Modern smartphone users often face the need to display the contents of their device on a large screen. The phrase “broadcast photos” in the context of the Xiaomi and MIUI ecosystem can imply two different technical processes. The first is the standard display of images through the DLNA or Chromecast protocols, where the phone acts only as a controller, and the TV decodes and shows the file itself. The second uses a full screen cloning feature known as Miracast or Wireless Monitor.
Understanding the difference between these methods is critical to choosing the right way to go. If you just want to show a slideshow to friends while in the living room, the first option is the first one, it's energy efficient and allows you to control your smartphone in parallel. However, if your goal is to demonstrate an application interface or a photo that is not supported by the built-in TV player, you need full mirroring. Broadcasting in this context means transmitting a video stream of the desktop in real time, not just sending an image file.
In this article, we will discuss both methods, their advantages and limitations in detail, and you will learn how to configure a wireless connection using standard HyperOS or MIUI systems. We will also look at the typical problems of latency and picture quality that often arise when using budget routers or old TVs.
Fundamental differences in image output methods
Before you start setting up, you need to clearly define what kind of data mechanism you need. The standard "Cast" in the Gallery app sends only a link to the file or the file itself to the TV, if the protocol allows. The TV takes over all the rendering work, which means that the quality and speed depend on the power of the TV set-top box, not the smartphone.
In contrast, Wireless Monitor creates an exact digital copy of what is happening on the phone's display. The video stream is encoded by the smartphone's processor and transmitted to the receiving device. It's a universal method that works even if the TV doesn't "see" the format of the photo. However, it puts a significantly higher load on the battery and requires a stable communication channel.
- 📺 DLNA/Chromecast: Phone controls playback, TV shows the picture, battery is spent economically.
- 📱 Miracast (Wireless monitor): Full screen cloning, high processor load, possible input delay.
- 🔌 USB-cable: Wireless connection, no delays, support required MHL or HDMI-adapter.
Importantly, some older TVs may not support modern mirrored codecs, such as seeing a black screen or format error message, and using a wired USB-C to HDMI adapter often solves the compatibility problem by turning the smartphone into a full-fledged media center.
⚠️ Note: When using wireless mirroring in games or watching high-resolution video, it is possible to heat the smartphone case. This is a normal reaction of the system to the active operation of the GPU and Wi-Fi module.
Broadcasting through the built-in Gallery app
The easiest and most obvious way to share photos is to use the native functionality of the MIUI shell. The Gallery app provides a convenient tool for quickly connecting to compatible devices. To get started, make sure that your smartphone and TV (or the Mi Box, Apple TV) are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
Open the image or album you want. In the bottom menu or in the drop-down list of additional options (usually indicated by three dots or an icon "More"), you need to find the Translation button or the icon of the screen with arrows. The system will automatically start searching for available devices on the local network. If the TV supports DLNA technology or built-in Chromecast, it will appear in the list.
☑️ Pre-broadcast checks
Once you select a device, you may have a request to confirm your connection on your TV screen, which you will need to receive with the remote control, and from that point on, the navigation of the photos on your phone will be synchronized with the TV, you can flip through the pictures, run a slideshow, or even stream videos taken with your smartphone camera.
It is worth considering that this method does not always guarantee perfect color matching. TV can use its own algorithms to improve the image, which will make the photo on the big screen look brighter or contrasting than on the display Xiaomi.
Use of the function "Wireless monitor"
If standard broadcasting doesn't work or you want to show not only photos but other interface elements, use the Wireless Monitor system function. In newer versions of HyperOS, this tool is often integrated into the Control Point (curtain). If the icon is not visible, click on the edit pencil and add it from the list of available widgets.
The algorithm is different from the gallery, so you don't pick a specific file, you start capturing the entire screen, and once you activate the function, the smartphone will start scanning the environment for devices that support Miracast, and the list of devices that you find will appear on the display.
| Parameter | Description | Impact on quality |
|---|---|---|
| Permission | 1080p or 4K | Higher resolution – more network load |
| Frequency of personnel | 30 or 60 FPS | Affects the smoothness of interface animations |
| Delay (Latency) | 50-200 ms. | Depends on router power and interference |
| Codec | H.264 / H.265 | Determine compatibility with TV |
When connected via the Wireless Monitor, the phone screen can go out to save energy, since the main video stream goes to the external display. Control is carried out by touching the smartphone screen, even if it is turned off (the touchscreen works). To exit the broadcast mode, just click the "Disable" button in the floating window or at the control point.
Why can the broadcast be interrupted?
Compatibility and file format issues
One of the common reasons for the broadcast failure is format incompatibility. Xiaomi smartphones by default often use the HEIC format to save space or shoot in high resolution JPEG, which older TVs may not “understand.” In such cases, when trying to broadcast via DLNA, you will see a message “Format is not supported”.
The solution is to convert images on the fly or use third-party media applications such as BubbleUPnP or LocalCast, which take on the task of transcoding the stream into a universal format that is understandable to almost any Smart TV. They also allow you to stream photos from cloud storage, bypassing the internal memory of the device.
- 📂 HEIC: The effective format of Apple and modern Android, often not read by old TV.
- 🖼️ JPEG/PNG: Universal formats are supported 99% device.
- 🎞️ RAW: Requires processing or conversion before displaying on screen.
You should also pay attention to the orientation of the image. When you turn your smartphone, some TVs do not automatically rearrange the frame, and the photo is displayed inverted or with black fields on the sides. In the settings of the TV, there is often an option called "Aspect Ratio" (Aspect Ratio), which is useful to activate.
⚠️ Note: When broadcasting photos in format RAW or ultra-high resolution (over 20 MP) through a wireless monitor, there may be a noticeable delay when flipping.
Network setting for stable data transfer
The quality of wireless broadcasting depends on the state of the local network. To transmit video to 4K or high-resolution photos requires stable bandwidth. If your router is sending a signal simultaneously on many devices (computers, tablets, smart home), the channel can be overloaded, which will lead to artifacts on the screen.
The best solution is to use the 5 GHz band, which provides faster data transfer speeds and is less susceptible to interference from household appliances and neighbourhood networks. Make sure that both Xiaomi smartphone and TV are connected to this frequency, and not to 2.4 GHz.
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If you don’t have a 5GHz router, try turning off torrent or online game downloads on other devices on the network for the duration of the broadcast, which will free up the channel for the video stream.
In some cases, changing the channel in the router settings helps. Automatic channel selection is not always effective. Using Wi-Fi analyzer applications on a smartphone will help you find the least loaded frequency channel and manually prescribe it in the router settings.
Alternative solutions and third-party software
If MIUI's built-in tools don't work, the Google Play app store comes to the rescue. There are many tools specializing in streaming content, such as Web Video Caster, which allows you to stream not only photos, but also videos from sites, as well as files from the cloud.
For owners of TVs without a Smart TV, but with an HDMI port, there are special adapters (such as Anycast or the original Chromecast) that connect to the TV and create an access point or connect to your Wi-Fi, becoming a bridge between the smartphone and the screen, in which case the phone broadcasts the image directly to the adapter.
Another option is the use of USB-For modern models Xiaomi with a port USB Type-C 3.0/3.1 (Flagship series) video signal transmission is available via Type-C to adapter HDMI. This gives the best picture quality without compression and delays, as the signal is digitally transmitted directly.
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The cable connection via the USB-C to HDMI adapter guarantees maximum quality and no delays, but requires support for video output from the smartphone, which is not available in all Xiaomi models.