The Redmi Buds 3 Lite is an excellent, affordable earbud option. The audio from the buds matches the one from most premium brands, hence why people love the earbuds.
Although the earbuds have many redeeming factors, they also have some drawbacks that can make people second guess getting them. One major drawback is that one of the buds may stop working, and nothing you do will seem to fix it.
I recently experienced this problem and almost contacted Xiaomi for a replacement. However, I searched for solutions online and surprisingly found one that worked. Below are all the solutions I came across to help anyone with a similar problem.
Key Takeaways
- The Redmi Buds 3 Lite earbuds have a mono/dual mode that lets the user use either one or both earbuds.
- When both earbuds are powered on and connected to a device, they are in dual mode, and you can go into mono mode by placing one of them in the case.
- Sometimes, one side of the earbuds will stop working. Here are the reasons why:
- One of the buds will stop working if its battery is not adequately charged.
- The charging contacts on the buds and in the case could be dirty/damaged, preventing the defective bud from charging.
- A firmware malfunction can also stop one of the earbuds from working properly.
- The earbuds could also have disconnected from each other and need to be reconnected.
- The problem could also be the device you are using the earbuds with.
- You should contact customer support if you have tried basic troubleshooting and the issue persists.
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Why Is One of My Redmi Buds 3 Lite Earbuds Not Working?
It can mean many things when one of your Redmi Buds 3 Lite earbuds will not power on or work. First, you should observe the earbud that is not working and check for any signs of damage, like cracks and missing charging contacts. If there is any damage, it is highly likely that the earbud won’t work no matter what you try.
Other major causes of one earbud not working include:
- The defective earbud battery is depleted; thus, it cannot function.
- The earbud’s firmware is malfunctioning and has disconnected the buds.
- The issue could also be a result of the device connected to the buds at the time.
One Realme Buds 3 Earbud Not Working – Common Culprits
You can use a systemic troubleshooting procedure to identify and solve the problem. Below are the steps you can take to ensure both earbuds are working.
How to Get My Redmi Buds 3 Earbuds Working?
Here is what you can do to get the defective earbud working;
Power the Earbuds ON and then OFF
When one of the buds does not power on or connect to your device, the issue could be that the buds faced a challenge during the connection setup.
You can quickly solve this situation by powering off the earbuds and then powering them on.
Start by restarting your Realme Buds 3 Lite
Ensure the buds are seated correctly in the case, and each is in its slot. Also, listen out for the distinct sound the buds and the case make when the buds are put inside. That sound notifies you that the buds have been placed in the case correctly.
Additionally, the LEDs on the earbuds should flash white when the buds are inserted into the case to show they are charging. That is assuming the case has adequate power to charge the buds.
When you put the buds in the case, the LEDs on them should turn white, indicating they are charging.
Take out the buds from the charging case, and their LEDs should flash white to show they are ready to pair.
Remember to disable Bluetooth on all other devices that have previously been connected to the buds to rule out the possibility of the problem being caused by signal interference.
Try the solution below if restarting the earbuds does not help.
Clean the Earbuds and the Charging Case
If the defective earbud does not show any sign of life when placed in its case, i.e., the LED lighting is white, it could have problems charging.
You can solve this by ensuring there is no debris or dirt on the charging contacts in the case and those on the buds.
Check the charging contacts on the buds and inside the case. If they are dirty or corroded, you will have to clean them.
Use a Q tip with some isopropyl alcohol to wipe the charging contacts. You can also use a microfiber cloth to wipe the rest of the case and the buds to ensure they are squeaky clean.
Go a step further and use a soft-bristled brush to clean the USB-C charging port if dirt has accumulated, preventing the case from adequately charging.
Cleaning Wireless Earbuds – A Detailed Guide
Once the buds and the case are clean, place the earbuds in their slots and close the case. Next, open the case and observe if their LEDs are solid white. If they are, that is a good sign that they are both charging.
Let them charge for a few more minutes before taking them out and test if they both work.
If they do, give the defective bud more time to charge before using it since the problem is that it does not have any power.
How to Remove Corrosion from Your Earbuds’ Charging Contacts?
Try a Different Device or App
Other users might notice that the earbuds behave normally when pairing them to your device, and they both show they are powered on. Problems arise when using the buds since audio will only come out of one, yet both LEDs are on.
The problem could be the device or the app your earbuds are connected to in such cases.
If both buds work when connected to some other device, the problem is in your device.
That is because some devices and apps have options to determine whether audio will come out of the left/right channel or both.
Check the audio balance settings on your iPhone/Android device.
When only one channel is selected, the other earbud will remain silent, making the user think it is not working.
Therefore, play audio from a different app on your device and check if both buds work. If not, go further and connect the buds to a different device and check if both have audio.
If they do, go to the device or app that works with only one bud and check the audio settings. You will likely find an option that determines the audio balance.
If you do not find such a setting and buds will work on different devices/apps troubleshoot the app/device since that could be the problem.
Leave the Earbuds Charging
Another reason one bud is not working is that its battery is severely drained to the point that it requires more time to recharge to have enough power even to light the LEDs.
Such a scenario is possible because the Redmi Buds 3 Lite supports single and dual modes, meaning you can use one earbud while the other is off.
Also, the drained bud could have been incorrectly placed in the case, leading to it not powering off and staying on for extended periods to the point the battery was drained.
