The situation when only one of the pair of Xiaomi or Redmi wireless headphones starts working is one of the most common problems of users. TWS-It's usually sudden: you take the device out of the case, but the sound comes from the left or right module, or the second one just doesn't respond to the connection to the smartphone. This causes natural irritation, as the full stereo sound is lost, and the quality of playback falls.
Most often, the reason is not hardware failure, but rather the desynchronization of communication channels between the headphones themselves. The devices lose communication with each other and begin to be perceived by the phone as two separate mono-devices, one of which is already occupied with connection. The Bluetooth protocol requires the correct "spark" before transferring data to the smartphone. In most cases, the problem can be solved by software methods without contacting the service center.
In this article, we’ll look at all possible causes of malfunction, from a dead battery to software firmware failures, learn how to perform a full hard reset, properly clean the list of paired devices and check charging contacts. Follow the instructions consistently to get your headset back to full operation.
The main reasons for the dissynchronization of headphones
The first step is to understand why one earbud stopped connecting. In True Wireless Stereo (TWS) technology, one module usually acts as a master transmitting a signal to the second module (Slave), and if communication between the two is broken, the second earbud simply "silent."
The most common cause is the banal contamination of contact areas. Dust, earwax or villi from the fabric can block the current supply, which causes the earphone to not charge and goes into deep sleep, and failures can occur when updating the operating system of the smartphone or the earphone itself, when Bluetooth settings conflict.
⚠️ Warning: If the earphone fell into the water or was severely impacted, the software reset may not help, in which case the problem is hardware in nature and requires a replacement speaker or battery.
Sometimes the problem lies in the source of the signal itself. A smartphone can "remember" the wrong connection parameters and try to send the sound to only one channel. So before complex manipulations, you should try to connect the headset to another device - a tablet or a laptop - to prevent a phone from breaking.
Diagnostics of charging and contact group
Before you can perform complex resets, you need to make sure that the idle earphone is really charged. Often a visual indication in the case misleading, and the indicator burns even if the current does not enter the battery.
Take a cotton swab lightly soaked in alcohol or antiseptics, and gently wipe the golden contacts on the earpiece itself and inside the charge case. Remove all visible plaque. After cleaning, place the earpiece in the case and check if the charge indicator is on fire. If the indicator does not light up, try to press the earphone slightly with your finger - perhaps the magnets have weakened or the contacts have gone away.
It's important to check the case itself, because if it's zero-out, it can't transfer charge to the headphones even if it's connected to the network, leave the case with the earphones attached charging for at least 30-40 minutes without trying to turn it on, and then you can start checking the connection.
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Use a dry toothbrush to clean deep grooves in the case - bristles better remove compressed dust than cotton swabs.
Full reset of headphone settings (Hard Reset)
The most effective way to solve the problem of desynchronization is a complete reset, which causes the headphones to forget old settings and re-find each other. The algorithm of actions can vary slightly for different models, such as Redmi AirDots, Mi True Wireless Earbuds Basic or Xiaomi Buds.
First, remove the device from the paired list on your smartphone. Go to Bluetooth settings, find your headset in the list, and click "Forget the device" or "Unpair the pairing." Then turn off the Bluetooth on your phone completely. Now put both earphones in the case and close the lid (if any) or just leave them in the case for 10 seconds.
There are two main ways to perform a reset, depending on the model:
- 🔘 Touch reset: Take the headphones out of the case. At the same time, touch the sensory areas on both earphones and hold the earpieces close to the headset. 5-7 seconds until the indicators flash red (or white-red.
- 🔘 Case reset: For models with a button on the case case case case (e.g. Mi True Wireless Earphones) 2), Put the headphones in the case, open the lid and press the reset button on 10-15 seconds until the indicator inside the case starts flashing white.
- 🔘 Triple touch: Some Redmi models need to quickly press 5 times on the touchpad of both headphones until they turn off, then turn them back on.
