You've turned on your favorite track, you've started watching a video, or you're waiting for an important call, and suddenly the sound on Xiaomi disappears on its own. Is it familiar? This problem is common on models from the Redmi Note 10 to the flagship Xiaomi 13 Ultra, and there may be more than a dozen reasons for it. Software failures are most often to blame, but sometimes the root of the evil lies in hardware malfunctions or even in the features of the MIUI firmware.
Many users mistakenly blame this on the "glitch of Chinese phones," but in fact, 78% of the time, the problem can be solved without going to the service center — just know where to look. In this article, we'll look at all possible causes, from the banal on mode "Do not disturb" to damage to the audio codec, and also give checklists for self-diagnosis.
Xiaomi is very much optimizing its power consumption and background processes, and sometimes these optimizations are too aggressive, because the system can force the audio to be turned off if it thinks the app is "extra" or if the battery is discharged to a critical level, but that's just the tip of the iceberg, and then we go through each cause with the instructions for elimination.
1. Do not disturb or sound mode
The most obvious, but often overlooked, reason is that MIUI has several features that can block sound automatically:
- 🔔 Do Not Disturb – Disables all notifications and sounds on schedule or manually.
- 📵 No Sound mode – completely disables media and system sounds (activated by a button on the notification panel).
- 🕒 Automatic turn on – for example, at night or during appointments from the calendar.
How to check:
- Pull the notification bar down and make sure the icon is 🔔 crossed-out speaker is not active.
- Go to Settings → Sound and vibration → Do not disturb and check the schedule.
- In the same menu, turn off the Automatic Rules option if it is enabled.
⚠️ Attention: In some firmware MIUI (particularly POCO) Do Not Disturb mode can be activated when connected to Bluetooth devices (e.g., a car radio). → Connected devices.
📊 How often does your Xiaomi turn off the sound?
Once a day.
Several times a week
Rarely, but accurately.
Never.
2. Battery optimization and background limitations
MIUI is known for its aggressive power optimization: If a system decides that an application (such as a music player or messenger) is using too much charge, it can limit its operation — including turning off sound, especially for models with a small battery: Redmi 9A, POCO M3 or Xiaomi 11 Lite.
How to fix it:
- 🔋 Open the Settings. → Battery and productivity → Optimizing the battery.
- 🎵 Find apps that play audio (YouTube, Spotify, Viber) in the list and select Unlimited.
- 🔄 Restart your phone – sometimes changes only apply after a reboot.
⚠️ Warning: If you have Saving Charge mode enabled (Settings) → Battery → Saving mode, it can automatically turn off the sound when the charge level is below 15.
Turn off the charge saving mode
Add music apps to exceptions
Reboot your phone after the changes
Check background activity in the application settings-->
3. malfunctions in Bluetooth and connected devices
If your Xiaomi is connected to a Bluetooth headset, speaker, or car system, the sound can automatically switch to them — even if the device is off or out of reach. This is a common problem on MIUI 12.5 and MIUI 13 firmware, where the audio route switching algorithms are not working correctly.
How to diagnose:
- Open the notification bar and check if the Bluetooth icon with the device name is active.
- Go to Settings → Connected Devices → Bluetooth and remove all saved devices (then reconnect them).
- If the sound disappears when connecting to the car, upgrade the MIUI firmware to the latest version - in new versions, bugs with audio routing have been fixed.
💡 Useful tip: If the problem only occurs with a specific Bluetooth device (such as Mi Band or Xiaomi Bluetooth Speaker), try resetting it to factory settings.
| Xiaomi model | Typical Bluetooth problem | Decision |
|---|
| Redmi Note 10/11 | The sound switches to the Bluetooth headset even if it is turned off. | Remove the device from memory and reconnect |
| POCO X3/X4 | When connected to the car, the sound disappears completely. | Update MIUI to 13.0.4+ or roll back to 12.5.7 |
| Xiaomi 12/13 | Stuttering sound when playing through Bluetooth | Disable AptX Adaptive in Bluetooth settings |
4. Damage to the audio codec or speakers
If the sound is only lost in the phone’s speakers (and it works normally in headphones or Bluetooth), the problem may be hardware.
- 🔊 Lower speaker – clogged with dust or damaged by falls.
- 🎛️ Audio codec is a chip responsible for sound processing (on Redmi 9 and models). POCO M2 often fails due to overheating).
- 🔌 Headphone jack (if any) – oxidation of contacts can cause false positives of “earphone connection".
How to check:
- Connect headphones (wired or Bluetooth) – if there is sound, the problem is with the phone’s speakers or audio track.
- Call your phone from another device – if the person you are talking to hear you and you are not, the microphone or audio codec is to blame.
- Shake the phone next to your ear – if you hear a crunch or rustle, the speaker is mechanically damaged.
⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi Mi models 10T redmi K40 There's a bug where the top speaker turns off after the fall, and in this case, the multimedia sound works, but you can't hear the caller.
How to check the audio codec without disassembly?
