How to put the AAC codec on Xiaomi: 3 working ways to smartphones and TV

Do you have a problem when high-quality video is played without sound, and music tracks with the.m4a or.aac extension refuse to play on your Xiaomi device? The reason most often lies in the lack of support for the AAC codec, one of the most common audio compression formats used in YouTube, Apple Music and most modern media files. Despite the fact that Qualcomm and Mediatek processors in Xiaomi devices hardware support AAC, the manufacturer sometimes excludes it from the MIUI firmware for licensing or optimization reasons.

In this article, we will discuss three proven methods of installing the AAC codec on Xiaomi smartphones and TVs, including models based on MIUI 12/13/14 and HyperOS. You will learn how to activate support for AAC-LC, HE-AAC and LDAC formats without root rights (for most cases) or using Magisk for advanced users. We will also look at the nuances for Mi TVs and Redmi Smart TVs, where the problem with AAC is most common when watching IPTV or streaming services.

Before you start, make sure that your problem is really codec-related. Try playing the.aac file through a standard player. MIUI (If there's no sound, but the file is opened, it means there's no codec. If the file is not recognized at all, maybe the problem is that it's not recognized. DRM-Protecting or damaging the file.

1. Check current codec support on Xiaomi

Before installing additional codecs, you need to make sure that AAC is not supported by your device.

• 📱 Install the app AIDA64 Or DevCheck from Google Play.
• 🔍 Go to the Multimedia section → Codecs (in) AIDA64) or → Audio (at DevCheck).
• 🎵 Look for lines with mentions AAC, MP4A or MPEG-4 Audio. If there's none, there's no codec.
• 🎧 Check the playback of the test file AAC via the official website of Fraunhofer IIS (formatter).

Note: Some Xiaomi devices (e.g., Redmi Note 10 Pro or POCO X3 Pro) may show AAC support in the specifications, but do not actually play files due to the software limitations of MIUI. This is especially true for devices sold in regions with strict licensing restrictions (e.g., India or China).

⚠️ Attention: On Mi TVs TV (model 4A/4S/5X) lack of AAC It is often disguised as "problems with the HDMI-ARC" or DRM". Before installing codecs, try resetting the sound settings in Settings. → Sound. → Additionally. → Resetting sound settings.

2. Install AAC via MIUI Lab (no root rights)

The easiest way to activate AAC support is to use hidden MIUI settings available through the MIUI Lab (Function Lab), a technique that works on most Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 12.5+ and HyperOS, but may not be available on budget models (e.g. Redmi 9A or POCO M3).

Instructions:

1. Open the Settings app and go to About Phone.
2. Tap 5-7 times on the line MIUI version until the notification appears You became a developer!
3. Return to the main Settings menu and open Additional → Developer options.
4. Activate the MIUI Lab switch (or MIUI Optimization on English firmware).
5. Reset the device.
6. After the reboot, open Settings → Sound and Vibration → Additional → Codecs.
7. Enable the AAC Audio Decoder option (if it is on the list).

If there is no codec, try an alternative path:

Settings → Applications → Application Management → Three dots (menu) → Show all apps → Media Storage → Memory → Clear data

This reset sometimes causes the system to rescan supported formats.

- Developer mode is on.

- MIUI Laboratory activated

- The device is rebooted.

- Sound settings checked-->

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI EU or custom assemblies) paragraph MIUI The lab may not be there. In this case, use the method of ADB (Section 3) or installation through Magisk (section 4).

Activation AAC through ADB-Teams (for experienced users)

If MIUI Lab is not helpful or missing on your device, you can try enabling AAC support via ADB (Android Debug Bridge).This method does not require root rights, but will require connecting the device to a computer.

The work will require:

• 🖥️ Computer with Windows/macOS/Linux and installed drivers ADB.
• 📱 Included Debugging Mode by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 taps → Developer parameters → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 USB-TypeC Cable (preferably original).

