Why the headphones on the Xiaomi Redmi phone are not turned on

When your favorite headphones suddenly stop responding to commands and your Xiaomi Redmi smartphone ignores their connection, it can ruin the mood of any user. This is a common problem that Android device owners face, and it does not always indicate a fatal breakdown of the gadget. Often the cause lies in a software failure or banal contamination of contacts.

In this article, we will go into detail all the possible reasons why headphones are not turned on or determined by the system. TWS-Understanding the nature of a malfunction is the first and most important step to successfully fix it without going to a service center.

Don’t panic if the sound is suddenly gone, and in most cases, you can restore the audio devices by yourself using built-in diagnostic tools and simple manipulation of the MIUI or HyperOS settings.

Diagnostics of connection type and initial checks

Before you go into complex manipulations, you need to clearly identify the type of malfunction. If you have wired headphones with a 3.5 mm connector, the problem may be physical. Check if the plug is fully inserted into the socket of the smartphone. Often a dense case prevents the connector from fully immersing, which causes contact with one of the channels to be lost.

In the case of Bluetooth headphones, the situation is more complicated: make sure that the wireless module is activated and visible to other devices. Sometimes the Xiaomi system can “hang” when scanning the periphery, requiring a forced reboot of the Bluetooth service. Try to turn on and off “flight mode” to reset network modules.

It's important to check the headset on another sound source, connect them to a computer, another phone or tablet, if there's sound, it means that the problem is localized in your Redmi, and if there's silence everywhere, there's probably a cable, speaker, or battery failure in the wireless case.

⚠️ If when connecting wired headphones, the phone emits a characteristic connection sound, but the sound does not go, do not try to force the plug - this can finally damage the socket.

Also worth paying attention to the charge indicators. In wireless models, the lack of response is often associated with a deep battery discharge. Leave the case with headphones on charge for at least 30-40 minutes, even if the indicators do not light up immediately.

Problems with Bluetooth-connection and cache

The most common reason why Bluetooth headphones don’t turn on or connect to Xiaomi is because of a connection profile conflict: The phone can “remember” the device but transmit data using the wrong protocol.

To do this, go to the Settings → Bluetooth menu. Find your headphones in the list, click on the gear icon or arrow next to the name and select “Forget the device”**. After that, you need to completely reset the settings of the headphones themselves (usually this is done by long-term retention of touch zones or buttons on the case).

If a simple soldering doesn't work, it's worth clearing the cache of the Bluetooth system service, which won't delete your personal data, but will reset your network settings.

After doing these steps, try pairing again. Make sure the headphones are in search mode (usually the indicator flashes blue and red or white).

⚠️ Note: When you clean up Bluetooth data, you will lose a list of all previously connected devices (watches, speakers, cars), they will have to be re-wired.

Sound and multimedia settings in MIUI

Sometimes the hardware is good, but the software constraints of MIUI block the output of sound. Xiaomi smartphones have a separate mixer volume, check whether the volume is turned down for media while you listen to music, or for calls.

There is also a hidden but important setting that can conflict with some headsets. From the Settings menu → Sound and Vibration → Headphones (the path may vary depending on the OS version) check for activation of the Security Control feature**.If it is enabled, the system can block the sound when the volume is sharp or when an unknown device is connected.

The Mi Sound or equalizer feature deserves special attention. An incorrectly selected sound profile can create the illusion of no audio. Try switching the profile to Standard or completely disabling any sound effects.

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Turn on the option “Disable absolute volume level” in the developer settings if the volume of the headphones is not synchronized with the phone slider.

Mechanical damage and contamination of connectors

If you use a wired headset, the physical condition of the connector is critical, and in the pockets of 3.5mm jeans, the socket is constantly stuffed with pile and dust, creating an air cushion that prevents the plug from entering the end.

Carefully, using a wooden toothpick or plastic spatula (not a metal needle by any means!), try cleaning the inside of the nest. Also blow the connector with compressed air. Contact oxidation is another reason, especially if the phone has been rained or used in a humid environment.

For owners of models without a minijack (USB-C only), the problem may be contamination of the charging port itself: Pile from clothing is compressed at the bottom of the connector, interfering with contact with data pins and audio.

Application conflicts and third-party software

It's not just system settings that affect sound; third-party applications like Poweramp, VLC, messaging apps (Telegram, WhatsApp) or navigators can intercept audio streaming, and if one of the apps is stuck in the background, it can block audio output to other devices.

Check the Task Manager and close all running applications. Pay special attention to applications that have access to the microphone and audio devices. Sometimes even a running voice recorder or video editor can interfere with the work of the headphones.

It's also worth checking the permissions for the Music app or your main player. Make sure they have access to the audio output device. In rare cases, resetting the settings of a particular application through the App menu helps. → Application management.

Hardware malfunctions and DACs

If software methods don't work, there's a high probability of hardware failure: In modern Xiaomi smartphones, the built-in DAC chip often performs the decoding of sound, and it can fail when voltage surges or shocks occur.

Symptoms of DAC or audio codec failure:

• 🔌 Phone sees headphones connected (icon appears), but no sound.
• 📢 When calling without headphones, there is a sound, but when connecting the headset disappears completely.
• ⚡ Headphones work only in a certain position of the plug.
• 📉 Strong wheezing and distortion even at minimum volume.

In the case of Bluetooth headphones, a Wi-Fi/Bluetooth hardware failure on the phone’s motherboard is rare, but possible after a fall. If the phone doesn’t see any Bluetooth devices (no clocks, no speakers), the problem may be in the antenna module.

⚠️ Warning: Self-opening a smartphone to replace an audio plume or DAC will deprive you of warranty.

Resetting and extreme measures

When all the methods are tried, the radical but often effective way is to completely reset the phone, which will bring the software back to factory status by removing all the setting conflicts.

Before doing this, be sure to back up your data via MI Cloud or to your computer. Reset is done through the Settings menu → About phone → Resetting → Erase all data.

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Hard Reset eliminates 90% of software sound errors caused by system updates or viruses.

If even after resetting and checking on another device, the headphones don't work, the diagnosis is unequivocal: you need to change equipment. In the case of wired headphones, it's cheaper to buy new ones than to repair the cable. If the phone itself does not work, you need diagnostics in the service.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)