How to change the screen format on the Xiaomi TV: all the ways and hidden settings

Televisions and TV-Xiaomi boxes (series Mi) TV A2, Redmi Smart TV, Mi Box S and others offer flexible screen format settings, but not all users know how to apply them correctly. Incorrect aspect ratios can result in cropped edges, stretched faces of actors or black stripes on the sides. In this article, we will analyze all available ways to change the format - from basic settings in the menu to hidden parameters for experienced users.

Xiaomi TVs are designed to automatically adjust the format to the source signal (set-top box, computer, game console), but sometimes this does not work correctly. For example, when you connect a PC via HDMI, the picture can be compressed vertically, and when you watch movies in 21:9 format, you will see black fields. We will show you how to fix this manually without resorting to resetting.

It is important to understand the difference between the terms: the aspect ratio (16:9, 4:3, 21:9) determines the proportions of the image, the scale (Zoom, Wide, Normal) - how the picture is adjusted to the screen, the display mode (Game, Movie, PC) - optimization for the type of content.

In this article we will cover all three aspects.

1. Basic format settings in the TV menu

The easiest way to change the format is through the standard menu. The interface may vary slightly depending on the model (Mi TV Q1, Redmi X50 or Mi TV Stick), but the general logic is maintained. Here's how to do it:

1. Press the Menu (or Settings) button on the remote.
2. Go to Settings → Image → Screen format (or Display → Picture Size in English firmware).
3. Choose one of the available modes: 📺 Auto-TV selects the format for the signal (recommended for most cases). 🎬 4:3 – Classic format for old movies and TV shows. 🖥️ 16:9 – Standard for Modern Content. 🎮 Just Scan (or 1:1 Pixel) – No Scaling, Important for PC and Gaming. 🔍 Zoom - increase the picture with the edges trimming.

If the mode is not on the list, then your model does not support it, for example, Mi TV 4A does not have the Just Scan option, but it is in Mi TV Q2.

Advice for owners TV-Boxes (Mi Box, Mi Stick): If the TV menu does not have the desired format, try changing the settings directly in the Android firmware TV. For that:

1. Press the Home button on the remote.
2. Go to Settings → Display and Sound → Screen Resolution.
3. Select Auto or manually set 1920×1080@60Hz (for Full HD).

2. How to remove black stripes on the sides (Just Scan mode)

Black bars on the sides of the screen appear when the original aspect ratio of the content (for example, 21:9 in movies) does not match the format of the TV (16:9). Many users try to stretch the picture, but this leads to a distortion of the proportions. The right decision is to turn on Just Scan mode (aka Pixel Perfect or 1:1).

Here’s how to do it on different models:

If the Just Scan option is missing, try updating the TV firmware (see Section 5). On some models, it appears after the update. Also check that the HDMI cable supports HDMI 2.0 - old cables may restrict signal transmission.

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If the black bars are still in Just Scan mode, check the signal source settings (e.g., in the NVIDIA Control Panel for PC or in the PlayStation/Xbox menu).

3. Set up the format for a connected PC or laptop

When you connect your computer to a Xiaomi TV via HDMI, you often have scaling problems: either the picture doesn't fit on the screen, or there are black fields on the edges, which is because Windows or macOS sends a signal with a resolution that isn't optimized for TV. Here's how to fix it:

For Windows 10/11:

1. Press Win + P and select Only the second screen (if the TV is duplicated).
2. Open the settings → System → Display.
3. In the Scaling and Markup section, set 100% (turn off scaling).
4. In the Additional display settings, select a 1920×1080 resolution and a 60Hz frequency.

For macOS:

1. Open System settings → Monitors.
2. Holding Option (⌥), Click Scaled to display additional permissions.
3. Select 1920×1080 (Low Resolution)

If the game is black-barred, check: Settings → Image → Screen format → Just Scan (for Mi TV Q1/Q2)

1-1 Pixel (Redmi Smart TV)

Older models (Mi TV 3) may require manual Overscan setup (see Section 3).

5. Update firmware for advanced format settings

If your TV doesn't have the right options (like Just Scan or Overscan), it's possible they've appeared in a newer firmware version. Xiaomi regularly adds support for new formats and fixes zoom bugs.

Here's how to update the firmware:

1. Go to Settings → About TV → System Update.
2. Click Check for updates.
3. If you find an update, confirm installation. The TV will restart automatically.

If the automatic update does not work (for example, due to regional restrictions), you can install the firmware manually:

1. Download the latest firmware version for your model from the official website mi.com (support section).
2. Copy the.zip file to a flash drive (FAT32 format).
3. Connect the flash drive to the TV and go to Settings → About TV → Local Update.

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After updating the firmware, reset the image settings to factory settings (Settings → Image → Reset) to help avoid conflicts between old and new parameters.

If new format options appear after the update, but they do not work correctly, try resetting the cache:

1. Open Settings → Applications → All applications.
2. Find Android System WebView and click Clear Cache.
3. Reboot the TV.

6. Hidden settings for experienced users (Engineer Mode)

Xiaomi TVs have a hidden engineering mode (Engineer Mode or Service Menu) where you can fine-tune screen settings, including format, overscan and color gamut.Warning: improper changes can lead to crashes!

To log into Engineer Mode:

1. On the remote, press sequentially: Menu → 1 → 3 → 7 → 9 → Menu (for Mi) TV 4/4A) or → 1 → 1 → 4 → 7 → Menu (for Redmi Smart) TV).
2. In the menu that opens, select Picture → Overscan and set 0 for all inputs (HDMI1, HDMI2, etc.).
3. Save the settings and restart the TV.

In Engineer Mode, you can also change:

• 🔧 Aspect Ratio - Forced aspect ratio.
• 🎨 Color Space - Color profile (BT.2020 for HDR).
• 📡 HDMI EDID — Emulation of supported permissions.

Warning:

⚠️ Attention: Change of parameters EDID Panel Settings in Engineer Mode may cause inoperability HDMI-Before you experiment, take photos of your current settings!

7. Solving format issues when watching movies and IPTV

When watching 21:9 or 2.35:1 movies, Xiaomi TVs often add black boxes on top and bottom, which is normal because the content is not designed to fill the entire 16:9 screen, but some users prefer to stretch the picture despite the distortion.

Here’s how to set up the display for different sources:

• 🎥 Movies with USB/External drive: Open the built-in Mi Video player. press while playing OK On the remote and select the aspect ratio → Screen size (stretch) or Original (with black stripes).
• 📺 IPTV (for example, through SS IPTV Lazy IPTV): In the app settings, find the option Aspect Ratio. Select Stretch or Fit to Screen. If you don't have the option, change the format at the TV level (Settings). → Image: → Screen format → Zoom).
• 🌐 Streaming services (Netflix, YouTube, KION): On Netflix app: Settings → Video → Relationship of parties → On YouTube: click ⚙️ → Quality. → 1080p (16:9).

If the black stripes remain even when stretched, check: Settings → Image → Additional → Mode of the movie – turn it off, as it forcibly retains the original proportions.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the screen format on Xiaomi TV