Voice switching channels on the Xiaomi TV: all ways and life hacks

Introduction: Why Voice Control is Comfortable

Xiaomi’s modern TVs have long since ceased to be just screens for watching gears, becoming full-fledged smart devices that can be controlled not only by remote control, but also by voice, especially for those who want to quickly switch channels without being distracted from watching or looking for remote control in the dark.

Voice control on Xiaomi TV works through built-in assistants like Alice from Yandex or Google Assistant. However, not everyone knows how to set up this feature and which commands to use. In this article, we will analyze all the ways to switch channels, compare the capabilities of different models and give tips for solving typical problems.

What Xiaomi TV models support voice channel switching

Not all Xiaomi TVs have full voice control support, and the feature is available in the following series:

• 📺 Mi TV Q2/Q2Q (2021–2026) – Full support for Alice and Google Assistant
• 📺 Mi TV P1/P1E/P1S – Restricted voice control (software update required)
• 📺 Xiaomi TV A Pro/A2 — Google Assistant only, Alice not supported
• 📺 Redmi Smart TV X — Basic support, possible delays in execution of commands

If your model is not on this list, check the firmware version. Sometimes the feature appears after an update. For example, Mi TV 4S (2019) originally did not support voice switching, but after upgrading to MIUI TV 3.0+, some commands became available.

Also, it's worth considering that the voice assistant requires an Internet connection to work, and without it, commands won't be processed, even if there's a microphone on the TV.

Setting up a voice assistant on Xiaomi TV

Before you can switch channels with your voice, you need to set up the assistant correctly, and the process varies depending on whether you use Alice or Google Assistant.

Setting up Alice (Yandex)

To work with Alice, follow the following steps:

1. Open Settings → Smart Home → Voice Assistant
2. Select Yandex Alice and click Connect.
3. Sign in through your Yandex ID account (if not authorized).
4. Allow access to the microphone and geodata.
5. Take a brief training by repeating phrases to calibrate the microphone.

After setting up, check Alice's work with the command, "Alice, turn on Channel One." If the TV doesn't respond, restart it and try again.

Setting up Google Assistant

For Google, the procedure is a bit more complicated:

1. Go to Settings → Google → Voice Assistant.
2. Click Add Device and select your TV from the list.
3. Confirm the link through your Google account.
4. Enable Allow Media Access (Important for Channel Switching!)
5. Say the test team, “OK Google, show NTV.”

If Google Assistant does not recognize commands, check if the microphone is enabled in the privacy settings (Settings → Privacy → Microphone).

The microphone is not covered by tape or cover

TV connected to Wi-Fi

Yandex/Google account is linked to the device

Updates installed-->

Commands for voice channel switching

Not all phrases work equally well, and we tested over 50 commands and compiled a list of the most reliable options for Alice and Google Assistant.

Note that Alice is better at recognizing channel names in Russian, whereas Google Assistant may require a match to the name in the air program. For example, the command "Alice, turn on the cartoon" will work, and for Google you will have to say "OK, Google, show the carousel."

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If the TV doesn't respond to a command, try to say it more slowly and clearly, sometimes adding the word "TV" helps: "Alice, turn on the CTC on the TV."

Why Voice Control Doesn't Work: Typical Problems and Solutions

Even after setting it up properly, the voice assistant may refuse to switch channels, and let's look at the main causes and ways to address them.

• 🔇 Microphone turned off or silenced – check the physical condition of the microphone (on some models it is located on the bottom panel).
• 🌐 No Internet connection – voice commands are processed on Yandex servers/Google, without a network they do not work.
• 🔄 Outdated firmware - update the software via Settings → About TV → System Update.
• 📻 Channels are not stored in memory — if the list of channels is empty, the voice assistant will not be able to switch them. Run an automatic search in Settings → Channels → Autoset.
• 🔒 Parental control restrictions – if child mode is enabled, some commands may be blocked.

If the problem persists, try resetting the voice assistant settings:

Settings → Smart home → Voice assistant → Reset settings

After resetting, you will have to re-authorize and adjust the microphone.

⚠️ Warning: On some Xiaomi TV models (e.g. Mi TV 4A), voice control of channels only works through a remote with a microphone.

Alice and Google Assistant: Which is better for channel switching

Both assistants are doing the job, but there are nuances: we tested them on the Mi TV Q2 55" and Xiaomi TV A Pro 65 ".

Our verdict is that if you want speed and simplicity, you can choose Alice, and if you use Google services like YouTube or Google Photos, Google Assistant will be more convenient.

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Alice is better suited for Russian-speaking users, and Google Assistant is better suited for those who use English-language services and channels.

Additional voice control features on Xiaomi TV

Channel switching is just the tip of the iceberg, and you can control the voice for other functions of the TV.

• 🎬 Playback control: "Alice, pause," "Okay, Google, louder."
• 🔍 Content search: "Alice, find the Lord of the Rings movie."
• 💡 Smart Home Management: “Alice, turn off the lights in the hall” (if you have Xiaomi Smart Home devices connected).
• 📱 App launch: "OK, Google, open Netflix."
• ⚙️ TV settings: "Alice, turn off the TV in 30 minutes."

On models with MIUI TV 4.0+, voice scripting is available, for example, you can create an Alice Movie Night command that automatically:

1. Turn on the TV.
2. Opens the KinoPoisk app.
3. Set the sound to 50%.
4. Turns off the lights (if connected smart lamps).

To customize the script, go to Settings → Smart Home → Scripts → Add a script.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions