How to connect two headphones Xiaomi to the same phone: all the ways

Connecting two pairs of Xiaomi headphones to the same smartphone is a challenge that many users face: Whether you want to share music with a friend, use different headphones for games and calls, or just test new devices, modern gadgets allow this, but not everyone knows how to properly set up such a connection without losing sound quality or connection stability.

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to synchronize two Xiaomi wireless headphones (including Mi Air 2/3, Redmi Buds 3/4, AirDots and others) to the same phone. You will learn about the built-in MIUI features, third-party applications and hidden Bluetooth settings that will help achieve the desired result.

Why can’t you connect two headphones at once?

The main problem is the limitations of Bluetooth. Standard profiles (such as A2DP for audio) are designed to work with one playback device at a time. However, manufacturers including Xiaomi are implementing additional features to circumvent this limitation.

• 🔹 Outdated Bluetooth on your smartphone (below 5.0) doesn’t support multipoint connections.
• 🔹 Lack of support for Dual Audio in firmware MIUI (current).
• 🔹 Profile conflict: Headphones can use different codecs (SBC, AAC, aptX).
• 🔹 Limitations of the headphone model: not all Xiaomi devices support collaboration.

Before you go to setup, check your smartphone’s Bluetooth version in Settings → About Phone → Full Specifications. If it’s 4.2 or lower, some methods may not work. Also make sure both sets of headphones are fully charged – discharged devices often turn off during the connection process.

Method 1: Dual Audio feature built-in in MIUI

Starting with MIUI 12, Xiaomi has added support for Dual Audio, which allows you to stream audio to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously, an option available on most of the brand’s current smartphones (Redmi Note 10/11, POCO X3/X4, Mi 11/12 and later).

1. Open Settings → Connections and Sharing → Bluetooth.
2. Connect the first pair of headphones (such as Mi Air 3).
3. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Dual Audio.
4. Activate the switch and connect the second pair of headphones.
5. Set up the volume balance between devices using sliders.

If the option is not available on the menu, upgrade to the latest version of the firmware. Go to Settings → About Phone → System Update. On some models (for example, POCO F3), the function is hidden and requires activation through the engineering menu.

Update MIUI to the latest version

Charge both sets of headphones

Disable other Bluetooth devices

Reboot your smartphone before setting up-->

Method 2: Use the SoundAssistant application (for older versions of MIUI)

If your smartphone doesn’t support Dual Audio at the system level, you can use Samsung’s official SoundAssistant app, which works on Xiaomi devices, which allows you to stream audio to multiple Bluetooth devices at the same time.

Download the app from Google Play and follow the following steps:

• 📱 Open SoundAssistant and provide all necessary permissions.
• 🔊 Go to the tab Output devices.
• 🎧 Connect both pairs of headphones via the standard Bluetooth menu.
• 🔄 Turn on the option of dual audio and select both devices.

⚠️ Note: SoundAssistant may cause a delay of up to 200 ms due to software processing of the audio stream, which is not suitable for video or game play where synchronization is important.

The advantage of this method is that it works on smartphones with Bluetooth 4.2, where there is no hardware support for Dual Audio. However, the sound will be transmitted in compressed format (SBC), which can degrade its quality compared to the original AAC or aptX.

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If the sound is interrupted, try turning off the energy-saving mode for the SoundAssistant app in the battery settings.

Method 3: Connecting via Bluetooth splitter

If the software methods didn’t work, you can use a hardware solution called a Bluetooth splitter (such as the Avantek BTA-200 or 1Mii B06 Plus), which connects to the smartphone like a regular headphone, and then relays the signal to two pairs of headphones at the same time.

Advantages of the method:

• 🔋 It doesn't depend on the version. MIUI Bluetooth.
• 🎵 Supports high-quality codec (aptX Low Latency).
• 📱 Works with any headphones, including wired ones with Bluetooth adapter.

Disadvantages:

• 💰 Additional costs for the purchase of a splitter (from 1500) ₽).
• 🔌 Increased consumption of smartphone battery.

To set up:

1. Connect the splitter to the smartphone via Bluetooth.
2. Activate Pairing mode on the splitter (usually a long press on the power button).
3. Connect the first pair of headphones to the splitter.
4. Repeat step 3 for the second pair.

⚠️ Attention: Some splitters limit the maximum volume on connected devices. If the sound is too quiet, check the restriction settings in the splitter instructions.

Method 4: Use the For Two Mode in Xiaomi Headphones (Mi Air 3, Redmi Buds 4)

Some Xiaomi headphones (such as the Mi Air 3 or Redmi Buds 4 Pro) support Dual Mode, which allows you to connect the second set of headphones directly to the first, implemented at the level of the headphone firmware and does not require special settings on the smartphone.

Instructions for activation:

1. Connect the first pair of headphones to your smartphone.
2. Take the second pair out of the case and put them in pairing mode (double pressing the touch panel or button).
3. On the first pair of headphones, press the touchpad for 3 seconds until you hear a voice message "Mode for two is activated."
4. The second pair of headphones will automatically connect to the first.

Limitations of the method:

• 🔊 The sound will be mono (single channel) on both devices.
• 🔋 Fast battery discharge in the "leading" headphones (on the 20-30% faster).
• 📱 It only works between headphones of the same model (for example, Mi Air 3). + Mi Air 3).

Method 5: Manual connection via engineering menu (for advanced users)

If none of the above methods worked, you can try activating the hidden Dual Audio feature through the engineering menu, which is suitable for smartphones on Qualcomm Snapdragon (most Xiaomi devices).

Attention: improper actions in the engineering menu can cause Bluetooth malfunctions.

1. Open the Phone app and enter the code ##36446337## (this will open the MMITest menu).
2. Go to the Bluetooth section → BT Classic.
3. Find the Multi-Audio Device option and set the Enabled value.
4. Save the settings and restart the smartphone.
5. After the reboot, try connecting the two devices via the standard Bluetooth menu.

If the code doesn’t work, try an alternative:

#4636## → Phone information → Menu (three dots) → Bluetooth battery test

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI (especially global) the engineering menu may be blocked. In this case, try using the app MTK Engineering Mode (for MediaTek devices) or Qualcomm USB Driver to unlock.

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The engineering menu is a powerful tool, but changing unknown parameters can cause the Bluetooth module to work in an unstable way.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When you connect two pairs of Xiaomi headphones, users often encounter common errors, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:

If none of the solutions worked, try resetting your Bluetooth settings:

1. Go to Settings → Connections and Sharing → Bluetooth.
2. Press three points. → Clear the cache.
3. Remove all the connected devices and connect them again.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions