Connecting two Xiaomi devices over Bluetooth: all the ways and secrets

Connecting two Xiaomi devices over Bluetooth at the same time is a challenge that many users of the brand ecosystem face. Unlike standard connecting one gadget, working with multiple devices requires knowledge of the nuances of the Bluetooth 5.0/5.2 protocol, the features of the MIUI firmware and the limitations of specific models. For example, Redmi Note 12 Pro+ or Xiaomi 13 Ultra smartphones support multi-connection, but with the reservations that some devices can only work to play audio, others – to transfer data.

In this article, we will analyze all possible scenarios: how to connect two audio devices (for example, headphones Xiaomi Buds). 4 Pro and Mi Portable Speaker, combine smartphone with fitness bracelet Mi Band 8 We'll use a wireless mouse, and we'll also avoid the common errors that cause the second device to refuse to connect. MIUI 14/15, where key parameters for stable operation are hidden.

If you've had problems before like, "second device connects, but the sound only goes to one" or "Bluetooth is constantly off," here's a solution. We've also tested the compatibility of popular device combinations and made a table of supported profiles to help avoid incompatibility before you buy.

Which Xiaomi devices support connecting two gadgets over Bluetooth?

Not all Xiaomi smartphones and accessories are capable of running two Bluetooth devices at once, depending on the protocol version, hardware platform and firmware.

  • πŸ“± Smartphones: models on Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1/2 (for example, Xiaomi 12S Ultra, Redmi K60 Pro and newer support Dual Audio, which plays back sound on two devices. 4/6 series) are often limited to a single connection.
  • 🎧 Audio devices: headphones Xiaomi Buds 3/4 Pro, Mi True Wireless Earphones and Mi Smart Speaker speakers are multi-connection compatible, but only if the smartphone supports a profile A2DP two-channel.
  • ⌚ Wearable devices: fitness bracelets Mi Band 7/8 and smart watches Xiaomi Watch S3 They can connect in parallel with audio gadgets, but only if the second device uses a profile. LE (Low Energy).

Important: Even if your smartphone supports Bluetooth 5.2, some features (like the LC3 codec for low latency) can only work with one device.

Smartphone modelMax. number of Bluetooth devicesDual Audio supportProfiles
Xiaomi 13 Pro7 (2 active)Yes (A2DP + HFP)A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, LE
Redmi Note 12 Pro+5 (2 active)Yes (A2DP only)A2DP, AVRCP, HFP
POCO X5 Pro4 (1 actively)No.A2DP, HFP, LE
Xiaomi 12T6 (2 active)Yes (with MIUI 14)A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, LE, LC3

⚠️ Note: on smartphones with MediaTek Helio G (e.g. Redmi) 10C) connecting the second device can cause communication to break with the first.

Preparing Xiaomi smartphone for multi-connection

Before connecting two devices, you need to optimize the Bluetooth settings in MIUI, which will help avoid profile conflicts and ensure stable operation.

Follow this algorithm:

  1. Open Settings β†’ Bluetooth and turn on the adapter.
  2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Additional.
  3. Activate the option Dual Audio – it is not available on all models.
  4. Turn on Visibility for all devices for 2-5 minutes (this will make it easier to find a smartphone with a second gadget).
  5. Go to Settings β†’ Special Features β†’ Hearing Settings and turn off Mono audio if it is turned on.

For devices on MIUI 15, it is also recommended to reset the Bluetooth cache:

Settings β†’ Applications β†’ Application Management β†’ Three Points β†’ Show All Processes β†’ Bluetooth β†’ Storage β†’ Clear Cache

Enable Bluetooth and device visibility

Activate Dual Audio (if any)

Turn off Mono audio in hearing settings

Clear the Bluetooth cache (for MIUI 15)

Reboot your smartphone (optional)-->

If you connect audio devices (such as headphones and a speaker), make sure both devices support A2DP. Check out the specifications on Xiaomi’s website or the Mi Home app for a check.

Step-by-step: how to connect two devices

Consider two of the most popular scenarios: connecting two audio devices (for example, to listen to music on headphones and a speaker) and a combination of audio + wearable device (earphones + fitness bracelet).

