How to turn off headphones on Xiaomi Redmi 8, if they are not physically in the connector?

You took the Xiaomi Redmi 8 out of your pocket, and the screen flaunts a notification about the connected headphones — even though they were never there? Or the sound suddenly stopped going through the speakers and the settings show that the audio device is occupied? This problem is familiar to many owners of budget Xiaomi smartphones, especially after MIUI updates or mechanical damage to the 3.5 mm connector. In 90% of cases, it is not the hardware defect, but the software failure – and it can be fixed without visiting the service center.

In this article, we'll look at all the possible causes of a headphone sensor malfunction, from the cluttered connector to firmware errors, and you'll get 6 proven ways to get sound back on speakers, from the simplest reboot to editing system files (for advanced users), and if the problem is hardware, learn to distinguish it from software so you don't waste time on useless manipulations.

Note: the instructions are valid for the Redmi 8 based on MIUI 10–14 (including global and Chinese versions), and most of the methods are suitable for other Redmi/Poco models with a similar connector.

Why does the phone “see” headphones that don’t exist?

The headphone connection sensor in Redmi 8 works on a simple principle: when you insert the plug, the contacts are closed in the 3.5 mm connector, and the system switches the audio output. If the contacts are contaminated, oxidized or damaged, the sensor can fire falsely. But it is not always the iron that is to blame - more often the problem lies in:

• 🔌 Connector pollution: dust, moisture or metal shavings close contacts, simulating the connection of headphones.
• 🤖 Failure MIUI: Errors in the audio driver after updating or installing third-party applications.
• 📱 Application conflict: Some programs (such as players or instant messengers) may “reserve” an audio channel.
• 🔧 Train damage: after falling or repairing, the connector responsible for recognizing headphones could move away.

How do you know if the problem is software? If the sound disappears periodically (for example, after a reboot comes back), and physical cleaning of the connector does not help, it is the software that is to blame. If the headphone icon burns constantly, even after resetting, it is most likely the hardware.

Method 1: Basic actions (reset and clean)

Start with the simplest. Often, the problem is solved without tampering with the settings:

1. Reboot your phone. Press the power button, select Reboot. This will reset the audio driver's temporary errors.
2. Clean the 3.5mm connector. Use a wooden toothpick (not metal!) or compressed air. Don't blow with your mouth - moisture from your breath can make the problem worse.
3. Check it on another device. Put the headphones in the Redmi 8 and see if the phone detects them. If not, the problem is in the connector or plug.

If after cleaning the icon of the headphones disappeared, but the sound still goes to “emptiness” – try to manually switch the audio output:

• 🔊 Open the notification panel and click on the sound icon.
• 🎧 In the list of devices, select "Dynamics" (if available).

Method 2: Reset the sound settings in MIUI

MIUI caches the audio settings, and sometimes this cache gets stuck in an incorrect state to reset it:

1. Go to Settings. → Sound and vibration.
2. Slip on the three dots in the top right corner and select Reset.
3. Confirm the action. The phone will reboot.

If there is no Reset option (some versions of MIUI remove it), use an alternative method:

• 📱 Install the application "EngineerMode" MTK» (MediaTek processors that are in Redmi 8).
• 🔧 Go to the Hardware Testing section → Audio.
• 🔄 Press Reset Audio Settings.

⚠️ Attention: Apps like EngineerMode give you access to service menus. Don't change other settings, it can disrupt your phone.

Method 3: Disconnect the headphones through the engineering menu

If resetting didn't help, try to manually trick the system into telling it the headphones are off.

1. Open the Phone app and enter the code: ##36446337## This will open the audio engineering menu (not working on all versions of MIUI).
2. Select Headset Mode and set the Disabled value.
3. Save the settings and restart the phone.

Alternative code for new versions of MIUI:

##4636##

In the Usage statistics menu, find the Audio section and reset the settings.

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If the engineering menu doesn’t open, try entering codes through the Symbols app (keyboard icon in the phone menu).

Method 4: Cleaning the cache and data of audio services

The failure may be caused by a damaged cache of the system applications that control sound.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on three dots in the corner and select Show System Processes.
3. Find and open: 🎵 Media Storage (Multimedia Storage) 🔊 Bluetooth Share (Yes, It Affects Audio Routing, Too!) 📱 System UI (interface)

Clear the cache

Clear the data

After cleaning, restart your phone. If the problem persists, try turning off battery optimization for audio applications:

• 🔋 Go to Settings. → Battery and productivity → Optimizing the battery.
• 🔍 Find the Music, Google Play Music app, or your player in the list.
• 🔄 Choose Without Limitations.

Method 5: Manual editing of system files (for advanced ones)

If none of the methods worked, and the problem is software-based, you can manually change the audio configuration file, which requires root rights and is only suitable for advanced users!

Instructions:

1. Install a root-enabled explorer (such as Root Explorer or FX File Explorer).
2. Go to /system/vendor/etc/
3. Find the file. audio_policy.conf And back it up.
4. Open the file in the text editor and find the line: headset { sampling_rates = 44100... }
5. Comment on the entire headset block by adding a # at the beginning of each line.
6. Save the file, set the rights to 644 (rw-r--r---) and restart the phone.

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect editing of system files can lead to loss of sound completely or looping of the download.

Method 6: Hardware diagnostics and repair

If all the software methods have been tried and the headphone icon is still burning, it's a hardware problem.

• 🔌 3.5 mm connector: oxidation of contacts or break of tracks on the board.
• 📶 Audio module plume: departs after falls or disassembly of the phone.
• 🔧 Audio codec chip: burns out when voltage surges (for example, from non-original RAM).

How to check:

1. Call the multimeter connector: 🔍 Switch the tester to resistance check mode. 📍 Touch the contacts of the connector (with the headphones turned off) with probes). 🔄 If the resistance is not infinite, the contacts are closed (dirty or damage).

Check the plume.

• 🛠️ Disassemble the phone (or contact the service).
• 🔍 Inspect the connector of the plume going from the connector to the motherboard.
• 🔧 If necessary, reconnect or replace the plume.

Cost of repair in the service:

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If the phone is warranty, do not disassemble it yourself! Contact the authorized service center Xiaomi - repair warranty will cost free.

FAQ: Frequent questions about false headphones