Modern smartphones have long ceased to be just a means of communication, becoming powerful multimedia centers that users tend to use on large screens. The screen broadcast feature on Xiaomi devices allows you to instantly display an image from the display of a gadget to a TV, projector or computer without the use of wires, this is especially true for watching movies, showing presentations or running mobile games on a wide panel.
With MIUI and the new HyperOS, this process is as convenient as possible, but many users are asking questions about how the technology works and why it sometimes doesn’t start. Wireless data is based on Wi-Fi Direct and Miracast standards, which ensure high response speed and high-quality picture. Understanding the principles of this system will help to avoid delays and dissynchronization of sound.
In this article, we will discuss in detail what is broadcasting in the context of the Xiaomi ecosystem, how to set up a connection correctly, and what hidden opportunities exist for advanced users, you will learn how the built-in tool differs from third-party solutions and how to achieve perfect image quality.
The principle of wireless image transmission
The fundamental basis of the technology is the Miracast protocol, which is supported by most modern TVs and receivers. Xiaomi smartphone creates a direct Wi-Fi connection to the receiving device, bypassing the router, which allows you to stream video in real time with minimal delays. Unlike DLNA, which only sends a file to play, it duplicates exactly what is happening on the screen at the moment.
The video encoding process takes over the device's GPU, compressing the data stream for fast transmission. Hardware acceleration in the Qualcomm and MediaTek chips used in Xiaomi allows you to process an image in Full HD and even 4K resolution without significant load on the system. However, the quality of communication is directly dependent on interference in the air and distance between devices.
Technical details of the protocol
It is worth noting that some applications, such as Netflix or Disney+, can block the output of an image through standard broadcast due to HDCP protection. In such cases, the system can show a black screen instead of a video, which is a normal reaction to trying to copy protected content.
Built-in MIUI and HyperOS tools
In Xiaomi smartphones, the feature is called Translation and is hidden in the option menu or in the control panel. To access it, you need to open Settings, go to Connect and Share and select the appropriate item. In some firmware versions, this tool is displayed in the Tools folder on the desktop.
An alternative and faster way to activate is to use the control center, and swipe down from the top right corner of the screen, and you'll find a rectangle icon with arrows, and clicking on it will start searching for available devices within Wi-Fi range.
- 📺 Broadcast: standard tool for dubbing screens on TVs with support for Miracast.
- 🏠 Mi Home: a smart home management app that can also stream images from cameras to Xiaomi and Android TVs TV.
- 🌐 Google Home: a universal solution for devices with support for Chromecast built-in, often running more stable than the built-in tool.
It is important to understand that the built-in tool is most compatible with the TV brand Xiaomi, Redmi and Mi TV. On third-party panels (Samsung, LG, Sony) can be observed small differences in the image format, for example, black stripes at the edges.
Step-by-step instructions for connecting to the TV
To get started, make sure that both your smartphone and TV are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, which is critical because different subnets (such as the router’s guest network and the main one) can prevent each other from detecting devices.
After checking the network, follow the following steps to activate the connection:
☑️ Connection algorithm
The TV will have a request for confirmation of connection, which must be received by the remote, after which the image from the Xiaomi phone will be completely copied to the large screen. If the TV does not support automatic connection, you may need to activate the Screen Mirroring or Wireless Display mode in the menu of the TV itself.
⚠️ Warning: When broadcasting in high resolution, the smartphone can heat up significantly, it is recommended to remove the protective case if it is dense, and not to start heavy games during long watching videos.
Use of HDMI cable and adapters
When wireless connectivity is unstable or maximum picture quality is required without compression, it is advisable to use wired methods. Most modern Xiaomi smartphones are equipped with a USB Type-C port, which in flagship models supports video output through the DisplayPort Alt Mode standard.
To implement wired broadcasting, you will need a special USB-C to HDMI adapter. Just connect one end of the adapter to the phone, and connect the other end of the HDMI cable to the TV, the system automatically detects the external device and switches the video output.
| Connection method | Image quality | Delay (Latency) | Battery consumption |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi (Miracast) | High (compression) | Medium (50-100 ms) | High-pitched |
| USB-C to HDMI | Maximum (no compression) | Minimum (<10 ms) | Low (when charging) |
| Chromecast (Google) | Depends on the network. | High (buffering) | Medium. |
Using the cable also allows you to charge the device at the same time if the adapter has an additional power port, making the wired method ideal for long presentations or movie views.
Broadcasting to computer and other devices
The MIUI functionality allows you to broadcast the image not only to TVs, but also to a PC with Windows 10 or 11. To do this, you need to open the Connect application on your computer, which is an integrated component of the system.
Once the app is running on a PC, Xiaomi’s phone will see the computer in the list of available wireless projection devices, a method that is convenient for showing the mobile app screen to colleagues or recording screencasts without installing additional software.
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If your computer can't see your phone, check your Windows firewall settings. Make sure that your private network is allowed to detect devices and share files and printers.
There are also third-party programs, such as Scrcpy or Vysor, that allow you to control your phone from your computer via USB with minimal latency, requiring you to enable USB debugging in the Developer Menu and install ADB drivers.
Solving Connection Problems and Errors
The most common problem is when the TV is not displayed in the list of available devices, 90% of the time this is solved by restarting the router, as a suspended Wi-Fi module can not properly handle multicast requests from the smartphone.
Another reason could be using different frequency bands. If a router distributes 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks with different names (SSID), make sure both devices are connected to one of them.
- 🔄 Reboot: Turn off and turn both devices on again.
- 📡 Wi-Fi Check: Make sure the networks on your phone and TV match.
- 🛡️ Antivirus: temporarily disable network protection on the router if it blocks local connections.
⚠️ Warning: If the stream stopped working after the firmware update, reset the network settings. Go to Settings → Connection and sharing → Resetting Wi-Fi, mobile networks and Bluetooth.This won't delete your personal data, but will clear saved passwords.
The Impact of Translation on Autonomy and Performance
Active video transmission is energy-intensive, with the Wi-Fi module running in constant high load mode and the processor encoding the image, which can result in a battery charge that is 2-3 times faster than normal use.
To minimize the impact on system performance, it is recommended to close the background applications before broadcasting, which will free up RAM and computing resources for processing the video stream, which is especially important when running heavy games or applications with augmented reality.
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Broadcasting via an HDMI cable is always preferable for gaming, as it does not consume battery power (subject to power from the adapter) and provides zero input latency.
If you plan a long session, it is better to use a wired connection or keep the phone near the power source. Overheating can also lead to trotting - a forced decrease in the frequency of the processor, which will cause jerks in the image.