How to connect the second remote to the TV Xiaomi

Buying a modern Smart TV from Xiaomi often brings owners the joy of a high-quality picture and user-friendly interface, but sometimes there is a need to use an additional control device. This may be due to the fact that your home remote is lost, broke or just want to have a backup option for the whole family to manage the media center from different points in the room. Owners often face the question of whether you can add another controller and how complex this process is in the Android TV operating system.

Modern Xiaomi Mi TVs and Redmi TVs support various communication protocols, including infrared and Bluetooth. This gives users flexibility in choosing accessories, but the procedure for activating them may vary depending on the type of connection and firmware version. It is important to understand that the standard remote, which comes with a kit, often works via Bluetooth, which requires a mandatory pairing procedure, while universal IR panels begin to work immediately after installing batteries.

In this article, we will take a look at all the available ways to connect alternative control devices, look at the nuances of working with different models of TVs, and offer solutions for common technical problems.

Definition of connection type and compatibility of remotes

Before you start buying or configuring a new accessory, you need to determine exactly what type of communication your current TV uses and what remote you plan to connect.Most current Xiaomi Mi TV Stick models and newer TV series come with Bluetooth modules for voice commands and cursor control.Older models or budget versions can rely solely on an infrared port (IR), which requires direct visibility between the remote and the receiver.

If your original remote has a button with a microphone or works without having to point it strictly to the TV logo, then it uses a wireless Bluetooth protocol. In this case, to connect the second remote, you will need a device that also supports this standard, or a universal IR remote if the TV has an infrared receiver. You can check the presence of an IR port by pointing the smartphone camera at the front of the TV and looking through the screen whether the LED flashes when you press the buttons on any IR panel.

⚠️ Note: Not all third-party Bluetooth remotes are compatible with the PatchWall shell.Be sure the device is certified to work with Android before buying TV or has a keyboard emulation mode.

There is also the possibility of using USB-Adapters that mimic the keyboard or mouse, allowing you to control the TV through standard input interfaces, but for full use of all the functions of the Smart TV, Including voice search, it is better to choose specialized remotes designed for the Xiaomi ecosystem or universal models with support. HID profile.

Preparing the TV for pairing new devices

To successfully connect a new control device, you need to make sure that the TV operating system is in a state ready to detect external accessories. Often the problem is not the remote itself, but that the Bluetooth module on the TV is disabled or in sleep mode. The first step should always be to check the settings section responsible for peripheral devices and connections.

You'll have to go to the main menu and find the settings section, and the path may vary slightly depending on the version of Android TV or PatchWall, but the logic remains the same. You need to activate visibility mode so that the TV can start broadcasting the ready-to-match signal. Without this step, the device search will be unsuccessful.

Make sure that the TV has the latest software updates installed. Manufacturers often release patches that improve the stability of the Bluetooth stack and fix peripheral connection errors. If the system has not been updated for a long time, the process of finding a new remote may take longer or end in error.

Instructions for connecting Xiaomi Bluetooth remote

The process of connecting an official or certified Bluetooth remote to a Xiaomi TV requires a certain sequence of actions, since the mere presence of batteries does not guarantee automatic connection. Unlike infrared remotes, you need digital authorization of the device in the TV system. First turn on the TV using a button on the case or an already working remote, and go to the main screen.

Next, go to the settings menu. Navigation is done by selecting the gear icon in the upper right corner, then find the Settings section → Remotes and Accessories → Add Accessory. In some versions of the firmware, this item can be simply called Bluetooth or Add Device. After selecting this item, the TV will go into active search for available gadgets in range.

Now you need to put the remote itself in pairing mode. For most Xiaomi models, this is done by simultaneously pressing the Home (home) and Menu (or dot/circle buttons) buttons at a distance of no more than 20-30 cm from the logo on the TV. Hold them for about 5-10 seconds until the LED on the remote (if any) starts flashing quickly, or until a message about the Mi Remote or Xiaomi Voice Remote device that you find appears on the TV screen.

