When your favorite True Wireless headphones suddenly lose their sound balance, you might be surprised to notice that the left or right channel is noticeably quieter, distorting bass, or losing voices altogether. For budget and premium Xiaomi, Redmi, and Poco models, this doesn’t always mean a speaker breakage.
Often the problem lies in software failure synchronization or banal contamination of the acoustic grid. Before you carry the gadget to the service, it is worth checking a number of settings and performing a few simple actions that in 80% of cases return a full stereo.
Diagnostics of hardware problems and pollution
The first thing to rule out is the physical impediment to the sound wave: earwax and dust tend to accumulate on the speaker grid, creating a deaf sound effect. In models with active noise cancellation, pollution also affects the operation of the ANC microphones.
Carefully inspect the speaker grid in good lighting. If you see dark spots or plaque, a delicate cleaning will be required. Use a soft dry toothbrush or cotton swab lightly soaked in isopropyl alcohol.
⚠️ Warning: Never use sharp objects such as needles or pins to clean the mesh.You can pierce the speaker membrane and repair will become impossible.
Also, check the integrity of the silicone earpieces, sometimes they deform or slide, causing the sound to go to the side instead of directly into the auditory canal, and try to remove them and play music without them — if the imbalance is gone, replace the earpieces.
Checking the balance settings in the smartphone
Often the reason lies not in the headphones themselves, but in the settings of the smartphone operating system. Android and MIUI allow you to adjust the balance of channels, and the failure could occur by accident or after a software update.
To check this out, go to Settings → Sound and Vibration → Sound Quality and Effects. In some versions, the balance shell is either placed in a separate menu or hidden in the Special Features section.
- 📱 Open the settings of your Xiaomi device.
- 🎧 Find the option of special capabilities (accessibility).
- 🔊 Go to the section "Hearing" or "Audio.
- ⚖️ Make sure the balance slider is strictly in the center.
If the slider has been shifted, return it to a neutral position, which should instantly equalize the volume of the left and right channels, and in some cases, it helps to turn on and then turn off the Mono-audio function.
Reset and reconnect headphones Xiaomi
The most effective software solution is a full reset, which clears the internal memory of the headphones from synchronization errors that often lead to channel desynchronization.
For most AirDots, Redmi Buds and Mi True Wireless models, the procedure looks similar but can have nuances: first, remove the device from the Bluetooth list on the phone ("Forget the device"), and then perform a reset.
☑️ Algorithm of resetting headphones
When you reset, the headphones go into pairing mode, and it's important that both headphones connect to each other before you connect to the phone, usually signaled by a quick flash of an indicator on one of them or a voice message.
⚠️ Warning: During the reset procedure, keep the case open and do not remove the headphones unless the instruction for your model requires otherwise.
If the standard method didn’t work, try a “deep” reset, and press the touchpads or mechanical buttons on both headphones simultaneously for 30-40 seconds until the indicators flash red several times.
Elimination of channel dissynchronization
Sometimes one earbud plays quieter because it's mono or slave mode, while the other one is receiving the main data stream with a delay, a common problem with previous Bluetooth protocols.
To force the channels to sync, do the following: turn off the Bluetooth on your phone, put the headphones in the case, and close the lid. Wait 10-15 seconds, then open the lid, but don't take the headphones out right away.
Give them 5-7 seconds to communicate internally, only then take both of the headphones out at the same time, and if the problem is with the software disinchon, the sound should align.
| Xiaomi model | Resetting method | Indication of success |
|---|---|---|
| Redmi AirDots 2 | Press the buttons 5 times | Throne blinking |
| Mi True Wireless 2 | 20 seconds to press the buttons | The indicator goes out |
| Xiaomi Buds 3 | Clip the case button. | White flashing |
| Redmi Buds 4 | Press the buttons 10 seconds | Red flashing |
The table shows the most common methods for different generations of devices, and if your model is not specified, follow the general principle: long-term clamping or multiple pressing.
What to do if the indicators are not burning?
Update the firmware through the application
Manufacturers often release updates that fix Bluetooth stack errors. For Xiaomi and Redmi devices, the main management tool is the Xiaomi Earbuds app or Mi Wear.
Install the app from Google Play or the App Store, plug in your headphones and go to your device settings. If you have an update, the system will prompt you to install it.
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When updating the firmware, keep your phone as close to the headphones as possible and do not open the case cover, even if it seems that the process is stalled.
The refresh process can take anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes, and at that time, the headphones can make strange sounds or interrupt, which is normal, and when they're done, they automatically reboot, and the sound balance has to be restored.
If the app doesn't see the headphones, try clearing the Bluetooth app cache in your phone's settings: Settings → Apps → All apps → Bluetooth → Clean. Then restart the smartphone.
Specific settings of the equalizer
There are advanced sound settings in the MIUI and HyperOS shell that can affect the perception of volume. Mi Sound Enhancer or third-party equalizers sometimes misallocate frequencies between channels.
Try turning off all sound effects. Go to Settings → Sound and Vibration → Sound Quality and Effects and turn off Mi Sound Enhancer, Dolby Atmos or Dirac.
Also check if the Adaptive Sound or Hearing Safety feature is activated, which can dynamically mute one of the channels depending on ambient noise or listening time.
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Turning off all third-party audio improvers is the quickest way to know if the phone’s software is to blame for the volume imbalance.
When repairs or replacements are needed
If neither cleaning, reset, or flashing helped, there's a possible hardware malfunction, which could be a failure of the speaker, oxidation of the contacts inside the case, or damage to the plume.
Symptoms indicating a breakdown: wheezing at maximum volume, complete absence of sound in one channel even after reset, or physical damage to the body (cracks, traces of moisture).
If the warranty period is over, contact an authorized service center. TWS-Headphones are often economically impractical, as the cost of replacing the speaker can be up to 70% of the price of a new device.
⚠️ Warning: Don't try to disassemble headphones yourself unless you have experience with micro soldering.The glue used in the assembly makes the device almost disposable, and the risk of damaging the battery when opened is very high.
As a temporary solution, you can use applications to level the volume, which artificially amplify the quiet channel, but this is just a crutch, accelerating wear of the speaker.