Secondary screen emulation on Xiaomi: a complete guide to setting up and applying

Why Xiaomi Needs a Second Screen?

The secondary screen emulation feature on Xiaomi smartphones is one of those hidden chips that most users don't even know about, while everyone is used to wirelessly streaming the screen via Miracast or connecting via a mobile phone. HDMI Through an adapter, the emulation works differently: it creates a virtual display that can be used to display content on external devices – from TVs to projectors – without duplicating the main screen of the smartphone.

Why is this needed? Imagine you're watching a movie on a big screen, but you're still using your phone to text or search for information, or you're playing a mobile game that displays the interface to your TV, while you're still using your smartphone to access chat rooms. Secondary screen emulation solves these problems, turning Xiaomi into a mini PC with advanced multimedia capabilities. However, not all models support this feature out of the box - much depends on the version of the device. MIUI and hardware platform.

In this article, we will discuss:

• 🔍 How emulation differs from standard screen translation (Miracast/HDMI).
• ⚙️ What Xiaomi models support the function and how to activate it.
• 🎮 Practical use cases – from gaming to presentations.
• ⚠️ Common Errors and How to Avoid Them When Setup.

Emulation vs Miracast vs. HDMI: what's the difference?

Many people confuse secondary screen emulation with the classic way of displaying images to external devices.

*Expanding the screen through HDMI Only available on Xiaomi flagship models (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Black Shark) with Desktop Mode support.

The critical difference is that emulation allows you to run apps on the external screen regardless of the main display of your smartphone, for example, you can stream a video to your TV via YouTube, and on your phone at this time flip through Instagram feed without pauses or brakes.

Which Xiaomi models support secondary screen emulation?

The feature is not available on all Xiaomi devices.

• 📱 Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 8xx (845) or MediaTek Dimensity 1000+. Budget chips (e.g. Snapdragon) 6xx) They usually do not support virtual displays.
• 🔄 Version. MIUI: 12.5 or later: On older versions, the feature may be missing or malfunctioning.
• 🔌 Hardware support: DisplayPort Alt Mode (for wired connection) or Wi-Fi Display HAL (wirelessly).

List of confirmed models (2021–2026):

• 📱 Xiaomi 12/12 Pro/12 Ultra – Full support including Desktop Mode).
• 📱 Xiaomi 13/13 Pro/13 Ultra – Optimized Emulation with Low Delay.
• 📱 Redmi K50 Pro / K60 Pro – Support via Wi-Fi Display.
• 📱 POCO F4 GT / F5 Pro – requires manual activation in the developer settings.
• 📱 Black Shark 4/5 — specialized modes for gaming.

How to check support on your device?

1. Open the Settings. → The phone. → Version. MIUI and tap 7 times on the build number to activate the developer mode.
2. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
3. Find Virtual Display or Secondary Screen Emulation, and if you don't have one, your model doesn't support the function.

Step-by-step: how to turn on secondary screen emulation

The setup process depends on the type of connection (wireless or wired). Let's look at both.

🔌 Wired connection (through USB-C → HDMI)

You will need an adapter that supports DisplayPort Alt Mode (for example, the same as the DisplayPort Alt Mode, USB-C to HDMI 4K from Baseus or Anker).

Connect the adapter to your smartphone|Connect. HDMI-cable|Choose the right signal source on TV (HDMI 1/2)|Activate the emulation mode in the settings

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1. Connect the adapter to the port USB-C Connect it to your smartphone and connect it to your TV through HDMI.
2. On the TV, select the appropriate signal source (e.g. HDMI 1).
3. On your smartphone, go to Settings → Screen. → Secondary screen (or settings) → Connections → Secondary display in new versions MIUI).
4. Select the Extended Screen mode (not Duplicate).
5. Set up the permission (recommended) 1920×1080 or 2560×1440 lag-minimizing).

📶 Wireless connection (via Wi-Fi Display)

For this method, the TV or projector must support Miracast or Google Cast.

1. Activate Wi-Fi Display on your TV (usually on the Network menu) → Wireless broadcasting).
2. On your smartphone, open Settings → Connections → Wireless display.
3. Select your TV from the list of available devices.
4. In the window that appears, select “Use as a secondary screen” (not “Duplicate”).
5. Confirm the connection and wait for synchronization (can take up to 30 seconds).

Important: With wireless connectivity, delays of up to 100-150 ms are possible, which is critical for gaming, but not noticeable when watching video.

💡

If the secondary screen isn’t showing, try restarting your smartphone and TV, and updating your firmware. MIUI last-minute.

Practical use cases

Secondary screen emulation offers unique opportunities for work and entertainment, and let's look at the most popular options.

🎮 Gaming: play on the big screen without lags

If you use Xiaomi for mobile gaming (such as Genshin Impact or Call of Duty Mobile), secondary screen emulation allows you to:

• 🎯 Playing the game on TV with permission 1080p or 4K, saving access to Discord or Telegram chats on your phone.
• 🕹️ Connect the gamepad (such as Xiaomi Game Controller) directly to the smartphone, controlling the game on the big screen.
• ⚡ Use Performance Mode in Battery Settings to Minimize Latency.

📺 Multimedia: Movies and streaming without duplication

With emulation, you can:

• 🎬 Watch a movie on your TV via Netflix or YouTube while checking notifications on your phone.
• 🔊 Output audio to an external speaker system (for example, Xiaomi Soundbar), and video to a projector.
• 📱 Use your phone as a remote: Pause, rewind, or select the next episode without interrupting your viewing.

💼 Work and presentations: Xiaomi as a mini PC

For office tasks:

• 📊 Connect keyboard and mouse over Bluetooth to control presentation on the big screen, and keep notes on the phone.
• 📎 Use Microsoft Office or Google Docs on the secondary screen while you are checking your email on the main screen.
• 🖥️ Activate Desktop Mode (if supported) to get a Windows-like interface.

💡

Secondary screen emulation is especially useful for multitasking: you can interact with different apps on two screens at the same time, just like on a PC.

Typical problems and their solutions

When you set up emulation, users often encounter errors, and let's look at the most common ones and how to fix them.

❌ Secondary screen not detected

Possible causes and solutions:

• 🔌 Adapter problem: Use only certified adapters that support DisplayPort Alt Mode. Cheap Chinese adapters often don't work.
• 🔄 Outdated firmware: Update MIUI Up to the latest version in Settings → Updating the system.
• 📶 Wi-Fi Conflict: When Wireless Connection, Turn Off VPN Check that your smartphone and TV are connected to the same network.

⚠️ Image slows or tears.

This is typical of wireless broadcasting.

• 📶 Switch to 5 GHz Wi-Fi range (less interference).
• 🔧 Reduce the resolution of the secondary screen to 1280×720 customized.
• 🔋 Activate the “Performance” mode in Settings → Battery.

🔊 No sound on the secondary screen

Check it out.

• 🎵 In sound settings (Settings) → Sound) select output to HDMI or Wi-Fi Display.
• 🔌 When wired, make sure the adapter supports audio transmission (not all cheap adapters can do this).
• 📱 Restart your smartphone and TV.

💡

If the sound is only coming through the phone, try connecting the external speakers or sound bar directly to the TV through the phone. HDMI ARC.

⚠️ Note: On some Xiaomi models (e.g, POCO F3) Secondary screen emulation may conflict with Game Turbo. Turn it off before you plug it in.

Comparison with alternatives: which is better?

Secondary screen emulation isn't the only way to display a picture from a smartphone, but compare it to the main alternatives:

*Expanding the screen through HDMI Available only on flagship models with support for Desktop Mode.

Bottom Line: Secondary screen emulation is the best choice for those who need multitasking and low latency. If you just need to duplicate the screen (for example, to show photos), Miracast or the other one is enough. HDMI.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions

⚠️ Note: On devices with a bootloader unlocked, secondary screen emulation may conflict with Magisk or Xposed modules.