A headset failure is a situation that many gadget owners know: you take a case, you open the lid, but Xiaomi headphones don't work. The indicators are silent, there's no device on the Bluetooth list, or the sound is distorted beyond recognition, which is annoying, especially if you need the device here and now.
But it's too early to panic. Most of the time, it's not hardware failure, it's software failure, battery failure, or contact contamination. Xiaomi, Redmi, and Haylou have their own work patterns that need to be considered when diagnosing.
Before you bring your device to the service, you need to rule out the trivial reasons, and often users forget that the case may have run out, or the headphones "forgot" each other, and we will consider all possible failure scenarios and propose specific steps to restore functionality.
Checking the charge level and problems with the case
The first thing to look at if the headphones don't turn on is the battery charge. Even if the indicators on the case are on, it doesn't always mean that the charge is transferred to the headphones themselves. The contacts inside the case may have oxidized or become contaminated, which blocks charging.
Take a good look. USB-The port of the charging case. If you get dust or pile in, the current may not come in. Use a dry toothbrush or compressed air to clean. Also check the cable itself: try charging the phone to make sure it's working.
Sometimes the problem is the battery itself, and if the device was idle for months, the lithium-ion battery could go into a deep discharge, and then it needs "rocking time."
- 🔌 Connect the case to a powerful adapter (at least) 1A) on 15-20 minute.
- 🧹 Wash the metal contacts with alcohol on the headphones themselves and inside the case.
- 🔄 Try charging each earpiece separately by inserting them in turn.
⚠️ Warning: Do not charge fast laptop charges or powerful PowerBanks with uncertain protocols. TWS.
If the indicators did not catch fire after a long charge, the battery inside the case or the ears themselves may have failed, in which case further diagnosis requires disassembly.
Indication and light signals
Understanding what LED flashing means helps you quickly determine the status of the device. Different Redmi AirDots or Mi True Wireless models may have different colors, but the logic is the same. If the indicator is red, charging is going, and blue, the device is ready to pair.
When the headphones flash different colors or don't blink at all, you need to decode. For example, flashing red quickly often indicates low charge, even if you just put them in the case, which may indicate battery wear.
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Record the sequence of flashing indicators before contacting the service, which will help the wizard to diagnose the problem faster without opening the device.
If you can’t see the light, just tap on the touch zone or insert it into your ears, they should be activated.
Connection and Bluetooth problems
A common complaint from users is, "The phone sees the device but it doesn't connect," or "the headphones only work with one ear." This is a classic dissynchronous, left and right channels are no longer able to hear each other and operate independently.
To solve the problem, you need to reset your Bluetooth settings on your smartphone. Go to Settings → Bluetooth, find your headphones in the list and click "Forget the device" or "Disable." Then turn off Bluetooth on your phone.
Now you have to force the headphones to reset, and you usually have to hold the touch zones on both earphones simultaneously for a period of time. 10-20 seconds until the indicators flash a certain way (often red and white/blue).
After reset, turn on Bluetooth on your phone and start the search again. It's important to connect them as a new device, rather than trying to restore the old pair.
| Symptoms. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Only one earpiece sees. | Dissynchronization of channels | Reset settings (Reset) |
| Can't see the phone. | Sleep mode or discharge | Charging and re-energizing |
| Intermittent sound | Interference or distance | Get close to the signal source |
| Quiet sound | Grid contamination | Cleaning the speakers |
If the problem persists after reset, try connecting the headphones to another smartphone, which will help you understand where the root of evil lies: in the headset or in the phone.
Resetting to factory settings (Hard Reset)
If simple methods don’t work, you’ll have to do a full reset, and the procedure may vary depending on the model: Redmi Buds 3, AirDots 2, or Mi True Wireless Earbuds Basic.
The universal method for most models without a button on the case: place both headphones in the case, open the lid. Press and hold the touch zones on both headphones simultaneously. Hold for about 20-30 seconds. Indicators should blink 3-4 times.
☑️ Complete reset algorithm
For models with a button on the case (for example, Mi True Wireless Earphones 2), the procedure is simpler: put the headphones in the case, open the lid and press the reset button on the back, holding it for 10 seconds.
⚠️ Warning: After resetting, the headphones will "forget" all previously connected devices. You will have to re-pair the phone, as when you first turned on.
After a successful reset, the indicators should light up and go into standby mode (pairing), now you can search for the device in the Bluetooth menu of the smartphone.
Physical damage and pollution
External factors are often the reason why Xiaomi headphones stop working. The sulfur that hits the speaker grid can completely block the sound or make it very quiet and hoarse. It's not a breakdown, it's a mechanical lock.
To clean, use a cotton swab slightly soaked in hydrogen peroxide or alcohol. Carefully, without pressing, walk along the grid. Also check if the touch buttons are stuck due to the sticky plaque.
How to check the speakers without music?
If the headphones were falling or getting moisture, it's more complicated, because moisture could oxidize the board, and you could try putting them in a silica gel container for a day, but that's not a guarantee.
Check the integrity of the case. Cracks can break the tightness and lead to moisture in sweating or rain. If the device falls into the water, do not charge it, it will cause a short circuit.
Compatibility and settings of the smartphone
Sometimes the problem isn't with the headset, but with Android or iOS settings, like when you upgrade your system, you might have lost your Bluetooth codecs or your audio output priority, and see if Xiaomi has chosen your device as your primary media and call priority.
In some cases, clearing the Bluetooth cache helps. Go to Settings → Apps → Show system processes → Bluetooth. Select Memory and click Clear Cache. After that, restart the phone.
It’s also worth checking your energy saving settings. Aggressive energy saving modes can “kill” Bluetooth background processes, causing communication with the headphones to be constantly broken.
- 📱 Turn off the energy saving mode during the inspection.
- 🔊 Make sure that the developer settings do not include strange codecs (for example, LDAC cheap-model).
- 🔄 Update your headphone firmware through the Mi Wear app if it's available.
If nothing works, and the other phone doesn't have headphones working, it's probably hardware, and it could be a Bluetooth module that's going to fail inside the headphone or the charge controller.