The situation when a couple TWS-The headphones only play sound from one device, familiar to many Xiaomi smartphone owners, and it doesn't always indicate a physical breakdown of the headset. Often the problem lies in the software failure of the Bluetooth protocol or desynchronization of data channels between the left and right modules.
In the MIUI ecosystem and the new HyperOS, there are specific power-saving algorithms that can force the second channel to save battery power. One ear is silent even though the indicators are on fire. It's important to understand that modern wireless systems often use a master circuit, where one earpiece is the master and the second is the slave.
If the slave device loses communication with the wizard, the sound disappears. Recovery requires a consistent approach: from a simple reboot to a deep reset of the audio stack of the operating system. In this article, we will discuss all possible causes and methods of eliminating them, relevant for current models of smartphones.
The main reasons for dissynchronization TWS-headset
The primary reason for mono-mode is malfunctioning, and when the headphones are removed from the case, they have to automatically find each other and create a network, and if this process is interrupted by external interference or low battery power, one of the devices remains in standby mode.
The second common problem is overflowing the Bluetooth buffer, which can “remember” old connection configurations that conflict with the current communication session, especially after updating the phone’s firmware or changing the region in the system settings.
⚠️ Note: If one earpiece is discharged more than the other 20-30%, Lithium battery protection system can block its operation, leaving only the charged module active.
Also worth considering is the impact of third-party applications that can intercept audio stream control, and some system optimizers or memory cleaners aggressively shut down the background processes that maintain the second channel.
Basic Reboot and Reconnect Devices
The most effective method, which helps in 80% of cases, is a full cycle restart of the Bluetooth module. Do not limit yourself to just turning off the function in the notification curtain. Go to the deep settings menu, where the button for the complete disabling of the radio module is located.
To do this, go to Settings → Bluetooth and press the switch. Then wait 10-15 seconds before re-energizing. This allows the MIUI driver to fully unload the current connection configurations from memory.
- 📱 Open Bluetooth settings and find your headset in the list of paired devices.
- 🗑️ Click on the gear icon or arrow next to the name and select "Cancel pairing" or "Forget device".
- 🔄 Place both headphones back in the charging case and close the lid for 10 seconds.
- 🔌 Remove the headphones at the same time and wait until they find each other (the lights usually flash).
After you do this, try reconnecting your device, and if the problem was that the transmission protocol was software-free, sound should appear in both channels.
☑️ Reconnection activities
Resetting headphone settings to factory parameters
If a simple reconnection doesn't work, you have to do a Hard Reset on the headphones themselves. Each Redmi or Mi has its own reset algorithm, but the general principle is the same: make the device forget all previous connections.
Most commonly, resets require placing headphones in a case, opening the lid, and pinching touch areas or physical buttons on device cases, holding them for 10 to 30 seconds until the indicators light up in a color (often red or orange) that signals a reset.
| Model headphones | Resetting method | Indication of success | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redmi Buds 3/4 | Press the buttons 15 seconds | Blinking white 3 times | 15 seconds. |
| Mi True Wireless 2 | 5 touches on the sensor | Red light. | 5 touches |
| AirDots / Redmi Airdots | 20 seconds to press the buttons | Fast blinking. | 20 seconds. |
| FlipBuds Pro | Through the Xiaomi app | Vibration + sound | Instantly. |
Once reset, the headphones go into the new device search mode, so it's important not to plug them in automatically, but to first delete the old Bluetooth entry on the phone, and then search again.
What to do if the buttons do not respond?
Sound balance settings in MIUI and HyperOS
In Xiaomi’s operating systems, there is a hidden but important setup that can shift the audio stream into a single channel: a mono-audio feature, or balance shift, that is often activated accidentally or left behind after using special features.
Check availability settings. Go to Settings → Settings → Special Options → Hearing. There's a left-right channel balance slider here. Make sure it's in the center.
You should also pay attention to the settings of Dolby Atmos or Mi Sound. Sometimes activating certain equalizer profiles (for example, "Vocal" or "Bases") can not work properly with specific Bluetooth codecs, cropping one of the channels.
- 🎛️ Check if Mono-Audio is included in the special features section.
- 🔊 Reset the Mi Sound equalizer settings to "By default".
- 📉 Turn off Dolby Atmos temporarily to diagnose the problem.
- 🎧 Make sure that Bluetooth does not select a “Phone Only” device instead of “Hearphones".
⚠️ Note: In some versions MIUI The balance shift can occur after you connect to the navigator. After using the cards, always check the position of the balance slider.
Working with engineering menus and Bluetooth codecs
For advanced users, a deeper level of diagnostics is available through the engineering menu, where you can check the connection status of each channel and force the audio codec to change, which often solves the problem of incompatibility.
To enter the menu, open the Phone app and enter the code ##6484## (CIT). In the test list, find the Bluetooth or Audio section. However, the more effective way is to use the developer menu.
Settings → About phone → Tapay 7 times on "Version MIUI" → Settings → Additional → For developersIn the developer menu, look for the Bluetooth Audio Codec. The default is SBC or AAC. Try switching the codec to another available option (such as aptX or LDAC, if supported) to see if the stereo situation changes.
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Use the Xiaomi Earbuds app to check the firmware version of the headphones. Often the manufacturer will release patches that fix connection stability issues.
Diagnostics of hardware faults
If software methods are exhausted, there is a possibility of physical failure, which may be a failure of the Bluetooth module inside one of the headphones, oxidation of contacts in the charging case or damage to the speaker.
Check the charging contacts. Dirt or oxidation on the contacts in the case can prevent one of the headphones from charging, and as a result, it discharges to zero and stops turning on, creating the illusion of a breakdown.
- 🧹 Clean contacts in the case and on headphones with a dry cotton swab.
- 🔋 Check the voltage: does the silent earphone work at least 5 minutes after charging.
- 📱 Connect your headphones to another smartphone (not Xiaomi) to rule out software conflict.
- 🔊 Gently blow through the speaker grid if the sound is quiet or wheezing before disappearing completely.
If the problem persists on another device and cleaning the contacts did not help, it is likely that a replacement of the battery or module in the service center is required.
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If the headphone is not charged in the case (the indicator does not burn), the problem is almost always in contaminated contacts or dead battery, not in the software glitch of the phone.