How to turn on equalizer on Xiaomi for wireless headphones

Xiaomi’s modern smartphones offer users more than just communication tools, but full-fledged multimedia centers, where the quality of sound is emphasized. Owners of wireless headphones often face a situation where standard audio settings do not fully reveal the potential of their headset, making the sound flat or devoid of deep bass. It is in these cases that the built-in equalizer comes to the rescue, allowing you to fine-tune the frequency range to personal preferences or the genre of music.

In the operating system MIUI, And now, in the new HyperOS, Xiaomi engineers have implemented several levels of audio control, not just volume sliders, but complex signal processing algorithms that include Dolby Atmos and a proprietary add-on. MI Sound. Proper activation of these functions can transform the normal TWS-headphones in a tool for professional listening to compositions.

However, the path to perfect sound isn’t always obvious, as the settings menu can vary depending on the firmware version and smartphone model. In this article, we’ll take a look at all the methods available, from standard system utilities to advanced solutions for enthusiasts, so you can get the most out of your device.

Standard sound settings in MIUI and HyperOS

The first and most logical step for any user is to check the built-in system tools. Xiaomi has traditionally equipped its devices with a set of pre-installed audio profiles. To access them, you need to go to the Settings menu, then select Sound and Vibration, and here hides a key section that is often ignored by beginners.

Inside the sound effects section, you'll find a MI Sound or Mi Sound Enhancer switch, which allows you to choose the type of headphones you want to use, and it tells you whether you're using a regular headphone, an in-ear headphone, or a noise-cancelling model, which is a critical parameter because the audio processing algorithm adapts to the acoustic design of the device.

⚠️ Note: If you have chosen the wrong type of headphones in the settings MI Sound, the sound can become deaf or overly sharp.Always make sure that you have a profile that matches your current headset, especially when switching from wired models to wireless ones.

Then you look at the Graphic Equalizer tab, and you can see the presets, Pop, Rock, Jazz, Classic, and others, and you can see that the choice of a particular genre automatically redistributes frequencies to enhance the ranges you need, like Rock Mode, which raises the middle and high frequencies for guitar clarity, and Bass, which focuses on the low-frequency spectrum.

• 🎵 MI Sound: proprietary audio enhancement technology that adapts sound to the type of connected headset.
• 🎚️ Graphical equalizer: a tool for manual or preset-set setting of frequency bands.
• 🔊 Dolby Atmos: surround sound technology often integrated into Xiaomi's top models.
• 📱 Adaptability: The system automatically changes the profile when connecting different Bluetooth devices.

It is worth noting that some global firmware versions may have slightly reduced functionality compared to Chinese builds. If you do not find the options described above, it is possible that your region in the phone settings is set incorrectly, or you need to update the system to the latest version.

Using Dolby Atmos Technology on Xiaomi

Special attention should be paid to Dolby Atmos technology, which often goes side by side with MI Sound on Xiaomi’s flagship and mid-budget models. This system creates a three-dimensional sound space effect, which is especially noticeable when watching movies and playing modern shooters. The inclusion of Dolby Atmos often automatically activates its own equalizer with more extensive capabilities.

To activate, follow the Settings → Sound and Vibration → Sound Effects. If your device supports technology, you will see the appropriate switch. Auto, Video, Music and Voice profiles are usually available inside the Dolby Atmos menu. Music is the most interesting mode for music fans here, as it provides access to more detailed frequency settings.

It's important to understand that using MI Sound and Dolby Atmos at the same time can lead to a conflict of software filters, the sound will become distorted, wheezing or the porridge effect will appear. The system will warn you about this by suggesting that one of the functions be disabled. For wireless headphones, it is more often recommended to use Dolby Atmos because of its dynamic range algorithms.

Users often wonder if they should include Smart Amplification in the Dolby menu.This feature dynamically changes the volume of quiet scenes, but for music it can be harmful, as it violates the dynamic range of the track. For listening to music through Bluetooth headphones, it is better to leave this item off.

Third-party equalizer applications

If Xiaomi’s standard tools aren’t enough, or you want to access more subtle settings, apps from the Google Play Store will come to the rescue. Android allows third-party software to intercept the audio stream and process it before sending it to the Bluetooth headset, which makes it possible to use parametric equalizers with dozens of bands.

