Why Xiaomi Redmi Headphones Have a Quiet Sound and How to Fix It

You plugged your headphones into Xiaomi Redmi, turned on your favorite track or video — is the sound barely audible, although the volume is at its maximum? The problem of quiet sound in headphones on smartphones in this series is common, but its causes can be different: from banal contamination of the connector to failures in the firmware MIUI. In this article, we will analyze all possible scenarios and give clear instructions how to return volume without contacting the service.

It’s important to understand that weak sound isn’t always associated with a headphone or phone breakdown. Sometimes it’s the system settings, manufacturer limitations, or even the features of a particular Redmi model (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro or Redmi 9A have different audio chips). We’ll look at solutions for everything from simple to technically complex so you can choose the right option.

1. Checking basic volume settings

Before digging deeper, make sure the problem isn't in the obvious settings.There are multiple volume control levels on Xiaomi Redmi, and users often overlook them.

Open the notification panel and check the volume slider -- it should be at maximum. But that's not enough: MIUI has separate settings for media, calls and alarms. Go to Settings → Sound and vibration → Loudness and make sure that all sliders (especially Multimedia) are shifted to the right. If everything is fine here, but the sound is still quiet, move to the next step.

• 🔊 Check the physical volume button -- sometimes it jams or it doesn't work properly. Try pressing it several times in a row.
• 🎧 Test the headphones on another device – if the sound is the same quiet, the problem is with them, not the phone.
• 🔄 Reboot your smartphone – trivial, but often helps with temporary failures of audio drivers.

If the volume has not changed after these manipulations, move to deeper settings.

2. Clean the 3.5mm connector or USB-C

One of the most common causes of silent sound is audio jack pollution, and dust, pile, or contact oxidation can impair signal transmission, causing volume to drop, especially for 3.5mm jack models (like the Redmi 9A or Redmi Note 10), but also USB-C devices (like the Redmi Note 11 Pro+).

To clean, take a toothpick with cotton wool dipped in alcohol (no more than 70%), and carefully clean the connector with circular movements. Do not use metal objects - they can damage the contacts! For USB-C, compressed air will also work. After cleaning, let the connector dry for 5-10 minutes.

⚠️ Warning: Do not blow into the connector with your mouth - moisture from breathing can aggravate the problem).

After cleaning, plug your headphones in and check the volume. If there's no improvement, go to software methods.

3.Settings of sound uniformity (EQ) and mixer

MIUI has an integrated eQUALIZER that can automatically turn down the volume at certain frequencies, and it also has a Safe Sound feature that limits the maximum volume to protect hearing, which is often lost after updates or resets.

To check them out:

1. Go to Settings → Sound and vibration → Sound quality.
2. Turn off the Safe Sound (EU) option, which artificially lowers the volume.
3. Select the Equator and set the preset No or manually lift the sliders at all frequencies.
4. Check the Sound Effects section – turn off all unnecessary filters (e.g., the Filter, 3D-phono).

If these settings didn’t help, try resetting them to factory: in the same Sound Quality menu, click on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Reset settings.

Deactivate "Safe sound (EU)"|Reset the equaliser to No"|Turn off all sound effects|Check the volume in the player separately-->

4. Reset audio and cache settings of audio applications

Sometimes the silent sound is caused by failures in the work of audio drivers or cache of system applications, this is especially true after MIUI updates, when new versions of firmware conflict with the old settings.

To reset the sound settings:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Music app (or the one you play the sound through) and click Warehouse.
3. Clear Cash and Data (Warning: This Will Delete Your Playlists!)
4. Reboot the phone.

If the problem persists, try resetting all audio services:

adb shell pm clear com.android.providers.media

This command must be entered through ADB (see the connection instructions below) and will reset the system’s media settings, including user volume limits.

⚠️ Note: Resetting the cache of applications can lead to the loss of saved tracks in offline mode (for example, in Spotify or Yandex Music.

5. Hardware constraint check (DAC and amplifier)

Some Xiaomi Redmi models (such as the Redmi K40 or Redmi Note 10 Pro) have a built-in DAC or audio amplifier that may not work properly. If the sound is quiet only in wired headphones but normal in dynamics or Bluetooth, the problem may be in the hardware.

To diagnose this:

• 🔧 Try other headphones – if they sound louder, the problem is with the first headphones or their plug.
• 🔊 Connect the headphones through the adapter USB-C → 3.5 mm (if you have a model without a connector). DAC The phone is better than the external one.
• 📱 Test the sound in safe mode (press the power button) → Safe Mode. If the sound is normal, it's third-party software.

On Redmi models with a Snapdragon 8xx processor (like the Redmi K50), the power limitation of the DAC can trigger when overheated. Check the temperature of the phone - if it's hot, let it cool and test the sound again.

6. Update of firmware and sound core

If the quiet sound came after the MIUI update, a firmware bug could be the cause. Xiaomi regularly releases patches for the audio subsystem, so check the relevance of your version:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Click Check Updates and install the latest version (if available).
3. After the update, reset the sound settings (see section 4).

If the official update didn’t work, you can try a custom kernel with an improved audio subsystem (e.g. FrancoKernel or Kirisakura). However, this requires unlocking the bootloader and root rights, which voids the warranty. Use this method only if you have exhausted all other options.

💡

Before updating your firmware, back up your data via Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset. This will save your audio settings and playlists.

7. Diagnostics of hardware malfunctions

If none of the software methods worked, the problem could be the physical breakdown of the audio chip, the connector, or the motherboard.

• 🔌 The sound is quiet in only one headphone (left or right).
• 📵 Phone does not recognize the connection of headphones (no icon in the status bar).
• 🔥 Before the problem, the phone fell, got wet or overheated.

In such cases, self-repair is impossible - diagnostics are required in the service center. The cost of repairing the audio chip on Xiaomi Redmi varies from 1,500 to 4000 rubles depending on the model.

1. Check if the warranty is valid (if the phone is under 12 months old).
2. Make a factory reset (Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset → Reset) – sometimes this fixes deep glitches.
3. Check with Xiaomi support if there were any reviews on your model for sound problems (for example, for the Redmi Note 9 Pro there was a batch with defective connectors).

💡

If the phone is warranty, DO NOT disassemble it yourself - this will void warranty obligations.

FAQ: Frequent questions about quiet sound in Xiaomi Redmi headphones