How to listen to the radio through wireless headphones on a Xiaomi smartphone: all working ways

Listening to radio via wireless headphones on Xiaomi smartphones can be done in a number of ways, from the classic FM-radio to modern online services. However, not all users know that you do not need to connect wired headphones (which are often used as an antenna). In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of listening to radio on Redmi, POCO and Mi devices using TWS- headphones (AirDots, Buds, SoundPEATS, etc.).

The main problem is that many Xiaomi models lack the FM- chip, and the built-in Radio FM app only works with wired headphones connected to them, but there are workarounds, from using headphones as a Bluetooth transmitter to installing third-party applications, and we tested all the options on the current MIUI 14/15 firmware and assembled working solutions even for budget smartphones.

Before you proceed to the setting, check:

• 🔋 Headphone charge level – low charge may cause connection problems.
• 📱 Version MIUI — Older versions (below MIUI 12) may not support Bluetooth 5.0+.
• 🎧 Headphone compatibility – some cheap TWS don’t support the A2DP protocol for streaming audio.

1. Check for the presence of FM- module in your smartphone Xiaomi

Not all Xiaomi devices have a FM- hardware receiver. For example, flagship models (Xiaomi 13/14, Mix Fold) often lack this chip, while budget models (Redmi 10/12, POCO M5) retain it. To see if your phone has a FM-radio:

Method 1: Check if the standard FM radio application is on the menu. If it's not available, the chip probably isn't.

Method 2: Use the CPU-Z app (available on Google Play):

1. Install and open the CPU-Z.
2. Go to the Sensors tab.
3. Scroll down – if there is an FM Radio line, the module is present.

Method 3: Check the model specifications on the official Xiaomi website or in the GSMArena database. Look for the mention of FM radio in the Comms section.

2 How to listen to FM-radio with wireless headphones (if you have a FM-chip)

If your Xiaomi supports FM-radio, but the standard app requires wired headphones as an antenna, you can bypass this limitation. You will need the NextRadio app to do this, which can use Bluetooth headphones as a signal receiver (provided it is supported by a chip).

Instructions:

1. Download NextRadio from Google Play.
2. Connect wireless headphones to your smartphone via Bluetooth.
3. Open NextRadio and allow access to the location (to search for stations).
4. In the application settings, enable the option to Use Bluetooth as Antenna.
5. Select a station - the sound will be transmitted to the headphones.

⚠️ Warning: Reception quality depends on the headphone model. For example, Xiaomi AirDots 3 Pro performs better than cheap TWS without support AAC.

Connect headphones via Bluetooth|Install NextRadio|Allow geolocation|Enable the option "Use Bluetooth as Antenna"|Select the station manually or through auto search-->

3. Online radio through streaming services

If the FM- chip is missing or the signal is weak, the alternative is Internet radio.

• 🌍 Access to thousands of stations from around the world.
• 🎵 The ability to choose genres (rock, jazz, news, etc.).
• 🔊 Best sound quality (up to 320 kbps in some services)

Top-3 applications for online radio on Xiaomi:

🔹 How to listen:

1. Install one of the applications (links above).
2. Connect the wireless headphones.
3. Select the station and press Play.
4. To save traffic in the settings, select the bitrate 64-128 kbps.

💡

If the radio is interrupted, try turning off Bluetooth HD Audio in the headphone settings (sometimes the aptX codec conflicts with streaming).

4.Use of headphones as an external antenna (advanced method)

For Xiaomi models with FM- chip, but without NextRadio support, there is a trick: you can use wireless headphones as a passive antenna, connecting them to a smartphone via Bluetooth and simultaneously connecting with a wire (if there is a 3.5 mm → USB-C cable in the kit).

Step-by-step:

1. Put your headphones on Bluetooth.
2. Take a 3.5mm cable → USB-C (e.g., from the Xiaomi Type-C Earphones kit).
3. Connect the cable to your smartphone, but don’t put the headphones in the connector — just leave it nearby (it will work like an antenna).
4. Open the standard FM Radio app and set up the station.
5. The sound will be broadcast to wireless headphones.

⚠️ Warning: This method doesn't work on all models. For example, the Redmi Note 11 has been shown to be stable, but the POCO X5 Pro has not. Depending on the implementation of the FM- module in the firmware.

5. Alternative ways: YouTube, Telegram bots, IPTV

If none of the above methods are suitable, consider non-traditional options:

1. Telegram radio bots:

• 🤖 Bot @RadioBot – supports Russian-language stations (Radio Record, Europe Plus, etc.).
• 🎶 Bot @MusicRadioBot specializes in music channels.

🔹 How to use: Find a bot in Telegram, select a station and press Play. The sound will be transmitted to connected wireless headphones.

YouTube and radio stations:

Many radio stations broadcast live on YouTube, such as:

• 📻 Radio Record (electronic music)
• 🎤 Europe Plus (pop music)

🔹 Pros: No need for additional applications, you can listen to the background (on MIUI 14+).

🔹 Cons: Traffic consumption is higher than that of specialized radio applications.

3 IPTV- Radio players:

Some IPTV- providers include radio stations in their packages, for example, in the TiviMate or Lazyman app you can add a radio playlist.

1. Download the IPTV- player from Google Play.
2. Search the M3U- radio playlist online (e.g. iptv-org.github.io).
3. Download the playlist to the app and select a radio station.

6.Sound optimization for radio in wireless headphones

To improve the sound quality of the radio through wireless headphones, use these tips:

Equalizer setting:

• 🎛️ In MIUI go to Settings → Sound and vibration → Equator.
• 🔊 For speech (news, talk show) select Preset Voice.
• 🎵 For music, Bass or Rock (depending on genre).

Bluetooth codecs:

In the headphone settings (Settings → Connected devices → Cog settings next to the headphones), select:

• 🔹 AAC - The best balance of quality and stability.
• 🔹 aptX – if the headphones support (e.g. Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro).
• 🚫 Avoid SBC - the worst quality for music.

Reducing delay:

If the radio is behind the video (relevant to YouTube broadcasts), turn on the headphone Low Latency mode (if any).

1. Open the settings → Connected devices.
2. Press the headphones.
3. Enable the option Low Latency (if available).

💡

For better reception of FM-radio via Bluetooth, use headphones with support for AAC or aptX – they provide more stable signal transmission compared to SBC.

7. Problem Solving: Radio is down or interrupted

If you have problems listening to the radio through wireless headphones, check the following:

Problem 1: Radio FM can't find a station

• 📡 Check if the headphones are connected (they can work as an antenna even over Bluetooth in NextRadio).
• 📍 Allow the application to access geolocation.
• 🔄 Reboot your smartphone – sometimes FM-module".

Problem 2: The sound is interrupted or lagged

• 🔋 Check the headphone charge - at levels below 20%, there may be failures.
• 📶 If you listen to online radio, switch to 2G/3G (there may be a delay in 4G/5G due to traffic optimization).
• 🔄 In Bluetooth settings, turn off Absolute Volume (if any).

Problem 3: Radio FM app is missing

If your Xiaomi model doesn’t have a standard radio, but it does have a chip (checked through CPU-Z), try:

1. Install a radio mod for MIUI (root rights required).
2. Use NextRadio with Force FM Enable enabled (in the developer settings).

⚠️ Warning: On some firmware (MIUI Global for Europe), FM- radio can be turned off at the regional setting level, in which case switching the region to India or Russia in the smartphone settings will help.

FAQ: Frequent questions on the radio on Xiaomi