How to Russify Xiaomi TV: All the Ways from A to Z

Xiaomi TVs have gained popularity thanks to a combination of affordable prices and modern technologies, but many users face the problem of not having Russian on the menu. Even if you bought a model with global firmware, sometimes the default interface remains in Chinese or English. In this article, we will analyze all the current methods of Russification, from official to alternative, including solving typical errors.

It is important to understand that the process depends on the TV model (Mi TV 4A, Mi TV Q1, Redmi Smart TV, etc.), the firmware version and the region of purchase. For example, devices for the Chinese market (CN-version) require additional manipulation, whereas global models (Global) often support Russian out of the box.

1. Check the current firmware version and region

Before you start Russification, you need to determine which firmware is installed on your TV, which affects the available ways to change the language.

1. Turn on the TV and go to Settings, usually an icon of the gear.
2. Select Device Preferences → About (About TV)
3. Find the lines Model (Model), Android TV Version (Android TV Version) and Region (Region).

Key points:

• 📌 If the region is China, you will have CN-version, and for Russification will require a change of firmware or patch installation.
• 🌍 Global, India or Europe inscriptions mean that Russian can be enabled through standard settings.
• 🔄 Android version TV 9.0 may not support multitasking when changing language.

If your TV is related to CN-For the version, skip the next section and go straight to the Chinese firmware methods. For global models, just follow a few simple steps.

2. Russification of global models (without firmware)

If your TV supports Russian but it is not activated, follow these steps, which is suitable for models with firmware Global, India or Europe:

1. Open Settings → Device Preferences (Device settings).
2. Select Language & Input (Language and Input).
3. In the list of languages, find Russian (or Russian) and confirm the choice.

If the Russian is not on the list:

• 🔍 Try updating your firmware through Settings → About → System Update – sometimes language is added after updating.
• 📱 Make sure your TV is connected to the internet (via Wi-Fi or Ethernet).
• 🔄 Restart the TV after changing the language – some interface elements will only be updated after restarting.

Important: Some models (e.g. Mi TV 4A 32) may display Russian incorrectly, with characters or squares instead of letters, due to the lack of fonts, and the solution is to install a font patch.

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If after changing the language, some applications (for example, Netflix or YouTube) remained in English, go to their settings and manually select Russian.

3. Russification of Chinese models (CN-version)

Xiaomi TVs designed for the Chinese market do not have built-in Russian language support, and there are three main methods for their Russification:

1. Installation of global firmware (the most reliable, but requires unlocking the bootloader).
2. Install a patch with Russian (without firmware, but can fly after updates).
3. Use alternative launchers (such as ATV Launcher or Wolf Launcher).

Let us examine each method in detail.

Installation of global firmware

It's the most radical, but also the most effective, and it involves completely replacing Chinese firmware with global firmware, and it's important that the process is irreversible and can lead to a loss of warranty if the TV is new.

The firmware will require:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows or Linux.
• 🔌 USB-cable (usually Micro-USB or Type-C, depending on the model).
• 📁 Firmware for your model (download only from official sources, for example, Xiaomi Firmware Updater).
• 🛠️ Mi Flash Tool or Fastboot.

Step-by-step:

1. Download the archive with firmware and unpack it into a folder without Cyrillic symbols.
2. Install ADB and Fastboot drivers (you can use the Mi Flash Tool).
3. Turn off the TV, then press the Menu button on the remote and the Power button on the case to go to Fastboot mode.
4. Connect the TV to your PC and start the Mi Flash Tool.
5. In the program, select the firmware folder and press Flash.

The process will take 5-10 minutes, and after completion, the TV will automatically restart with a new firmware, where you can choose the Russian language.

Installation of a patch with Russian language

If the firmware seems too risky, you can install a patch that adds Russian over Chinese firmware, which is temporary, and the patch will fly off after the system update.

Instructions:

1. Download the patch for your model (e.g. Mi TV 4A Russian Patch) from a trusted forum (e.g. 4PDA).
2. Copy the patch file (.zip) onto a flash drive formatted in FAT32.
3. Insert the flash drive into the TV and go to Settings → About → System Update → Local Update.
4. Select the patch file and confirm the installation.

After the reboot, the Russian language will appear in the settings. Minus the method - artifacts of display are possible (incorrect fonts in some menus).

Alternative launchers

If you only need Russian in the main menu, you can install a third-party launcher, for example:

• 📺 ATV Launcher – simple and fast, supports Russian.
• 🐺 Wolf Launcher - customizable, with support for widgets.
• 🏠 Hal Launcher – Optimized for Android TV.

Installation:

1. Download. APK-flash-file.
2. In the settings of the TV, allow installation from unknown sources (Settings → Security & Restrictions → Unknown Sources).
3. Install the launcher through any file manager (e.g., File Commander).
4. In Android TV settings, select the new launcher as the main one (Settings → Apps → Default Apps → Launcher).

This solution does not change the language of the system menus, but makes the main screen Russian.

4. Correction of encoding problems (hieroglyphs instead of letters)

A common problem after Russification is that instead of Russian letters, they show characters or squares, and this is because there are no Cyrillic fonts in the firmware, and this is solved by installing a font patch.

Methods of correction:

The safest way is to install through ADB:

1. Download the archive with fonts (for example, fonts_russian_xiaomi_tv.zip) and unpack it.
2. Connect your TV to your PC and activate ADB Debugging in the developer settings (Settings → About → click 7 times on Build Number).
3. Open the command line and execute: adb push Roboto-Regular.ttf /system/fonts/ adb push NotoSansCJK-Regular.ttc /system/fonts/
4. Reboot the TV.

If the letters are not displayed correctly after that, try resetting the settings to factory (Settings → Device Preferences → Reset).

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Before installing fonts through ADB Backup the original files with the adb pull command /system/fonts/./fonts_backup/.

5. Update of firmware after Russification

After successful Russification, it is important to update the firmware correctly so as not to lose the Russian language.

• ⚠️ Don't update through OTA (If you have custom firmware or patch installed, it will return the Chinese version.
• 🔄 Download the updates manually (Local Update) and check if the new version supports Russian.
• 📅 Before updating, check the reviews on the forums (for example, 4PDA) — Sometimes new firmware breaks down Russification.

If the language is reset after the update:

1. Repeat the patch installation with Russian (section 3.2).
2. If the patch doesn’t work, go back to the old firmware version via Fastboot.

For Android models TV 10+ You can use the Xiaomi utility ADB/Fastboot Tools, which automates the process of rolling back firmware.

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If the sound or image is missing after the update, reset the sound settings to factory (Settings → Sound → Reset Sound Settings).

6. Frequent errors and their solutions

When you Russify Xiaomi TVs, you're facing typical problems, and we've collected the most common and the ways to fix them.

⚠️ Warning: If the TV doesn't turn on after the firmware is done (black screen or logo getting stuck), don't panic. Try pressing the Power button for 15 seconds to force reboot. If that doesn't work, you'll need to reflash the device via Fastboot.

If your problem is not described above, check:

• 🔌 Is the cable connected correctly? HDMI/USB (Try another port).
• 📶 Internet connection stability (updates and patches may not be downloaded with a weak signal).
• 🔋 Remote charge level (discharged batteries can cause lags when navigating).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions