Modern Xiaomi smartphones have powerful multimedia capabilities, but standard Bluetooth settings often limit the quality of the audio transmitted. Users seeking maximum detail and depth of sound are looking for ways to activate advanced codecs such as LDAC. This technology from Sony allows you to stream audio streams with a bitrate of up to 990 kbit / s, which is three times higher than the standard SBC codec.
However, just having support in the CPU specifications or the Android operating system itself doesn’t guarantee that the feature will be available out of the box.In the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS, algorithms can force a more stable but less-quality codec to save battery power or ensure connection stability.
In this article, we will go into detail about the technical aspects of wireless audio, check the compatibility of your device and show you how to make your smartphone work in high resolution through an engineering menu or standard settings. Ready to experiment and attentive to detail will help you unlock the full potential of your acoustic system.
LDAC technology and its advantages over standard codecs
Codec LDAC This is an audio coding algorithm developed by Sony, and its main feature is the ability to transmit much larger amounts of data than traditional formats. SBC, AAC If the standard stream compresses the sound quite aggressively, losing high-frequency detail and dynamics, then LDAC Maintains the structure of the audio file with almost no loss, approaching the quality CD-disk.
Support for this codec has been introduced in the Android ecosystem since Android 8.0 Oreo. This means that most modern Xiaomi smartphones running current versions of the operating system are technically capable of handling this format. However, implementation depends on the manufacturer: some brands certify their devices with Hi-Res Audio Wireless, which guarantees stable operation, while others leave this feature hidden.
The main advantage of the technology is adaptability: the protocol can automatically switch between three bitrate modes depending on the quality of the radio channel, which allows you to avoid interrupting music even if you are in an area with a lot of interference, although maximum quality is achieved only under ideal conditions of reception of the signal.
⚠️ Attention: Use of a codec LDAC It increases the power consumption of both smartphones and headphones. The battery can run out of power. 15-20% faster than using a codec SBC.
The technology requires support from both sides of the transmission chain. Your Xiaomi smartphone must have the appropriate software module in the firmware, and the headphones or headset must support LDAC decoding. Without both conditions, activation of the function is impossible, and the system will automatically roll back to using the AAC or SBC codec.
Verification of compatibility of the device and Android version
Before you start setting up hidden settings, you need to make sure your device is physically and software-ready for high-quality sound. First of all, check the version of the operating system. As mentioned earlier, native support has appeared in Android 8.0, but for stable operation on the shell of MIUI, it is desirable to have Android 10 or higher.
Make sure your headphones do support the codec you want. Often manufacturers indicate that there is an LDAC on the box, but in reality the device can only work in SBC mode. You can check this in the standard Bluetooth menu or through special analyzer applications such as Bluetooth Codec Changer or Bluetooth Scanner.
Below is a table of compatibility of popular Xiaomi smartphone series with LDAC technology on different firmware versions:
| Xiaomi Series | Minimum version of Android | Support for LDAC (stack) | Action required |
|---|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi Mi 8 / Mi 9 | Android 9.0+ | Partial | Activation in the Developer Menu |
| Xiaomi 11 / 12 / 13 | Android 11+ | Complete. | Choices in Bluetooth settings |
| Redmi Note 10 Pro | Android 11+ | Limited. | A patch or module is required |
| POCO F3 / F4 | Android 12+ | Complete. | Developer settings |
If your model is not listed or support is marked as limited, it does not mean that the feature is not available at all. In some cases, manual activation is required through the debugging menu. It is also worth considering that global firmware versions may differ from Chinese in the set of available audio codecs due to licensing restrictions in different regions.
Activate LDAC through the Developer Menu
The most common and safe way to enable high-quality codec is to use the built-in developer menu, which is hidden by default so that inexperienced users don't accidentally change critical system settings. First, you need to unlock access to this menu.
Go to Settings, then select About Phone. Find the MIUI Version (or OS Version) bar and quickly click on it 7-10 times in a row. After a series of clicks, a pop-up notification will appear that you have become a developer. Now a new Developer option will appear in the main settings menu, in the Additional section.
Inside the developer menu, scroll down to Network or Bluetooth. Find the Bluetooth Audio Codec. Click on it and select LDAC from the list. If LDAC is not listed but the headphones are connected and support the format, it may be that the system temporarily blocked it due to interference or low battery power.
☑️ Codec activation checklist
Once the codec is selected, the system may require the device to be reconnected. Turn off the headphones and reconnect them. In the notification curtain or in the Bluetooth settings, a Hi-Res Audio Wireless or LDAC icon may appear next to the device name, which will confirm the successful activation.
⚠️ Attention: If after the selection LDAC If you've lost the sound or you've had a lot of wheezing, immediately return the setting to Default, which means that the communication channel is unstable for that amount of data.
Use of engineering menus and hidden commands
In some cases, especially on devices with MediaTek processors or older versions of Snapdragon running MIUI, the standard developer menu may not display the LDAC codec, even if hardware support is present.
You can use the engineering menu to access the advanced Bluetooth settings. Enter the Phone app code ##3646633## (for MediaTek) or use the MTK Engineering Mode app. Go to the Connectivity tab, then BT Audio, where you can force support for various bitrates.
adb shell settings put global bluetooth_codec_ldac_enabled 1This command, run via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), is universal for many Android devices, and requires connecting your smartphone to your computer, enabling USB debugging, and running the command line, and after you type in the command and restart the Bluetooth service, the system must "see" the codec.