If the sound is lost when the phone is heated (for example, after the phone is heated). 10-15 When playing a game, it's a sign of a malfunctioning audio codec. Try cooling your phone in the fridge (not in the freezer!) 5-10 If the sound appears, the codec needs to be replaced.> 5. Some applications (especially optimizers, antiviruses, and launchers) can interfere with the audio system, and viruses or malware sometimes block the sound to hide its activity. For example, the Trojan Android.Triada, which was distributed through some firmware Xiaomi in the 2019–2020 For years, I've been turning off the system sounds to disguise: 🛡️ Check your phone for viruses with Malwarebytes or Dr.Web Light. 🔍 Launch your phone in Safe Mode (press the power button) → "Safe Mode. If the sound works, it's the third-party app's fault. 📱 Remove recently installed applications, especially: Optimizers (Clean Master, DU Speed Booster Launcher (Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher) Battery saving applications (Greenify, AccuBattery) 💡 Useful advice: If the problem has occurred after the update MIUI, Try to roll back the firmware through Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → Three points. → Select the service pack. Download the older version from Xiaomi Firmware. 6. firmware failures and system bugs MIUI — It's one of the most customized firmware, but it has a downside: sound bugs are found in almost every major update: 🐞 V MIUI 12.5.3. the sound was lost after the screen was locked (corrected in 12.5.4). 🔊 V MIUI 13.0.2 on Redmi Note 11, notifications sound turned off after reboot. 🎵 V MIUI 14 (beta) YouTube Music sound spontaneously muted to 10%. How to fix: Update your firmware to the latest stable version (Settings) → The phone. → Update system. If the update doesn't work, reset settings (but not data!): Settings → The phone. → Resetting settings → Reset network/sound settings For advanced users: Fastboot your phone with full formatting (instructions on XiaomiUI). ⚠️ Note: If you use custom firmware (e.g. Pixel Experience or LineageOS), the problem may be in the incorrectly ported audio driver. MIUI or contact the developers of the firmware. 7. Damage to the charging connector (on models without 3.5 mm) On Xiaomi phones without a headphone jack (Redmi Note 10 Pro, Xiaomi 12 and later), the sound may disappear due to contamination or damage to the USB-Type C port. The thing is, this connector is not only transmitting power, but also an audio signal (when you plug in the headphone adapter: 🔌 The sound disappears when you connect the charging. 🎧 Phone "thinks" that the headphones are connected (headphone icon in status bar), although they are not. 🔋 Charging is intermittent. How to fix: Check the flashlight jack -- if it's dusty, dirt, or bent contacts, clean them gently with a toothpick (not a metal object!). Try plugging in another cable or headphone adapter. If the problem persists, the connector needs to be replaced (repair cost: 800-1500) ₽ model-wise). 💡 Useful advice: On models POCO F3 Xiaomi 11T There is a known bug when the phone sticks in headphone mode after it's turned off. Solution: reboot the phone or insert/remove the headphones several times. 8. Hardware malfunctions: What to do if nothing works If you've tried all the ways, but the sound still turns off on its own, the problem is probably hardware. The cost of repair Sound disappears when the phone is heated Audio codec malfunction (overheating) 1500–3000 ₽ Sound is only in headphones Damage to speaker or audio track 800–2000 ₽ Phone vibrates, but no sound Contact dump speaker or codec 1000-2500 ₽ Sound distorts, wheezes Moisture in the speaker 500-1500 ₽ (cleaning + replacement) ⚠️ Note: If your Xiaomi fell into water or was exposed to extreme humidity, do not try to dry it with a hair dryer or rice! oxidation of contacts can worsen. 🔧 What to do next: Contact the official Xiaomi service (list on the website mi.com). If the phone is warranty, don't open it yourself - it voids the warranty. 4X, Mi A1) Sometimes it’s cheaper to buy a new phone than to repair it. 💡Before visiting the service, back up your data via Mi Cloud or computer. After repair, the phone can be reset to factory settings. FAQ: Frequent questions about sound problems on Xiaomi 🔊 Why is the sound only missing in a particular app (like TikTok or YouTube)? This could be due to: Background activity restrictions for that app (check Settings for Settings). → Annexes → Application management → [name] → Battery. Bug in the app itself (update it or clear the cache); conflict with other applications (try running in safe mode); for example, TikTok has a bug where the sound disappears after scrolling. 10-15 Solution: Re-launch the app. 📵 The sound turns off when the screen is locked. How do you fix it? MIUI 12.5–14 and related to energy optimization.Solutions: Open Settings → Battery and productivity → Optimize your battery and turn it off for music applications. In your app settings (like Spotify), turn on the option to play back in the background. Update your firmware to the latest version (in the app). MIUI 14.0.5+ bug). 🔋 Sound goes away when the battery is low. Is that normal? MIUI There's a function to automatically turn off resource-intensive processes at a charge level below 5 to 10 percent, and this is done to extend the operating time, but sometimes it's too aggressive. → Battery and productivity → Savings regime → Settings → Disable "Limit background activity" ⚠️ But remember: this will reduce battery life. 🎧 The phone thinks the headphones are connected, but they're not. How do you reset? That's a typical problem for jack models. 3.5 mm (Redmi) 9, POCO M2). Solutions: Several times insert and remove the headphones (sometimes helps to "reset" the sensor); Clean the jack from the dust with compressed air or a toothpick; Reboot the phone in safe mode - if the problem disappears, the third-party application is to blame. ADB Adb shell settings put global settings headset_state 0 If nothing helps, you need to replace the audio connector (cost: 600–1200 ₽). 🔄 After updating MIUI So, how do you get back to the same volume? MIUI (starting 13) Xiaomi has limited the maximum volume due to European safety regulations.To return to the previous level: Install Magisk and module ViPER4Android (root). Use apps like Volume Booster (but be careful, you can damage the speakers!) MIUI (12.5.7 where there are no restrictions. ⚠️ Increasing the volume above the standard values can lead to damage to the speakers!