APTX on Xiaomi: how to turn on and configure for wireless headphones

Wireless headphones with APTX codec support promise better audio than standard SBC or AAC, but Xiaomi smartphone owners often face a problem: even with compatible devices, the codec does not activate automatically. The reason lies in the MIUI policy, which by default hides advanced audio settings. In this article, we will discuss how to manually enable APTX, APTX HD and APTX Low Latency on any Xiaomi smartphone, including Redmi models, POCO and flagship series.

It’s important to understand that codec support is not just firmware but hardware-based: the Qualcomm Snapdragon chipset (4xx/6xx/7xx/8xx series) is usually APTX compatible, whereas MediaTek models may not support it at all. We checked the instructions on Xiaomi 13 Pro, Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and POCO F5 – in all cases the codec has been successfully activated. If your model is older than 2020, pre-update the firmware to the latest version of MIUI (globalization or stable).

What is APTX and why it doesn’t automatically turn on

APTX is a proprietary audio codec developed by Qualcomm that delivers higher quality audio than standard SBC.

• 🔹 APTX Classic - basic version, supports bitrate up to 352 kbit / s.
• 🔹 APTX HD — improved version with bitrate to 576 quid (24-bit/48kHz).
• 🔹 APTX Low Latency (LL) — Optimized for minimal latency (ideal for gaming and video).
• 🔹 APTX Adaptive – dynamically adjusts to the communication conditions (up to 420 kbit / s).

On smartphones, Xiaomi codec does not turn on by default for two reasons:

1. License Restrictions: Qualcomm requires a license fee to use APTX, so manufacturers often disable it in stock firmware.
2. MIUI Policy: Developers hide advanced settings to avoid compatibility issues for inexperienced users.

However, in most cases, hardware support is present — you just need to manually activate it. Before you start, check if your APTX chipset supports:

If your smartphone is running MediaTek, it’s likely that APTX isn’t supported at the hardware level – further action is pointless.

Preparation: Enable the Developer Mode

To access hidden audio settings, you first need to activate the developer mode, which is the same for all Xiaomi smartphones regardless of the model:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Find the MIUI version and tap it 7 times in a row.
3. You will be notified: You have become a developer.

Now, a new section will appear in the Settings main menu — Additional → For developers. If it's not available, restart the device.

⚠️ Note: Do not change other settings in the For Developers section unless you understand their purpose. For example, turning off background restrictions may result in accelerated battery discharge.

APTX Activation through Developer Options

Once the developer mode is turned on, we move to the basic settings. Importantly, the headphones should be connected to the smartphone when the settings change!

1. Connect headphones with APTX support (such as Sony WH-1000XM5 or Soundcore Space Q45).
2. Go to Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Scroll down to the Network block and find the Bluetooth Codec (or Bluetooth Audio Codec).
4. In the list of available codecs, select APTX (or APTX HD if supported).
5. Confirm the choice and reconnect the headphones.

If the Bluetooth codec is not on the menu, your MIUI version is hiding it, and an alternative method will help (see next section).

Update. MIUI last-minute|Connect compatible headphones|Enable the developer mode|Check the chipset support-->

Alternative method: through ADB-commands

On some firmware (e.g. MIUI 14 for the global version), the codec settings are hidden even in developer mode, in which case ADB (Android Debug Bridge) will help.

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB Tools.
• 📱 Included Debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → For developers).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Instructions:

1. Connect the smartphone to the PC and allow debugging (a request will appear on the phone screen).
2. Open the command line (cmd) in the folder with the platform-tools.
3. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
4. Execute the command to unlock hidden settings: adb shell settings put global bluetooth_a2dp_offload_capability 255
5. Reboot your smartphone.

After the reboot, all supported codecs will appear in the Bluetooth Codec menu, including APTX. If the command does not work, try an alternative option:

adb shell settings put global bluetooth_a2dp_offload_disabled 0

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB Don't type commands that you don't know what they're supposed to do, like adb shell pm disable-user 0 com.android.bluetooth will shut down Bluetooth completely.

Verification of APTX operation

Once you activate the codec, you need to make sure that it is actually being used, and you can do this in a number of ways:

Method 1: Through System Information

1. Connect the headphones and turn on music playback.
2. Open Settings → Connections → Bluetooth.
3. Slap the icon. ⚙️ near the connected headphones.
4. Some versions of MIUI display the current codec (e.g. APTX (320 kbps)).

Method 2: Diagnostic applications

Install one of the applications:

• 📱 Bluetooth Codec Info (Shows the current codec in real time).
• 📊 Developer Quick Settings (Adds codec tile to notification curtain).
• 🎧 NFC Tools (for some models of headphones displays detailed information).

If the app shows SBC or AAC instead of APTX, the codec is not activated.

• 🔄 Reconnect the headphones.
• 📱 Reboot your smartphone.
• 🔧 Reset Bluetooth settings (Settings) → Connections → Bluetooth → ⋮ → Reset the settings).

💡

If, after activation, APTX The sound has become intermittent, try to reduce the bitrate in the codec settings (if such an option is available) or go back to the codec settings. APTX Classic instead HD-version.

Solving common problems

Even after successful APTX activation, users are facing challenges, and consider typical scenarios and ways to address them:

Problem 1: Codec resets to SBC after reconnecting

This is because of MIUI's energy-saving policy.

1. Open Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Mode
2. Choose a high performance (temporarily).
3. Turn off the Adaptive Battery for the Bluetooth app (Settings → Applications → Application Management → Bluetooth → Battery → No Limits).

Problem 2: APTX HD is available, but the sound is distorted

The reason is an unstable Bluetooth connection.

• 📶 Reducing the distance between smartphone and headphones.
• 🔋 Disable Dual Connection (if the headphones support multipoint).
• 🎵 Switch to APTX Classic instead HD-version.

Problem 3: No Bluetooth Codec in Developer Options

This is typical of the MIUI 13/14 on some models.

• 📲 Install custom restoration (TWRP) and flash the Bluetooth Library Patcher module (requires an unlocked bootloader).
• 🔄 Reverse to an older version MIUI (For example, 12.5), where the codec settings are available.

💡

If your smartphone is on MediaTek, try to turn on APTX It's pointless -- the chipset doesn't support this codec at the hardware level. LDAC (if available).

Comparison of APTX with other codecs on Xiaomi

To see if you should bother with the APTX setup at all, compare it to the alternative codecs available on Xiaomi smartphones:

The table shows that APTX HD offers a better balance between quality and latency, whereas LDAC is suitable for audiophiles but puts a lot of battery down. If you listen to music through Spotify or YouTube Music, the difference between APTX and AAC will be minimal due to the bitrate limitations of streaming services.

When should I use APTX?

• 🎮 For games (minimum delay with the APTX LL).
• 🎵 For local high resolution files (FLAC, WAV).
• 🎬 For watching movies (synchronization of sound and video).

When is the best time to choose another codec?

• 🔋 If the battery life is important (AAC or SBC).
• 📶 In the conditions of weak Bluetooth signal (LDAC will constantly break).

FAQ: Frequent APTX questions on Xiaomi