How to Update Apps on Xiaomi TV: All Ways + Problem Solving

Xiaomi TVs on Android TV or PatchWall require regular updates to apps — this improves performance, adds new features and closes security vulnerabilities. However, the process of updating on large screens is different from smartphones: there is no familiar Google Play with notifications, and the interface often hides key settings. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways of updating (automatic, manual, via APK), and also solve typical errors like “lack of memory” or “app is not updated”.

The feature of the Xiaomi Mi TV, Redmi TV and Mi Box is the use of the proprietary PatchWall shell, which modifies the standard Android TV. Because of this, some applications (for example, YouTube or Netflix) can be updated not through the Play Store, but through the built-in App Store from Xiaomi. We will show how to work with both stores, as well as how to circumvent restrictions if the application “hangs” on the old version.

Important: the instruction is relevant for models Mi TV 4/4A/4S/5/5X, Redmi Smart TV (all diagonals), as well as the consoles Mi Box S and Mi Box 4. For TVs on Google TV (for example, Xiaomi TV A2), the process is slightly different - we will point out these nuances separately.

1. Automatic update of applications through the App Store

The easiest way to enable auto-update is to enable auto-update in the Xiaomi store, which works for most pre-installed apps (Mi Home, PatchWall Launcher, WPS Office, etc.), but does not affect programs from Google Play.

To set up automatic updates:

1. Open the App Store (the “Store” icon on the home screen).
2. Go to the section My → Settings (the icon of the gear in the upper right corner).
3. Select Auto Update apps and activate the switch.
4. We also recommend you to enable the option to Update only over Wi-Fi to avoid the consumption of mobile traffic (relevant for the Mi Box consoles with 4G support).

⚠️ Warning: Auto-update in the App Store is often delayed — new versions can appear 1-2 weeks later than on Google Play. If you need the latest version of Netflix or Prime Video, use a manual update (see next section).

• ✅ Pros: Does not require your participation, updates system applications.
• ❌ Cons: It doesn’t work for apps from Google Play, there may be delays.

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If after the update, the application began to “fly out”, try to clear its cache: Settings → Applications → Select the application → Clear the cache.

2 Manual update via Xiaomi App Store

If automatic updates are disabled or not working, you can update applications manually, which is suitable for all Xiaomi models, including Redmi TV and Mi Box:

1. Open the App Store (the icon with the shopping bag).
2. Go to the Updates section (the arrow icon down in the top menu).
3. The system will show you a list of apps with available updates. Click Update all or select specific programs.
4. Confirm the action and wait for the download to be completed.

If the update list doesn’t have the app you need, but you know the new version is out:

• 🔍 Find the app through the App Store search.
• 📥 On its page, click Update (if the button is active).
• 🔄 If there is no button, then the application is already up to date or updated via Google Play.

Important: on Xiaomi TV A2 (with Google TV) instead of the App Store uses Play Store - instructions for it are given in the next section.

Check your Internet connection (Wi-Fi or Ethernet)

Free up at least 500 MB of memory (see Section 5)

Close running applications (click Home → Close everything)

Connect the TV to the power supply (relevant to the Mi Box)

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3 Update via Google Play (for Android TV/Google TV)

Apps installed from Google Play (YouTube, Disney+, Kodi, etc.) are updated through this store. On Xiaomi TVs with Android TV (for example, Mi TV 5X), the Play Store interface is adapted for the remote, but the functionality is saved:

Instructions:

1. Open Google Play (Color Triangle icon)
2. In the left menu, select My apps and games.
3. Go to the Update tab.
4. Click Update All or select specific apps.

If Google Play fails to open or if it is not open:

• 🔌 Reboot the TV (press the power on the remote for 5 seconds).
• 📶 Check your internet connection: go to Settings → Network and run a speed test.
• 🗑️ Clear the Google Play cache: Settings → Apps → Google Play → Clear the cache.

⚠️ Warning: On some Xiaomi models (e.g. Mi TV 4A for the Russian market), Google Play may be disabled by default. To activate it, go to Settings → Accounts and Security → Google and sign in to your account.

4 Update via APK-File (manual installation)

If the app is not updated through stores (e.g. Smart YouTube TV or TV Bro), you can manually install the new version through the APK- file. This method is suitable for power users, as it requires the use of third-party sources.

