Why Honor and Xiaomi May Not Be Friends on Bluetooth – and How to Fix It
Xiaomi smartphones and Honor wireless headphones run on different firmware — MIUI and Magic UI, respectively. Despite the fact that both brands use the Bluetooth 5.0+ standard, users often face connection problems: headphones are not located, the connection is cut off or the sound is interrupted, the reason lies not only in software conflicts, but also in hardware features.
For example, Honor Earbuds X3 or Honor Choice Earbuds may require special codecs (such as AAC or LDAC) that are disabled by default in Xiaomi to save energy. And older smartphone models (such as Redmi Note 8 Pro) may simply lack the power of a Bluetooth module for stable work with premium headphones. In this article, we will analyze all the nuances from basic settings to solving rare bugs.
Step 1: Checking the compatibility of headphones and smartphones
Before you try to connect your headphones, make sure your Xiaomi supports their technical requirements.
- 🔹 Bluetooth Version: Honor 2020-2026 headphones require Bluetooth 5.0 or later.Clarify the version in the specifications of the smartphone (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro has Bluetooth 5.3, and Redmi has Bluetooth 5.3, and 9A — 5.0 only).
- 🔊 Supported Code: Quality sound is required AAC (minimally aptX/LDAC (Optionally. MIUI codec LDAC often off-line.
- 🔋 Profile HFP/HSP: If the headphones are positioned as "game" (for example, Honor Earbuds) 3i), They may require a profile. HFP 1.7 low-latency.
To check out the Bluetooth version on Xiaomi:
- Open Settings → About the phone → All the parameters.
- Find the line "Bluetooth Version." If it's not available, use the AIDA64 app (Network → Bluetooth section).
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If your Xiaomi is older than 2019 (like the Redmi Note 7), upgrade to the latest version of MIUI — this can add support for new Bluetooth codecs.
Step 2: Preparing Honor headphones for pairing
Before connecting, Honor headphones need to be paired, the process differs depending on the model:
| Model headphones | How to activate the pairing mode | Indication |
|---|---|---|
| Honor Earbuds X3/X5 | Press the button on the case of the charging case for 3 seconds (until the white/blue light flashes). | Fast flashing of white and red LED. |
| Honor Choice Earbuds | Open the case cover and press the touch panel on both headphones simultaneously for 5 seconds. | The voice assistant will say "Ready to pair." |
| Honor Magic Earbuds | Press and hold the button on the back of the case until vibration (about 7 seconds). | LED on the case flashes green. |
⚠️ Note: If the headphones have already been connected to another device (such as Huawei or iPhone), they need to be reset:
- Place the headphones in the case and close the lid.
- Press the reset button (usually located inside the case next to the USB-C port) for 10-15 seconds before changing the color of the indicator to red.
- After resetting, repeat the pairing procedure.
Charge the case to 30%+
Remove headphones from memory of other devices
Activate the pairing mode (see table above)
Check the indication (blinking/voice confirmation)-->
Step 3: Step-by-step connection to Xiaomi via Bluetooth
Now, the connection itself, the instructions are valid for MIUI 12-14 (including HyperOS on new models):
- Open Settings → Bluetooth on a Xiaomi smartphone.
- Activate the Bluetooth slider (if it is turned off).
- In the list of available devices, find the name of your headphones (for example, "Honor Earbuds"). X3"). If they don't: 🔄 Update the list (update button or swipe down). 📱 Make sure the headphones are in pairing mode (see Step 2). 📴 Reboot Bluetooth on your smartphone (turn off/on the slider).
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Wait for the "Connected" message and check the sound.
Critical detail: on Xiaomi with MIUI 14+ You may see a notification "Device supports advanced features" that needs to be confirmed, otherwise the headphones will connect in base mode (without support). AAC/aptX).
MIUI 12 or older
MIUI 13
MIUI 14
HyperOS (MIUI 15)
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Step 4: Customize sound and codecs for better quality
By default, Xiaomi can use suboptimal audio settings to improve the quality of:
- Go to Settings → Sound and Vibration → Bluetooth Sound Quality.
- Select Honor connected headphones from the list.
- Install: 🎵 Codec: AAC (universally) or aptX (if supported). 🎚️ Bitrate: "High" (320 kbps)+). 🔊 Equalizer: Balance or manually adjust (for bass, increase the slider by 60–100 Hz).
⚠️ Note: If the sound starts to break after changing the codec, return to the codec. SBC (This signals an unstable Bluetooth connection - perhaps the hardware power limiter in the smartphone is to blame.
How do I check the current codec?
Step 5: Solving Common Problems
If the headphones are connected, but work incorrectly, use this table:
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The headphones are plugged in, but there's no sound. | Bluetooth profile set to “Calling Only” (HFP) | In Bluetooth settings, select Media Audio (A2DP) profile. |
| The sound is interrupted every 5-10 seconds. | Wi-Fi conflict (both run at 2.4GHz) | Turn off Wi-Fi or switch the router to 5GHz. |
| Headphones are turned off when the screen is blocked | Optimizing the battery for Bluetooth | Add the “Bluetooth” app to exceptions: Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization. |
| The microphone is not working during calls. | Not selected HFP profile | In the call settings, select the headphones as the input device. |
If the problem is not solved, try resetting the network settings on Xiaomi:
Settings → System → Resetting → Resetting Wi-Fi, mobile network and BluetoothStep 6: Alternative ways to connect
If Bluetooth doesn’t work hard, consider alternatives:
- 🎧 Bluetooth 5.0 adapter: connects to the smartphone via USB-C It provides a stable connection, suitable for older Xiaomi models (e.g. Mi). A2).
- 🔌 3.5mm audio cable: if the headphones support wired connection (e.g. Honor) AM61), use the adapter USB-C → 3.5 mm.
- 📱 App from Honor: for some models (for example, Honor Earbuds 2 Lite) there is a proprietary software Honor AI Life that can improve compatibility.
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The Bluetooth adapter is the only solution for Xiaomi with a broken built-in module. Choose models that support aptX (for example, 1Mii B06 Pro).