Today’s Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones function as central nodes for a host of peripheral gadgets. We connect wireless headphones for music, smartwatches for health tracking and fitness bracelets for statistics. Over time, a long list of previously used devices accumulates in your phone’s memory, some of which you may have sold, lost or simply stopped using, but the system continues to “remember.”
Not only does this create visual noise in settings, but it can also cause real technical problems. A smartphone can try to automatically connect to an old speaker that is already in another city, wasting battery power. In addition, a crowded cache of connections sometimes leads to errors when trying to pair a new gadget, which is why it is important to know how to properly manage the pairing list.
In this article, we will discuss the process of removing unnecessary profiles, we will look at the standard methods for current versions of the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS, and we will also touch on the nuances of working with wearable electronics, you will learn not just to turn off, but completely erase data about devices, ensuring clean connections and stable operation of the communication module.
Why Remove Old Bluetooth Pairs
Many users ignore the list of connected devices until they encounter problems, but cleaning this section regularly is part of digital hygiene. When a phone stores dozens of profiles, the system takes longer to scan the airwaves and find familiar signals, especially on budget models with limited RAM.
The main reason to remove it is security and privacy. If you've connected your phone to a public audio system in the gym, to a rental car's onboard computer, or to a friend's speaker, these devices have access to your contacts and call history. Even after a session is terminated, communication can be restored automatically when within range. Complete removal ensures that trusted relationships between gadgets are broken.
⚠️ Warning: Before selling or transferring a smartphone to a new owner, be sure to completely reset all Bluetooth pairs. Otherwise, the new owner may accidentally connect to your wearable devices or headphones if they are nearby.
And there's software conflicts, too. Sometimes the protocol crashes, and the phone gets stuck trying to reconnect to a device that's technically good, but it's software-based, and in those cases, deleting the profile and creating a pair again often solves the problem of intermittent sound or lag.
Standard Removal Method through MIUI and HyperOS Settings
The procedure for abandoning the device in the Xiaomi ecosystem is as unified as possible, whether you are using the old Redmi Note or the flagship Xiaomi 14. The interface may differ slightly visually, but the logic of actions remains the same. The main thing is to find the right item on the menu, which sometimes hides behind additional clicks.
To start, open the Settings app on the home screen. You're interested in the wireless interface section. Depending on the firmware version, it can be simply called Bluetooth or it can be embedded in the Connect and Sharing menu. Once you turn on the module, you'll see a list of available and previously connected gadgets.
Find the name of the device you want to delete on the list. Don't click on the on/off switch itself. Instead, look at the arrow to the right of the name or the gear icon. That's where the profile management menu is hidden. In some versions of MIUI, you need to do a long tap (tap and hold) on the gadget name to call the context menu.
In the window that opens, you will see details of the charge level (if supported), device type and control button. We are interested in the option to Unpair or Forget device. The system will request confirmation of action, warning that the device will be removed from the list. Press OK or Delete.
☑️ Device removal algorithm
Managing devices through the notification panel
There is a faster way to get to the menu without deep navigation in the settings, which is useful when you need to urgently disconnect from the sound source or break the connection with the obtrusive gadget, but the functionality here can be limited depending on the theme of the design and version of Android.
Swipe down from the top of the screen to open the Notification Curtain. Find the Bluetooth icon. If you click on the icon itself, the module will just turn on or off. To get into the settings, you need to click on the arrow next to the icon or make a long press on it, which will instantly take you to the appropriate settings section.
Here you'll see a list of active connections. Often, right in the curtain, you'll see headphone or watch widgets. Clicking on a widget can open a mini-player or a control interface, but not an uninstall menu. To delete, you'll still have to go to the full Bluetooth settings menu, as described in the previous! next section. There's usually no direct "Forget" button in the curtain widget.
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If the notification curtain displays a headphone widget, try tapping the three-dot icon or gears inside that widget - in some MIUI themes, this opens up a direct link to the device's delete menu.
Specifics of working with wearable electronics Xiaomi
Owners of Mi Band fitness bracelets and Amazfit or Xiaomi Watch smartwatches often face removal features: These devices require not only system pairing via Bluetooth, but also binding in the proprietary Mi Fitness app (formerly Mi Wear) or Zepp. Simply removing from Bluetooth settings here may not be enough to completely denounce.
If you simply “forget” the bracelet in your phone’s settings, the health app can continue to search for the device, believing it to be a communication error, and constantly display disconnect notifications.
The correct action algorithm for wearable electronics looks different. First, you need to open the app that registered the gadget. In the profile of the device, find the Delete or Untie button. Only after the application confirms the disconnect, you can go to the Bluetooth system settings and delete the profile from there if it remains.
| Type of device | Primary decoupling site | Systemic action |
|---|---|---|
| TWS headphones | Bluetooth settings | Forget the device |
| Fitness bracelet | Appendix Mi Fitness / Zepp | Delete profile + Forget in BT |
| Automotive system | Bluetooth settings | Forget the device (on the phone and in the car) |
| Smart scales | Application Mi Fit | Remove from profile |
It is important to understand the difference between disconnection and deletion. A disabled device simply breaks the current communication session, but saves the access keys for quick re-docking. A remote device erases these keys, requiring a complete procedure (pairing) from scratch, including entering confirmation codes if required.
What to do if the device is not removed or hidden
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the device appears in the list, but the delete button is inactive, sulphur or absent at all. This can happen for several reasons. Often the problem is that the device is actively used by another process or application right now.
For example, if a file is being transferred or a voice call is active through the headset, the system blocks the deletion of the profile to prevent communication failure, in which case you must first forcibly close all applications using audio or data transmission, or simply restart the smartphone.
⚠️ Warning: If the device is "ghost" (not nearby, but it's on the list) and doesn't get deleted, try putting the phone in Air Mode for 10 seconds and then turning on Bluetooth again.
Another common problem is duplicate profiles, and the device can be displayed twice: once as an audio headset, once as an input source (keyboard) or as an input/output device, so you have to delete each record separately, and if one copy is not deleted, check if it is a system component (such as Android Auto or Google services).
Hidden system devices
Resetting network settings as a radical solution
When standard methods fail, or the Bluetooth list is full of bugs and dead connections that can’t be removed one at a time, a reset feature comes to the rescue, and this action will affect not only Bluetooth, but also Wi-Fi and mobile network settings, so you need to prepare for it.
Network resets bring all network settings back to factory status, which means you have to re-enter passwords from all Wi-Fi networks, configure APN access points for mobile Internet, and re-pair all Bluetooth devices, but this is guaranteed to clear the pairing database of any software errors.
To reset, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing (or Additional Settings). Find Reset Wi-Fi, mobile networks and Bluetooth. The system will warn of the consequences. Confirm action, you may need to enter a password to unlock the screen.
Path to discharge:
Settings → Connection and sharing →
Reset Wi-Fi, Mobile Networks and Bluetooth →
Reset the settingsOnce rebooted, the phone will be like a new network connection, a great way to solve problems if the phone has stopped seeing new devices or is constantly losing communication, and this is the only way to remove system pairing caches that are not available through the regular menu.