How to Connect Xiaomi Phone to Your TV as a Remote: The Complete Guide

Have you lost your TV remote or just want to control your TV from your smartphone? Xiaomi offers several ways to turn your phone into a universal remote, from classic IR control to modern Wi-Fi and Bluetooth protocols. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods of connection, including setting up the official Mi Remote application, using an integrated IR transmitter and alternative solutions for Samsung, LG, Sony and Xiaomi TVs.

The main advantage of this approach is that you don't have to buy a new remote or look for a replacement. It's enough for an Android smartphone (even the old model) and 5 minutes of time. We tested all the methods on Redmi Note 10 Pro, POCO X3 Pro and Mi 11 Lite devices - the instructions work on all Xiaomi phones with IR port or Mi Remote support. If your TV supports HDMI-CEC or Anynet+, you can control it even without a direct connection!

Importantly, not all Xiaomi phones have an IR transmitter, such as the Mi 12 Pro and Mi 13 Ultra flagship models, which do not have one, but do support Wi-Fi control. Check the specifications of your model before setting up.

1. Compatibility check: Is there an IR port in your Xiaomi phone

Before you set up control, make sure your smartphone is equipped with an infrared transmitter. Without it, you will not be able to work with Mi Remote in IR mode. Here is a list of popular Xiaomi models with IR support:

• 📱 Redmi Note 8/9/10/11 Pro — IR port is available in all versions
• 📱 POCO X3/X3 Pro/X4 Pro — Supports IR control
• 📱 Mi 10T/10T Pro, Mi 11 Lite 4G — equipped with an IR transmitter
• ❌ Mi 11/12/13 (flagship models), POCO F3/F4 — No IR port

How do you check for an IR port physically? Look at the top of your phone and look for a small black window (usually next to a headphone jack or speaker). You can also go to Settings → Connected Devices → Infrared Port. If there is no point, your model does not support IR.

⚠️ Warning: On non-IR port phones (e.g., Mi 12 Pro), the Mi Remote app will only work on Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and only with TVs that support these protocols (e.g., Xiaomi TV, Samsung QLED 2020+).

2.Setting up Mi Remote: the official app from Xiaomi

Mi Remote (formerly Mi Remote Controller) is the simplest solution to control a Xiaomi phone’s TV, pre-installed on most devices, but can be downloaded from Google Play if needed.

Step-by-step:

Install the Mi Remote app (if removed)

Connect your phone and TV to the same Wi-Fi network (for some features)

Turn on the TV manually (for initial setup)

Place your phone opposite the IR TV receiver (if IR is used)-->

1. Open Mi Remote and click Add Device.
2. Select the type of device – TV.
3. Specify your TV brand (e.g. Samsung, LG, Xiaomi). If your brand is not listed, select Universal.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen: the app will prompt you to press the buttons On/Off, Loudness+ and Loudness− to test the connection.
5. Save the settings – after successful connection, the remote will appear on the main screen of the application.

If the TV doesn’t respond to commands:

• 🔄 Try another protocol in the Mi Remote settings (e.g. NEC, RC5).
• 📶 Make sure there are no obstacles between the phone and the TV (for IR connection).
• 🔌 Reboot both devices.

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If your TV supports HDMI-CEC (such as Sony Bravia or LG OLED), turn it on in the TV settings, then you can control the basic functions (on, volume) even without Mi Remote, simply by connecting the phone over HDMI or via Chromecast.

3. Xiaomi TV control over Wi-Fi (without IR port)

If your Xiaomi phone doesn’t have an IR transmitter (like the Mi 11 or POCO F3), you can still control your TV over Wi-Fi — but only if the TV supports this feature, and it works best with Xiaomi Mi TVs, Redmi Smart TVs, and some Samsung models (QLED, The Frame series) and LG (webOS).

Instructions for Xiaomi Mi TV:

1. Connect your phone and TV to the same Wi-Fi network.
2. Open Mi Home (smart home app from Xiaomi).
3. Click Add Device → Select Television.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen – the app will automatically find your Mi TV.
5. Once connected, you can control TV via the virtual remote in Mi Home or by voice (if Alice or Google Assistant is configured).

