How to sort channels on a Xiaomi TV: 5 ways + error solving

Disorder in the list of TV channels on Xiaomi Mi TV or Redmi Smart TV Is it annoying? You have to constantly scroll through dozens of positions to find your favorite channel? The problem is familiar to many owners of Xiaomi TVs, because after automatic search, the channels are randomly arranged, without regard to your preferences. Fortunately, you can fix it in 5-10 minutes, and we’ll show you how to do it right.

In this article, you will find step-by-step instructions for all current Xiaomi models (including Mi). TV 4A/4S/5X, Redmi Smart TV X and others), automatic and manual sorting methods, as well as solving typical errors - from failures when saving a list to the disappearance of channels after an update.

Whether your TV is connected to an antenna, cable TV, or satellite dish, the ordering algorithm is the same, and the key is to keep the key steps in mind, or the settings may reset. Let's start with preparation!

1. Preparation of TV for channel sorting

Before you start changing the order of the channels, make sure your Xiaomi is a good one. TV Missing this stage can lead to loss of the saved list or even a failure in the tuner.

First, check the firmware version. Outdated versions of PatchWall (below 2.0.150) do not support manual sorting for some models. Update the software via Settings → On TV. → System Update: If the update is not available, use an alternative method through the Mi Home app (more on this below).

Second, disable all external devices connected to the HDMI or USB. Some receivers (such as Tricolor or NTV-Plus) can block access to the tuner settings, and we also recommend temporarily disabling Parental Control if it is active, which limits editing of the channel list.

⚠️ Attention: If you are using CI-Pay TV module (e.g. MTS TV or TV card), remove it before sorting. Otherwise, the TV may not see part of the channels after rebooting.

• 🔄 Update your firmware to the latest version (minimum supported 1.4.65 for older models).
• 📡 Turn off external receivers and CI-modules (if any).
• 🔒 Remove parental control in Settings → Security.
• 📝 Write down the current list of channels on paper or take a picture – this will help restore order when a failure occurs.

2. Automatic channel sorting (the fastest way)

If you don’t need manual ordering, but divide channels into categories (e.g., Sports, News, Kids), use the built-in auto sorting feature. It’s available on all Xiaomi TVs with PatchWall firmware version 1.7.+.

The algorithm is simple: the system analyzes channel names and distributes them to folders based on keywords, for example, channels called Match!, KHL or Eurosport will automatically fall into the category Sport. Recognition accuracy is about 85%, but some channels may be in the wrong folders.

To enable automatic sorting:

1. Open Settings → Channels → Channel Management.
2. Select Autosort (on some models – Channel Grouping).
3. Confirm the action and wait for the process to be completed (it will take 1-3 minutes).
4. Check the result in the main TV menu – channels are now grouped by folder.

Self-sorting is suitable for most users, but it has drawbacks:

• ❌ Not all channels fall into the right categories (especially regional ones).
• ❌ It is impossible to manually transfer the channel from one folder to another.
• ❌ When new channels are added, the sorting will have to be run again.

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If the automatic sort placed the channel in the wrong category, try renaming it via Settings. → Channels → For example, add the word "Sport" or "News" to the title, and the system will move it to the appropriate folder.

Manual channel arrangement (full control)

For those who want to arrange their own channels in any order, manual mode is suitable. TV, The main advantage is that you can put your favorite channels at the top of the list, and the unnecessary ones can be hidden or deleted.

Instructions for manual sorting:

1. Press the Home button on the remote and select Settings → Channels → Channel management.
2. Click Change Order (or Edit on Old Firmware).
3. Select the channel you want to move and hold the button. OK remote.
4. With the Up/Down buttons, drag the channel to the desired position.
5. Repeat steps 3-4 for all channels, then click Save.

Important: On PatchWall TVs below version 2.0.120, the channel numbering may be reset after manual sorting. To avoid this, reboot the TV before saving (Power button on the remote). → Reboot).

If you have a Xiaomi Mi TV Stick or Mi Box, the process is a little different:

• 📺 Open the Live Channels app (if not, install it from Google Play).
• 🔧 Go to Settings. → Channel management.
• 📌 Select Change Order and Drag Channels to the Right Positions.

4.Sort channels through the Mi Home app

Few people know, but manage the list of channels on Xiaomi TV This method is convenient if the remote is lost or does not work, and also allows you to save several sorting profiles (for example, for adults and children).

