How to use your phone as a remote for your Xiaomi TV: 5 working ways

Why Smartphone is More Convenient Than Xiaomi’s Home Remote

Lost or broken the remote from the Xiaomi Mi TV? Don't rush to buy a new one. Modern smartphones on Android or iOS will easily replace the physical remote, and with advanced features. The main advantages: always at hand (the phone is rarely lost), does not require batteries, supports voice input and gestures, and in some cases even allows you to control several devices at once.

Xiaomi has an official solution, the Mi Remote app, but there are alternatives, and in this article we will discuss all the current ways of connecting, from standard to little-known, and also solve typical problems: Why the phone doesn't find the TV, how to sync buttons and what to do if the control is lagging.Instructions are relevant for all Xiaomi models TV (including the Mi series TV 4S, Mi TV 5, Mi TV Q1/Q2, Redmi Smart TV) Android smartphones 8.0+/iOS 12+.

Method 1: Official Mi Remote app

The most reliable and simple method is to use a proprietary application from Xiaomi. It is pre-configured for all models of the brand’s TVs and supports not only basic functions (on, adjusting volume, switching channels), but also advanced ones: launching applications, voice search, setting up pictures.

To connect:

• 📱 Install Mi Remote from Google Play or App Store.The app is free but requires you to sign up with a Xiaomi account (you can use the same one you use on your TV).
• 🔍 Launch the app and allow Bluetooth and Wi-Fi access (both modules must be enabled on your phone and TV!).
• 📺 Click Add Add the device → Choose the Television category → Find a model of your Xiaomi TV In the list (if not, select Another Xiaomi TV).
• 🔄 Follow the instructions on the screen: the app will automatically check the connection and prompt you to test the buttons.

An important nuance: to work Mi Remote phone and TV must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network (2.4 and 5 GHz, make sure that both devices are on the same subnet, for example, if the TV is connected to the same subnet. MiHome_2.4G, and the phone to MiHome_5G, synchronization will not take place.

Is your phone and TV connected to the same Wi-Fi network?|Bluetooth is enabled on both devices|Is the TV updated to the latest version?|Is Mi Remote allowed to use location (to search for devices)-->

Method 2: Google TV / Android TV Remote (for Android TV models)

If your Xiaomi TV runs on Android TV (the Mi TV 5 Pro, Mi TV Q1/Q2, Redmi Smart TV X and later), you can use the standard Google TV app (formerly Android TV Remote) that is built into the firmware of most Android smartphones and does not require registration.

Instructions for setting:

1. Open the Google TV app on your phone (if not, download it from Google Play).
2. Go to the Remote Control tab (the remote icon in the lower right corner).
3. Click Set up the remote → select your TV from the list of found devices (should show up as Xiaomi [model]).
4. Confirm the pairing on the TV screen (a 4-digit code will appear).

The advantage of this method is minimal delay in management (up to 100 ms), as it uses the Wi-Fi Direct protocol. In addition, the application supports voice search through Google Assistant and integration with other devices in the Google ecosystem (for example, Nest speakers).

Method 3: Unified Remote, AnyMote

If official solutions don’t work (like your old TV or Wi-Fi issues), try universal apps that work via an IR port (if you have one on your phone) or Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, supporting hundreds of brands, including Xiaomi.

Top.-3 tested applications:

To set up in Unified Remote:

1. Install the application and the server part (Unified Remote Server) on the TV (if it is Android TV).
2. Connect your phone and TV to the same network.
3. In the app, select Add Device → Television → Xiaomi.
4. Follow the customization wizard by testing the buttons.

Method 4: Control via Mi Home (for smart home)

If your Xiaomi TV is integrated into the Mi Home ecosystem (e.g., via Mi Box or Mi TV Stick), you can control it through the main smart home app, which is convenient if you already have an automation system set up (e.g., with Xiaomi Gateway or Aqara Hub).

Step-by-step:

• 🏠 Open the Mi Home app and make sure the TV is added to the device list (if not, click on it). + → Add the device → Television).
• 🔗 Go to the Smart tab. → Scripts → Create a new script with a trigger Voice Assistant or Geofencing.
• 🎛️ In the script actions, select your TV and command (e.g., Turn on, Set Volume 50%).
• 📱 Now you can control your TV through the Mi Home widget on your phone’s home screen or voice (e.g. say OK, Google, turn on Xiaomi) TV living-room).

Important: for this method, the TV must be connected to the Mi Home account and be on the same local network as the phone, and if you have multiple Xiaomi TVs, they can be controlled selectively by specifying the room in the app.

Method 5: Voice control (Google Assistant)

Today's Xiaomi TVs support voice assistants, and your phone can be a middleman for control. This is convenient when the remote is far away and your hands are busy. Consider two options: Google Assistant and Alice from Yandex.

Google Assistant (for Android TV):

1. Make sure that the TV is enabled Google Assistant (Settings → Accounts and Login → Google → Voice Assistant).
2. On your phone, say, OK Google, turn on Xiaomi TV or OK Google, put on Mi TV 5 NTV channel.
3. If the command doesn’t work, make sure that the phone and TV are tied to the same Google account.

Through Alice (for all Xiaomi TV models):

• 🎤 Install the Yandex app with Alice on your phone.
• 🔗 Connect the TV to the service Yandex Smart Home via Mi Home (in the settings of the TV should be included the item Smart Home).
• 🗣️ Now you can give commands: Alice, turn on the TV in the hall or Alice, turn up on Xiaomi TV.

💡

If the voice assistant doesn’t recognize the name of your TV, try giving it a simple name in your smart home settings (e.g., “Bedroom TV” instead of “Xiaomi Mi TV 4S 55”).

The solution to the problem: the phone can’t find the TV

If none of these methods work, check the following points:

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi TVs with firmware older than 2021 may have Wake-on-LAN turned off, making it impossible for the phone to turn the TV on when it is off. → Network and Internet → Wake-on-LAN and activate the option.

Checklist for diagnosis:

• 🔌 Power: Make sure the TV is connected to the outlet (even when it is off, it must be powered to operate the network modules).
• 📶 Network: Reconnect both devices to Wi-Fi using forget network in settings. If the router supports 5GHz, try switching to 2.4GHz - some Xiaomi models TV They are not working well with high frequency networks.
• 🔄 Reboot: Turn off the TV from the socket for 30 seconds, then turn it back on. On the phone, restart the remote app.
• 📱 Permissions: In your phone settings, check that the remote app is allowed to access location, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.

If the problem persists, try resetting the network settings on your TV:

1. Go to Settings → Network and Internet → Additional → Reset network settings.
2. Connect to Wi-Fi again and re-pair with your phone.

💡

If the TV does not respond to commands from the phone, but it works well with the native remote, the problem is most likely in the network settings, not in the hardware.

FAQ: Frequent questions