In this article, we will discuss not only basic pairing, but also hidden MIUI features that will help improve sound quality, reduce latency and even save battery power on headphones.

Xiaomi devices (including Redmi, POCO and Black Shark) feature MIUI, which offers advanced settings for Bluetooth audio, such as manually selecting a communication codec (AAC, SBC, aptX), adjusting the channel balance, or enabling modes for games and videos, with many users limiting their standard connectivity without even knowing the fine-tuning capabilities.

It is important to consider that the connection algorithm may slightly differ depending on the headphone model (for example, Xiaomi AirDots vs. SoundPEATS TrueFree) and the version of MIUI. However, the basic principles remain unchanged. If you encounter an error like “Device failed to connect” or headphones are constantly turned off, there is a section in the article with solutions to problems.

Preparation of headphones and smartphone for pairing

Before you start connecting, make sure both devices are ready to go.

• 🔋 Battery charge: Most wireless headphones require a minimum of 20 to 30 percent charge for the first connection. If the indicator flashes red, charge them for 10 to 15 minutes.
• 📦 Pair mode: Hold the power button (usually 3-5 seconds) until the white/blue light flashes. Xiaomi Air 3 Pro has to press both touch panels simultaneously.
• 🔄 Reset: If the headphones have already been connected to another device, reset (usually by pressing the button to 10)+ seconds before flashing red and white).

Now check the smartphone:

• 📱 Turn on Bluetooth: Swipe down from the top edge of the screen and tap on the Bluetooth icon (or go to Settings). → Connections and sharing → Bluetooth).
• 🔍 Device visibility: Make sure the smartphone is not in “Invisible to Other Devices” mode (setting hidden in Additional Bluetooth settings).
• 🔄 Update. MIUI: outdated firmware can cause connection problems. Check the updates in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.

⚠️ Note: If you use Xiaomi with custom firmware (e.g. Pixel Experience or LineageOS), standard Bluetooth drivers may not be available. IMS via Magisk.

For models with Qualcomm Snapdragon (such as Xiaomi 12 Pro or POCO F4), it is recommended to enable the option “Bidirectional Sound Transfer” in the developer settings. This improves connection stability when listening to music and talking on the phone. To activate the developer mode, tap 7 times on the build number in Settings → About Phone.

Step-by-step connecting Bluetooth headphones to Xiaomi

When the preparation is complete, we move to pairing. The instructions are universal for all Xiaomi models, but we will specify the features for popular headphones.

1. Activate device search: Open Settings → Bluetooth. tap on Device Search (or Add New Device). Make sure the headphones are in pairing mode (blinking indicator).

Select headphones from the list:

The list of available devices will show the name of your headphones (for example, Redmi Buds 4 or LE for models without a clear name).

If the device is not displayed:

• 🔄 Reboot Bluetooth on your smartphone (turn off/on the switch).
• 📱 Make sure the headphones support Bluetooth 5.0 protocol+ (For older Xiaomi models, an adapter may be required).
• Confirm pairing: The screen will be prompted to connect. Some models (e.g. Xiaomi Air 2 SE) will need to confirm the code (usually 0000 or 1234). Once successfully connected, the indicator on the headphones will stop flashing and will light up with a constant light (blue or white).

For Xiaomi headphones with MIUI Pop-up support (for example, Buds 4 Pro or AirDots 3 Pro), after connecting, a pop-up will appear with a suggestion to install the Xiaomi Earphones branded app. Its installation is optional, but opens access to advanced settings such as gesture customization and a tightness test.

Headphones charged (>30%)|The pairing mode is activated (blinking indicator)|Bluetooth on your smartphone is enabled|The smartphone is not in "Airplane" mode"-->

Advanced Bluetooth settings in MIUI

Once connected, you can optimize your headphones through hidden MIUI settings, which affect sound quality, latency and power consumption.

Go to Settings → Connections and Sharing → Bluetooth, tap the gear icon next to the connected headphones. Here are the following options:

• 🎵 Quality: Quality priority is maximum bitrate (suitable for music but increasing latency); Balanced is best for most tasks; Low latency minimizes lag in games and video (sound becomes less detailed).
• 🔊 Bluetooth codec: MIUI automatically selects the best codec available, but it can be changed manually: AAC — balanced codec for music (supported by all Xiaomi). aptX is high quality, but requires support with headphones (available in Buds 4 Pro). LDAC — Maximum quality (up to 990 kbps) but increases energy consumption.
• 🎧 Monosound: Turn on this option if one earphone is not working or you want to use only one (for example, for conversations).

For gamers and video enthusiasts, it is recommended to turn on Low Lag mode and select the aptX LL codec (if supported).This will reduce the lag to 30-40 ms, which is critical for shooters or watching movies with subtitles. Note: when activated, the battery life of headphones is reduced by 15-20%.

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If Xiaomi earphones have lost sound in one channel, try disabling the option "Absolute volume" in the Bluetooth settings, which sometimes conflicts with proprietary codecs.

Resolving common problems

Even after a successful connection, users face common errors, and we'll look at the most common ones and how to solve them.

The headphones are plugged in, but there's no sound.

• 🔈 Check the volume control on your smartphone and headphones (some models have a separate button «+»/«–»).
• 🎵 Make sure the sound is not redirected to the phone speaker. To do this, swipe down while playing music and check the audio output icon.
• 🔄 Reconnect the headphones: forget the device in the Bluetooth settings and pair again.

Permanent connection breaks

• 📶 Check the distance between your smartphone and your headphones. Bluetooth has a maximum range of 10 meters, but walls and interference reduce it to 3-5 meters.
• 🔋 If the headphone battery is under 15 percent, it can spontaneously shut down.
• 📱 Turn off charge savings for Bluetooth in battery settings (Settings) → Battery. → Saving charge → Settings → Bluetooth).

The sound is interrupted or there is interference.

• 🎛️ Change the Bluetooth codec to the SBC (The most stable, although with less quality).
• 📡 Make sure there are no interference sources nearby: microwave ovens, 2.4GHz Wi-Fi routers or other Bluetooth devices.
• 🔄 Reset your smartphone and headphones. Sometimes resetting your network settings helps (Settings) → The phone. → Resetting settings → Resetting Wi-Fi, Mobile Network and Bluetooth).

⚠️ Note: if Xiaomi headphones emit a squeak or crackle when connected to the POCO X3 Redmi Note 10, the problem may be in conflict with Bluetooth Audio HAL. Solution: Turn off the “Improving Sound Quality” option in the developer settings.

To diagnose connectivity issues, MIUI has a hidden Bluetooth log to open it:

1. Enter the code ##4636## in the Phone app.
2. Select "Phone Information".
3. Scroll down to the Bluetooth block and tap it.
4. All active connections and errors will be displayed here (for example, Connection failed: status=133 means a codec problem).

Optimizing Sound for Music, Games and Calls

MIUI offers separate audio profiles for different scenarios, which take a couple of minutes to set up, but greatly improves the experience.

To listen to music

• 🎶 Turn on the equalizer: go to Settings → Sound. → Equalizer and select a preset (e.g. Bass or Jazz). To fine-tune, tap on User».
• 🔊 Activate Mi Sound Enhancer (available on Xiaomi flagships): this feature automatically adjusts the sound to the music genre.
• 🎧 In Bluetooth settings, select the codec AAC or LDAC (if maintained).

For games.

• 🎮 Enable Low Latency Mode in Bluetooth Settings.
• 🔇 Disable all background apps that use sound (such as YouTube Music or Spotify).
• 📱 Activate the game mode in MIUI (Settings → Special facilities → Game mode) to disable notifications and optimize performance.

For calls.

• 📞 In Bluetooth settings, enable the option “Use for calls».
• 🎤 Check the microphone: if the interlocutor does not hear you, clean the microphone grille on the headphones from dust.
• 🔊 Turn down the volume to 70-80% to avoid distortions in your voice.

For headphones Xiaomi with support for ANC (active noise reduction, for example, Buds 4 Pro) in the proprietary application Xiaomi Earphones, you can adjust the noise reduction level (from “light” to “maximum”) and enable the “Transparency” mode for conversations.

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For maximum connection stability, disable Automatic Device Switch in Bluetooth settings, an option that can cause random breaks when switching between your smartphone and tablet.

Branded application Xiaomi Earphones: features and configuration

The Xiaomi Earphones app (available on Google Play and AppGallery) extends the functionality of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO headphones. It supports most models, from AirDots to Buds 4 Pro.

• 🎛️ Customization of gestures: Double touch: playback/pause, next track, call voice assistant. Triple touch: previous track or shutdown ANC. Retention: Volume up/down.
• 🔋 Battery monitoring: displays the charge of each earphone and case in real time.
• 🎧 Pressurization test: checks whether the earbuds are sitting properly in the ears (important for quality) ANC).
• 🔊 Setting up ANC: Selection of noise reduction level and mode "Transparency».
• 📲 Firmware update: some models (e.g. Buds) 3T Pro) improve sound and stability through OTA-update.

To connect headphones to the application:

1. Install Xiaomi Earphones from the official store.
2. Connect the headphones to the smartphone via Bluetooth.
3. Open the andfollowing app to the on-screen instructions (you may need to confirm pairing again).

⚠️ Note: if after updating the firmware headphones through Xiaomi Earphones they stopped connecting, reset (hold the button on the case for 15 seconds until the red indicator flashes.

The app also has a hidden feature called “Game Mode”, which reduces the latency of sound to 30 ms.

1. Open Xiaomi Earphones and go to the Lab section (or “More”).
2. Find the option “Low Delay Mode” and turn it on.
3. Reboot the headphones (put them in the case for 10 seconds).

Tips for saving the charge of headphones and smartphone

Wireless headphones and Bluetooth-module smartphone consume energy even in standby mode. the following tips will help to extend the running time:

• 🔋 Turn off Bluetooth when you are not using headphones. MIUI This can be done through Quick Settings or on a schedule (Settings). → Battery. → Timetable for shutdown).
• 🎧 Use the case: even if the headphones are not used, keep them in the charging case – this prevents battery discharge.
• 📱 Limit background activity: Turn off auto-run for Bluetooth-enabled applications (like Fitbit or Mi Band). In the developer settings, turn off Bluetooth debugging (if it was enabled).
• 🔊 Optimize the codec: codec LDAC It is a better quality, but consumes 25% more energy than AAC. For everyday use, select SBC.

On Xiaomi’s SuperWallpaper smartphones (such as the Mi 11 or 12), animated wallpaper increases battery consumption by 5 to 7 percent. If you use headphones for several hours a day, it’s recommended to switch to static wallpaper.

For models with fast charging (for example, Buds 4 Pro with support for Wireless Charging), you can use reverse wireless charging of the smartphone.

1. Put the case with headphones on the back of the smartphone (the center of the coil is usually marked with a logo).
2. Turn back charging into Settings → Battery → Wireless charging.
3. Make sure your smartphone is above 20% or the feature will not be available.

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If Xiaomi headphones discharge quickly, check for moisture.Sensors of some models (such as AirDots 3) can falsely fire on sweat or rain, including the microphone and ANC in the background.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Bluetooth headphones on Xiaomi