For this:

1. Install the Mi Home app on your smartphone (available for Android and iOS).
2. Add your TV to the app (if it’s not already connected).
3. Go to the Devices section → [Yours. TV] → Settings → Channels.
4. Choose to arrange channels and drag them in the right order.
5. Save the changes – they sync with the TV for 10 to 30 seconds.

Advantages of this method:

• ✅ Convenient interface on a smartphone (easier to drag channels than remote control).
• ✅ The ability to create several profiles (for example, "Home", "Dacha").
• ✅ Automatic backup of the list to the cloud Xiaomi.

⚠️ Note: If the channels on the TV have not changed after saving via Mi Home, check if they are connected. TV and your smartphone to the same Wi-Fi network. Also make sure that the settings on the TV include Remote Control. → Allow Mi Home.

5. Solving problems in channel sorting

Even after you follow the instructions correctly, you can have errors, and let's look at the most common ones and how to fix them.

If your favorite channels are missing after sorting, check:

• 🔍 Are they hidden in the settings (enable the display of hidden channels in Settings) → Channels → Showing the hidden).
• 📶 Has the frequency of broadcasting changed (relevant to the air TV).
• 🔄 Have you lost your tuner after the update.

Xiaomi TVs with PatchWall 3.0 firmware+ There's a hidden function to restore the channel list from the backup:

1. Go to Settings. → Channels → Backup.
2. Select the last saved copy (the date of creation is displayed on the right).
3. Confirm the recovery and wait for the TV to restart.

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If the channels continue to reset after each TV turn on, the problem may be in the damaged system partition, in which case only a complete reset to the factory settings (with loss of all data) will help.

6. Additional Channel Management Tips

To make watching TV even more convenient, use these recommendations:

• 📌 Select your favorite channels on the home screen: Hold the button OK on the channel in the list and select Secure on the main screen.
• 🔖 Create your own folders: in Settings → Channels → You can create categories (for example, “For children”, “Football”) and manually add channels to them.
• 🔇 Turn off unnecessary channels: select a channel → It'll clear the list of garbage.
• 📱 Control TV from your phone: the Mi Remote app (available for Android) has a virtual remote with voice channel search support.

For owners of Xiaomi Mi TV Google TV (Like Mi. TV Q2) It's available as a voice sorting function:

“OK Google, show channels alphabetically” or “OK Google, sort channels by popularity.”

The system will automatically rearrange the list, but the function depends on regional settings.

If you frequently switch between different channel lists (such as home and country), use user profiles:

1. Go to Settings. → Accounts and security → Profiles.
2. Create a new profile (for example, "Dacha").
3. In each profile, set up your channel list.
4. Switch between profiles through the main menu.

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To speed up the search for channels, assign them hotkeys on the remote. To do this, hold the digital button (for example, 1) on the remote for 3 seconds until the channel selection menu appears.

7. Alternative ways of ordering (for experienced users)

If standard methods don't work, you can use advanced tools that give you more control over the channel list, which require technical skills, but allow you to import channel lists from other devices, for example, or adjust broadcast priorities.

Method 1: Editing a channel file through ADB

You will need a computer with installed drivers. ADB and the debugging on USB TV-wise:

1. Turn on the debugging. USB In Settings → On TV. → Software version (click 7 times on build number, then return to Settings) → For developers).
2. Connect. TV PC-only USB and execute the command:

adb pull /data/data/com.droidlogic.tvinput/.channel/channel.db

This will copy the channel database to your computer. Open the channel.db file in the SQLite Browser editor, edit the channel order in the channel table (number field), then download back:

adb push channel.db /data/data/com.droidlogic.tvinput/.channel/


adb shell chmod 666 /data/data/com.droidlogic.tvinput/.channel/channel.db




adb reboot

Method 2: Using Third-Party Applications

Apps like TViri or TiviMate (available on Google Play) allow you to create customized listings of channels with their own covers, descriptions and even a few more. EPG (They'll need a TV program to do their job:

• 📥 Install the app on the TV.
• 🔗 Connect the signal source (antenna, IPTV satellite).
• 🎛 Set up the order of channels in the application interface.

⚠️ Note: Editing system files through ADB This can cause a loss of warranty or unstable operation of the TV.Before experimenting, back up the data with the team:

adb backup -f backup.ab -apk -obb -shared com.droidlogic.tvinput

FAQ: Frequent questions about channel sorting on Xiaomi TV