Once the TV detects the device, the name appears on the screen, select it with the working remote to complete the pairing, the system can request confirmation or automatically install the necessary drivers, and once the process is successfully completed, the Bluetooth connection will be established, and the new remote will become active.

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If the remote is not in the first place, try removing the batteries, pressing any buttons for 10 seconds to discharge the residual current, then inserting the batteries back and repeat the procedure.

Customization of universal IR panels and emulation

The use of universal infrared remotes is a great solution if you want to control the TV with one device along with another equipment, or if the original Bluetooth remote is not available. The main advantage of IR remotes is their versatility and there is no need for complex pairing configuration, but they require pre-programming of the manufacturer's code.

To get started, insert the batteries into the universal remote and find the setting button, often referred to as Setup, Code Search or TV. Press this button until the indicator lights up with a constant light. Then enter a digital code corresponding to the Xiaomi or Mi brand. These codes are usually listed in the remote instructions or available online in code databases.

If manually entering the code doesn't work, you can use the auto search function, and to do that, point the remote to the TV, press the power button, hold it, the TV must turn off. Once that happens, immediately release the button and press the confirmation button (often OK or Enter) to save the code, which allows you to find the working signal by brute-force all possible combinations.

⚠️ Attention: The IR signal does not pass through obstacles, make sure there are no large objects between the new remote and the TV receiver, and that direct sunlight does not fall on the receiver, which can cause interference.

Some modern universal remotes support learning, which allows you to copy signals from the original Xiaomi remote to the universal one, so you put both remotes opposite each other at a distance of 2-3 cm, press the learning button on the universal, then the button on the original, and wait for confirmation by flashing, so you can transfer all the necessary commands.

Using a smartphone as a control panel

In a situation where the physical remote is lost or broken and the new one hasn’t been bought yet, your smartphone can be a great temporary or even permanent solution.The Android TV operating system on which Xiaomi TVs are based has built-in Wi-Fi management support.This allows you to use the phone screen as a touchpad, keyboard and voice input.

To implement this method, you need both the TV and the smartphone to be on the same local Wi-Fi network. Download the official Google Home app or the specialized Mi Remote app (if your phone has an infrared port) or Android TV Remote Control. In the Google Home app, you need to find your TV in the list of devices, click on it and select the Remote option. On the TV screen, you will see the confirmation code that you need to enter on the smartphone.

The advantage of this method is the ability to quickly enter text to search for videos or enter Wi-Fi passwords, which is extremely inconvenient from a conventional remote. In addition, the application often supports the function of broadcasting screen or media files from the phone to the TV. However, it is worth considering that this method of control depends on the stability of the Wi-Fi connection and the battery of the smartphone.

Solution: if the remote is not connected or is running with a delay

Despite the simplicity of the procedure, users may encounter situations where the second remote is not detected by the system or responds to commands with a noticeable delay. One common reason is the discharge of the batteries. Even new-looking batteries can have a low charge that is for the stable operation of the Bluetooth module remote, especially at the time of establishing a connection.

Another reason could be a crowded list of paired devices: Xiaomi TVs have a limit on the number of Bluetooth gadgets you can remember. If you've previously connected a lot of headphones, gamepads or other remotes, try removing old or unused devices from the list in Bluetooth settings.

Also worth noting is the presence of interference in the air. Routers, microwaves or other powerful sources of radiation in the 2.4 GHz range can jam the remote signal. Try to move the router away from the TV or change the Wi-Fi channel. If the problem persists, reset the remote settings (if there is such a feature) or reconnect it by removing it from the TV memory.

⚠️ Attention: With frequent failures of the Bluetooth remote, it is recommended to completely de-energize the TV by pulling the cord from the socket on the TV. 1-2 This will allow you to reset errors in the wireless module.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Connecting the second remote to Xiaomi TV is a safe procedure that does not require resetting the TV settings and takes only a few minutes if you follow the instructions correctly.