How to Russify Xiaomi Mi TV 4S 55: All the ways with instructions

Xiaomi Mi TV 4S 55 is popular due to its combination of price and functionality, but many users face the problem of not having Russian in the firmware. Even if you purchased the device in the official store, some lots come with Chinese or global English firmware without Russian support. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods of Russification, including official updates, manual change of the region and alternative methods.

It is important to understand that the process of Russification depends on the firmware version and the region of purchase of the TV. For example, models for the Chinese market (CN) require full flashing, whereas global versions (Global) often support Russian out of the box, but it needs to be activated in the settings. We will consider both scenarios, and also give recommendations for choosing the best method.

If you're not sure about your technical background, start with the easiest way to check the available languages on the menu. In 80% of cases, Russian is already installed but hidden due to incorrect regional settings. For advanced users, we have prepared instructions for manually installing the language package through ADB and even changing the firmware completely to customized with Russian support.

1. Check the current firmware version and region

Before you start Russification, you need to determine which firmware is installed on your Mi TV 4S 55.

1. Turn on the TV and go to Settings → Device Preferences → About.
2. Find the Model (should be L55M5-5ASR or similar) and Android TV version.
3. Note the region in the Region bar – if China (CN) is specified, you will need a full flashing.

Also check the available languages: Settings → Device Preferences → Language. If there is Russian on the list but it is not activated, the problem is in regional settings (solved in section 2).

⚠️ Note: If your TV is purchased in China and has firmware CN, Trying to change the language without flashing it over can cause Xiaomi services to fail (e.g. Mi Home will stop syncing.

2. Change of region to "Russia" (for global firmware)

If your Mi TV 4S 55 has global firmware (Global or EU) but Russian is not listed, it is likely hidden because of the wrong region.

1. Go to Settings → Device Preferences → Location.
2. Select Russia (if not listed, see paragraph 3).
3. Reboot the TV (Settings → Device Preferences → Restart)
4. After the reboot, check the list of languages - Russian should appear.

If Russia is not on the list of regions, try:

• 🌍 Establish any European region (e.g. Germany), then return Russia via ADB (section).
• 🔄 Perform reset to factory settings (Settings) → Device Preferences → Reset – sometimes it drops regional restrictions.
• 📥 Update the firmware via the Internet (Settings) → Device Preferences → About → System update).

If the region change didn’t work, move on to the next method, and note that some firmware may require a re-authorization with Xiaomi’s account after the region change.

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If after the change of region the TV began to slow down, clear the cache of applications in Settings → Apps → See all apps → (select the application) → Clear cache.

3. Installation of Russian through ADB (without root)

The method is suitable for Global/EU firmware, where Russian is present in the system, but not displayed in the menu, and this will require a computer with an ADB (Android Debug Bridge) installed and debugging mode on the TV.

Step 1. Turn on USB debugging on your TV:

1. Go to Settings → Device Preferences → About.
2. Find Build and click on it 7 times in a row until you notice You are now a developer!
3. Go back to Settings → Device Preferences → Developer options.
4. Activate USB debugging and Debug mode via network.

Step 2. Connect to the TV via ADB:

1. Download ADB Tools and unpack it on your computer.
2. Connect your TV and computer to the same Wi-Fi network.
3. Run the command line in the folder with ADB and do: adb connect [IP-TV address]:5555 (IP-The address can be found in Settings. → Network & Internet → Wi-Fi → (your network) → Advanced).
4. Install the Russian language command: adb shell am start -a android.settings.LANGUAGE_SETTINGS Then, in the menu, select Russian.

If the Russian language did not appear after the execution of commands, try an alternative command for forced localization change:

adb shell settings put global locale_override ru_RU

⚠️ Note: On some firmware Xiaomi blocks changes to the locale through ADB. If the commands don’t work, try the method in the next section or consider a full flashing option.

4. Russification through third-party launchers (without firmware)

If previous methods have failed and full flashing seems difficult, you can install an alternative launcher that supports Russian, which does not change the system language, but allows you to control the TV in Russian through the shell.

