Xiaomi's remote control stopped responding to commands, or did you buy a new universal remote and don't know how to plug it in? TV, Redmi Smart TV And the most common thing that people are faced with is that the TV doesn't respond to buttons, the display on the remote flashes, but the commands don't follow, or there's no communication at all.
In this article, we'll look at all the synchronization options that you can get from standard pairing of the original remote to manually configuring the universal devices, how to check the remote, reset the settings, and even restore communication if the TV has stopped recognizing signals after updating the firmware, and also the common bugs that prevent successful connectivity and how to avoid them.
If your Xiaomi TV doesn't respond to the remote, don't rush to buy a new one. 80 percent of the time, the problem is solved by simply resynchronizing or resetting, and even if the display on the remote is on, it doesn't guarantee that it's properly connected to the TV, especially after power failures or software updates.
1. Check the operability of the remote before synchronization
Before you set up a connection, make sure that the problem is the lack of synchronization, not the malfunction of the remote itself. Here are three quick tests to help diagnose a breakdown:
🔹 Battery check. Even if the remote light flashes when you press the buttons, it doesn't mean that there's enough power to transmit the signal. Try replacing the batteries with new ones (preferably alkaline ones, such as Duracell or Energizer). If after replacing the remote worked - the problem was in the ground elements.
🔹 Visual inspection. Look at the infrared LED (usually located at the top of the remote) through the camera of your smartphone. Point the camera at the remote control and press any button — if the LED is working, you will see a purple flicker. If there is no flicker, the remote is faulty.
🔹 If you have a second Xiaomi TV (or even an IR-controlled air conditioner/projector), try using the remote control. If it doesn't work there, the problem is the remote itself.
⚠️ Attention, if the remote has fallen into water or been mechanically damaged, the synchronization may not help, and in such cases, the quartz resonator or chip often fails, and the device needs to be replaced.
If all tests are successful, but the TV still does not respond, go to the synchronization setting.
2. Standard synchronization of the original Xiaomi remote
Xiaomi’s original remotes (such as the Mi Remote Controller or Redmi Smart Remote) sync to the TV automatically when you first turn on, but if the connection is lost (such as after resetting the TV or replacing the batteries), it can be restored manually.
Here are the steps for most Mi models. TV, Redmi Smart TV Xiaomi TV A/P1/E:
📌 Step 1: Turn on the TV with the power button on the case (if it is turned off) Make sure that the remote is no more than 3 meters from the TV and there are no barriers between them.
📌 Step 2: Press the Menu (or Home) buttons at the same time. OK Hold them for 10-15 seconds until the indicator on the remote starts flashing twice in a row (connection reset signal).
📌 Step 3: Point the remote to the TV and press the Power button. If the sync is successful, the TV will turn off or on (depending on the current state of the device).
📌 Step 4: Check the rest of the buttons. If some of the features don't work (such as volume control), you may need to update the remote firmware (more on this below).
Make sure the TV is on the network
Replace the batteries in the remote (even if they seem to work)
Hold Menu. + OK at least 10 seconds
Direct the remote directly to the IR receiver of the TV (usually at the bottom of the screen)
Repeat the attempt 2-3 times if the first time failed-->
If the remote does not work after these actions, try an alternative method – through the TV menu.
3. Synchronize through the TV settings menu
Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Mi) TV 4S or Redmi Smart TV X) allows you to link the remote via the system menu, which is useful if the standard procedure does not work.
🔧 Instructions:
1. Turn on the TV with a button on the case.
2. Go to Settings → Devices and accessories → Remote control (on some models, the path may differ: Settings) → System system → remote).
3. Select the option Add remote or Sync remote.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen – usually you need to press a certain combination of buttons on the remote (for example, Menu). + Volume Up).
5. Wait for the message of a successful connection.
If there is no such item on the menu, your TV model does not support software synchronization, in which case try resetting the remote settings (described in the next section).
💡
If the TV doesn’t respond to the remote buttons, but you can control it through the Mi Remote app on your smartphone, try updating the TV firmware through Settings. → On TV. → System upgrades. Sometimes it solves compatibility issues.
4. Resetting remote settings and forced resynchronization
If standard methods don't work, you might need to completely reset the remote to factory settings, which will remove all the stored connections and return the device to the "out of the box" state.
⚙️ How to Reset Xiaomi Remote:
1. Remove the batteries from the remote.
2. Press the Power button for 30 seconds - this will discharge the residual charge of the capacitors.
3. Put the batteries back in.
4. Point the remote to the TV and hold the Menu + OK 15-20 seconds until the indicator flashes twice.
5. Press Power – the TV must react (on/off).
If the reset didn't work, check the remote's compatibility with the TV model. TV 4 may not work with Redmi Smart TV A. Due to different communication protocols.
| Model TV set | Compatible remotes | Features of synchronization |
|---|---|---|
| Mi TV 4S / 4X / 4A | The original Mi Remote Controller (model) RYM-D015) | Supports automatic synchronization when first turned on. For forced reset, hold Menu + OK 10 seconds. |
| Redmi Smart TV X / A | The original Redmi Smart Remote (model) RYM-D019) | Requires updates to the remote through USB (Incompatible with Mi, incompatible with the instructions below. TV 3S. |
| Xiaomi TV Q1 / Q2 | Voice-controlled remote control (model) RYM-D022) | Synchronization only through the Settings menu → The remote control supports Bluetooth. + ICU. |
| Mi TV 5 / 5 Pro | Touch panel remote (model) RYM-D020) | For reset, hold on to Home + OK 12 seconds. Supports button learning. |
⚠️ If you use a remote from another Xiaomi TV (for example, you took the remote from Mi). TV 4A For Redmi Smart TV), In this case, only the original remote or universal with Xiaomi support will help.
5. Customize a universal remote for Xiaomi TV
If you have a universal remote (e.g. Huayu, One For All or a single device) BBK), You can also connect it to a Xiaomi TV, so you need to know the code of the model or use automatic search mode.
🔍 Method 1: Search by code
1. Turn on the TV with a button on the case.
2. On the universal remote, press the Set (or Setup) button until the indicator lights up.
3. Enter a 4- or 5-digit code for Xiaomi (see table below).
4. Press Power -- if the TV is off, the code fits.
5. Check the other buttons. If some of the features don't work, try another code.
🔍 Method 2: Automatic search
1. Press the Set on the remote until the indicator blinks.
2. Press the Power button and hold it until the remote starts to go through the codes (the TV will turn on / off).
3. Once the TV turns off, release Power and press Set to save the code.
📜 Codes for Universal Remotes (Xiaomi) TV):
- 🔢 1166, 1266 for Huayu remotes and BBK
- 🔢 0178, 0135 – for One For All (series) URC)
- 🔢 0039, 0040 – for Philips and Sony remotes (Other Brands Mode")
- 🔢 10178 – for remotes with 5-digit codes
What if no code fits?
6. Update of Xiaomi remote firmware
If the remote is synchronized but not working properly (for example, some buttons do not respond or response is delayed), it may need to update its firmware. USB-The port (for example, Mi Remote Controller Pro).
🖥️ How to update firmware:
1. Download the latest firmware version for your remote model from the official Xiaomi Support website (Accessories section) → Remote Controls).
2. Unpack the archive and copy the firmware file (usually with the.bin extension) to the flash drive formatted in FAT32.
3. Put the flash drive in USB-port of the remote (if any) or to the TV (for some models).
4. On the remote, press the Menu combination. + Volume Up for 5 seconds – the update process will begin (the indicator will flash yellow).
5. Wait until the end (about 2-3 minutes). The remote will automatically restart.
⚠️ If after the update the remote stopped working completely, reset to factory settings (see section 4).
💡
Updating the remote firmware solves problems with "sticking" buttons, slow response and incorrect voice control (for models with a microphone).
7. Frequent errors and their solutions
Even after synchronization, users face problems, and here are the most common ways to fix them:
🚫 The remote is synchronized, but not all buttons are working.
- 🔹 Check if the Mode or Input button is accidentally clamped (on some remotes, this blocks some functions).
- 🔹 Update the TV firmware: Go to Settings → On TV. → Updating the system.
- 🔹 If the volume buttons are not working, check the audio settings in the TV menu (external amplifier may be selected).
🚫 The TV only reacts to the remote from close range.
- 🔹 Replace your batteries with new ones (even if the old ones seem to work").
- 🔹 Make sure there are no barriers between the remote and the TV (glass, mirrors, direct sunlight can block the IR signal).
- 🔹 Wipe the IR receiver on your TV and the LED on the dust remote (use a cotton swab dipped in alcohol).
🚫 The remote works, but with a delay (lag)
🚫 After updating the firmware of the TV remote stopped working
- 🔹 Reset the remote (see section 4).
- 🔹 Remove the TV firmware to the previous version (if available).
- 🔹 Contact Xiaomi with the TV model and software version (you can find it in Settings) → On TV).
8.Alternative ways to control the Xiaomi TV
If the remote synchronization has failed, you can control the TV in other ways:
📱 Mi Remote appendix
- 🔹 Download the official Mi Remote app (available for Android and iOS).
- 🔹 Connect your phone and TV to the same Wi-Fi network.
- 🔹 In the app, select Add Device → Television → Xiaomi and follow the instructions.
🖱️ USB-mouse
- 🔹 Connect the wireless mouse or keyboard through USB-receiver.
- 🔹 Use them to navigate the TV menu (useful if the remote doesn’t work at all).
🎮 Gamepad
- 🔹 Connect the gamepad (e.g. Xiaomi Game Controller) over Bluetooth.
- 🔹 In the settings of the TV, select Devices → Gamepad and follow the instructions.
🔌 Buttons on the TV body
- 🔹 Most Xiaomi models have physical Power, Volume and Input buttons on the bottom or sidebar.
- 🔹 They can be used for basic control (on, switching channels, adjusting volume).
💡
If you lose your remote often, set up control of your TV via voice assistant Alice (for models with Yandex IoT support) or Google Assistant. To do this, connect the TV to your Mi Account account and activate the feature in your smart home settings.