Steps:

1. Download Google’s Platform Tools and unpack the archive.
2. Connect the smartphone to the computer and confirm the debugging permission on the device screen.
3. Open the command prompt (cmd in Windows or Terminal in macOS/Linux) in the folder with ADB.
4. Follow the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
5. Enter the activation command. AAC: adb shell settings put global audio_offload_aac_enabled 1
6. Reboot the device: adb reboot

After the reboot, check the playback AAC-If you hear a sound, the codec is activated. If you don't, try additional commands:

adb shell settings put global audio_offload_disable 0


adb shell settings put global audio_offload_min_duration_ms 1000

💡

If after executing commands, the sound became intermittent or artifacts appeared, reset the sound settings through Settings → Applications → Application Management → Media Storage → Clear the data.

4. Install AAC via Magisk (for rooted devices)

If previous methods have failed and you have Magisk installed on your device, you can install the AAC codec through the Audio Modification Library module or ViPER4Android, which is suitable for advanced users and requires an unlocked bootloader.

Step-by-step:

1. Install Magisk Manager (if not already installed) and make sure that the root rights are active.
2. Download the Audio Modification Library module (AML) from the Magisk repository: 🔗 Link to XDA-Developers

Magisk Manager

AML

AAC

High-Quality AAC

Activate the changes and restart the device again.

The alternative is to use ViPER4Android:

• 🎛️ Install. ViPER4Android FX Magisk.
• 🔊 In the application settings, enable the Force option AAC Decoder.
• 🎚️ Set up the equalizer as you wish (not necessarily).

⚠️ Note: Installing modules via Magisk may result in a bootloop ( looped reboot) if the module is incompatible with your firmware. TWRP or adb backup.

5. Solving the AAC problem on Xiaomi TVs (Mi TV/Redmi TV)

On Xiaomi TVs, the problem with AAC is different: the sound may disappear when watching IPTV, YouTube or Netflix, although the video is played normally, this is due to the fact that the Mi TV uses a separate audio system based on Linux, and the AAC codec can be disabled at the kernel level.

Solutions:

• 📺 Firmware Update: Check for updates in Settings → On TV. → Software updates. MIUI TV 3.0+ support AAC defaulted.
• 🔄 Resetting sound settings: Go to Settings → Sound. → Additionally. → Resetting sound settings.
• 🎧 Use an external decoder: Connect a soundbar or AV-receiver HDMI ARC — The external device will take over the decoding AAC.
• 🛠️ Manual installation of codecs (for advanced): On some models (Mi) TV 4S 55", Redmi Smart TV X55) You can install an alternative player (for example, Kodi or VLC) supportive AAC.

On Xiaomi TVs with an Amlogic S905 processor (models 2018-2020), the AAC codec may not work due to hardware limitations, in which case the only solution is to use an external decoder or replace the TV with a model with a Mediatek MT9611 (for example, the Mi TV Q1 55).

6.Alternative ways to play AAC on Xiaomi

If none of these methods worked, consider alternative options:

• 🎵 File Conversion: Use FFmpeg or Audacity to convert.aac to.aac.mp3 or.opus: ffmpegeg -i input.aac -c:a libmp3lame -q:a 2 output.mp3
• 📱 Third-party players: Install VLC, MX Player or Poweramp – They have built-in decoders AAC.
• 🌐 Cloud Services: Upload files to Google Drive or Yandex Disk and play through the web interface.
• 🔌 Bluetooth audio: Connect headphones or a speaker over Bluetooth – some Xiaomi devices transmit AAC Bluetooth even if it is not locally played.

Xiaomi TVs can also be used for TVs. DLNA/UPnP-A server (e.g. Plex or Kodi) that will transcode AAC This will require constant server operation (e.g., on-the-fly format). NAS PC).

💡

If your Xiaomi device doesn’t support AAC at the hardware level (like the older models on the Mediatek Helio G35), no software method will help, leaving you with file conversions or external decoders.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the AAC codec on Xiaomi