For other brands of TV:

• 📺 Samsung: Use the SmartThings app.
• 📺 LG: Install LG ThinQ.
• 📺 Sony: Download Video & TV SideView.

⚠️ Warning: Wi-Fi control can be delayed up to 1-2 seconds. For games or quick channel switching, it is better to use an IR port or the original remote. Also, some functions (such as color setting) may not be available through the application.

4. Alternative TV Control Applications

If Mi Remote isn’t suitable (for example, your TV model isn’t supported), try universal apps. They work both over an IR port and over Wi-Fi/Bluetooth.

Top-3 applications for remote replacement:

How to set up AnyMote:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Select Add the → TV Device.
3. Enter the make and model of TV manually or select from the list.
4. Pass the button test (the application will offer to press On/Off, Volume, etc.).
5. Save the remote and add it to the main screen.

Important: Some apps (such as AnyMote) require root rights to work with the IR port on new versions of Android. If the remotes do not work after setting up, check the permissions in Settings → Special features → Install packages.

5. TV control via HDMI-CEC (for modern TV)

If your TV supports HDMI-CEC technology (aka Anynet+ from Samsung, Bravia Sync from Sony, Simplink from LG), you can control it via HDMI connection without additional applications.

How to turn on HDMI-CEC:

1. Connect your phone to your TV via a HDMI- adapter (e.g., USB-C to HDMI for Xiaomi).
2. On your TV, go to settings and activate HDMI-CEC: 📺 Samsung: Settings → General → External Devices → Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) 📺 LG: Settings → Sound → Simplink (HDMI-CEC) 📺 Xiaomi TV: Settings → System → HDMI-CEC

Duplicate screen

HDMI

Now you can control the basic functions of the TV (on, volume, switching inputs) directly from the phone.

⚠️ Warning: HDMI-CEC may conflict with other connected devices (e.g., a sound bar or a console). If the phone's remote is unstable, turn off CEC on other devices.

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HDMI-CEC is the most reliable solution for controlling your TV without delay, but it only works with modern TVs (released after 2016).

6.Voice control of the TV through Xiaomi

If you have a Xiaomi Smart Speaker or Google Assistant/Alice set up on your phone, you can control your TV with your voice, a method that requires pre-tuning, but is convenient for quickly switching channels or adjusting volume.

Instructions for Google Assistant:

1. Make sure your phone and TV are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
2. Open Google Assistant (or say “OK, Google”).
3. Say a command, for example: 🎤 "Turn on the TV in the living room" 🎤 "Rise the volume on the TV to 50%" 🎤 "Switch to HDMI 1"

Google Cast

Android TV

For Alice (from Yandex):

• Connect the TV to your Yandex account via the Yandex app.
• Say "Alice, turn on the TV" or "Alice, put on Channel One."
• If the command does not work, check if the TV is added to the list of devices in the Yandex application.

Voice control is supported by:

• 📺 Xiaomi Mi TV TVs (all models)
• 📺 Samsung QLED (2018 and later)
• 📺 LG OLED with webOS 4.0+
• 📺 Android TV (e.g. Sony Bravia, Philips)

7. Problem Solving: Why the Phone Doesn't Control the TV

If the remote on the phone does not work after setting up, check the following points:

• 🔋 Battery discharge: The IR transmitter requires a sufficient charge. Connect the phone to charge and try again.
• 📶 Unstable Wi-Fi: To control the network, reconnect both devices to the router or use a mobile hotspot.
• 🔄 Application Conflict: Close other programs that use the IR port (e.g., IR Blaster).
• 🔧 Incorrect TV settings: Make sure the TV is on HDMI-CEC or Network Management.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions:

⚠️ Note: Samsung J Series TVs (2015–2017) may require manual Anynet setup+ To do this, click the Mute sequence on the remote. → 1 → 8 → 2 → Power, then select HDMI-CEC → On.

FAQ: Frequent questions about connecting Xiaomi phone to TV