Scenario 1: Two Audio Devices (Dual Audio)

This method works on smartphones with MIUI 12 and later, supporting Dual Audio:

  1. Connect the first device (e.g. Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro) in the standard way via Settings β†’ Bluetooth.
  2. Turn on a second device (such as the Mi Portable Bluetooth Speaker) and make it detectable (usually the power button is held for 3-5 seconds).
  3. Return to the Bluetooth menu on your smartphone, tap three dots and select Double Audio.
  4. Click Add Device and select the second audio device from the list.
  5. After the connection, a slider will appear to adjust the volume balance between the two devices.

Critical detail: if the audio is only going to one device after the connection, check if the second gadget supports the A2DP Sink profile. For example, some Xiaomi speakers only work as a source (A2DP Source), not a receiver.

Scenario 2: Audio device + wearable device

For a combination of headphones and a fitness bracelet (Mi Band 8) or a smartwatch (Xiaomi Watch S2):

  1. First, connect your wearable device via the Mi Fitness or Zepp Life app (this ensures that data is properly synchronized).
  2. Then connect the audio device via Settings β†’ Bluetooth.
  3. If communication is interrupted, open Settings β†’ Applications β†’ Application Management β†’ Bluetooth and reset your default settings.

⚠️ Attention: on smartphones POCO F4 redmi K50 when simultaneously connecting Mi Band and headphones, there may be a delay of up to 200 ms. LE and A2DP.

Two audio devices (headphones + column)

Smartphone + fitness bracelet

Smartphone + smart watch

Smartphone + wireless mouse / keyboard

Other-->

Common Problems and Their Solutions

Even with the right setup, users often encounter errors, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

  • πŸ”Š The sound is only going to one device: Check if Dual Audio is enabled in your Bluetooth settings. Make sure both devices support the same. A2DP (For example, Xiaomi Buds 3T It doesn't support Dual Audio. Restart your smartphone and reconnect.
  • πŸ”„ Permanent Communication Breaks: Turn off Battery Savings for Bluetooth in Settings β†’ Battery β†’ Select apps. Update your headphone or speaker firmware through the Mi Home app. Try changing your Bluetooth codec to a new one. SBC (developer-setting).
  • ❌ Second device not detected: Reset network settings on smartphone: Settings β†’ System system β†’ Reset β†’ Reset your Wi-Fi, mobile network and Bluetooth settings, check if the second device is connected to another gadget (for example, a laptop).

If the problem persists, try to force compatibility mode:

Settings β†’ About Phone β†’ MIUI version (shap 7 times to open the developer menu)


Return to Settings β†’ Additional β†’ For developers β†’ Enable β€œBluetoothbusting”

What if Dual Audio disappears after MIUI update?
After updating to MIUI 15 Some users lose the Dual Audio option, and this is due to a change in the location of the function: 1. Install regional firmware (for example, EEA Global instead). 2. Use it. ADB-The command for forced inclusion: adb shell settings put global bluetooth_dual_audio_enabled 1 3. If nothing helps, go back to the previous version. MIUI via Fastboot.

Optimizing the connection for stable operation

To ensure that two Bluetooth devices work without failure, follow these guidelines:

  • πŸ“Ά Minimize interference: keep devices no more than 10 meters apart. Walls and metal objects degrade the signal.
  • πŸ”‹ Battery charge: if the headphones or speakers are under 20%, there may be an automatic shutdown.
  • πŸ”„ Software updates: check the relevance of the firmware of the smartphone and connected devices. For example, for Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro, updating to version 4.7.15 is critical to work correctly with Dual Audio.
  • πŸŽ›οΈ Codec settings: in Developer settings β†’ Select Bluetooth Audio Codec SBC for maximum compatibility or aptX Adaptive for better sound (if supported).

For devices with MIUI 14 and later, it is also useful to disable automatic device switching:

Settings β†’ Connections and Sharing β†’ Transfer β†’ Auto-Switching Devices (Switch Off)

πŸ’‘

If you use Xiaomi Buds headphones and a speaker at the same time, set the priority device for calls. To do this, during the call, tap the speaker icon in the top panel and select the desired gadget.

