Managing wireless connections on Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones is one of the basic functions, but over time the list of paired devices can turn into chaos: accumulation of old profiles, attempts to connect to forgotten headphones or watches, as well as software failures often require a complete cleanup of Bluetooth history. Understanding how to properly remove pairing will help not only to restore order, but also solve a number of problems with connecting new gadgets.
The MIUI or HyperOS operating system stores data about previous connections in a protected memory area, which sometimes leads to conflicts when trying to repair. If you sold old headphones or just changed your phone, deleting old records becomes a must-do step to ensure the security and stable operation of the communication module. In this article, we will discuss all the ways of cleaning, from the standard menu to deep resetting.
Often users are faced with a situation where the device appears in the list but does not connect, or the phone does not see new gadgets due to a crowded cache of services. Removing old pairing often solves 90% of problems with unstable sound or connection breaks. We will look at the mechanics of Bluetooth on Android, so you understand what exactly happens in the background when you press the “Forget” button.
Standard Removal Procedure Through Settings
The easiest and safest way to remove a device from the list is to use the regular menu system. This method does not require superuser rights and is suitable for all current Xiaomi models. You need to open the settings and find the section responsible for wireless interfaces. The path may vary slightly depending on the version of the shell, but the logic remains the same.
Go to the Settings menu and select Bluetooth, and you will see a list of available and already paired devices, and find the gadget you want to remove in the “My Devices” or “Coupled Devices” list, and click on the gear icon or arrow to the right of the device name to open the expanded control menu.
In the window that opens, you will need to find the “Disable” or “Forget the device” button.** After clicking, the system will request confirmation of the action, as this will delete all encryption and profile settings for the gadget. If you plan to use the device again, it will have to be paired again, as the first time.
☑️ Device removal algorithm
It is worth noting that once removed, the device will disappear from the active list, but may remain in the history of recently used ones if you used the quick connection function via Mi Cloud, in which case re-enable Bluetooth on both devices can initiate automatic communication recovery if the Quick pairing function is active.
Managing the list in the notification curtain
For fast connection, Xiaomi provides easy access through the control panel, and many users don’t know that it can also manage the history of pairings, although the functionality is somewhat limited compared to the full settings menu, which is useful when you need to quickly break the connection without going into the system menus.
Swipe from top to bottom to open the control center. In the Bluetooth block, you'll see a list of connected gadgets. Clicking on the Bluetooth icon unfolds a list of available devices. If the device has already been paired, it can display a Connected status or settings icon next to it.
- 📱 Press and hold your finger on the Bluetooth icon to immediately go to the full settings menu.
- 🔌 Tap the device name in the expanded list to break the current connection.
- ⚙️ Use a long tap on some headphone models to call the contextual disconnect menu.
It is important to understand the difference between “disconnect” and “delete.” In the curtain, most often only the function of breaking the current session is available. To completely delete the profile, which is required when selling a device or fixing errors, you still have to go to the deep settings described in the previous section.
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If the device isn’t removed from the list in the standard way, try turning off Bluetooth on the outermost gadget first, and then uninstall it in the phone’s settings.
Resetting network settings as a radical solution
When standard deletion doesn't work, or the Bluetooth list doesn't work properly (devices disappear and pop up on their own), a deeper approach is required. Network reset is a powerful feature that brings all network modules back to factory status, and it affects not only Bluetooth, but Wi-Fi and mobile data.
To do this, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing (or “More”) → Reset Wi-Fi, mobile networks, and Bluetooth. The system will alert you that all stored Wi-Fi passwords and lists of associated devices will be permanently deleted. This is critical if you do not have recorded passwords from home networks.
Once confirmed, the phone will restart network services, which usually takes no more than 30 seconds, and you'll get a blank slate: no stored Bluetooth device, no forgotten Wi-Fi network, which often resolves problems with the communication module drivers that may have been damaged during system updates.
⚠️ Note: Resetting network settings will also remove settings APN If you don't have mobile internet after reset, you may need to manually enter operator settings or click the "Restore Default" button on the mobile menu.
Cleaning up the Bluetooth service cache
Sometimes the problem is not the list of devices, but the software failure of the service that controls the wireless module. In the Android operating system, the system process is responsible for this, and cleaning it does not delete your personal data or media files, but resets the temporary files and logs of Bluetooth.
To get to the menu, open Settings → Apps → All apps. In the upper right corner, click on three dots and select “Show System Processes.” Without this step, you won’t find the service you want. Search for “Bluetooth.”
Find a process called "Bluetooth" or com.android.bluetooth. Go inside and select "Memory" (or "Storage"). There you'll see two buttons: "Clear cache" and "Clean everything." First, try cleaning the cache. If the problem persists, you can use a full wipe of the app's data, which is effectively equivalent to resetting Bluetooth settings without touching Wi-Fi.
| Action. | Impact on data | Need for a reset | Risk of data loss |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deletion of the device | Only a profile of the device | No. | No. |
| Clearing the cache | Temporary service files | Preferably. | No. |
| Clearing the service data | All pairings and settings of BT | Yes. | Medium (device list) |
| Resetting network settings | All network settings (Wi-Fi, BT, 4G) | Yes. | High (wi-fi passwords) |
Once the Bluetooth service has been cleaned, the phone can automatically reboot the communication module, and you'll notice that the Bluetooth icon in the curtain will disappear and reappear in a few seconds, and the list of conjugated devices should be completely empty.
Mi True Wireless and the Ecosystem
Owners of Mi True Wireless Earbuds, AirDots or Mi Band watches often experience the peculiarities of Xiaomi’s proprietary protocols, which use special services to quickly pair and synchronize time, which can stick to the system even after removing the device from the list.
If you have removed the headphones but they continue to appear on the list or interfere with the connection, check the Mi Fitness app (formerly Mi Wear) or Xiaomi Wear. There is also a list of devices inside the app. Deleting the gadget from the app is often more effective than deleting it through Android system settings, as it breaks the binding at the Mi Cloud account level.
The secret of double pairing
Also worth paying attention to is Google’s Quick Pair or Mi Fast Pair feature. If activated, the phone may try to automatically reconnect with devices that are nearby, even if you removed them from the main list.
- 🎧 For headphones: put them in the case, press the reset button for 10 seconds before the indicator flashes.
- ⌚ For bracelets: In the Mi Fitness app, click Untie before removing from Bluetooth.
- 📺 For TV consoles: the remote is reset by simultaneously clamping the Home and Back buttons».
Diagnostics and frequent connection errors
Even after removing the old pairing, it can be difficult to connect new devices, often because there are processes that use Bluetooth in the background, or the module is in a state of “error.” First of all, make sure that geolocation (GPS) is enabled. In modern versions of Android, scanning Bluetooth devices is impossible without an active GPS module.
Another common problem is Bluetooth version conflict: If you’re trying to connect an old device (like version 4.0) to a new Xiaomi smartphone with Bluetooth 5.3, there may be coding failures, which can help to turn on the developer mode and change the Bluetooth version, but this requires caution.
⚠️ Note: Changing the Bluetooth version in developer mode can cause the communication module to be completely inoperable. Use this feature only if you are confident in your actions and know which version your gadget supports.
If none of the methods worked and the phone doesn’t see any devices, or the list of devices is empty, but adding is impossible, it may be corrupted configuration file. bt_config.conf. Access to it is possible only with root-rights. In such cases, the average user is advised to perform a complete reset of the phone to the factory settings, previously saving important data.