How to connect Bluetooth headphones to the phone Xiaomi Redmi: instruction + error solving

Wireless headphones have become an integral part of everyday life — they are convenient for listening to music, calling and even watching videos. However, users of Xiaomi Redmi smartphones often have questions: how to connect Bluetooth headphones correctly if the phone does not see them, why the sound is interrupted or how to reset the pairing settings. In this article, we will analyze all the nuances from basic instructions to solving common problems.

The feature of Redmi phones (whether Redmi Note 12, Redmi 10 or older) is the MIUI shell, which sometimes makes adjustments to the standard connection process. For example, in some versions of the software, the Quick pairing function works differently than on pure Android. We will take all these points into account to make the instruction relevant for most devices of the line.

If you just bought new headphones – for example, Xiaomi Buds 4, Redmi Buds 5 or devices of other brands (Sony) WH-1000XM5, JBL Tune 510BT) — Or you've had problems connecting old ones, this article will help you understand (AAC, SBC, aptX), energy saving and compatibility with MIUI 14.

1. Preparation of headphones and phone for connection

Before you start pairing, make sure both devices are ready to connect. Headphones should be charged (minimum 30% of the battery), and the phone is not overloaded with background processes.

Turn Bluetooth headphones on in pairing mode (usually hold the power button 5-7 seconds)

Make sure your phone is Bluetooth enabled (Settings → Connections → Bluetooth)

Disconnect your headphones from other devices (laptop, tablet) if they were previously connected

Make sure your phone has enough free memory (minimum 500MB)

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Pay special attention to the pairing mode of the headphones. In most models, it is activated by a long press on the power button (until the indicator flashes in blue / red).

• 🎧 Xiaomi Redmi Buds 4: Hold the touchpad on both headphones for 10 seconds until the white LED flashes.
• 🎧 Sony WH-CH720N: Press and hold the power button until you hear the voice message "Bluetooth pairing».
• 🎧 JBL Tune 125TWS: Remove the headphones from the case and hold the button for every 5 seconds.

On Xiaomi Redmi, it is recommended to update the software to the latest version of MIUI before connecting. Go to Settings → About Phone → System Update. Older firmware versions (for example, MIUI 12 and below) can have compatibility errors with modern headphones, especially with support for the LC3 codec (for Bluetooth 5.2+).

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If the headphones have previously connected to another phone, reset their settings. This usually requires holding the power button for 15-20 seconds until the indicator starts flashing red and blue alternately.

2. Step-by-step instruction: how to connect Bluetooth headphones to Redmi

The pairing process on all Xiaomi Redmi models (including Redmi Note 11 Pro, Redmi 9A, POCO X5) is the same, but may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI.

1. Activate Bluetooth on your phone: Open Settings → Connections → Bluetooth and move the slider to the right. Alternatively, swipe down the screen to open the Quick Settings panel and tap the Bluetooth icon.
2. Start device search: Click Device Search (or Add a new device). The phone will start scanning available gadgets.
3. Select headphones from the list: When your headphones appear on the list (like Redmi Buds 3 Lite), tap it. If the device doesn't show up, update the list by pulling the screen down.
4. Confirm pairing: A request for code confirmation (usually 0000 or 1234) may appear on the screen. Enter it and click Connect.

After successful connection next to the headphone name will appear the inscription Connected, and in the status bar — the Bluetooth icon. To check the health, run any audio file or video.

Important for owners of Redmi Note 10/11: these models have a bug that automatically connects the headphones after rebooting the phone. To fix this, after the first pairing, go to Bluetooth Settings → Settings (cog next to the headphone name) → Autoconnect and turn on this option.

3. Customize Bluetooth sound and codecs

Sound quality depends not only on the headphones, but also on the chosen Bluetooth codec. By default, Xiaomi Redmi uses SBC, a universal, but not the highest quality codec. If your headphones support AAC, aptX or LDAC, you can turn them on manually.

For this:

1. Put the headphones on the phone.
2. Open Settings → Connections → Bluetooth.
3. Slap the gear icon next to the headphones' name.
4. Select Sound Quality or Audio Codec (depending on the MIUI version).
5. Set a priority codec (AAC is recommended for balance of quality and stability).

If the codec changes, the sound starts to break or disappears, go back to SBC, which is the most stable, although not as good, and check if the phone is running battery saving mode (Settings → Battery → Power Saving Mode), as it can limit Bluetooth performance.

Xiaomi/Redmi (Buds, AirDots, etc.)