The best launchers for Xiaomi Mi TV 4S 55:

• 📺 ATV Launcher – a simple launcher with support for Russian, optimized for the remote control.
• 🎮 Wolf Launcher – a game launcher with Russification and customization.
• 🖥️ Leanback Launcher – standard Android launcher TV Russian-speaking.

Installation instructions:

1. Download. APK-launcher USB-drive (for example, from the APKMirror website).
2. Connect the flash drive to the TV and open the File Manager (or Explorer).
3. Install APK by allowing installation from unknown sources (Settings → Apps → Special app access → Install unknown apps).
4. Launch the launcher and select it as the main one in Settings → Apps → Default apps → Home app.

Advantages of the method:

• ✅ Does not require root or firmware.
• ✅ Keeps the guarantee.
• ✅ You can return the standard launcher at any time.

Disadvantages:

• ❌ System menus (such as settings) will remain in English.
• ❌ Some of the functions of Mi TV They may not work properly.

5. Complete flashing to the global version (for CN-model)

This method is only suitable for power users and requires unlocking the bootloader. Wrong actions can lead to a "brick" of the TV (completely inoperable). If your Mi TV 4S 55 has Chinese firmware (CN), full firmware reflashing to the global version is the only way to get a full-fledged Russian language.

What will be required:

• 🖥️ Windows computer 10/11.
• 🔌 USB-cable (A-Male type on A-Male).
• 📁 Global Stable for Mi TV 4S 55 (you can download the Xiaomi Firmware Updater).
• 🛠️ Mi Flash Tool (official utility from Xiaomi).

Step-by-step:

1. Unlock the bootloader: Go to Mi Unlock and get permission to unlock (you will need a Xiaomi account). Download Mi Unlock Tool and connect the TV in Fastboot mode (press Power + Menu when you turn on). Follow the instructions of the program to unlock.
2. Install firmware: Unpack the downloaded firmware into a folder without Cyrillic characters. Launch the Mi Flash Tool, select the firmware folder. Connect the TV in Fastboot mode and press Flash. Wait for completion (about 5-10 minutes).

Settings → Device Preferences → Reset

⚠️ Warning: Firmware re-flashing to the global version may result in the loss of features specific to the Chinese market (for example, some Xiaomi streaming services may become unavailable). Also note that after flashing the TV may require authorization in the account Xiaomi with reference to the new region.

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Before flashing, make sure to back up your settings via Settings → Accounts & Sign in → Mi Account → Cloud Backup. This will allow you to quickly recover data after installing a new firmware.

6. Alternative methods of Russification

If none of the above methods work, consider alternatives:

• 📱 Smartphone control: Use the Mi Remote app (available on Android and iOS) – it has a Russian interface and allows you to control the TV without having to Russify the device itself.
• 🎧 Voice Assistant: Configure Google Assistant in Russian via Settings → Device Preferences → Google Assistant → Language: This will allow you to control the TV in Russian, even if the menu is in English.
• 🖥️ PC Connection: Use the TV as a monitor HDMI — In this case, the interface language will depend on the source device (PC, laptop).

For owners of the Mi TV 4S 55 with Android TV 9+ firmware, the Russification method via MoreLocale 2 (a localization application without root) is also available, however, this method requires APK installation via ADB and can work unstablely.

Instructions for MoreLocale 2:

1. Download MoreLocale 2 APK.
2. Install with ADB: adb install MoreLocale2.apk
3. Launch the application and select Russian (Russia).
4. Reboot the TV.

This method is suitable for temporary Russification, but after updating the firmware settings may reset.

7. Frequent errors and their solution

When russifying Xiaomi Mi TV 4S 55 users often face typical problems, we have collected the most common errors and ways to fix them:

If you lose a sound or image after Russification, reset to factory settings (Settings → Device Preferences → Reset) 90% of the time, this solves driver problems after the firmware update.

⚠️ Note: If Xiaomi services (such as Mi Home or Mi Video) have stopped working after changing the language, check the region in your Xiaomi account.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions