How to find out what codecs your Xiaomi smartphone supports: 5 proven ways

Have you ever encountered a situation where video on Xiaomi is played without sound and music tracks refuse to play? The reason often lies in unsupported codecs — special algorithms for compressing and decoding audio / video. Smartphone manufacturers do not always advertise a full list of compatible formats, and users only learn about the limitations when problems occur.

This article will help you understand how to check supported codecs on any Xiaomi smartphone – from budget Redmi to flagship Mi and Xiaomi. POCO. We will look at both standard methods through Android settings and advanced tools for technical specialists. MIUI, which allow you to get advanced information about the multimedia capabilities of a device without root rights.

Why it is important to know supported codecs

Modern Xiaomi smartphones support dozens of audio and video codecs, but their set varies depending on:

• 📱 Models of the device (flagship vs budgetary)
• 🤖 Android versions and shells MIUI
• 🛠️ Hardware platform (Snapdragon vs Mediatek processors)
• 🔄 Firmware updates (manufacturer can add support for new formats)

Codec incompatibility manifests itself in different ways:

• 🎵 Music plays with distortions or is not played at all
• 🎬 Videos "slow down" or show only black screens
• 🔊 No sound in movies in normal video
• 📱 Apps like this VLC Or Kodi is giving out decoding errors

⚠️ Note: Some codecs (e.g. Dolby Vision) DTS:X) They can be locked at the licensing level even with hardware support, and this is especially true for devices sold in certain regions.

Method 1: Checking through standard MIUI settings

The easiest way is to use built-in tools. MIUI. It won’t give you a complete list of codecs, but it will show you basic information about supported formats:

1. Open the Settings app
2. Go to the About Phone section. → All characteristics
3. Find Multimedia or Audio/Video (name depends on version) MIUI)
4. Check the list of supported formats (usually the main ones are listed: MP4, MKV, MP3, AAC)

On the new versions MIUI 14+ This section can be hidden:

Settings → Additional settings → Developer Mode → Multimedia capabilities

If you don't have a paragraph, your firmware version doesn't provide that information through the interface, so move on to the following methods.

Method 2: Using applications for codec analysis

Specialized utilities from Google Play provide much more data than standard settings. The best options for Xiaomi are:

Example of MediaCodec Info:

1. Install and open the application
2. Go to the Decoders tab (Decoders)
3. Note the columns: Name - the codec name (for example, H.264, VP9) Type - type (video)/audio) SW/HW — software (SW) hardware (HW) support

Encoders

View the list of decoders (Decoders)

Pay attention to hardware support (HW)

Check the codecs for video (H.264, H.265, VP9)

Check the audio codecs (AAC, FLAC, Dolby)

Compare with the requirements of your media files-->

⚠️ Note: On some Xiaomi devices with Mediatek processors, apps may show support for codecs that are incorrect in practice due to driver limitations.

Method 3: Checking through ADB (for advanced users)

Android Debug Bridge Tool (ADB) This allows you to get the most complete information about supported codecs directly from the device, which requires connecting the smartphone to the computer.

Instructions:

1. Enable Developer Mode on Xiaomi: Go to Settings → About phone Press 7 times on the version MIUI Back to Settings → Additional settings → For developers, activate debugging by USB

Connect your phone to your PC and confirm your trust in the device

Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type:

adb shell dumpsys media.codec.list

This command will display a complete list of supported codecs in the format:

Name: OMX.qcom.video.decoder.avc




Type: video/avc




Mime: video/avc




Is HW: yes




Profiles: [1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32, 64, 128]




...

To filter the results, use:

adb shell dumpsys media.codec.list | grep "OMX.*decoder"

💡

If the team is not working, try updating first. ADB-drivers via Android SDK Platform-Tools. Some Xiaomi devices require additional permission in the developer settings: Debugging by USB (security)

Method 4: Testing Real Files

The most reliable way to verify this is to play back test files with different codecs.

• 🎬 Download test videos with different codecs (H.265, VP9, AV1)
• 🎵 Use audio files with rare formats (FLAC 24-bit, DTS-HD, Dolby Atmos)
• 📱 Check playback through different players (MX Player, VLC, standard MIUI Video Player)

Example of test kit:

If the file is not reproduced:

• 🔍 Check the player logs (in) VLC: Settings → Tools → Communications)
• 🛠️ Try installing additional codecs in the player (for example, in the MX Player)
• 📱 Make sure the problem isn’t in the file itself (try playing it on another device)

Method 5: Analysis of processor specifications

If you know the processor model of your Xiaomi, you can find official documentation that supports codecs.

• 📊 For Qualcomm Snapdragon: look for the specifications of your model on the official website (for example, Snapdragon 8 Gen 2)
• 📊 For Mediatek: check out Mediatek's website (e.g. Dimensity 9000)
• 📊 For Google Tensor (if we are talking about Xiaomi with custom chips): information on the Google page

Example for the Snapdragon 888 (used in Xiaomi Mi 11):

• 🎬 Video decoding: H.265, H.264, VP9, AV1 (before 8K@30fps)
• 🎵 Audio: AAC, FLAC, Dolby Digital+, DTS:X
• 📹 Video coding: H.265 and H.264 before 4K@120fps

⚠️ Note: The device manufacturer (Xiaomi) can artificially restrict some codecs even with hardware-backed chipsets, often due to licensing agreements (e.g., Dolby Vision can be disabled on devices for some regions).

1. Drivers in firmware MIUI

2. Licensing restrictions

3. Android versions

Always check the reproduction in practice!-->

Codec compatibility table for popular Xiaomi models

Below is the data on support for key codecs on different Xiaomi devices (based on the data). MIUI 14 and Android 13.The information is relevant for standard firmware without modifications:

Please note:

• 🔄 Support AV1 It only appeared in Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processors and later.
• 🎵 Dolby Atmos and DTS:X Often require additional licenses, even with hardware support.
• 📺 For reproduction 4K HDR on Netflix or Disney+ You need Widevine certification. L1

Frequent problems and their solutions

If you are faced with a lack of support for the desired codec, try the following solutions:

• 🔄 Firmware Update: Manufacturer can add support for new codecs in updates MIUI. Check for updates in Settings → Updating the system.
• 📱 Use of alternative players: Install VLC or MX Player with a package of additional codecs. These applications have built-in software decoders.

ffmpeg -i input.mkv -c:v libx264 -crf 23 -preset fast -c:a aac -b:a 192k output.mp4

For root-righted devices, there's a radical solution, which is to replace the codec system libraries.

• 🚫 Breaks the guarantee.
• 🔴 It can lead to unstable work.
• 📵 Requires deep technical knowledge

💡

Before converting files, check their properties through MediaInfo (available for the purpose of the application). Windows/macOS/Android). This will help to accurately identify the problem codec and choose the right settings for transcoding.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions