The situation when there is no remote control at hand and Android TV needs to be launched is familiar to many owners of smart consoles. Often the remote is lost, the battery goes down at the most inopportune moment or the device stops responding to infrared signals due to a software failure. Owners of Xiaomi Mi Box S or Mi TV Stick can face this unexpectedly, especially if the control via the smartphone has not yet been configured.
Fortunately, the Android TV architecture offers several workarounds to activate the device. Physical buttons on the case, although rare, can sometimes help, but more often the rescue is external peripherals or special features of the TV. It is important to understand that the methods vary depending on whether the console is in sleep mode or completely off the network.
In this article, we will take a look at all the working ways to run a multimedia center without regular remote control, learn how to turn your smartphone into a full remote, which keyboards are compatible, and use the capabilities of the TV itself for navigation.
Using a Smartphone as a Universal Remote
The most affordable and modern way to control the console is to use a mobile phone. Since the Xiaomi Mi Box runs on Android, it supports the standard protocol Google Cast and Wi-Fi Direct. If your console has previously been paired with a home Wi-Fi network, it is enough to control the smartphone and console are on the same local network.
To implement this method, you will need to download the official Google Home app or Google’s dedicated Android TV Remote Control app. Once installed, the program will automatically scan the network and find the available Xiaomi device. The first time you connect to the TV screen, you may have a confirmation code that you will need to enter on the smartphone, but if the console simply went into sleep mode, the connection will be established instantly.
⚠️ Note: If the console is completely de-energized or is in deep sleep without access to Wi-Fi, it will not work to run it through the application, since an active network module is needed to receive the signal.
These applications often outperform the normal IR remote, and you get a full keyboard to quickly type in text in YouTube or Netflix searches, which makes navigation much faster, and you can stream content directly from your phone to the big screen using the streaming feature.
Connection USB-keyboards and mice
If wireless methods are not available, the classic peripherals come to the rescue. Virtually all Xiaomi Mi Box and Mi Stick models are port-ready. USB, plug-in HID-This means that you can connect a regular computer keyboard or mouse via an adapter. OTG (for micro-USB models or directly to port USB-A.
Android TV automatically recognizes the keyboard that is connected. Arrow keys allow you to navigate the menu, Enter button performs a selection confirmation function (similar to OK on the remote), and Esc key often works as a back button. The mouse also works immediately, allowing you to drive the cursor around the screen, which is especially convenient if the interface freezes and the navigation with the arrows does not respond.
☑️ Peripheral compatibility check
It's important to note that not all keys can work correctly. Specialized multimedia buttons on the keyboard can be ignored by the system, since Android TV drivers are sharpened to a basic set of commands. However, for initial activation and logging into the settings menu, this is more than enough.
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Use a compact wireless keyboard with a USB whistle – it takes up less space and does not require adapters if the console has a USB-A port.
Activation through HDMI-CEC control
HDMI-CEC (Consumer Electronics Control) technology allows devices connected via HDMI to control each other. If your TV supports this feature (Samsung calls it Anynet+, LG calls it SimpLink, Sony has Bravia Sync), then the remote can also control the Xiaomi console. In some cases, pressing the on button on the TV remote automatically puts the console out of sleep.
What's earned, the feature must be activated in the settings of both devices. Usually on the Xiaomi Mi Box, it is enabled by default in the Settings section. → The device → Nutrition management → Turn on the TV. If the console is off, try switching the signal source (Source/Input) on the television on the appropriate HDMI-port – this action often sends a wake-up signal to the connected device.
| Brand TV | Name of technology | How to activate |
|---|---|---|
| Samsung | Anynet+ | Menu → General → External Device Manager |
| LG | SimpLink | Settings → General. → SIMPLINK (HDMI-CEC) |
| Sony | Bravia Sync | Settings → System system → External entrances → Management BRAVIA Sync |
| Philips | EasyLink | Settings → Television → EasyLink |
If standard login switching doesn’t work, try playing any content through built-in Smart TV apps (like YouTube on the TV itself), and then switching to HDMI. Sometimes the active data stream “wakes up” adjacent ports, especially for older TV models where CEC implementations might not be perfect.
Reset and hardware button activation
Unlike TVs, the Xiaomi Mi Box S or Mi TV Stick case rarely features physical power buttons. However, some modifications or revisions may have a hidden button or key combination. In most cases, if the console is connected to the outlet, it is already in standby mode and only needs a signal to turn on.
If the device is stuck and does not respond to any commands, the only way out is to reset the hardware or restart the power. Mi TV Stick sometimes works by long-term pressing of the button (if any) along with the power connection. But most often you have to take the radical step of turning off the power supply from the socket, wait 10-15 seconds and turn it on again. When you boot, the system can automatically go into active mode.
⚠️ Warning: Abrupt power outages during operation or system upgrades can cause file system damage and data loss. Use this method only as a last resort.
For models with a reset button (usually a small hole where you press the paper clip), there is a method of "Hard Reset". When you turn off the console, you need to press the reset button, plug in the power and hold the button until the Mi logo appears. This will trigger the recovery mode, where you can try to restart the system (Reboot system now), which will actually turn on the device.
What is Recovery Mode?
Problems with IR port and Bluetooth
The original Xiaomi remote can work in two modes: via Bluetooth (main) and via infrared (IR).If you are trying to use a third-party universal remote with an IR emitter, make sure it supports codes for Android TV or Xiaomi. However, if the regular remote stopped working on Bluetooth, simply turning on the console in another way will not solve the problem of pairing.
When the prefix is included through USB-The keyboard or the application, the old remote control, will have to re-mating the pairing process, usually by pressing the Home and Back buttons at the same time, or by holding a special pairing button, without which navigation will be impossible even if the system boots up.
A common problem is battery discharge, which makes it impossible for the remote to send a wake-up signal. In such cases, replacing the batteries with fresh alkaline batteries often solves the problem instantly. Lithium batteries can produce the smaller peak current needed for an IR flash or Bluetooth connection at start-up.
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Bluetooth connection requires pre-conjugation, so for the primary inclusion after resetting the IR panel or USB-Keyboards are the only option.
Use of adapters and IR blasters
If you have a Xiaomi smart home (like a Multi-Mode Gateway) or a Xiaomi Universal IR Remote, you can use them to turn on consoles. These devices can emulate thousands of different devices. You'll need to add a TV Box or Xiaomi device to the Mi Home app and customize the code.
The advantage of IR blasters is that they work even if the console is completely gone into deep sleep, since the IR receiver on the front of the Mi Box is active always while there is power, and this is a more reliable way to wake up the device than trying to connect over Wi-Fi if the network module is also asleep.
There are also special USB adapters that turn a smartphone into an IR remote if the phone itself does not have an integrated emitter, such gadgets that connect to a headphone jack or USB-C can be a great temporary solution for controlling all household appliances, including the console.