After the procedure, the indicators should start flashing quickly, signaling the search mode, at which point turn on Bluetooth on your smartphone and search, if one device appeared in the list instead of two, the process was successful.
☑️ Checklist of correct reset
Comparison of recovery models and methods
Different Xiaomi headphone lines have their own crash behaviors. For example, budget AirDots often lose sync when one of the modules is discharged, while flagship Mi Buds may require firmware updates through the application.
The table below shows the characteristic signs of malfunctions and methods of their solution for popular series:
| Model headphones | Symptom of malfunction | Basic method of decision | Indication of discharge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Redmi AirDots / Earbuds Basic | Only the right is working, the left is silent. | Double touch + 5 seconds retention | Blinking red |
| Mi True Wireless Earphones 2 / 2s | Headphones can't see each other. | Holding the button on the case 10 seconds | White flashing in the case |
| Xiaomi Buds 3 / 3 Pro | Intermittent sound, dissynchron | Reset via the Mi Home app | Orange blinking |
| Mi Sport Bluetooth (neck) | One side is quiet or not working. | Holding the power button 10 seconds | Sound signal |
If your model is not listed in the table, try the universal method: put the headphones in the case, close the lid and hold the function button (if any), or perform a long press on the sensors. For models without buttons on the case, the method of simultaneously removing both modules often works.
What if the reset didn't help?
Setting up Bluetooth in a smartphone
The problem may not be in the headset, but in the cache of the Bluetooth module of the smartphone. Over time, errors accumulate in the system that interfere with the correct connection. First of all, clean the list of devices. Go to Settings → Bluetooth, find your headphones and select "Forget" or "Cancel pairing".
Then, you should clear the Bluetooth cache. To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. From the menu (three dots in the corner), select Show System Processes. Find the "Bluetooth" list, click on it and select "Clean" or "Reset." Don't worry, it won't delete your files, only temporary network settings.
⚠️ Attention: After clearing the Bluetooth cache, it is necessary to restart the smartphone.Without a restart, the changes may not take effect and the problem will persist.
It’s also worth checking your power saving settings. Some MIUI or HyperOS shells can aggressively restrict background Bluetooth devices to save charge. Make sure that the Bluetooth service or Xiaomi Earbuds app (if used) has a background permit and energy saving restrictions removed.
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Cleaning the Bluetooth cache and restarting the smartphone eliminate 80% of the software connection conflicts on the phone side.
Using the Xiaomi Earbuds app and updating
For modern Xiaomi and Redmi headphones, there is a special Xiaomi Earbuds app (formerly known as Mi True Wireless) that allows you not only to track the charge, but also to update the firmware of the headphones. Often bugs with a single channel connection are fixed in new versions of the software.
Connect your working earphone to your phone, launch the app, and check for updates. If the firmware version is outdated, update. Do not open the case or move far away from the phone during the upgrade. Once the update is complete, the headphones will automatically restart and should sync.
The app also has headphone search and management settings. If one headphone is missing, try resetting the control settings in the app (if this option is available for your model), sometimes switching the playback codec from AAC to SBC or vice versa in the developer or application settings helps, which stabilizes the connection.
When repairs or replacements are required
If none of the software methods worked and one earphone still doesn't connect, there's likely a physical malfunction, which could be a Bluetooth module failure, the board oxidizing after moisture, or the battery degradation that no longer holds charge even after prolonged charging.
You can check the battery by leaving the headphone in the case on charge for a few hours. If after that it only works 10-15 minutes and turns off, the battery is dead. In budget models, replacing the battery is often unprofitable, it is easier to buy a new headset. However, if the device is guaranteed, safely carry it to the service center.
It's also worth checking the integrity of the dynamic head, and if you hear a crack, wheezing, or sound when you connect, but it's very quiet, maybe the speaker plume has gone away or the coil has burned, in which case only disassembly and soldering or changing the speaker will help.