What to do if one headphone Xiaomi stopped working

A situation when one headphone in a pair fails TWS, You take the headset out of the case, you put it on, but the sound is only heard on one side, either the left or the right module is just not showing any signs of life. For Xiaomi appliance owners, whether they are popular AirDots, Redmi Buds or flagship Mi True Wireless, this problem can be both software and hardware. Often it is a failure of synchronization between modules or contamination of contacts, and not in a physical breakdown of the speaker.

The first thing you need to do is to rule out trivial causes, such as battery drain or improper connection to the smartphone. Mono mode can be activated accidentally if one of the channels lost communication with the phone. Before carrying the device to the service or making a return, it is worthwhile to conduct a series of diagnostic procedures that in 80% of cases return the gadget to full life. It is important to understand that modern Bluetooth protocols sometimes fail when switching audio sources.

In this article, we will discuss in detail the algorithms of actions to restore the health of the headset. We will look at the methods of hardware reset, how to clean oxidized contacts and the nuances of reconnecting to different operating systems. Software desynchronization is a frequent guest of budget and medium-budget models, and it is eliminated by fairly simple manipulations, which will be discussed below.

Diagnostics and primary charging check

Before you get to the tricky settings, make sure that the broken earphone is actually charged. Often the problem is that the contact pads on the device itself or inside the charging case have become oxidized or contaminated with earwax. This prevents current from passing, and the module remains discharged even if it has been in the case for several hours. Visually inspect the golden contacts for plaque.

Try gently wipe the contacts with a dry cotton swab or cloth slightly moistened with alcohol. After that, place the earpiece in the case and make sure the indicator catches fire. If the LED doesn't respond, the problem may be deeper, but often a simple cleaning solves the issue of the "dead" device. It's also worth checking whether the magnets fit tightly, since weak contact will not start the charging process.

⚠️ Note: Do not use metal objects (needles, paper clips) to clean contacts inside the case or on headphones.This can short-circuit or damage the lithium polymer battery, making the device unusable.

If, after cleaning and long charging (leave for 1-2 hours), one earphone still doesn't work, move on to the next step. Sometimes it helps to "swing" the battery: leave the devices in the case connected to the network overnight. Deep discharge could block the power controller, and it takes time to activate.

Methods of complete reset (Hard Reset) of the headset

The most effective way to solve the problem of desynchronization when one earbud can’t see the other is to completely reset, often referred to as Hard Reset or flashing the internal memory of modules in Xiaomi terminology, which causes the headphones to “forget” previous connections and re-find each other in pairs.

The procedure may vary depending on the model. For most Redmi AirDots and Mi True Wireless Earbuds Basic, you need to remove both devices, then press and hold the touch zones (or physical buttons) for 15-20 seconds until the indicators flash several times. After that, the headphones need to be put back in the case, close the lid and wait 10 seconds. Then re-reach them - they must automatically connect to each other before connecting to the phone.

For models with a button on the case, such as the Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 or Air 2, the reset is done differently. Put the headphones in the case, leave the lid open and press the button on the case for 10 seconds before changing the color of the indicator, which will return the device to the factory settings, the pair in the phone will need to be removed manually.

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After reset, be sure to remove the device profile from the smartphone’s Bluetooth menu before reconnecting, otherwise the old conflict profile could interfere with the work.

Profile removal and re-pairing

Often the reason lies not in the headphones themselves, but in the cache of the Bluetooth connection of the smartphone. Android and iOS operating systems can keep the wrong configurations, especially if the connection was previously interrupted abruptly.

Go to your phone’s Bluetooth settings. Find your model (e.g. Redmi) in the list. AirDots_R Mi True Wireless EBs Basic_R). Click on the gear icon or "i" next to the name and select "Forget the device" or "Cancel pairing." After that, turn off Bluetooth on the phone completely.

Now reset the headphones themselves (as described in the previous section) and then turn on Bluetooth on your phone. Start searching for new devices. It is important that at this point both headphones are in the case or just removed, but not yet connected to the phone. They must first connect to each other, and then appear on the list as one device, not two separate (Left and Right).

Problems with sound balancing and mono mode

Sometimes both speakers are physically functional, but software only feeds sound to one channel, which can be due to a downed balance setting in the smartphone itself or availability mode enabled. Check the audio settings in Settings → Sound and Vibration → Balance. Make sure the slider is strictly centered.

And Android also has a Mono-audio feature that summarizes the stereo into one channel, and if it's activated incorrectly, the sound can only go through one earpiece. Turn off this feature in Special Features → Hearing. Some MIUI firmware has a separate "One-Ear Mode" item that's also worth checking.

It's not superfluous to check the playback on another device. Connect your headphones to another phone or laptop. If it's stereo and both channels are working, then the problem is exactly the settings of your main smartphone, not the Xiaomi headset.

Cleaning dynamic grid and microphone

The most common, but common, cause of a broken earphone is the elementary stuffing of the mesh with earwax and dust. The sound doesn't disappear completely, but it becomes so quiet that it doesn't seem to work. Visually inspect the mesh under bright light.

To clean, use a soft toothbrush or a special sticky tape to clean the appliances. Walk carefully along the net to remove plaque. You can use a small amount of alcohol, but make sure that the liquid does not leak into the case. The diffuser speaker is very sensitive to mechanical damage, so do not press hard.

Also check the microphone hole (usually a small dot on the case). If it is clogged, noise cancellation system (ANC) Or transparency can work incorrectly, giving the illusion of a broken speaker. TWS-headsets for years.

Hardware malfunctions and battery wear

If no software methods have worked, there's probably a hardware breakdown. TWS-Lithium batteries have a limited resource of charging cycles (usually 300-500 Over time, one of the headphones may stop holding the charge or stop charging altogether due to degradation of the element's chemistry.

Another common problem is that the speaker plume is moving away from the body because of a fall, and if the earphone fell, the contact could have gone away, and this requires disassembly, which in a miniature case, Xiaomi is extremely complex and often leads to final body failure.

⚠️ Attention: Self-disassembly TWS-Xiaomi headphones almost always damage the plastic case, as they are assembled on glue without screws. If the warranty is already over, repairs in the service can cost more than buying a new model.

Also worth mentioning is the moisture-induced death of one of the modules, and even if the model has IPX4 protection, sweat or rain can eventually oxidize the board, in which case only a replacement module can help.

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If the warranty is still in place, don’t try to open the headphones yourself. Contact Xiaomi’s authorized center for a free replacement of the faulty instance.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions