The situation when the True Wireless Stereo wireless headset suddenly stops working in pairs, is familiar to many owners of Xiaomi smartphones. Instead of surround stereo, the user hears music or the voice of the interlocutor from only one speaker, whether it is on the left or right module. This can happen for various reasons, from the accidental activation of the mono-audio function for people with hearing impairments to a software failure in which the headphones “forgot” each other and work as two independent devices.
Owners of Mi True Wireless Earbuds, Redmi Buds or other MIUI or HyperOS-connected models often face the need to reconfigure their devices. Sometimes the problem is a trivial different battery level, and other times a complete reset of the Bluetooth module, and understanding the nature of the problem is the first step to restoring full sound without visiting a service center.
This guide will help you understand the intricacies of audio output settings on Xiaomi smartphones. We will look at the regular Android operating system tools, hidden engineering menus and specific actions to resynchronize the headsets themselves. It is important to understand that in most cases the hardware of the device is good, and the problem is solved by software methods in a few minutes.
Diagnostics: Why Only One Channel Works
Before you start complex manipulations, you need to clearly define the nature of the malfunction. If the sound is played in only one earphone, but the second earphone physically emits sound (even quiet or intermittent), then the problem is most likely software. However, if one of the modules is completely silent, even when you bring it to the ear, it is worth checking the battery charge and the purity of the contacts.
A common reason on Xiaomi smartphones is the activation of mono-audio mode, which was originally created for users with hearing impairments to combine stereo channels into one mono-signal and output it to one side.
⚠️ Attention: If your earphone stopped working after a fall into the water or a severe impact, the software setting may not help.
Sometimes, Xiaomi’s smartphone can “see” the headset as two different devices: “Mi True Wireless EBs Basic” and “Mi True Wireless EBs.” Basic_R». In this case, the connection goes to only one of them, and it often happens if you take the headphones out of the case at different times or one of them is dead at zero.
Use of mono-audio and channel balance in MIUI
The first thing to do is check the system audio settings, because that's where most of the time you lose a channel. The MIUI 12, 13, 14 shells and the new HyperOS have an extended availability menu. You go to Settings, then select Additional Settings, and find the Special Features subsection. Some firmware versions may have different paths: Settings → About Phone → MIUI (to check for relevance), but the audio settings are always on the accessibility menu.
Inside the Rumor or Audio menu, there's a Mono-audio switch. If it's active, the system will bring the stereo to one channel. To keep the stereo headset running properly, this switch should be turned off. There's often a Balance slider nearby that allows you to manually shift the sound to the left or right. Make sure the slider is set strictly in the center.
- 🎧 Go to Settings. → Additional settings → Special opportunities → Rumor.
- 🔇 Find the Mono-Audio switch and make sure it’s off.
- ⚖️ Check the balance slider: it should be in the central position.
- 🔄 After changing the settings, restart the smartphone to apply the changes.
If the sound doesn't appear after checking these settings, the problem may be the cache of Bluetooth services. In this case, cleaning the data of the Bluetooth system application helps. Go to Settings → Apps → All applications, find in the Bluetooth list (you may need to turn on the display of system processes) and click Clear Data. This action will reset all pairings, so the devices will have to be reconnected.
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Before resetting your Bluetooth settings, take a screenshot of a list of important devices so you don’t have to re-search passwords to connect to car radios or smartwatches.
Forced resynchronization of TWS headsets
When Xiaomi’s system settings are fine but the headset continues to malfunction, the headphones themselves need to be reconnected. Most models, including the Redmi Buds 3 Lite, Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 Basic, and others, have a built-in mating algorithm that sometimes fails.
The reset process may vary from model to model, but the overall algorithm is the same: first, forget the device in the Bluetooth menu of your smartphone. Find your headset in the list of paired devices, click on the gear icon or arrow to the right of the name and select Disable or Forget the device. After that, Bluetooth on the phone is better temporarily turn off.
Then you mechanically reset. Place both earbuds in the charge case and close the lid. Wait 5-10 seconds. Then open the lid without removing the headphones. On the back of the case (or on the ends of the headphones themselves if there is a button), find the function button. Press it for 10-15 seconds until the indicator flashes white or red (depending on the model).