Modern Xiaomi Mi TV and devices running on the Android TV operating system have a wide range of multimedia capabilities, but standard factory image settings do not always meet the user's expectations. Often when viewing content from external drives, connecting game consoles or broadcasting the screen of a smartphone, users face the problem of improper display of the picture. The image can be stretched, compressed on the sides or have unwanted black bars, which significantly reduces the quality of perception.
You can change the screen format on a Xiaomi TV in a number of ways, from simple buttons on the remote control to deep settings in the engineering menu. The key here is to understand the difference between the software framing of the TV itself and the source output. Incorrectly configuring any of these parameters leads to image artifacts.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available methods for adjusting the proportions of the image, learn how to quickly switch between the 16:9, 4:3 and Full Screen modes, and learn how to fix problems if the standard settings do not work. Competent display configuration will unlock the potential of your Mi panel LED TV maximum.
The main methods of changing the ratio of parties
The fastest way to change the format of the image on Xiaomi TVs is to use a dedicated button on the remote control. On most models, including the 4S, 4A and P1 series, this button is marked with the icon “[]” or the word “Aspect.” Pressing it causes a cyclical switch between the main display modes. Three states are usually available: automatic determination, full screen filling and saving the original proportions.
If you don't have a dedicated button on your remote, you should use the main settings menu. To do this, click the menu button (three bars or gears) and go to Settings. Next, select Image or Screen and Sound. This is the "Screen Shape" or "Shape ratio" option. Choosing the right value here affects how the Mi TV image processing processor interprets the incoming video signal.
It's important to distinguish between Scale and Format. Scale just zooms in by cutting edges, while format changes pixel geometry. The ideal option for modern high-definition content is Screen Size Mode or 16:9, which stretches the image across the entire matrix without distortion, as long as the signal source is also high resolution.
Configure through the system menu Android TV
The Android TV operating system installed on Xiaomi TVs provides more detailed display management tools than the standard menu. To access the advanced settings, go to Settings (cog in the upper right corner) and select Devices and Accessories or Preferences. Depending on the firmware version (PatchWall or pure Android), the path may vary slightly.
Inside the menu, find the screen and sound subsection or Display and sound. It often hides the "screen resolution" or "image format" item. If the TV is connected to an external receiver or computer, the system may offer manual resolution setting, such as 1920x1080 or 3840x2160. It is recommended to choose a mode marked "Recommended" or "Native" as it corresponds to the physical resolution of your TV matrix.
Also available in this section is color and contrast calibration, which indirectly affects the perception of the format. If the image seems stretched only in certain applications (for example, YouTube or Kinopoisk), the problem may not be in the system settings of the TV, but in the settings of the application itself, in which case you need to go to the settings of the particular application and find the item “Aspect of video”.
☑️ Checking the image settings
Eliminating black stripes and stretching
One of the most common problems is the appearance of black bars on the sides or top/bottom of the screen when watching movies or TV channels, a phenomenon known as letterboxing or pillarboxing, which arises from a mismatch between the sides of video content and the physical screen, for example, when watching an old 4:3 movie on a modern widescreen TV, stripes are inevitable if you do not use zoom mode.
To remove black stripes, you need to activate Full Screen or Zoom. But here lies an important nuance: when you stretch a square image on a wide screen, round objects will become oval and people's faces will become unnaturally wide. More advanced Xiaomi models offer a "Smart Zoom" or "Just Scan" mode, which cuts the extra edges, keeping the correct proportions of objects in the center of the frame.
⚠️ Attention: Continuous use of Full Screen mode for low quality content (e.g., low resolution terrestrial TV) can lead to a noticeable deterioration in picture clarity and the appearance of a “ladder” on diagonal lines due to pixel interpolation.
If black bars only appear when you connect your computer or game console, check the image output settings on the source of the signal itself. Often, the video card or console sends a signal with an overscan that the TV cannot automatically compensate for. On the TV menu, look for the Dot by Dot or Just Scan option, which disables excessive edge processing.
Specifics of setting for different signal sources
The behavior of Xiaomi TV when changing the format depends on the type of source connected. When working with embedded applications (Smart TV), the settings are applied globally or individually for each application. When connecting external devices through HDMI ports, the TV goes into monitor mode, and format management can be blocked by a signal from the source.
Below is a table showing how different sources affect the available screen format options:
| Signal source | Available regimes | Features of settings |
|---|---|---|
| Built-in apps (YouTube, Netflix) | Auto, 16:9, Original | The application can forcefully specify the format |
| USB-storage device) | All modes available | Depends on the codec and container file |
| Game console (HDMI) | Often blocked by the source | Requires setting “Screen Area” in the console |
| Satellite receiver | Depends on the receiver. | It is better to set up the format on the console itself. |
In the case of USB-The built-in media player Mi Video or VLC It allows you to change the format on the fly with the remote buttons during playback, which is especially convenient for files with non-standard bitrate or resolution. If the built-in player can’t handle the correct display, it’s recommended to install a third-party player from the Google Play store, which has more flexible zoom settings.
What to do if the menu format is inactive?
Problems with scaling in games and on PC
Connecting a computer or laptop to a Xiaomi TV often faces the Overscan problem, where the edges of the desktop are cropped off and the cursor or taskbar is not visible. This is a legacy of the analog TV era that some devices still use by default. To solve this problem, you need to find a setting called HDMI Format, Point-to-Point or PC Mode on the TV menu.
In PC Mode, the TV turns off post-processing, lowering input lag and showing the picture as a pixel, which is critical not only for text, but also for games where positioning accuracy is important. If you can't turn it on, try changing the resolution on your computer to one of the standard TVs: 1920x1080 or 3840x2160 at 60Hz.
For gamers using PlayStation or Xbox consoles with Xiaomi TVs, it’s important to check the settings as well. HDR. Sometimes switching on HDR automatically changes the display format or brightness, which can be perceived as a change in format. Make sure that the console settings select the automatic definition of the TV so that the device reads correctly EDID-panel.
⚠️ Note: Use of TV as monitor for text in small print in mode 4K It can be tiring for the eyes, and in those cases, it's best to reduce the scaling in the computer's operating system to 150-200%, Not changing the format of the TV screen.
Resetting image settings and calibration
If you're confused by a lot of settings and the image looks unnatural, the most effective solution is to reset the image settings to factory values. This won't delete your apps or accounts, but will return all brightness, contrast and, most importantly, screen format settings to their original state. Go to Settings → Device → Reset → Reset image settings.
After reset, a primary calibration is recommended. Select the Standard or Movie mode for the most accurate color rendering. Bright or Dynamic modes often distort colors and can visually change the perception of image boundaries. Xiaomi also offers automatic calibration through built-in tests, which can be found in the support section or service menu (for advanced users).
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Take a picture of the screen with the calibration grid before making the changes, which will help you visually compare the result "before" and "after" and see if you overdo it with the trimming edges.
Regularly checking firmware updates can also solve format problems. Xiaomi engineers periodically release patches that improve compatibility with new video compression standards and correcting zoom bugs. You can check for updates in the Settings menu → About device → System Update.
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Resetting your image settings is a safe and fast procedure that often solves 90% of the problems with misrepresenting the image without the need for deep intervention.