How to listen to radio via wireless headphones on a Xiaomi phone: all ways 2026

Wireless headphones have long become an integral part of everyday life, but many Xiaomi users are faced with a problem: how to listen to radio through Bluetooth headphones without a wire, which used to act as an antenna? In 2026, there are solutions - from built-in to the Internet. FM-This article will help you understand everything from checking hardware support to optimizing settings for Redmi Buds 4 Pro, Xiaomi AirDots 3 and other models.

It is important to understand that the approach depends on the type of radio: FM-radio (requires antenna) or Internet radio (works through the Internet) Wi-Fi/We'll look at both, and we'll also look at the secrets of stable connectivity -- why sometimes the sound gets interrupted and how to fix it. POCO X5 Pro, Redmi Note 12 or flagship Xiaomi 14, The instructions below are relevant to all devices on MIUI 14/15 HyperOS.

Spoiler: 90% of the time, the problem isn't with the headphones, but with the phone settings or the wrong app, and then with step-by-step solutions based on Xiaomi's firmware.

1. Verification of support FM-Radio on your Xiaomi smartphone

Not all Xiaomi models are equipped with hardware FM-Even if you have a chip in your phone, you can turn it off at the software level, so you don't have to waste your time, you have to check it first:

• 🔍 Models with FM-radio (2020–2026 d.): Redmi. 9/10/11 series, POCO M3/M4/M5, Xiaomi 11 Lite NE. Flagships (Xiaomi) 12/13/14) usually lacking module.
• 📱 How to know for sure: download the Radio Info app from Google Play – it will show the presence of a Qualcomm chip FM Radio or Broadcom FM.
• ⚠️ The Pitfall: Even with a Chip FM It may not work due to regional constraints (e.g. in models for China).

If your smartphone is on the supported list, move on to the next section, and if it isn't, skip it and read about Internet radio.

2. Set-up of the built-in FM-radio for working with Bluetooth headphones

The main problem FM-Xiaomi radio is a requirement for a wired antenna, but there are workarounds:

1. Activate FM via the engineering menu (powers MIUI 12-15): ##36446337## In the menu that opens, select FM Radio → Enable. If you don't have one, your model doesn't support FM.
2. Using headphones as antennas: connect wireless headphones over Bluetooth, and insert any wired headphone into the 3.5 mm connector (even without a microphone) - it will act as an antenna. The sound will go through Bluetooth, and the signal reception will improve.
3. NextRadio: Download it from Google Play – it can activate FM on many Xiaomi models, even if the standard Mi Radio app is missing.

Critical nuance: on smartphones without a 3.5 mm connector (for example, Xiaomi) 12T) FM-Bluetooth radio will not work – you need an external antenna or adapter USB-C 3.5 mm.

⚠️ Note: HyperOS (2026) may not have a standard Mi Radio app, in which case use NextRadio or Spirit. FM — They're circumventing the system's limitations.

3. Optimal Bluetooth settings for stable sound

Even if FM-The radio is running, and users often experience interruptions or delays, because of the wrong Bluetooth or codec settings:

For models Redmi Buds 4 Pro and Xiaomi AirDots 3 Pro additionally:

1. Open the Mi Home app (or Xiaomi Earbuds).
2. Go to the headphone settings → Sound → Codec.
3. Choose aptX Adaptive or LDAC (if supported).

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If your headphones do not support aptX, turn on the Game Sound mode in their settings - this will reduce the latency to 80-100 ms.

4.Alternative: Internet radio via Bluetooth

If your Xiaomi doesn't support FM, there's Internet radio, plus: no antenna, works on any model (including Xiaomi 13 Ultra), a huge selection of stations. Cons: consumes traffic and battery. Best listening apps:

• 🎵 TuneIn Radio: 100 000+ Chromecast support, minimal delay in use AAC codec.
• 📡 Radio Garden: a unique interface with the "globus", the ability to listen to local stations from anywhere in the world.
• 🎧 Deezer or Yandex Music: they have a section "Radio" with thematic stations (for example, "Retro" FM" or Europe Plus").
• 🔊 VLC: Few people know, but this player can open streams of Internet radio via a direct link (format.m3u or pls).

To save traffic:

1. In the application settings, select Low Quality (64-96 kbit/s).
2. Use Wi-Fi instead of mobile internet.
3. In Settings → Special Features → Traffic Savings, add the radio app to the exceptions.

⚠️ Attention: Some stations (e.g, BBC Radio 1) block access from Russia. To circumvent the restrictions, in the TuneIn Radio settings, turn on the option VPN-Mode or use the Orbot app to route traffic through Tor.

5. Solving sound problems in headphones

If the radio is turned on, but the sound is jammed, wheezing or breaking, check:

• 🔋 Headphone charge: below 15%, Bluetooth starts to “save” energy, resulting in data packet losses.
• 📶 Signal level: for FM-radio - hold the antenna phone (windows), for Internet radio - check the Internet speed (minimum 1 Mbit / s for a stable stream).
• 🔄 Reconnect devices: Forget headphones in Settings → Bluetooth. Turn off Bluetooth for 10 seconds. Turn on headphone search (usually hold the power button for 5 seconds.

To diagnose sound problems:

1. Open the settings → About the phone → version of MIUI.
2. Press 7 times on the Core to activate Developer Mode.
3. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
4. Enable Bluetooth Debugging and HCI Bluetooth Journal.
5. Play the radio for 1-2 minutes, then check the logs in /sdcard/bluetooth/logs (use a file manager with root rights).

6. Top.-3 Radio applications on Xiaomi (with Bluetooth support)

We tested 15 apps and selected the best ones based on the criteria: connection stability, sound quality, support for Xiaomi-specific chips (for example, Mi Sound Enhancer).

For owners of Xiaomi AirDots 3 Pro recommend TuneIn Radio — it is optimized for the codec LC3, which use these headphones. If you have Redmi Buds 4, NextRadio is better suited because of the support for aptX Adaptive.

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For maximum sound quality in Internet radio, use applications that support AAC codec (for example, TuneIn) and configure the Sound Quality Priority in the Bluetooth panel.

7 How to listen to radio in the background without battery drain

One of the main problems when listening to radio via Bluetooth is the fast discharge of the battery. On Xiaomi smartphones, this is exacerbated by aggressive optimization of the MIUI background.

• ⚡ Turn off auto-optimization: Go to Settings → Annexes → App management. Select your radio application (e.g. TuneIn). Press Battery Limitation → No restrictions. Enable AutoRun and Secondary Running.

Use the energy saving mode

Settings → Battery

Balanced regime

Super energy saving

Alternative method

Always on screen

For advanced users:

adb shell dumpsys deviceidle whitelist +com.tunein.player

This command (executed via ADB) adds TuneIn Radio to the optimization whitelist, preventing the application from being forced to close.

FAQ: Frequent questions on the radio on Xiaomi