One of the most popular solutions is Poweramp Equalizer, which has a powerful engine that runs on top of the system settings, and once you have installed and given the necessary permissions (including access to special features), you have a professional tool at your disposal, where you can adjust not only the frequencies, but also preamplifiers, channel balance and even a virbu (speaker vibration).

Another great option is the Wavelet app, which is unique in its AutoEq database for thousands of headphone models. You can find your wireless headphones on the list (like Apple AirPods, Sony WH-1000XM4 or popular Xiaomi Buds), and the app will apply the profile itself, aligning the frequency to the perfect Harman curve.

• 🚀 Poweramp Equalizer: Maximum flexibility and Viper Audio support.
• 🎧 Wavelet: automatic correction for a specific headphone model.
• 🎛️ Flat Equalizer: Simple and easy to setup interface.
• 🔓 Root Access: Some apps require superuser rights for full functionality.

When installing third-party equalizers, it is important to keep in mind resource consumption. Constant real-time audio processing can increase the load on the processor. On older smartphone models, this can lead to micro-sound delays in games or increased battery life.

Setting up Bluetooth codecs for high-quality sound

The quality of the sound you hear in wireless headphones depends on the data codec you use. The standard SBC codec provides basic quality, but for Hi-Res, audio is not enough. Xiaomi supports modern codecs such as AAC, aptX, aptX HD and LDAC. To activate them, you need to activate the developer menu.

To enter the developer menu, go to Settings → About Phone and quickly click on MIUI Version seven times. Then, in the advanced settings, you will see “Developers For”; inside, find the “Audio” or “Bluetooth” section and select “Bluetooth Audio Codec” where you can force the best quality codec supported by your headphones.

Activation path:


Settings → About Phone → (7 clicks according to MIUI) → Advanced settings → For developers → Bluetooth Audio Codec

⚠️ Attention: Forced inclusion of the codec LDAC or HD On headphones that don't support them, you'll lose sound or permanently break your connection.

Using the LDAC codec developed by Sony, it allows you to transfer three times more data than standard Bluetooth. On Xiaomi smartphones with Android 10 and above, this feature works steadily. However, with a weak signal, the system can automatically switch to lower quality to maintain the connection.

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If the sound is interrupted after selecting a high codec, try changing “Bitrate over Bluetooth” to “Adaptive” or “Optimized for Connection” in the same developer menu.

Secrets of the engineering menu and hidden settings

For advanced users who are not afraid of experimentation, there is an access to the engineering menu, which is a hidden part of the system, designed for testing equipment, but it also has audio settings, and you can log in through the Phone app by typing in a special code, for example, # # # # # #6484## (code may vary depending on the model).

In the Engineering Menu (CIT), you can test speakers and microphones, but deeper settings are often hidden. However, there is a method of changing regional audio settings. Changing the phone region to "India" or "China" will sometimes unlock additional sound effects that are blocked for the European market due to licensing restrictions.

Also worth mentioning is the "Absolute Volume" setting in the developer menu. If your Bluetooth headphones sound too quiet even at maximum volume, try switching this item. It synchronizes the volume of the phone and headset, which often solves the problem of quiet sound in third-party applications.

Be careful when changing the settings in the engineering menu. Unnecessarily changing the settings can lead to unstable operation of the communication module. Always remember the initial values so that you can return everything as it was.

Solving Sound Problems

Even after you set the equalizer right, users can encounter artifacts. A common problem on Xiaomi is to desynchronize the volume. The phone is 100%, and in headphones you can barely hear, and this is solved by turning off Bluetooth, forgetting the device and re-pairing with the phone turned off (earphones must be in search mode).

Another nuance is noise reduction (ANC) – if you have activated active noise cancellation on your headphones and have also increased the bass in the equalizer, you may have a “hum” or pressure on your ears, in which case it is recommended to slightly reduce the low frequencies (60-150 Hz) in the equalizer settings.

If the sound has turned metallic or whistling artifacts have appeared, check to see if two equalizers are on at the same time. Competition for audio stream between MI Sound and, for example, Spotify or Poweramp, leads to dual processing of the signal and its distortion. Leave only one active processing tool.

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Perfect sound is achieved by balancing: quality source (Lossless), correct codec (LDAC/aptX), no conflicts between system and third-party equalizers.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions