One Xiaomi headphone is quieter than another: why this happens and how to fix it

Why one Xiaomi headphone has become quieter than another: the main reasons

You turned on your favorite playlist, but suddenly noticed that one Xiaomi earphone sounds quieter than another — the left or right side lags in volume, the bass disappears, and the voices sound muffled. The problem is found in all the lines of wireless headphones of the brand, from the budget Redmi Airdots to the flagship Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro. 80% of the time, the malfunction is not due to a hardware defect, but to settings or pollution.

Before you carry your gadget to the service center, check out 5 key causes of sound imbalance:

• 🔊 Unbalanced volume settings in the phone or device itself (most often left/right ear is set separately).
• 🧹 Pollution speaker or mesh – dust, earwax or moisture block sound waves.
• 🔋 Battery discharge in one of the headphones (even if the indicator shows charge, contact may be disrupted).
• 📱 Bluetooth connection problems: codec failures, interference, or outdated firmware.
• 🛠️ Hardware malfunctions: Membrane damage dynamics, contact oxidation or factory defect.

In this article, we will discuss step-by-step solutions for each of the reasons, from the simplest (reboot) to complex (disassembly of headphones), and we will focus on Xiaomi models with support for ANC (active noise reduction) – they have a sound imbalance often associated with improper microphones.

1. Checking the volume balance in the phone settings

The most common reason why one earbud is quieter than the other is because of the wrong sound balance settings in your smartphone or tablet, and many users accidentally knock down the regulator without even knowing it, and is especially true for Android devices with custom firmware (such as MIUI).

To check the balance:

1. Open Settings → Special Features → Hearing (on iPhone: Settings → Universal Access → Audiovisual Content → Stereo Sound Balance).
2. Find the left/right speaker balance slider, which should be in the middle.
3. If the slider is shifted, return it to the center position and check the sound.

On some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 12), this setting may be hidden in Settings → Sound → Additional settings → Sound balance. If there is no point, then your firmware does not support fine tuning.

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On iPhone, the sound balance is lost when you connect your hearing aids via Bluetooth. If you're not using them, reset the settings in Universal Access → Hearing aids.

2. Cleaning headphones from dirt and moisture

If the settings are fine, but one Xiaomi earphone is still quieter, the reason may lie in the contamination of the speaker or sound processors. Dust, earwax and even sweat accumulate over time on the grid, blocking the sound, especially vulnerable models with an open design (for example, Redmi Airdots 3).

To clean up, you will need:

• 🧻 Cotton swab (better with a plastic rod, so as not to leave the pile).
• 💧 Alcohol wipes or isopropyl alcohol (at least 70%).
• 🔦 Lantern (to examine the insides).
• 🧲 Magnet (for models with removable grids, for example, Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro).

Step-by-step:

⚠️ Warning: Do not use sharp objects (needles, toothpicks) - they can damage the membrane of the speaker. If the contamination is severe and not removed by cotton swab, contact the service.

3. Resetting and reconnecting headphones

Bluetooth or headphone firmware malfunctions are the third most common cause of sound imbalances, for example, after a MIUI update or a smartphone change, one earphone may start to sound quieter due to a synchronization error, solving the problem of a complete reset of the headphones.

How to reset Xiaomi headphones to factory settings:

1. Place both headphones in the case and close the lid.
2. Press and hold the button on the case (or touchpad on the headphones) for 10-15 seconds until the indicator starts flashing red and white.
3. Open the cover of the case - the headphones will automatically go into pairing mode.
4. On your phone, remove the device from the Bluetooth list (Settings) → Bluetooth → ⚙️ → Forget the device).
5. Reconnect the headphones.

For models with ANC support (such as Xiaomi Buds 3T Pro) after reset, you may need to update the firmware. Check the version of the software in the official Mi Earphones app (available on Google Play and App Store).

4. Checking the battery and contacts in the case

If Xiaomi's right or left earphone suddenly became quieter, the problem could be a drained battery or poor contact with the case.The wireless headphones are powered by the battery in the case, and if one of the contacts is oxidized or contaminated, charging goes unevenly.

How to diagnose:

• 🔋 Check the charge level of each headphone in the Mi Earphones app (Battery status section). If the difference is greater than 20%, there is a power problem.
• 🔍 Check the contacts in the case and on headphones - they should be clean, without green coating (oxidation).
• 🔄 Try changing the headphones to fit in the case. If the "quiet" earphone starts to sound normal on the other side, it's the case.

To clean the contacts, use a cotton swab dipped in alcohol. If the oxidation is strong, gently rub it with a rubber eraser (yes, regular school!). Do not use sandpaper or metal objects - this will damage the coating.

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If the headphone is discharged faster than the other, even after cleaning the contacts, its battery is out of order, and then only replacing the battery in the service center will help.

5. Update firmware and Bluetooth settings

Outdated firmware on headphones or smartphones can cause audio transmission failures, making one earbud sound quieter, especially for models with ANC and support for aptX or LDAC codecs (for example, Xiaomi Buds 4 Pro).

How to update the firmware headphones:

1. Install the official Mi Earphones app (links: Android/IOS).
2. Connect the headphones to the phone and open the application.
3. Go to Settings → Update firmware.
4. If a new version is available, click Update and wait until it is completed (don’t turn off the headphones!).

Also check the Bluetooth settings on your phone:

• 📱 On Android: Open Settings → Bluetooth → ⚙️ headphone-on → Audio codec. AAC or SBC (If you need aptX, try changing it).
• 🍎 On iPhone: Codec changes automatically, but you can reset your network settings (Settings) → Mainstream → Transfer/Dumping → Resetting network settings).

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If after updating the firmware sound became even worse – roll back the version through the Mi Earphones application (section Restore factory firmware).

6. Hardware malfunctions: when to contact the service

If all of the above methods didn’t work, and one Xiaomi earphone is still quieter than the other, the problem is likely hardware.

• 🔊 The sound has disappeared completely or has become severely distorted (wheezing, crackling).
• 🔋 The earphone discharges quickly (less than 30 minutes) or does not charge at all.
• 🛠️ Visible damage to the body, speaker or contacts.
• 🎧 The imbalance persists on different devices (phone, laptop, tablet).

What you can do before visiting the service:

• 📸 Take a photo of your headphones and case (this may help with warranty repairs).
• 📋 Write down the serial number (usually listed on the case or in the Mi Earphones app).
• 🔄 Try connecting your headphones to another device to confirm the problem.

⚠️ Note: If headphones are warranty, do not disassemble them yourself - this will cancel warranty obligations. In official service centers Xiaomi diagnostics takes 1-2 days, and repair (for example, changing the speaker) - up to 5 working days.

7. Alternative solutions: if nothing helps

If you’ve exhausted all options, but one Xiaomi headphone still sounds quieter, try these custom methods:

• 🎛️ Use equalizer: In applications like Wavelet or Poweramp, you can manually raise the volume for the left/right channel.

If you use headphones with ANC, try turning off noise cancellation, because sometimes the sound processing algorithms are not working properly.

1. Open the Mi Earphones app.
2. Go to the ANC Settings.
3. Select the Off mode or Transparency mode.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the sound imbalance in Xiaomi headphones