Compatibility with devices of other brands

While this article is about the Xiaomi ecosystem, many users are trying to connect gadgets from other brands (such as the Sony WH-1000XM5 or JBL Charge 5).

  • 🎧 Other brands: Most Bluetooth 5.0 models are compatible with Xiaomi, but Dual Audio may not work due to proprietary codecs (e.g., the same as the ones you use, LDAC Sony).
  • ⌨️ Keyboards and mice: devices like Logitech MX Keys connect without any problems, but they can conflict with audio gadgets, in which case the input devices are given priority.
  • πŸš— Auto radios: When connected to a car via Bluetooth, Xiaomi's smartphone can automatically turn off other devices. To avoid this, turn off the Auto Connection to the car in Bluetooth settings.

To check compatibility, use the table:

The deviceCompatible with Dual AudioNotes
Sony WH-1000XM5Partially (SBC only)LDAC is not supported on Dual Audio
JBL Charge 5Yes.You may need to manually switch your profile.
Apple AirPods ProNo.Protocol conflict (Apple uses proprietary chip)
Logitech MX Master 3Yeah (but turns off the audio)Priority given HID-device

⚠️ Note: when you connect AirPods or Galaxy Buds to a Xiaomi smartphone, the Dual Audio feature will be blocked at the firmware level.This is a restriction of Apple and Samsung, not Xiaomi.

Alternative ways of connecting

If your smartphone doesn’t support connecting two devices simultaneously over Bluetooth, there are workarounds:

  • πŸ”— Bluetooth splitter: devices like Avantek BTA-200 You can connect two audio gadgets to the same source, minus the additional delay of sound (~50 ms).
  • πŸ“‘ Multi-connection apps: SoundAssistant (for Samsung, but it works for Xiaomi) or Bluetooth Auto Connect help manage multiple connections.
  • πŸŽ›οΈ Customization through ADB: For advanced users, there is a command to force Dual Audio: adb shell settings put global bluetooth_dual_audio_enabled 1 But it doesn't work on all firmware.

For wearable devices (such as Mi Band + headphones), you can also use two smartphones: connect the bracelet to the main phone, and headphones to the second (such as the old Redmi), and sync music through the cloud.

πŸ’‘

Bluetooth splitters are the only universal solution for smartphones that do not support Dual Audio at the software level, but they cause delay and can degrade sound quality.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions

Can I connect three devices via Bluetooth at the same time?
Technically, yes, but only one device will be active (for example, for audio playback); the remaining two will be in standby mode. On Xiaomi smartphones with Bluetooth 5.2 (for example, Xiaomi 13T Pro), you can connect up to 7 devices, but only 2 will work at the same time.
Why does the first device start to slow down after connecting the second device?
This is due to the limited bandwidth of the Bluetooth channel: Audio streaming requires more resources than data transfer (e.g. from a fitness bracelet). Solution: Turn off Absolute Volume in the developer settings. Set the SBC codec instead of aptX. Reboot both devices.
How to connect Xiaomi Buds and JBL column at the same time?
If your smartphone supports Dual Audio: Connect Xiaomi Buds via Settings β†’ Bluetooth. Enable the JBL column in pairing mode (hold the Bluetooth button for 3 seconds). In the Bluetooth menu of the smartphone, tap three points β†’ Double audio β†’ add a column. If there are no Dual Audio options, use a Bluetooth splitter.
Can I connect the Mi Band and the wireless mouse at the same time?
Yes, but with the caveats: The mouse will have priority (HID profile). Mi Band will only sync data in the background (up to 5 minutes delays are possible). On smartphones with MediaTek (e.g. Redmi 10A), the mouse can turn off the bracelet.
Why does Xiaomi 12S Ultra not have dual audio with AirPods?
That's Apple's limitation: AirPods headphones use a proprietary W1/H1 chip that's incompatible with Dual Audio on Android. There's no solution - not even Bluetooth splitters will help.