Connecting Xiaomi Air 2 to a smartphone via Bluetooth: full instruction with expert advice

Introduction: Why Connecting Is Important for Sound Quality

Xiaomi Air 2 wireless headphones (TWS Earbuds Basic 2) have become a popular choice due to the balance of price, sound quality and battery life. However, many users face problems when first connected: the device is not detected, the sound is interrupted or one earphone does not work. These problems often arise from incorrect sequence of actions or missed nuances in the smartphone settings.

In this article, we will not only examine the basic pairing procedure, but also the hidden Bluetooth settings in MIUI and Android 12+, which directly affect connection stability and sound quality, learn how to avoid typical errors, optimize codec for music and calls, and what to do if the headphones refuse to connect after a firmware update.

The manual is suitable for all Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi, POCO), as well as Android and iOS devices. Particular attention will be paid to the differences in the connection algorithms for different operating systems – this will help avoid the common mistake when the headphones connect as a “phone headset” instead of a “music device”.

Preparation of headphones Xiaomi Air 2 to pair

Before you first connect, you need to put your headphones in search mode, which is different from standard on and requires you to follow the steps exactly, and if you skip this step, the smartphone simply won't see the device in the list of available ones.

Here's what we need to do:

• 🔋 Charge the case: Make sure the indicator on the case is white or green. If the indicator is red or flashes orange, connect the case to charge for 15-20 minutes. Minimum charge level for pairing: 20%.
• 🎧 Remove the headphones: Remove both earphones from the case at the same time. They should automatically turn on (indicators will start flashing white).
• 🔄 Reset: If the headphones have already connected to another device, reset: press the touchpads on both headphones for 10 seconds until the indicators start flashing red and white alternately.

Note that if the lights are on permanent white, the headphones are already in the mode of connection to the last device, in which case they must be manually transferred to search mode:

Fully charge the case (green indicator)|Extract both headphones at the same time | Wait for the white lights to flash (3-5 seconds) | Reset settings (10-second hold) | Make sure the headphones are not connected to other devices-->

On Android, it is recommended to disable Automatic Connection to Audio Devices in Bluetooth settings before connecting, which will prevent conflicts if there are other wireless devices nearby (such as a smartwatch or speaker).

Step-by-step: connecting to an Android smartphone

The algorithm for connecting to Android devices (including MIUI, ColorOS, pure Android) consists of 5 key steps. It is important to follow them in strict sequence to avoid the typical error when a smartphone “sees” the headphones but can not complete the pairing.

Open Settings → Connections → Bluetooth and do the following:

1. Activate Bluetooth on your smartphone (slider to the top position).
2. In the list of available devices, find Mi True Wireless Earbuds Basic 2 (or Xiaomi Air 2 depending on the region).
3. Confirm pairing on your smartphone (you may need to enter the code 0000 or 1234, although the connection usually goes without it).
4. Wait for the "Connected to Media Audio" sign to appear, and if "Connected to Calls Only" appears, go to the "Problem Solutions" section.
5. Check the sound: play music or video. If the sound is only in one headphone, reset (see Reset and Reconnect section).

On Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 12+, after connecting, a pop-up will appear with a proposal to install the Mi Earphones branded application. Its installation is optional, but it is recommended to access:

• 🎛️ Equalizer with preliminary settings (bass, vocals, classics).
• 🔊 Game Sound mode (reduces latency to 80 ms).
• 📊 Usage statistics (charge level, operating time).

Xiaomi (MIUI)|Redmi/POCO|Samsung|iPhone|Another Android|I don't know-->

If you connect to the status bar and you have an HD Audio or AAC icon, the headphones use the best codec for music, but if you have an SBC, the sound quality will be lower, and you can fix this in the developer settings (see "Sound Optimization").

Features of connecting to the iPhone (iOS)

Connecting Xiaomi Air 2 to the iPhone has several key differences due to the limitations of iOS, the main problem is the lack of support for the aptX codec, which affects the quality of the bass sound, but the right setup allows you to achieve an acceptable result.

Instructions for iOS 15/16/17:

1. Open Settings → Bluetooth.
2. Make sure the headphones are in search mode (flashing white).
3. In the list of "Other devices" select Mi True Wireless.
4. Wait 10-15 seconds – on the iPhone, pairing takes longer than on Android.
5. After connecting, check that the status bar displays the headphone icon with the charge level.

Important nuances for iOS:

• ⚠️ No support for Mi Earphones: All audio settings are adjusted via standard equalizer in Settings → Music. → equalizer.
• 🔊 Sound Latency: In games or video, latency can reach 200-250 ms. No solution is the iOS limit for uncertified devices.
• 📱 Automatic reconnect: After the first pairing, the headphones will connect automatically when removed from the case (if Bluetooth is turned on).

