How to change the type of headphones on Xiaomi phone: the complete guide

Xiaomi’s mobile devices are famous for their advanced functionality, but standard audio output settings often don’t unlock the full potential of high-quality acoustics. Many smartphone owners face a situation where connected headsets sound flat or misidentify the type of accessory. Understanding how to change the type of headphones on Xiaomi opens up access to hidden audio settings, allowing you to adapt the sound to a specific model of accessories.

Modern Android operating systems with MIUI or HyperOS provide flexible tools for managing audio flow, not just a choice between a speaker and a speaker, but deep tuning of frequencies, balance and compression codecs. The right configuration can turn mediocre sound into a rich and detailed audio experience, whether it's listening to music or watching movies.

In this article, we will discuss in detail all the available ways to control the type of output, you will learn about system limitations, methods of activating the engineering menu and using third-party applications for fine-tuning. Following the instructions will allow you to fully control the audio subsystem of your device.

Understanding Android and MIUI audio systems

Before making changes, it’s important to understand how a smartphone determines a connected device. The operating system relies on circuit resistance and digital signals to identify the headset. In Xiaomi’s engineering menu, you often find parameters that are responsible for impedance and connector type. If the system is wrong, the sound can only go to one channel or be excessively quiet.

Digital signal processing (DSP) in Xiaomi shells plays a key role. Algorithms automatically apply presets depending on what the phone sees: regular inserts, overhead headphones or an external speaker system. However, automation is not always accurate, and manual intervention becomes a necessity for audiophiles.

⚠️ Warning: Making changes to system audio files or experimenting with unknown parameters in engineering mode can result in total sound loss.Always back up your data before deep system modifications.

It’s worth noting that on different models, whether it’s a budget Redmi Note or flagship Xiaomi Mi, the location of the settings can be different, and the presence or absence of a 3.5 mm minijack radically changes the approach: in the case of USB-C or Bluetooth, control is at the level of drivers and codecs, not physical switching.

Setting up Bluetooth profiles and codecs

For wireless devices, the question of "how to change type" is transformed into choosing the right data protocol. SBC It provides basic quality, but for Hi-Res audio you need to switch to the base. AAC, aptX LDAC. It depends on how detailed the sound in your body is. TWS-headphone.

To access these settings, you need to activate the developer mode, which is a hidden partition that allows you to control the behavior of the Bluetooth stack, and once activated, you can force the codec to be selected, even if the default system offers lower quality to save battery life.

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To activate the developer mode, go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click on MIUI Version 7 times.

The switching process is as follows:

• 🎧 Go to the “Developers” menu in the system settings.
• 📡 Find the Bluetooth Audio Codec section».
• 🔊 Select the available codec (for example, LDAC for Sony or aptX HD for Qualcomm).
• 💾 Reconnect the headset to apply the changes.

It is important to understand that codec support depends not only on the phone, but also on the headphones themselves. If your headset does not support aptX, choosing this codec in the smartphone settings will not give effect, and the system will automatically roll back to SBC. You can check the current active codec in the same menu by connecting the device.

Using an engineering menu to customize the sound

The deepest level of control over the audio system is provided by the engineering menu, which is a diagnostic tool designed for service centers, but also available to ordinary users, where you can change the output type, test the speakers, and adjust the amplification levels for different types of loads.

The most common code for Xiaomi devices is ##6484## or ##3646633##. The interface may vary depending on the processor (MediaTek or Qualcomm), but the logic for working with audio remains similar.

Instructions for entry:




1. Open the phone application (caller).




2 Enter the code ##6484##




3. From the menu that opens, select Hardware Testing → Audio.

In the Audio section, you will find device type settings (Headset, Handfree, Headphone) where you can perform automatic Playback and manually adjust Gain for different use cases. Be very careful: changing the values can overload the speakers.

Equalizer and sound effects setting

The regular audio tuning tools in MIUI and HyperOS are often undervalued by users. The built-in equalizer allows you not only to adjust frequencies, but also to select (presets) for different genres of music, and it is an effective way to "change" the perception of sound without third-party software.

To access advanced audio settings, go to Settings → Sound & Vibration → Sound Effects. There's a graphical equalizer available where you can manually raise bass frequencies or add clarity to the tops. Also, look for a virtualizer that expands the stereobase.

The Mi Sound Enhancer feature is particularly useful because it automatically determines the type of headphones connected (including JBL, AKG and other brands) and applies the optimal sound profile. If the automatic definition does not work, you can manually select the type of headphones from the list in the same menu.

Problems with the definition of the headset and their solution

A common problem with users is that the phone doesn't see the headphones or thinks the headset is connected with the microphone when it's not there, which causes the sound to not switch to the speakers when the plug is removed or the music to play in mono mode, often caused by connector contamination or software driver failure.

First of all, you have to eliminate mechanical damage, dust and pile, compressed in the connector. 3.5 mm, may close the contacts responsible for determining the type of device (CTIA/OMTP Careful cleaning with alcohol and toothpick often solves the problem without flashing.

⚠️ Warning: When cleaning the connector, do not use metal objects that can close contacts and burn the audio chip. Use only plastic tools and isopropyl alcohol.

If physical cleaning didn't work, try resetting Bluetooth and peripherals. In some cases, Lesser AudioSwitch, which forcibly changes the type of output, ignoring system definitions, helps, it's a "crutch," but it works when standard methods are powerless.

Third-party applications for sound management

When the system is not enough, Google Play apps come to the rescue, allowing you to reassign buttons, create complex equalizer profiles, and force the headphone mode to be turned on. One of the most popular tools is the Poweramp Equalizer app, or the previously mentioned Lesser AudioSwitch.

Lesser AudioSwitch allows you to manually select the output source: speaker, wired headphones or Bluetooth. This is especially true for older Xiaomi models that can glitch when switching. The application works without root rights, but for some functions may require ADB-team.

Also worth mentioning are Dolby Atmos customization tools, if they're ported to your model, that allow you to customize your virtual environment in detail, creating a presence effect, but installing ported system applications requires unlocking the bootloader and can be dangerous to system stability.

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Third-party apps are a powerful tool, but they consume battery life, and only use them if you don't have enough MIUI/HyperOS customization.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)