Bluetooth headphones Xiaomi became quieter to play: causes and solutions to the problem

Have you noticed that your favorite Xiaomi bluetooth headphones are suddenly quieter than usual? This is a common problem faced by owners of Redmi AirDots, Mi True Wireless Earbuds, Xiaomi Buds and other wireless headsets of the brand, and the reasons can be due to both smartphone settings and hardware malfunctions of the headphones or the sound source.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible causes of volume downsizing, from the commonplace Bluetooth errors to hidden codecs and firmware issues, how to diagnose a problem, which settings to check first, and what to do if standard methods don’t work.

Importantly, if only one earpiece is quieter, that's a separate problem, whether it's channel balance or physical breakdown, and this article is about evenly reducing the volume of both earbuds.

1. Checking basic volume settings

Before digging deep into Bluetooth settings or firmware, make sure the problem isn't on the surface. Often users miss the obvious points:

• 📱 Smartphone multimedia volume: Press physical volume buttons on your phone while playing music (not in standby mode!). Xiaomi has separate sliders for calls, alarm clocks and multimedia.
• 🎧 Loudness on the headphones themselves: On Xiaomi Buds models 3/4 Pro and FlipBuds Pro have touch controls – check if your gesture settings are lost (e.g. swipe up/down for adjustment).
• 🔊 Do Not Disturb: On MIUI It can automatically turn down the volume for all devices. → Sound. → Don't disturb.
• 🔄 Headphone reconnect: Sometimes it helps to just disable and reconnect the headset via the Bluetooth menu.

If the volume hasn't returned after this manipulation, move on to the next section, and most often the problem is with the Bluetooth codec settings, which most users don't even know they are.

Bluetooth Codec Settings: The Hidden Cause of Silent Sound

One of the most common but little-known sources of the problem is the suboptimal Bluetooth codec. Xiaomi headphones support several audio protocols, and some of them artificially limit the volume to save energy or improve quality.

To check and modify the codec:

1. Put the headphones on the phone.
2. Open Settings → Connected devices → Settings gear next to your headphones.
3. Find the item "Sound Quality" or "Audio Codec" (on different versions of MIUI can be called differently).
4. Choose SBC (most compatible, but not always best in quality) or AAC (optimum for Xiaomi). avoid aptX or LDAC if available - these codecs can limit volume on some devices.

If you don't have a codec item on the menu, your phone automatically selects the best protocol, so try to force the Bluetooth developer to turn on:

1. Activate Developer Mode: 7 times click on Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.


2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers.




3. Find Bluetooth Settings and turn on AVRCP 1.6 (if any).




4. Reconnect the headphones.

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If the sound is worse after changing the codec (wheezing, cliffs) - go back to the factory settings. Some Xiaomi Buds models work only with SBC stable

3. Resetting headphone and phone settings

If the problem isn't with the codecs, the next step is to completely reset both the headphones and the phone's Bluetooth module, which helps in 60% of cases when the volume goes down after a firmware update or device conflict.

Reset Xiaomi headphones (instructions for most models):

• 🔋 Place both headphones in the case and close the lid.
• 📱 Remove them from the list of connected devices in Bluetooth on your phone.
• 🔄 Press and hold the button on the case (or touchpad on the headphones) for a while. 15-20 seconds until the indicator flashes red/white.
• 🔄 Reconnect your headphones as a new device.

Reset Bluetooth on the Xiaomi phone:

1. Go to Settings → Connected devices → Bluetooth.
2. Click on the three dots in the upper right corner → "Reset settings".
3. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

⚠️ Note: After resetting Bluetooth, all stored devices (columns, watches, car systems) will be deleted. Write down their names in advance or take a screenshot of the list.

Remove headphones from the Bluetooth menu of the phone

Charge the case of headphones to at least 50%

Prepare instructions for headphones (in case of a unique method of resetting)

Disable VPN or proxy (they may interfere with the connection)

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4.Firmware problems: Update and rollback

Often the volume drop is due to the firmware update of headphones or phone. Xiaomi regularly releases patches for its headsets, but sometimes they contain bugs.For example, after upgrading to MIUI 14, many Redmi AirDots 3 users complained about artificial volume limiting.

