Xiaomi Airdots: how to connect both headphones and synchronize them

Xiaomi’s modern wireless headsets have become the benchmark for the budget segment, offering excellent sound quality at an affordable price. However, owners often face the unpleasant situation when they retrieve sound from a case, only one ear plays the sound, or the devices stop seeing each other, due to the dissynchronization of Bluetooth modules inside the headphones themselves.

Restoring normal operation requires understanding how they interact, since they operate in TWS (True Wireless Stereo) mode. In this article, we will discuss all the nuances of pairing, how to force pair synchronization, and methods for solving common technical problems.

First, you need to make sure that your devices are charged and ready to go. Often the problem is not a software failure, but a banal discharge of one of the elements of the pair, which prevents the connection between them.

The principle of operation of TWS and primary pairing

True Wireless Stereo technology means that two independent devices are combined into a single acoustic system. When Xiaomi Airdots or their equivalents (Redmi Airdots) are first turned on, they must automatically find each other, at which point the lights on the housings flash at a certain frequency, signaling a search for a pair.

If you just purchased a gadget or reset your settings, the process of connecting to your phone looks standard. You need to activate Bluetooth on your smartphone and find the device in the list of available ones.

• 🎧 Remove both earphones from the charging case at the same time.
• 📱 Open Bluetooth settings on your mobile device.
• 🔍 Find a new device in the list and click on it to pair.
• ✅ Wait for voice confirmation or color change of indicator.

Once the connection is successful, the voice assistant will report status by saying things like "Connected" or "Pairing successful," and if you hear those messages in just one ear, then the stereo is not formed, and the sound is only in mono mode, and synchronizing the channels is a key step in listening to music.

⚠️ Warning: If one of the headphones flashes fast when you remove it from the case and the other one blinks slowly or doesn't blink at all, it's a sign that they can't see each other.

Step-by-step instructions for synchronizing a couple

When automatic connection does not occur, a forced pairing procedure is required, a method that is relevant for most models of the lineup, including the Airdots 2, Airdots S and Airdots 3. The essence of the method is to reset the current headphone memory settings and start searching for a partner again.

The first step is to "forget" the device in your smartphone settings. Find the name of your headphones in the Bluetooth gadget list, click on the gear icon or the letter "i" and select the option to turn off or forget the device. Then turn off the Bluetooth on the phone completely so that it does not automatically try to reconnect during settings.

Now, the most important part is hardware reset. You can hold both earbuds. You can have touch or mechanical control buttons on the body, and you have to press and hold those buttons on both devices simultaneously. You have to hold them for a long time, around the corner. 20-30 seconds until the indicators start flashing red several times in a row.

Once the lights go out or change the pattern of blinking, release the buttons. Put the headphones back in the case for a few seconds, and then pull them out again, at which point they should quickly find each other: one indicator will flash slowly (this is a master device), and the second will flash quickly or not at all (a slave device).

Only after you've made sure that the headphones are synchronized (only one flashes), can you turn on Bluetooth on your phone and do a search, and the order of action is critical: first the connection between the ears, then the connection to the phone.

The solution to the problem: only one headphone works

When sound is only on the left or only on the right, it is the most common complaint of users, and it can occur for several reasons, from a software glitch of the Android or iOS operating system to the physical contamination of contacts.

It's often the case that the phone "remembers" the headphones as two separate devices with the same name. The Bluetooth list can show two MI Airdots records. In this case, you need to delete both records. Then perform the reset procedure described above to combine them into one pair. The key point is that the phone should only see one device after successful synchronization.

Another reason could be mono-call mode, some models automatically switch to single-earphone mode when an incoming call comes in, and to return the stereo, you need to put both devices in the case, close the lid (if you have one), or just leave them there for 10 seconds to force them to turn off.

⚠️ Warning: If after all the manipulations, one earphone is still silent, check its charge. Sometimes the oxidation of contacts in the case prevents the device from charging, and it simply turns off after a minute of operation.

Clearing contacts and hardware nuances

Physical factors should not be ignored. Dust, earwax and pile from pockets can get on the golden charging contacts, which leads to the fact that the earphone does not fully charge or does not see that it is in the case, and does not turn off.

To clean, use a dry cotton swab or stick slightly soaked in alcohol. Gently wipe the contacts on the headphones themselves and the pins inside the charging case. Also check if there is a protective film on the contacts if the device is new.

• 🧹 Wipe the contacts with a dry soft cloth.
• 💧 In case of severe pollution, use isopropyl alcohol.
• 🔋 Make sure the case is at least 30 times loaded%.
• 👂 Check the speaker grids for sulfur.

Sometimes the problem is with the case itself, and if it's discharged to zero, it may not signal to turn off the headphones when you put them inside, so when you pull them out, you see that they're already running out of pocket. Always monitor the charge of the case.

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Use a sticky tape (scotch) wound onto a toothpick to clean fine dust from the indentations of contacts inside the case where the cotton swab does not fit.

Specificity of connection to different operating systems

The process of connecting to Android and iOS is almost identical, but there are nuances in the operation of Bluetooth stacks. On iPhones, Apple devices can sometimes prioritize connecting to their AirPods, ignoring other gadgets if they are nearby, in which case it is recommended to temporarily turn off Bluetooth on other Apple devices in range.

On Android smartphones, especially those with MIUI shells, there can be a profile conflict. If the sound is quiet or intermittent, go to Bluetooth settings, click on the gear next to the headphone name and make sure that Multimedia and Phone profiles are activated. Sometimes switching the codec to the developer menu helps, but for basic Xiaomi models, it's better to leave the default settings.

The same algorithm for Windows PCs is: Settings → Devices → Add Bluetooth. But Windows is worse at remembering the pair's state. If you plugged your headphones into your phone and then into your PC, you might need to pair it again when you go back to your phone, which is a protocol feature, not a marriage.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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The main secret of stable work TWS-And the headphones -- always sync them together before you turn on Bluetooth on your phone, and that solves 90 percent of the connectivity problems.