How to Clean a Speaker on Xiaomi Mi 8: From Dust to soldering

Xiaomi Mi 8, released in 2018, is still a popular device thanks to its unique design. AMOLED-The user often faces the problem of deteriorating sound quality over time, complaining that you can't hear well or you stop distinguishing words when talking even though the volume is twisted to the maximum. Most often, the reason lies in the banal contamination of the conversational speaker, which is located in a narrow slit above the display.

Dust, skin fat and villi from clothing pockets gradually clog the safety net, creating a mechanical obstacle to the passage of the sound wave. In some cases, the situation is aggravated by oxidation of contacts or software failures of the MIUI operating system. Before carrying the phone to the service center, you should try to fix the malfunction yourself using proven methods.

In this article, we will look at all stages of diagnosis and cleaning, from software settings to physical intervention with disassembly of the body. It is important to understand that the speaker membrane is a fragile element that requires delicate handling, so any exposure should be strictly dosed and conscious.

Diagnosis of the sound tract and program settings

Before you start, you need to eliminate software errors that can mimic hardware malfunction. Sometimes an audio driver malfunction or application conflict causes the sound to become quiet or hoarse, even if the speaker is physically healthy. The first step should always be to restart the device, which resets temporary files and restarts system services.

Next, check the equalizer and sound effects settings in the smartphone menu. The MIUI shell often activates various audio enhancements that can distort the flow when not working properly, and it is recommended to run an integrated engineering test that allows you to listen to each speaker separately and evaluate its real performance without third-party noise.

⚠️ Warning: If the problem persists after resetting and checking in safe mode, it is most likely a physical contamination or hardware breakdown.

To run the test, open the Phone app and enter a special code ##6484##. In the CIT menu that opens, select the item associated with the Receiver (Conversational Speaker) and listen to the test signal. If the sound is clean on the test but bad on WhatsApp or regular calls, look for the problem in specific apps or contacts.

Preparation of tools and working materials

You can't clean properly without the right tools, and using inappropriate items like needles or toothpicks can damage the safety net or push dirt even deeper into the enclosure, and you need a kit that allows you to work delicately without disturbing the integrity of the acoustic system.

The main tool will be a soft brush with natural pile, which is often used to clean optics or keyboards, and you will also need isopropyl alcohol, because it evaporates quickly and leaves no conductive traces, unlike water or ordinary vodka. To remove sticky contaminants, you can use a special cleaning liquid for electronics.

Don’t forget to prepare good lighting and perhaps a magnifying glass to see the small details in the earpiece area.All work is better done on a clean, dry surface covered with soft cloth, so that in the event of a smartphone fall, it does not receive additional damage to the screen or body.

Dry cleaning: removal of surface dust

The first step of cleaning should always be dry. Trying to immediately pour the speaker with liquid can turn dry dust into mud, which will be much more difficult to remove. Take a dry toothbrush with very soft bristles and light, sweeping movements, walk through the area of the speaker.

The movements should be directed from the center of the speaker to the edges to push the contaminants outward rather than pushing them deeper. After brushing, use Scotch: glue a piece of sticky tape onto the speaker area and pull it off sharply but gently. This method perfectly collects the dust and villi raised by the brush.

If you have a can of compressed air, use it with caution. Keep the balloon strictly vertical and give short "puffles" from a distance of at least 10-15 cm. High pressure of the jet of air can damage the speaker membrane, so do not bring the nose of the balloon close to the grille.

Wet cleaning and use of solvents

If dry cleaning didn't work and the sound is still deaf, we'll move on to more aggressive methods, and it's critical to use isopropyl alcohol at 90% or higher, which is a great dissolution of fatty plaque, which is often the cause of a quiet sound, and it evaporates instantly.

Do not pour the liquid directly on the speaker! Drink the alcohol on a soft brush or cotton swab, squeeze it slightly so it does not drip, and gently wipe the speaker grid. Movements should be light, without strong pressure. Alcohol will dissolve the fat, and the brush will pull it out.

After treatment with alcohol, let your smartphone lie down for 5-10 minutes to dry completely. Don't turn on the device until you're sure there's no moisture left inside, which helps 80 percent of the time when pollution is the cause of the problem.

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Use dental floss wrapped around the plastic card to gently, without pressing, clean the speaker slot if dense villi are clogged there.

The software dynamics pump (Sound Fixer)

There's a popular method of pumping speakers, which is to play back high-frequency audio files, and it's thought that powerful low-frequency vibrations can knock stuck dust out of the grid, and you can download special audio files or use applications like Sound Fixer.

Turn the volume to maximum and run the low-frequency track (bass) for 2-3 minutes. The vibration of the membrane in this mode is maximum, which can help shake off the pollution. However, this method is only effective for fresh contaminants and will not help if the net is densely clogged with years of accumulated dirt.

⚠️ Warning: Prolonged sound playback at maximum volume can cause the speaker coil to overheat and eventually fail. 3-5 minute.

The alternative is to use speaker cleaning apps that generate sound waves of a certain frequency, and there are many of them on the Google Play store, and they work the same way, a safe way to try before any physical intervention.

Deep cleaning with partial analysis

If the external cleaning didn't work, it means that the dirt is under the protective net or in the speaker body itself. In the Xiaomi Mi 8, the speaker is integrated into the plume or located under the screen, which requires partial disassembly. You will need a suction cup, mediators (plastic blades) and a set of screwdrivers.

First, heat the screen perimeter with a hair dryer or on the heating pad to 60-70 degrees to soften the glue. Carefully tuck the screen with a mediator and lift it up without disconnecting the plumes completely unless you plan to completely replace the screen. You need to access the top of the board where the speaker module is located.

Sequence of action:


1. Turn off the phone.




Remove SIM- trays.




3. Heat the edges of the hull.




4. Finish the screen with the mediator.




5 Unscrew the shield screws.




6. Access the speaker.

Once you get to the speaker, you can remove it or blow it neatly from the inside, and often it's on the back of the grid that you can't get the main layer of dust from the outside, and then you can put it back together after cleaning, making sure all the plumes are sitting tight.

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Partial disassembly is the only way to guarantee the removal of contaminants under the speaker's protective mesh, but requires electronics skills.

Frequent Questions and Answers (FAQ)