Step-by-step:

1. Download APK from a trusted source (e.g. APKCombo or APKMirror) Make sure the file is for Android TV (armeabi-v7a or arm64-v8a should be specified in the description).
2. Transfer APK to your TV: 📁 Through a flash drive: copy the file to a USB- drive and connect to a port USB 2.0 on your TV. ☁️ Through the cloud: download APK to Google Drive and open it on your TV via your browser. 📶 Over the network: use the Send Files to TV app (available on Google Play).
3. Install APK: Open File Manager (preinstalled on all Xiaomi TVs). Find the downloaded file and click on it. Confirm installation by allowing access to Unknown Sources (if requested).

⚠️ Warning: Installing APK from unreliable sources may lead to viruses or unstable TV performance. Before installing, check the hash file (MD5) on the donor site and compare it to the original.

If the installation error "Application not installed" appears:

• 🔧 Remove the old version of the app: Settings → Apps → Select the app → Delete.
• 📱 Check the APK architecture: For Xiaomi TV only arm64 or armeabi-v7a (not x86!) is suitable.
• 🔄 Restart the TV and re-install.

5. Solving problems when updating

Updating applications on Xiaomi TV can be accompanied by errors. Let’s consider the most common and ways to fix them:

Mistake: "There is not enough memory"

Xiaomi TVs often have limited storage (8-16 GB), which is quickly filled with cache and pre-installed apps.

• 🧹 Clear the cache: Settings → Storage → Data Cache → Clear.
• 🗑️ Remove unnecessary apps: Settings → Apps → Select → Delete.
• 📁 Move media files to an external drive (a flash drive or hard drive).
• 🔄 Reset the TV to factory settings (extreme case): Settings → System → Reset.

Error: “The app is not updated” (hangs on “Download”)

If the progress bar is frozen at 0% or 100%:

1. Restart the TV (press the power on the remote for 10 seconds).
2. Clear Google Play or App Store data: Settings → Apps → Google Play → Storage → Clear data
3. Check date and time: Settings → System → Date and time → Auto Update.
4. Reset network settings: Settings → Network → Additional → Network reset.

Error: “This item is incompatible with your device”

This problem arises if:

• 📱 The app is not optimized for Android TV (e.g., mobile versions VK or Telegram).
• 🌍 Your region is blocked (relevant to Netflix, HBO Max in some countries).
• 🔧 The TV runs on an outdated version of Android TV (below 9.0).

Decisions:

• Use the APK for Android TV (see section 4).
• Change the region on Google Play (you will need a VPN and a new Google account).
• Update the TV firmware: Settings → System → Software update.

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If the error occurs with only one app (like YouTube), try installing an alternative version of it, such as Smart YouTube TV or YouTube Vanced (via APK).

6. Update of system applications (PatchWall, Launcher)

System applications (PatchWall Launcher, Mi Home, File Manager) are updated separately from the user's, and new versions come with the TV firmware, but sometimes you can update them manually:

Refreshment methods:

• 🔄 Through the App Store: Some system applications (e.g., Mi Remote) are updated in a standard way.
• 📦 Through firmware: Download the latest version of the software for your model from the official Xiaomi website. Unpack the ZIP- archive and find files with the.apk extension (for example, PatchWall.apk). Install them manually (see section 4).

ADB

adb install -r PatchWall.apk

To do this, you will need to enable USB debugging in the developer settings (Settings → About TV → Click 7 times on the build number).

⚠️ Warning: Manual updates to system applications may cause the TV to run unstable. If after installation APK the TV starts to lag or not turn on, reset to factory settings.

7. How to roll back an app update

If the app gets worse after the update (for example, the new YouTube is slowing down or does not support the remote), you can roll back to the previous version.

1. Remove the current version of the application: Settings → Apps → Select → Delete.
2. Download the old version of APK with APKMirror (select Version History).
3. Install the APK manually (see Section 4).
4. Turn off automatic updates for this app: On Google Play: Open the app page → click three dots → uncheck Auto Update. On App Store: Mine → Settings → Auto Update → Exceptions.

If the pullback doesn't help, try:

• 🔧 Clear Application Data (No Cache!): Settings → Apps → Storage → Clear Data.
• 🔄 Reboot the TV in Safe Mode (clip Menu + Power on the remote when turned on).

8. Frequent questions and answers