Modern Xiaomi smartphones, which are based on the shell MIUI or HyperOS, provide users with advanced multimedia capabilities. One of the popular features is the ability to broadcast sound on two Bluetooth devices at once, which allows you to share music space with a friend or organize a movie in the company without disturbing the surrounding loud sounds from the speakers.
However, the standard pairing procedure often stops once the first headset is connected, and the system automatically disables a previously active device when trying to add a new one. In this article, we will detail how to connect two headphones simultaneously to Xiaomi using built-in system functions and third-party utilities.
This requires understanding Bluetooth protocols and operating system versions. Depending on your smartphone model (Redmi Note, Xiaomi Mi, Poco) and Android version, the algorithm may vary slightly, but the basic principles remain the same across the ecosystem.
Opportunities of MIUI and HyperOS operating system
Xiaomi engineers have implemented a special feature in their firmware that allows you to bypass standard Android restrictions. By default, the mobile operating system is sharpened to work with one audio output, whether it is a wired headset or a Bluetooth channel. However, additional options are often hidden in the Settings → Bluetooth menu.
To activate multithreaded audio, you need to make sure your smartphone supports Dual Audio or similar proprietary extensions, which is most often available on mid-range and flagship devices released after 2019, which have Bluetooth 5.0 and higher installed.
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Before setting up, make sure both headphones are fully charged, as the simultaneous operation of two channels can increase the power consumption of the smartphone by 15-20%.
Importantly, new versions of the HyperOS shell have redesigned the logic of the Bluetooth module, and now it allocates codec resources smarter, allowing you to maintain high audio quality even when you transfer to two devices. If you have an older version of MIUI, the functionality may be limited or require activation through an engineering menu.
⚠️ Note: When connecting two headsets, system sound (notifications, calls) will also be broadcast to both devices, which should be considered when in public places.
Preparing Bluetooth devices for pairing
The first and most important step is to properly prepare the headphones themselves. TWS-Headsets work equally well in dual-connection mode, and it’s best to use devices of the same brand or ideally two identical headphone models to minimize out-of-synchronization.
You need to put both sets in visibility mode. TWS-This is done by holding a button on the case for a long time or by touch-sensitive control of the headphones themselves until the indicator flashes.
- 🎧 Make sure the headphones are not connected to any of the previously paired phones in range to avoid automatic signal interception.
- 🔄 Reset your Bluetooth settings on your smartphone if you have previously experienced connection stability issues via the Settings menu. → Connections and sharing → Bluetooth → Resetting settings.
- 🔋 Check that both headphones have activated pairing mode (blind or white-blue), not just power on.
Keep in mind that the distance between smartphones and headphones should be minimal at the time of setting up, and obstacles in the form of walls or metal structures can significantly reduce signal quality, especially when two independent data channels are running.
Standard method of connection through settings
The main way that should work on most current Xiaomi models is to connect devices sequentially through the standard menu. First, pair the first set of headphones as usual. Wait for the confirmation of the connection and check the audio playback.
Next, without turning off the first device, start looking for new gadgets, and when the second pair of headphones appears on the list of available devices, click on it, at which point the system can automatically switch the audio stream to the new headset, which is normal behavior that we'll be adjusting.
Once both devices are displayed in the Bluetooth menu as "Connected" (the status may not be immediately visible in the main window), go to the advanced settings. Click on the gear or arrow next to the name of the first device and find the "Audio" or "Use for" item where you can force audio transmission.
☑️ Standard Connection Algorithm
If the standard path doesn't activate sound on both devices at the same time, try the following trick: turn on music playback, then select "Disable" in the Bluetooth settings of the second device, and then immediately "Connect" without interrupting the first channel, sometimes causing the system to redistribute streams.
Use of the "Duplicate Sound" function and Mi Sound
Some versions of Xiaomi firmware have a separate feature called Sound Assistant, which can be found in the Settings menu → Sound and Vibration → Sound Effects or in the Mi Sound app.
Activating this mode allows the system to ignore the one-on-one rule for Bluetooth audio. Once the switch is turned on, the phone starts streaming audio to all active connections, which is the most stable method, since it works at the driver level.
| Function | Location on the menu | Stability of work | Sound delay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard connection | Settings → Bluetooth | Medium | Low. |
| Sound assistant | Settings → Sound → Effects | Tall. | Medium |
| Third-party annexes | Google Play / Mi GetApps | Low. | Tall. |
| Engineering menu | Dialing a number → Code | Critical | Minimum |
Note that using the duplication function can lead to a slight increase in latency. For video viewing, this is usually imperceptible due to buffering, but in rhythm games, dissynchronous can be noticeable.
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Solving problems with desynchronization and delay
The most common problem with connecting two headphones is desynchronization, where the sound in one device is split-second behind the other, which creates an echo effect that makes listening impossible, and the reasons are that the codecs process the signal differently.
To minimize this effect, it is recommended to manually select a Bluetooth codec. Go to the developer menu (activated by seven times pressing the build number in About Phone).Look for Bluetooth Audio Codec and try switching it from SBC to AAC or aptX if your headphones support these formats.
- 🔊 Codec SBC It is basic and provides the least latency when transferring to different devices, since it is the most versatile.
- 🎵 High-resolution codecs (LDAC, aptX HD) can cause dissynchronous when working with two different models of headphones due to the complexity of decoding.
- 📡 Make sure there are no powerful sources of interference, such as running microwave ovens or 2.4GHz Wi-Fi routers, around.
⚠️ Warning: If the desynchronization is maintained, try turning off the "Absolute Volume Level" option in the developer menu, allowing you to adjust the volume on each earphone separately, which sometimes helps to even out the sound balance.
It's also worth checking if power saving is on, and aggressive battery optimization on Xiaomi can choke one of the Bluetooth channels as a secondary channel, and add music players and services to the battery's exclusion list.
Alternative methods and third-party applications
If the built-in system does not activate dual output, third-party solutions from Google Play come to the rescue. Applications like Sound Assistant (from Samsung, runs on many Android) or specialized Bluetooth managers can force the desired mode.
However, using third-party software has its own risks: applications that require deep permissions and can conflict with MIUI system services, and they can consume additional battery power because they are constantly hanging in the background processing the audio stream.
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Third-party apps are a last resort, and 90% of the time, the problem is solved by choosing the right codec in the developer menu or resetting the Bluetooth module.
Another method is to use the Google Home app if you're not connecting headphones, but smart speakers or Chromecast devices, and the "Create a Group" feature works perfectly, and allows you to synchronize sound across multiple devices, but for Bluetooth headsets, this method is not applicable.