How to check and update the firmware headphones:

1. Install the official Mi Home or Xiaomi Earbuds app (depending on the model).
2. Connect the headphones to the phone and open the application.
3. Go to the "Firmware Update" section (usually in the headphone menu).
4. If you have a new version, install it. Don't interrupt the process. The headphones should be in a case with the lid open.

If the problem occurs after the firmware update, try rolling back:

• 🔄 For some models (for example, Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro) in the application Xiaomi Earbuds has a rollback option.
• 📵 If there is no rollback, reset your headphones (see Section 3) and do not update your firmware if it is already installed.
• 📱 Check on the phone to see if there are any updates. MIUI — Sometimes the bugs are fixed in the following patches.

5. Hardware problems: battery, speakers, contacts

If the software methods didn't work, it could be hardware, and here are the most common reasons:

• 🔋 Case battery discharge: Xiaomi headphones with a low case charge (less than 20%) automatically turn the volume down to save energy. Charge the case to 100% and check the sound.
• 🎛️ Contamination of speakers: Dust, earwax or moisture can physically block sound. Clean the speaker grid with a soft brush (do not use alcohol!).
• 🔌 Contact oxidation: Headphones in the case are recharged through metal contacts. If they are oxidized, the charging is unstable, which affects performance. Wipe the contacts with a brush or cotton swab with isopropyl alcohol.
• 🔊 Membrane damage speaker: If the sound is not only quiet but also distorted (wheezing, crackling), it may be that the membrane is torn.

To diagnose hardware problems:

1. Connect your headphones to another device (tablet, laptop, second phone) If the volume is normal, your smartphone is a problem.
2. Try playing different types of sound: music, podcast, test signal (for example, in the SoundCheck app). If the music is quieter, the equalizer settings are to blame.
3. Listen to the headphones in a quiet room at maximum volume, if you hear distortion, it is a sign of damage to the speaker.

⚠️ Warning: If you suspect battery damage (case discharges quickly, headphones are turned off by 50% of the charge) - do not use them until repair.

6.Smartphone problems: sound settings and conflicts

Sometimes the problem isn’t with the headphones, but with the phone’s settings, especially for Xiaomi devices on MIUI, where there are hidden audio controls.

What to check on your phone:

• 🎛️ Equalizer and sound effects: Open Settings → Sound. → Sound quality and effects: disable all preset profiles (e.g., "Bas Boost" or "3D-Try manually adjusting the equalizer by increasing the sliders at frequencies. 100-500 Hz (responsible for the "body" of sound).
• 🔇 Volume limitation EU: On some firmware MIUI For the European region, the volume limit is 85 dB. To remove it, activate the developer mode (see section 2) and find the option to turn off the absolute volume level.
• 📱 Application conflict: Some apps (e.g. Spotify, YouTube Music) have their own volume settings. Open the audio settings inside the music player and check if the limit is right.

If you use custom firmware (e.g. LineageOS, Pixel Experience), the problem may be incorrect implementation of the Bluetooth stack.

1. Install official MIUI via Fastboot.
2. Or upgrade custom firmware to the latest version (Bluetooth bugs are often fixed in new builds).

adb shell settings put global miui_bluetooth_audio_enhance 0

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7.Alternative solutions: from amplifiers to service center

If none of the above methods have worked, consider the following options:

• 🔊 External Bluetooth amplifier: Devices like FiiO BTR3 or BT-W5 They connect to headphones and increase the volume by their own DAC.
• 🎧 Replacement of headphones under warranty: If the device is under a year, contact the Xiaomi service center with a check.Louding down for no apparent reason can be a sign of marriage.
• 🔧 Repair of speakers: In the workshops will replace the membrane or amplifier chip (cost for Redmi AirDots – from 800 rubles, for Buds Pro – from 1500 rubles.).
• 📲 Sound amplification applications: for example, Volume Booster or Equalizer FX. But be careful – they can spoil the sound with distortions.

For owners of Xiaomi Buds 3/4 Pro and FlipBuds Pro, there is a proprietary application Xiaomi Earbuds with advanced settings.

• Adaptive noise cancellation (sometimes it conflicts with volume)
• Turn on the "Game Sound" mode (increases volume due to quality).
• Update the headphone firmware (see section 4).

⚠️ Warning: If you decide to use audio amplification apps, keep an eye on the temperature of your headphones. When overloaded, they can overheat, which shortens battery life.

FAQ: Frequent questions about quiet sound in Xiaomi headphones