Owning a modern Xiaomi smartphone means taking full advantage of its multimedia capabilities. However, even the largest Phablet diagonal is not always convenient for watching movies, presentations or games. In such situations, you need to broadcast the image to the big screen of your TV or computer monitor, an action often called “traffic output” or screen mirroring.
There are many scenarios where you want to duplicate your display. You may want to show vacation photos to guests, run a mobile game on a TV with better sound, or present a work project through a projector. MIUI and Android provide built-in tools, but advanced features often require third-party solutions.
In this article, we will go into detail all the current ways of transmitting video streams. We will look at both wireless protocols and wired connection, which provides minimal latency. USB-Video-enabled cable is the only option to achieve minimal latency.
Wireless broadcasting through built-in Miracast functionality
The easiest and most common way to display an image is to use Miracast technology. In the MIUI shell, this feature is often hidden in the Translation or Wireless Monitor menu. To work, both devices, a smartphone and a TV (or TV set-top box), must be connected to the same Wi-Fi network, a critical condition without which device search is impossible.
To activate the feature, lower the notification curtain and find the Translation icon. If it is not available in quick access, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → Broadcast. Once turned on, the phone will start scanning the available receivers. The TV may need to run the Screen Share app or similar, depending on the Smart TV model.
⚠️ Note: When using the wireless method in conditions of noisy ether (many neighboring Wi-Fi networks), short-term twitching of the image or desynchronization of sound is possible.
The quality of the image depends on the speed and distance of your router. 5 GHz is preferable for high-resolution video transmission, because it provides a wider data channel. If you use 2.4 GHz, the resolution can be automatically reduced by the system to maintain smoothness.
Using the Google Home app for Chromecast
If your TV supports Google Chromecast built-in technology or you have an external Chromecast, the most stable solution will be the official Google Home app, which allows you not only to mirror the entire screen, but also to stream content from specific applications, which saves battery life.
To get started, install the app from Google Play and log in to the same account you use on your TV. Once you find the device, click on its icon and select Translate Screen. Unlike standard Miracast, it uses the Cast protocol, which is often more stable in the Android ecosystem.
- 📱 Open the Google Home app on your smartphone.
- 📺 Select your TV from the list of devices.
- 🖥️ Press the button "Cast my screen).
- ✅ Confirm the action by clicking “Start Now».
It is important to note that some content-protected apps (such as Netflix or online cinemas) can block image output through simple mirroring due to HDCP policy. In such cases, you need to look for the Translation button inside the player app itself, rather than duplicate the entire screen of the smartphone.
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If the TV is not visible in the list, make sure that the router has disabled the “AP Isolation” function, which prevents devices on the same network from seeing each other.
Image output to the computer through USB-debugging and scrcpy
For users who require maximum quality and minimal latency, the ideal solution is to display the image on the PC via the Internet. USB-It uses an open source utility called scrcpy, which doesn't require root rights, but necessitates enable developer mode.
The first step is to activate the hidden menu. → About the phone and quickly press 7 times on the item "Version" MIUI». After you have become a developer, go back to the main settings menu, select Advanced Settings» → «For developers. You need to activate the switch here. USB-debugging.
adb devicesOnce the cable is connected, the computer must identify the device. If you see the confirmation code on the phone screen, click "Allow." Then, using the scrcpy console command, you will start the broadcast. The image will be transmitted in its original resolution at a bit rate of up to 8 Mbps, which is much higher than the quality of wireless methods.
⚠️ Note: At the first connection to the USB Always check your smartphone screen. Without debugging confirmation on the device itself, your computer won't be able to access the video stream.
Set-up the developer parameters for stable operation
To optimize your smartphone's performance when you display an image, you can change a few settings in the developer menu, which is especially true if you're using your phone as a game console connected to a monitor, and if you set it up properly, you can prevent FPS from falling and from being out of sync.
In the Developer Menu, find the rendering section, where you can force the refresh rate or the interface animations to be turned off to reduce the CPU load when broadcasting, and it's also helpful to enable the "Do not turn off screen" option when charging if you're using a wired connection.
| Parameter | Recommended value | Impact on broadcasting |
|---|---|---|
| USB-debugging | Included. | It is necessary for wired output |
| Window animation | 0.5x or Retraction. | Accelerates interface response |
| Background limit of processes | No restrictions. | Prevents streaming flight |
| USB configuration by default | File transfer | Provides a stable data channel |
Don't change settings you don't know what you're going to do. Interfering with system processes can cause MIUI to run in an unstable way. If the screen starts to go out or the phone starts to reboot, reset the settings for developers.
☑️ Check before connecting to the PC
Third-party applications for extended functions
If standard tools are not enough, the app store offers many alternatives: Apps like ApowerMirror or TeamViewer allow you not only to see the screen, but also to control the smartphone from a computer (if the corresponding function is enabled in MIUI), this is convenient for those who work with documents or test applications.
For gamers, there are specialized launchers that allow you to overlay controls on the PC screen. However, it is worth remembering that such programs often require more resources and can cause the device to heat up during a long session. Free versions often have time limits or watermarks.
Why can't the sound work when broadcasting?
When using third-party software, pay attention to the permissions you request. To work properly, the program needs access to display on top of other applications and access to media files. Without these permissions, the broadcast will either not start or will be a black screen.
Solutions (Frequent Problems) and Delays
Even with the right setup, users can encounter artifacts. If the image twitches, try rebooting the router and smartphone. Often it helps to forget the Wi-Fi network on the phone and reconnect. In some cases, resetting the network settings in the Settings menu → Connection and Sharing → Wi-Fi → Network Management helps.
If the problem is sound, check to see if Do Not Disturb mode or mono sound is activated in special features. Also make sure the audio codec on the TV supports the format that the phone gives out. In rare cases, changing the region in the phone settings helps, as in some regions broadcast functions may be limited by licensing agreements.
⚠️ Warning: Long-term screen broadcasting, especially in high resolution, causes significant heat to the processor. Watch the temperature of the device to avoid trottling (decreased performance).
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The stability of wireless broadcasting is 90% dependent on the quality of the Wi-Fi signal and the absence of interference in the air, so the router standard Wi-Fi 5 or Wi-Fi 6 is preferable to older models.
So in conclusion, the method you choose depends on your goals — USB-Google Home, and for smart home management, experiment with settings to find the perfect balance between picture quality and usability.