How to remove the volume limit in headphones on Xiaomi: all working methods

Why Xiaomi limits the volume in headphones and whether it can be fixed

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face the problem of artificially low volume when connecting headphones - even at the maximum level, the sound remains quieter than on other devices. This is not a defect in technology, but a targeted policy of the manufacturer associated with European security standards (EU Volume Limit) and internal settings of MIUI.

The restriction is designed to protect users' hearing from prolonged exposure to loud noises, but it can be a hindrance to many people, especially when listening to music in noisy places or using high-resistance headphones. Fortunately, there are several ways to circumvent this restriction: From simple menu settings to deep changes to system files, this article will cover all the current methods for the system. MIUI 12–14, including hidden functions and ADB-team.

⚠️ Important: Turning the volume above the safe level can lead to irreversible hearing loss. You perform all the manipulations at your own risk. If the sound becomes distorted or wheezing after the changes, immediately return the settings to the factory settings.

Method 1: Disconnection EU-Restrictions through sound settings

The easiest way to do this is that it works on most Xiaomi devices with global or European firmware (MIUI EU) and does not require root or PC connectivity, but may not be available on some models (e.g., China).

Instructions:

• 📱 Open the Settings app → Go to Sound and Vibration.
• 🔊 Find the Safe Volume Level (or Volume Limitation) EU) and tap him.
• 🔕 Turn off the slider Limit the volume of the headphones (or select Disable in the window that appears).
• 🔄 Reboot your smartphone to make changes take effect.

If you don't have one, your firmware doesn't support this method. Try the alternatives below.

Global (Global)|European (EU)|Chinese (China)|Custom (Custom)|I don't know.-->

Method 2: Use of the Engineering Menu (MTK and Qualcomm)

On devices with MediaTek (Helio, Dimensity) and some Qualcomm Snapdragon processors, you can bypass the restriction through a hidden engineering menu, which does not require root rights, but requires caution - incorrect settings can lead to audio failures.

For MediaTek:

1. Open the Phone app and enter the code ##36446337## (or #4636## → Phone Information → Engineering menu).
2. Go to Hardware Testing → Audio → Headset Mode.
3. Find the Max Vol or Volume settings and increase the values (usually to 160 or 255).
4. Save the settings and restart the device.

For Qualcomm:

• 🔧 Enter the code ##864666# or #4636## → Audio).
• 🎧 Select Headset and increase Max Volume values for all ranges (e.g., from 80 to 120).
• ⚠️ Do not change other parameters – this can cause distortion of the sound!

Method 3: ADB-Removal of restrictions (without root)

If previous methods didn’t work, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a tool for debugging Android, which is universal and works on most Xiaomi devices, but requires a connection to a computer.

Step-by-step:

1. 💻 Install. ADB and Fastboot Tools on PC.
2. 📱 On your smartphone, activate the Developer Mode (7 times tap the version). MIUI In Settings → About the phone) and turn on the debugging USB.
3. 🔌 Connect your phone to your PC and type in the command line (terminal): adb shell settings put global volume_music_speaker_scale 1.5 adb shell settings put global volume_alarm_speaker_scale 1.5 adb shell settings put global volume_notification_speaker_scale 1.5 adb shell settings put global volume_system_speaker_scale 1.5 adb shell settings put global volume_voice_speaker_scale 1.5 These commands scale up the volume for all channels. For headphones, use: adb shell settings put global. volume_music_headset_scale 2.0
4. 🔄 Reset the device.

⚠️ Attention: Values above 2.0 can cause sound distortion or damage to earphone speakers! Start with 1.5 and gradually increase.

Install ADB on PC|Enable developer mode on Xiaomi|Activate debugging over USB|Connect phone with original cable|Check device detection by adb devices-->

Method 4: Editing System Files (requires root)

For experienced users who are ready to get root rights, there is a radical way - file editing. mixer_paths.xml, This is a method that gives you maximum control, but it's risky: the wrong changes can lead to a loss of sound completely.

Instructions:

• 🔐 Get root access (for example, through Magisk).
• 📁 Use a root-access file manager (such as Root Explorer) and follow the path: /vendor/etc/mixer_paths.xml (or /system/etc/mixer_paths.xml).
• 📝 Find the lines with the parameters RX1 Digital Volume, RX2 Digital Volume or Headphone Volume and increase max values (e.g. from 80 to 100).
• 💾 Save the file, set the rights 644 (rw-r)--r--) and reboot the device.

Critical information: On some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 12 Pro, Redmi Note 11 Pro+) file mixer_paths.xml It's protected from change even from root, and you'll have to modify the firmware through root. TWRP.

💡

Before editing system files, back them up! For example, copy them. mixer_paths.xml on SD-It's going to help you recover the sound if something goes wrong.

Method 5: Use of third-party applications

If you don't want to dig into the settings, you can use specialized applications to amplify the sound, which don't always have the same effect as system changes, but are easy to use.

Top.-3 apps:

• 🎵 Volume Booster GOODEV — Increases volume to 200 percent (not all models).
• 🔊 Precise Volume – allows precise volume setting in 1 step%.
• 🎧 Equalizer & Bass Booster – Enhances sound through equalizer (useful for bass).

⚠️ Note: Volume Booster applications can distort sound at high volume levels, and it is not recommended to use them constantly, only for temporary amplification.

What to do if nothing helps

If none of the methods worked, the problem may lie in:

• 🔄 Firmware: Some custom firmware (e.g. Pixel Experience) has its limitations. Try to get back to the official firmware. MIUI.
• 🎧 Headphones: Cheap, low-resistance (16 Ohms) models may not be loud enough. Check them on another device.
• 🔊 Hardware malfunction: Damage to the audio chip or 3.5 mm connector (on models with it.

💡 Tip: If you use Bluetooth headphones, try resetting them (press the power button for 10 seconds) and reconnecting them. A2DP.

💡

On devices with MIUI 14 and later, some methods (e.g., engineering menus) may be blocked — ADB-commands or edit system files with root.

FAQ: Frequent Volume Limiting Questions on Xiaomi