Sony (WH-1000XM, WF-1000X, etc.)

JBL, Marshall, Skullcandy

Apple AirPods

Others (write in the comments)-->

4. Common problems and their solution

Even after a successful connection, Xiaomi Redmi users may face typical problems, and consider the most common ones and how to fix them.

⚠️ Warning: If the headphones are connected but the sound is coming through the speaker of the phone, check the audio output settings. During the call, tap the speaker icon in the top panel and select the Bluetooth device.

Problem 1: The phone can't find the headphones

• 🔄 Restart both devices – sometimes a banal reboot helps.
• 📱 Update the firmware -- in MIUI 13/14 Fixed many Bluetooth errors.
• 🔌 Check the headphones on another phone – if they don’t connect there, the problem is with the headphones themselves.
• 🛠️ Reset your network settings – this will delete all stored Bluetooth devices (Settings) → System system → Reset → Reset your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth settings).

Problem 2: The sound is interrupted or “breaks”

The reasons may be different:

• 📶 Weak signal – do not move further than 10 meters from the phone, avoid obstacles (walls, metal objects).
• 🔋 Low charge headphones – charge them up to 50% or more.
• 🎛️ Codec Conflict – Try to Change AAC on SBC.
• 📱 Background Processes – Close all apps, especially instant messengers and games.

Problem 3: Headphones are connected, but there is no sound

Possible solutions:

• 🔊 Check the volume on your headphones and phone (sometimes it resets after you connect).
• 🎵 Make sure the audio is played over Bluetooth – the headphone name should be displayed in the notification panel.
• 🔄 Reconnect the headphones: turn them off in Bluetooth settings and connect again.

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If the sound problems only occur in a particular app (like YouTube or Spotify), clear its cache: Settings → Apps → Select an app → Storage → Clear the cache.

5. How to disable and remove headphones from your phone memory

If you're not planning on using headphones anymore, or if you want to connect them to another device, you need to properly disable them and remove them from the list of conjugated gadgets, which is also useful if the headphones are starting to glitch — sometimes reconnecting solves the problem.

To turn off the headphones:

1. Open Settings → Connections → Bluetooth.
2. Slap the gear icon next to the headphones' name.
3. Press Turn Off.

To completely remove headphones from your phone’s memory:

1. In the same menu, click Forget this device (or Delete).
2. Confirm the action.

⚠️ Warning: Once removed, the headphones will have to be reconnected as if it were the first pairing. If they were connected to multiple devices (for example, a laptop and a phone), deleting the Redmi will not affect other gadgets.

Some Redmi models (such as the Redmi 8 or Redmi 9C) may need to restart the phone after removing the device to make the changes take effect, due to the way MIUI works on budget smartphones.

Optimizing Bluetooth: battery savings and stability

Bluetooth is one of the main consumers of power on a smartphone. To extend the life of Xiaomi Redmi without recharging, follow these tips:

• 🔋 Turn off Bluetooth when not in use – even in standby mode, the module consumes up to 5-10% day-load.
• 🎵 Use the codec. SBC For music, it is less voracious than aptX or AAC.
• 📴 Enable adaptive battery (Settings) → Battery → Adaptive battery to optimize energy consumption.
• 🔄 Update the firmware - in new versions MIUI Improved energy efficiency of Bluetooth.

Also worth noting is the automatic connection, if the headphones connect to your phone every time you turn on Bluetooth (even when you're not using them), it wastes battery power to turn off the auto-connection:

1. Go to Settings → Connections → Bluetooth.
2. Put the gear next to the headphones.
3. Turn off the Autoconnection option.

For owners of Redmi Note 10 Pro and later, Bluetooth Low Power (BLE) is available, which reduces battery consumption when connected to headphones. To activate it, go to Settings → Special Features → Hearing Settings → Low Power Bluetooth.

7. headphone compatibility with Xiaomi Redmi: what you need to know

Not all Bluetooth headphones work equally well with Redmi phones, but here are some key points to consider when choosing:

Especially careful when buying gaming headphones with low latency (for example, with support for aptX LL). Not all Redmi models work correctly with such codecs.

If you use Redmi with custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), you may experience Bluetooth issues.

• Install firmware with Bluetooth Stack support from Qualcomm.
• Use the core with patches for audio drivers.
• Check firmware compatibility with your model in forums (e.g. XDA Developers).

FAQ: Frequent questions about connecting Bluetooth headphones to Xiaomi Redmi