The iPhone also has a dual-press function to control playback.

• Double touch of the left earpiece is the previous track.
• Double touch of the right earpiece is the next track.

You can’t change these actions – this is another limitation of iOS for third-party devices.

Solving common connection problems

Even with the right instructions, users face typical problems, and here are proven solutions for each, including the rare cases where headphones are plugged in, but only one of them is sounding.

If the headphones are plugged in but immediately turned off, the problem may be the MIUI energy saving settings. Open Settings → Battery → Power saving mode and add Bluetooth to the No Limits list.

⚠️ Warning: If after updating the firmware of the smartphone headphones stopped connecting - reset the network settings on the phone (Settings) → System system → Reset → Resetting network settings. This will delete all stored Bluetooth devices, but solve the compatibility problem.

For Android 13+ devices with Fast Pair, there may be a conflict when you connect Xiaomi Air 2.

1. Turn off Fast Pair in Settings → Google → Devices and Exchange → Fast Pair.
2. Connect the headphones manually through the standard Bluetooth menu.

Optimizing sound and reducing latency

By default, Xiaomi Air 2 uses an SBC codec that provides average sound quality. On Android, you can manually switch to AAC or aptX (if supported by a smartphone), which will improve detail and bass.

How to change the codec on Android:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version and press 7 times.
2. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
3. Find the Bluetooth Codec and select AAC or aptX.
4. Reconnect the headphones.

To reduce the latency of sound (relevant for games and videos):

• 🎮 Enable game mode in the Mi Earphones app (if installed).
• 📶 Turn off Wi-Fi or switch to mobile data – this reduces interference.
• 🔊 Use the codec. SBC: Despite the poor quality, it has a minimal latency (100-150 ms).

On iPhone, you can optimize the sound only through the equalizer settings:

1. Open the settings → Music → Equalizer.
2. Choose Preset "Amproved Bass" or "Electronic Music" for better sound.
3. Turn off "Normal Volume" to avoid automatic volume reduction.

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If the sound has become worse after optimization, return the codec to SBC and check if the Adaptive Sound mode is turned on in the sound settings (it automatically reduces the volume in noisy conditions).

Resetting and reconnecting headphones

If all the connection attempts fail, you'll need to completely reset your headphones, which deletes all the stored pairing data and returns the device to the factory settings, and importantly, after the reset, you'll have to reconnect the headphones to all the devices.

Resetting instructions:

1. Put both headphones in the case and close the lid.
2. Open the lid and don't remove the headphones.
3. Press and hold the button on the back of the case for 15 seconds until the indicator flashes red.
4. Remove the headphones – they will automatically go into pairing mode (blinking white).

After discharge:

• 🔄 On Android, remove Xiaomi Air 2 from the list of paired devices (Settings) → Bluetooth → ⚙️ → Forget the device).
• 📱 On iOS, click on the "i" next to the headphone name and select "Forget this device".
• 🔊 Reconnect the headphones by following the instructions in Section 3.

⚠️ Warning: If one of the headphones does not blink or emit an audible signal after reset, this indicates a hardware malfunction, in which case you need to contact a service center.

If the reset didn't help, check:

• 🔋 Charge level of the case (less than 10% can block the pairing).
• 📲 Smartphone compatibility: Xiaomi Air 2 officially supports Android 8.0+ iOS 12+. There may be problems with older versions.
• 🔄 Conflict with other devices: disable all other Bluetooth devices (fitness bracelets, speakers, smartwatches).

Care and extension advice

Proper operation of the Xiaomi Air 2 not only improves sound quality, but also extends battery life. Here are key recommendations from Xiaomi engineers that are rarely mentioned in standard instructions:

What can't be done:

• 🚫 Charge the case from powerful adapters (more 5V/1A). This accelerates battery degradation. Use the original cable or adapter on the battery. 5V/0.5A.
• 🚫 Keeping the headphones out of the case for more than 24 hours, which leads to battery discharge to a critical level.
• 🚫 Use headphones at temperatures below 0°C or higher than 40°C. This may cause irreversible damage to the battery.

What to do regularly:

• 🧼 Clean the speaker grids with a soft brush (such as a toothbrush) once every 2 weeks. The accumulation of dust degrades sound by 15-20%.
• 🔋 Recharge the case to 10 percent and charge it to 100 percent once a month.
• 🎧 Update firmware through the Mi Earphones app (if available). New versions improve connection stability.

The average battery life of Xiaomi Air 2 when properly operated is 2-3 years (or 300-500 charge cycles). After that, the capacity drops to 60-70%, and the headphones begin to discharge in 1-2 hours. You can not replace the battery at home - you need soldering equipment and experience with microelectronics.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions