How to connect 2 Xiaomi headphones to one phone

Many users of the Xiaomi ecosystem are wondering about the possibility of two headsets working simultaneously, and the desire to share the audio stream between two devices arises often, for example, to watch a movie together on the road or to organize a play area with a common sound.

Unfortunately, standard Bluetooth protocol does not allow two wireless headphones to be directly connected to each other without a smartphone, but modern technology allows this task to be achieved using Dual Audio or special pairing modes.

In this article, we will discuss in detail the technical nuances that will help you set up synchronous sound reproduction on two pairs. TWS-You'll learn about the compatibility of the operating system versions. MIUI HyperOS and hidden settings that not everyone knows about.

Technical limitations and capabilities of Bluetooth

Before you start setting up, it's important to understand the physical side of the process, because Bluetooth was originally designed to be a one-to-one connection, which means that each device is seen as a separate node in the network, not as a single stereo pair, unless you use a special profile.

To accomplish the task of “connecting 2 Xiaomi headphones to each other” or to a single source, the technology must support the transmission of multiple data streams simultaneously, which in older versions of the standard was impossible without loss of sound quality or desynchronization.

This is what changed the situation with the introduction of Bluetooth 5.0 and higher, and it's this version of the protocol that allows your smartphone to stream audio to two receivers at the same time with minimal latency, and if your phone and headsets support this standard, success is guaranteed.

However, it is worth considering that the headphones themselves must be compatible with multi-connection mode. Some budget models of Redmi Buds or Mi True Wireless may not have a built-in module to work in conjunction with another pair without the help of special applications.

Use of Dual Audio on Xiaomi smartphones

The most reliable way to get two pairs of headphones working at once is to use the built-in Dual Audio feature, which is available on smartphones running Android 10 and later, including MIUI 12, 13, 14 and HyperOS shells.

First, you need to pair the first pair of headphones in the normal way, and then you go to connect the second pair, and it's important not to try to connect them directly to each other, because that's not technically possible for most consumer models.

Once both devices are on the list of paired, you need to activate the dual output mode. In some versions of the firmware, this happens automatically when you start the media, in others, you need to manually switch.

⚠️ Attention: When active audio playback is performed, connecting the second pair can cause a short-term interruption of the audio stream.

Dual Audio audio quality can be slightly reduced as the codec switches to a more versatile one to ensure a stable connection for both devices, usually a switch from aptX to SBC.

It’s worth noting that Dual Audio doesn’t work with all codecs, and if you use high-quality codecs for a single pair, the system can force you to switch to the base profile to ensure the second pair is synchronized.

Step-by-step instructions for setting up a double connection

To succeed, follow a clear algorithm of actions. Sequence disruption can cause the phone to "see" only one device or switch between them, instead of running in parallel.

First, make sure that both pairs of headphones are fully charged and in pairing mode, usually by pressing the touch panels or mechanical buttons until the indicator flashes.

Next, perform the following actions:

• 📱 Open the Settings. → Bluetooth on your Xiaomi smartphone.
• 🎧 Connect the first pair of headphones and wait for the status "Connected".
• 🎧 In the same menu, find the second pair and also pair.
• 🔊 Run any audio track or video to check the sound.

If the sound is coming from only one device, go to the sound control panel. In the upper right corner of the lock screen or in the notification curtain, there is often a button for selecting the output device, which may display the option of selecting multiple devices.

In some cases, you need to use the developer menu. Go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times) and in the Additional → For developers, find the item related to audio codecs or data transfer.

Model compatibility and support table

Not all Xiaomi headphone models work equally well in pairs: Older versions of the Mi True Wireless Earbuds Basic may have trouble syncing latency, while the new Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro or Redmi Buds 5 are optimized for such scenarios.

It is critical that both devices run on similar firmware versions, and if one pair has an old firmware and the other has the latest version, protocol conflicts are almost inevitable.

As you can see from the table, flagship models provide better synchronization. When using budget segments, the desynchronization of sound between the left and right cups of different headphones can reach noticeable values.

For gamers, this is a critical setting. If you plan to play shooters with friends through two sets of headphones, choose models with low latency and game mode support.

Use of the Xiaomi Earbuds app

The official Xiaomi Earbuds app (formerly Mi Wear) is a powerful tool for managing the sound ecosystem. Although it doesn't have a direct "Plug second headphones" button, it helps update firmware, which often solves compatibility issues.

You can use the app to check the firmware version for each pair separately, make sure that both devices have the latest version of the software installed, and different versions of the noise reduction algorithms can conflict when working simultaneously.

You can also configure the equalizer in the app. When working with two pairs of headphones, it is recommended to use a flat profile or a Balance profile to avoid overloading the Bluetooth channel with complex frequency corrections in real time.

Connection priority settings are often available in the app. If you have a primary and guest pair of headphones, you can set up automatic switching scenarios, although this doesn't give you simultaneous sound, but it makes life easier.

Solving problems with sound desynchronization

The most common problem when connecting two sets is desynchronization, and the sound in the same pair can be ahead of or fractions of a second behind, making it impossible to watch movies.

To minimize this effect, keep both sets of headphones as close to your smartphone as possible, and obstacles in the form of a person’s body or metal objects can degrade the signal for one set more than for the other.

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To reduce the out-of-synchronization, turn off the Absolute Volume feature in the developer menu, which sometimes helps stabilize the flow of data.

It is also worth turning off all energy-saving modes for Bluetooth services. Aggressive energy saving on Xiaomi smartphones can "smother" the background process of transferring data to a second device.

If the out-of-synchronization persists, try resetting the network settings.This action will delete all stored Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connections, but often eliminates deep stack software errors.

Alternative methods and third-party solutions

If the standard methods of connecting two pairs fail, you can consider using external Bluetooth transmitters. There are devices that connect to the phone via AUX or USB-C and have their own pairing system.

Some users use apps from Google Play, such as AudioShare or AmpMe. They create a local network and sync music playback over the Internet or Wi-Fi Direct, bypassing the limitations of Bluetooth.

⚠️ Attention: Third-party audio synchronization apps are often latency-enabled, suitable for listening to music, but completely unsuitable for watching videos or games due to the unsynchronous image and sound.

Another option is to use Xiaomi smart speakers with Bluetooth output function, if such a model supports signal transmission to headphones, but this is a rare scenario and depends on the specific speaker model.

In conclusion, native support through Dual Audio remains the most stable method, and experiments with third-party cells should be carried out only if there is no alternative.

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The key to success is having Bluetooth 5.0 on your smartphone and supporting an A2DP Sink profile on both headphones, and without that hardware, software crutches won't help.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)