Xiaomi phone thinks headphones are connected: 7 ways to fix the bug

Have you connected your headphones to Xiaomi's latest model or the old Redmi Note 5, but the sound still goes through the speaker? Or vice versa, the phone stubbornly ignores the real headphones, believing that they are already connected? This bug occurs on Xiaomi, POCO and Redmi devices regardless of the version of MIUI and is often associated with hardware or software failures. In 80% of cases, the problem can be solved by yourself — without going to the service center.

In this article, we will discuss 7 proven methods, from the simplest (reboot, cleaning the connector) to radical (resetting or flashing), and you will learn why the error occurs most often on models with a 3.5 mm connector, and what to do if the phone stopped playing sound at all. All instructions are adapted to the current versions of MIUI 14/15 and tested on Xiaomi 13T, Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and POCO X5 Pro devices.

Why Xiaomi phone mistakenly detects headphones?

The reason is because of the audio controller, the chip that recognizes connected devices, and Xiaomi smartphones are most likely to fail because of:

• 🔌 Connector pollution or oxidation – dust, moisture, or corrosion disrupt contact and the system falsely triggers a “connection".
• 🔄 Software failure MIUI — firmware errors (especially after updates) or conflicts with applications (such as Equalizer or Dolby Atmos).
• 🔧 Mechanical damage to the connector – if you often pull the headphone plug at an angle, the contacts inside the connector may bend.
• 📱 Audio codec malfunctions are rare but occur on older models (Redmi) 4X, Mi A1).

Important: on models without a 3.5 mm connector (for example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Mix 4), the problem may be related to a Bluetooth module or Type-C adapter → 3.5 mm.

If the phone not only thinks the headphones are connected, but it has completely stopped playing sound (even through the speaker), the cause may be damage to the audio track — for example, after a fall or moisture hit, in which case repair is necessary.

Method 1: Reboot and check the connector

Start with the simplest thing, a forced reboot, and it will reset temporary system errors, including audio controller failures.

⚠️ Warning: If your phone doesn’t respond to the power button, use the Power combination + Volume Up (hold 10-15 seconds) on some models (POCO F5) You may need a Power. + Volume Down.

After the reboot:

1. Connect the headphones and check if the phone detects them.
2. If the error remains, turn off the headphones and insert them back 3-4 times in a row - sometimes this "resets" a false positive.
3. Try other headphones (preferably with a 3.5mm jack if you use an adapter).

If the problem has gone away, it's probably a temporary failure, and if it hasn't, move on to the next method.

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On models with an infrared port (such as the Redmi Note 10 Pro), you can use a remote control to check the audio output. Connect the headphones to the TV and see if the sound is working, this will help localize the problem (phone vs headphones).

Method 2: Cleaning of the 3.5 mm connector

A contaminated connector is the most common cause of false positives, and the dust, pile, or oxidation of the contacts creates false resistance, which the system perceives as connected headphones.

For cleaning, you will need:

• 🕯️ Toothpicking (wooden, non-metallic!).
• 💨 Compressed air container (optional).
• 🧴 Alcohol (isopropyl 90%+) and cotton swab.

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Gently blow the connector with a can (keep at a distance of 5-7 cm, so as not to damage the contacts).
3. Moisten your toothpick with alcohol and wipe your internal contacts (don’t push hard!).
4. Let the connector dry for 10-15 minutes.

If the problem remains after cleaning, try bend the headphone plug at different angles when connecting - sometimes this helps to "find" the working position of the contacts.

Method 3: Resetting the sound settings

MIUI has a hidden audio reset feature that often solves software errors, which doesn’t affect personal data, but resets all user audio settings (equalizer, effects, etc.).

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings. → Sound and vibration.
2. Slip on Additional settings (or Extended on some models).
3. Select Reset sound settings (on some firmware, the item may be called Reset default settings).
4. Confirm the action.

After reset, be sure to restart your phone.If the error is due to a setting conflict (for example, after a MIUI update), this method should help.

⚠️ Note: Some custom firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.EU) may not have a sound reset point. In this case, use Method 5 (reset all settings).

Method 4: Checking through the Engineering Menu

The engineering menu (#4636##) allows you to diagnose hardware problems, including the audio system, which can be limited on Xiaomi, but most models run the following way:

How to open it:

1. Open the Phone app.
2. Enter the combination: ##4636###.
3. Select Audio (or Audio on Russian firmware).

In the Audio menu, pay attention to:

• 🔊 Headset – if Connected is displayed here but the headphones are not connected, the problem is the connector or audio controller.
• 🔇 Speaker – if there is Mute, the sound can be programmatically disabled.
• 📊 Volume streams – check if the volume levels are reset.

If the headphones are displayed in the engineering menu as connected, but physically they are not, this confirms a hardware problem (damage to the connector or audio track).

Method 5: Resetting settings to factory

If previous methods didn’t work, there’s a hard reset that will delete all the data from your phone, so be sure to back up via Settings → About Phone → Backup or Mi Cloud.

How to reset your settings:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Choose to erase all data.
3. Enter your password (if required) and confirm.

Once reset, the phone will restart and return to factory settings. Don't restore the data immediately, first check if the problem with the headphones has been solved. If the error disappears, the cause was a software conflict (for example, with the installed application).

Method 6: Fastboot Flashing

If the reset didn't work, the problem could be the damaged firmware, which is true for devices that were frequently updated over the air or had unstable custom firmware, and Fastboot flashing is a radical but effective method.

You'll need:

• 💻 A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB/Fastboot.
• 📥 Official firmware for your model (download from Xiaomi Firmware website).
• 🔌 Cable USB (preferably original).

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off the phone.


2.Press Power + Volume Down to enter Fastboot mode.




3. Connect the phone to the PC.




4. Open the command line in the firmware folder and type:




fastboot flash all [name file firmware].zip




5. Wait until the completion (10-20 minutes).




6. Enter the command: fastboot reboot

After flashing the phone back to the clean version of MIUI, if the problem was a software glitch, it should disappear.

⚠️ Note: Fastboot flashing erases all data, including files in internal memory, and there is a risk of “bricking” the phone when interrupting the process or using incorrect firmware.

Method 7: Repair or Replace the connector

If none of these methods worked, the problem is 100% hardware, and you're going to have to:

• 🔧 Replacement of the 3.5 mm connector – the cost of repair in the service center: 800–2000 ₽ (model-wise).
• 🔊 Repair of audio tracks – if not only the connector is damaged, but also the tracks on the board (often after a fall or moisture) Price: from 2500 ₽.
• 📱 Replacing the audio codec is an extreme case, relevant for older models (Redmi) 3S, Mi 5) Cost: 3000-5,000 ₽.

Before repairing, check if your phone is under warranty. In official Xiaomi service centers, diagnostics are usually free. If there is no warranty, contact a trusted workshop, such as iFix or Service-Ya.

Temporary solution: if repairs are delayed, use Bluetooth headphones or USB-C adapter (for models without 3.5 mm connector). Xiaomi works well with adapters from Baseus or the original from Xiaomi.

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If the phone is warranty, DO NOT disassemble it yourself and DO NOT clean the connector with alcohol - this will void warranty obligations.

FAQ: Frequent questions