Modern smartphones of the Xiaomi brand are often deprived of built-in FM-Or they're either wired headsets that act as antennas, which makes it seem like you can't listen to the air stations without the old lace, but technological advances can get around that limitation. Users are actively looking for ways to activate the radio on the device, using only Bluetooth accessories for comfort.
The main challenge is the physics of the process: to receive radio waves, you need an antenna of a certain length, which is the role of the headphone cable in the phone. However, there are software solutions and system settings that allow you to broadcast the signal over a wireless connection. In this article, we will discuss the technical nuances, the necessary applications and the secrets of tuning the sound on the shell of MIUI and HyperOS.
It’s important to note that the outcome depends on your device’s specific model and operating system version. Some budget devices may have hardware limitations, while flagship models offer more flexible audio stream settings. We’ll look at all the options available, from built-in tools to third-party software.
Principle of work FM-module in smartphones Xiaomi
The fundamental problem when trying to run a wireless radio without wires is that there's no physical antenna. In the classic circuit, wired headphones are the extension for the radio. FM-Without this element, the circuit will not close, and the reception of the signal becomes impossible or extremely unstable.
However, Xiaomi engineers and third-party software developers have found workarounds: In some models, the antenna can take the role of the internal frame of the case or specialized communication modules, if designed, or use audio streaming technology, where the phone catches a signal through the Internet or an internal module and then broadcasts it to a Bluetooth device.
⚠️ Note: If your phone is not structurally available FM-A chip (often found in global versions for the US or China) will not be made to work by any application.
There is also a difference between online radio and real broadcasting: the first requires traffic consumption, the second - works even without a SIM card and the Internet, but depends on the availability of an antenna. To save battery power and traffic, users prefer the second option, requiring a wireless support system.
Verification of availability FM-chip-and-compatibility
Before you start setting up, you need to make sure that you have the necessary hardware. Not all Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones have a built-in tuner. Often in global firmware, this feature is hidden or removed software, although the physical chip may be present.
For quick diagnostics, you can use the engineering menu or specialized utilities from Google Play. One of the most reliable ways is to try to run a standard Radio application, which is usually pre-installed on the system. If it requires a headset connection and does not see the Bluetooth device as an antenna, additional software intervention will be required.
Please note the following compatibility signs:
- 📱 Applicability of the annex «FM Radio in the standard Tools folder».
- 🔌 System response to wired headphones (the appearance of a radio notification).
- 📡 CPU model (some Snapdragon and MediaTek chips have built-in chips) FM-receiver).
Chinese versions of smartphones often have full functionality, which can be cut off in European or Russian localizations due to licensing restrictions or marketing policies.
How to find out a model of a radio chip?
Use of the standard Radio application
Xiaomi's built-in app is the most optimized solution for the background, it consumes minimal resources and can work in "screen off" mode, but by default it often blocks the launch without wires.
To try to run it with wireless headphones, do the following. First, plug your headphones in. TWS-headphones or Bluetooth headset to your smartphone. Make sure the sound is played correctly in other applications, such as music or YouTube».
If the system requires a headset connection, try the following trick: connect wired headphones, start the radio, find a station, and then, without closing the application, switch the audio output to the Bluetooth device through the control panel or Bluetooth settings. In some versions of MIUI, this allows you to “cheat” the antenna check.
| Action. | Expected output | Possible problem |
|---|---|---|
| Launch without headphones | Requesting headset connection | Launch lockdown |
| Launch with wires | Station search, noise appearance | We need an antenna. |
| Switching to BT | The sound goes into the headphones. | Signal loss |
| Use of adapter | Radio + BT sound work | We need a special cable. |
☑️ Checking the sound settings
Third-party radio reception applications
If a standard tool doesn't meet the requests or doesn't see a Bluetooth antenna, applications from independent developers come to the rescue, and they often have more flexible settings and can force activation. FM-module.
One of the most popular solutions is the NextRadio app, which works directly with the chip, bypassing the standard operating system constraints, and once installed, it will test the device, and if your phone is supported, you can listen to on-air radio even without the Internet.
Another option is to use aggregator apps like TuneIn Radio or Radio.net. FM-It's a chip, and it's streaming over the Internet, and it solves the antenna problem completely, but it requires a stable Wi-Fi connection or a stable Wi-Fi connection. 4G/5G.
- 📻 NextRadio – direct access to the chip, saving traffic.
- 🌐 TuneIn – a huge selection of stations from around the world, but you need the Internet.
- 🎧 Spirit FM — Powerful application for enthusiasts, requires customization.
⚠️ Note: When installing applications from unknown sources (APK-Always check for viruses. The official Google Play store or GetApps guarantee the security of the downloaded software.
Some advanced applications may require Root permissions to operate, giving full access to the system, but this will void the warranty and may cause the smartphone to run unstable, so this method is recommended only for advanced users.
Configure Bluetooth audio codecs and delays
Sound quality and reception stability are directly dependent on the codec chosen. Xiaomi smartphones have hidden a developer menu where you can force the Bluetooth codec to be selected, which can help if the radio "stutters" or sounds deaf.
To access these settings, activate the Developer Mode. Go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click 7 times on either MIUI Version or OS Version. After that, the Developer For Menu will appear in the Additional Menu.
Inside the section, look for Bluetooth Audio Codec. Try switching between SBC, AAC, aptX, or LDAC. For broadcasting, the good old SBC is often the most stable, as it requires the lowest bandwidth of the channel.
Also worth noting is the latency, which is not as critical as in games on radio, but can be annoying. Some headphone models have a Low Latency mode that is activated by a separate combination of buttons on the device itself.
Solving Sound and Connection Problems
A common problem is when the radio is running, but the sound continues to go through the phone's speaker, ignoring the connected headphones.This is solved through the audio output menu. Lower the notification curtain, find the audio output icon (usually a triangle with circles) and select your Bluetooth headphones manually.
Another common complaint is quiet sound or static interference: in the first case, check if the Mono-Sound mode is on in special features, which can mismix the radio stereo stream; in the second, try changing the position of the phone, as the user's hands can shield the signal, especially if an internal antenna is used.
If the radio spontaneously turns off when the screen is locked, the problem lies in the aggressive energy saving of MIUI. Go to Settings → Battery → Applications, find your radio application and select No Limits mode. Also remove all background activity restrictions.
💡
The main reason for the radio shutdown in the background is that the system kills the process to save energy, and setting the "No Limits" mode in the battery settings solves 90% of the broadcast interruption problems.
In the event of a complete failure of the function, even with an adapter, you may damage the Bluetooth module or conflict drivers after the system update, in this situation, resetting the network settings or, in extreme cases, a complete reset to factory settings will help.