The buds will also not automatically power off if connected to a device while in the case, yet the case does not have power. The case cannot power off the buds if the case itself does not have power.
You can overcome this by leaving the buds in the case and the case connected to a power outlet, preferably for two to three hours.
Leave the earbuds and the case charging for 2-3 hours.
Check if both earbuds are working after this period, and if not, leave them in the case and the case connected overnight or for twelve hours.
Check the buds once this time has elapsed, and if they both work, you should be in the clear. However, monitor the buds and the case during the next charging cycle since they take too long, which could mean the charging system or charger is defective.
Let the Earbud Battery Drain, then Recharge
Users have stated that draining the battery of the working earbud and then charging both earbuds simultaneously has worked for them.
Drain the battery on the earbud that is still working, then recharge both buds.
So, connect the working earbud to your device while the other remains unused. Then, play audio through the functioning earbud until it powers off before placing both in the case.
Once both buds are in the case, give them approximately two to three hours to charge before checking if they both work.
Remember, the functional earbud must be connected to a device because if not, it will automatically power off after ten minutes. The feature is meant to preserve the earbud’s battery.
You can also shuffle things and leave the defective bud charging overnight in the case alone while the other remains outside. Alternatively, charge the working earbud fully, remove it from the case, and then charge the defective bud, preferably overnight.
All the above are solutions that have worked for other users, and as much as there is no apparent reason why these steps work, the important factor is that they work.
Reset the Buds 3 Lite Earbuds
If one earbud is still not working, consider resetting the buds. This will clear all connection information on the buds and restore the manufacturer’s settings.
The reset will also clear bugs from the earbuds system and allow them to function normally.
The steps to reset the Redmi Buds 3 Lite earbuds are as follows:
- Disconnect the buds from your device and forget them from the Bluetooth settings on your device and all other nearby devices.
Disconnect and forget the earbuds from your device.
- Assuming the case is charged, place both buds in the case and close it.
- Leave it closed for ten to thirty seconds, then open the case.
- Next, touch and hold the touch areas on both buds simultaneously for five to seven seconds.
- The LEDs on both earbuds will flash white three times as a sign that the reset is complete.
Keep both buds pressed until the LEDs on them flash three times.
Take both buds out of the case and wait for a few seconds as they synchronize, and you will notice the LEDs on both flash white simultaneously and in synchrony.
If the reset is successful, both earbuds should be working now, and you should not be seeing them as two devices when you scan for available Bluetooth devices.
Resetting Redmi Buds 3 Lite Earbuds
Try the User-Suggested Reset Procedure
Some Redmi Buds 3 users have shared a specific resetting procedure that has worked for them and others. The procedure involves resetting the earbuds but slightly differs from the reset procedure described by the earbud manufacturer.
The steps for this reset procedure are as follows:
- Disconnect the earbuds from any Bluetooth device they are connected to and forget them from their Bluetooth settings. Also, do this for other devices connected to the buds previously.
- Place both earbuds in the case, close it for ten to fifteen seconds, then open it.
- Touch and hold the touch area on both earbuds for ten to fifteen seconds to reset the buds. You will know the reset is successful when the LEDs on the earbuds flash white and then light solid white.
- Remove both buds from the case, and the LEDs should start flashing white. Touch and hold the touch area for ten to fifteen seconds until you see the LEDs on the buds flashing in sync.
- If the earbud’s LEDs do not start flashing in sync, repeat the reset procedure, but this time, tap the touch area instead of holding it when you reach step four above. Some users have tapped the sensor twenty to thirty times before the LEDs on the buds start flashing in sync.
Feel free to try the above procedure a couple of times, as it is not guaranteed to work the first time.
Alternatively, once the reset is complete, you can reset the earbuds and close the case with both earbuds inside.
Next, open the case, take only one bud out, and pair it to your device. You can then take out the other bud and wait to see if it connects to the first one and starts working.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Question: Why is only one side of my Redmi Buds 3 working?
- Answer: One side of your earbuds is not working because of the following reasons:
- The earbud’s battery is drained, and it needs to be recharged.
- A malfunction on the earbuds’ firmware can be solved by restarting or resetting the buds.
- The defective earbud is having trouble recharging since the contact pins on the case and buds are damaged or dirty.
- The defective earbud could also be damaged.
- Question: How do I reset my Xiaomi Buds 3 Lite?
- Answer:
- Disconnect the earbuds from your device and place them in their charging case.
- Close the case and leave it closed for ten to fifteen seconds.
- Open the case and hold the earbuds’ touch area for five seconds until the LEDs on the earbuds flash white. Do not take the buds out of the case in this step.
- Take the buds out of the case.
- Question: How to manually turn on Redmi Buds 3 Lite?
- Answer: The earbuds will turn on when they are taken out of the case. If the buds turn off outside the case, place them in it, then take them out to power them on.
Conclusion
You can do very little to ensure your earbuds never malfunction or fix them when one stops working. Fortunately, it is not the end if one earbud does not work, and there is still hope.
If the defective earbud does not work regardless of your efforts, you can contact customer support for further assistance. Inform support of the solutions you have tried, and they should be able to suggest additional troubleshooting steps. Customer support will also notify you if your buds are damaged and how to activate your warranty claim for replacement.
