How to enable OTA updates on Xiaomi TVs: 3 proven ways

Updates by air" (OTA, Over-The-Air is a key feature of modern Xiaomi TVs that allows you to automatically receive the latest firmware versions, bug fixes and new features. OTA-The updates don't come or the TV doesn't see them, and the reasons may be due to the wrong settings or the technical limitations of the particular model.

In this article, we will explore all possible ways to enable OTA on Xiaomi Mi TV, Redmi Smart TV and other series – from basic settings to forced firmware installation via USB.

What is OTA on Xiaomi TV and why is it necessary?

OTA (Over-The-Air is a wireless software update technology that allows Xiaomi TVs to automatically download and install new firmware versions over the Internet. USB, OTA-update:

• 🔄 Save time – do not require downloading files manually and using a flash drive.
• 🛡️ Safer – the firmware is checked on Xiaomi servers before installation.
• 📦 Contains optimizations – often include performance improvements and new features (e.g. Dolby Vision support or 120Hz game mode).
• 🐞 Fix errors – eliminate bugs with sound, image or remote operation.

Without regular updates, the TV could slow down, lose compatibility with apps (like Netflix or YouTube), or even become vulnerable to cyberattacks. For example, MIUI TV 3.0 had a critical vulnerability that allowed attackers to access the local network via the TV.

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi TVs older than 2018 (e.g. Mi) TV 4A 32" or Mi" TV 4S 55") OTA-It's because of the company's policy to support older models, and the only way to upgrade is to manually run through the firmware. USB.

Check the current firmware version before enabling OTA

Before you try to enable OTA, make sure your Xiaomi TV supports this feature at all.

1. Take the remote and press the Settings button.
2. Go to the section About TV → General information.
3. Find the lines MIUI TV version and Model (e.g. L55M6-6ARU).

If the firmware version is older than MIUI TV 2.0, OTA is most likely disabled by default.

• 🔌 Internet connection – TV must be connected to Wi-Fi or Ethernet.
• 📅 Date and time – if they are downed, Xiaomi servers can block updates.
• 📶 Region – some firmware only comes to certain countries (e.g. India or Europe).

Method 1: Enabling OTA through standard settings

This is the simplest method that works on most Xiaomi models.

1. Open Settings → About TV → Update system.
2. Click Check for updates.
3. If the message "New version is available", click Download and install.
4. Wait until the download is complete (it can take up to 30 minutes depending on the internet speed).
5. After downloading the TV will suggest restarting - confirm the action.

If there are no updates but you are sure they should be, try:

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi TVs (e.g. Mi) TV 5 Pro) Reset the sound and picture settings after the update, record the current settings (brightness, contrast, equalizer) or take a photo to restore them.

If after clicking Check Update there is an error "Can not connect to the server", the problem may be:

• 🌍 Blocking Xiaomi servers by your ISP (try using mobile internet over your Internet service) USB-modem).
• 🔒 Antivirus or firewall on the router (turn them off while checking).
• 🕒 Incorrect time – sync it manually in the settings.

Method 2: Forced OTA verification through service menu

If the standard method doesn’t work, you can try checking for updates through a hidden service menu, which is suitable for experienced users and requires caution.

Instructions:

1. Turn on the TV and on the remote press sequentially: → Back up. → MENU → Back up. → Up. → Up. → Down. → Down. → Left. → Right. → Left. → Right (in some models, the combination may be different).
2. The Engineer Mode menu will open.
3. Go to System Update → Force OTA Check.
4. Press Start and wait for the result.

If the menu does not open, it means:

• 🔐 The manufacturer has blocked access to your model (relevant for TVs released after 2022).
• 🎮 You use a non-original remote – try the native remote from Xiaomi.
• 🔄 You need to update the remote firmware (plug it into your TV via Bluetooth and check for updates in Settings). → DU remote).

Method 3: Manual USB update (if OTA doesn't work)

If none of the previous methods helped, it remains to install the firmware manually through USB-This method is guaranteed to work on all Xiaomi models, but it takes longer.

Step-by-step:

1. Download the latest firmware for your model from the official Xiaomi Support website (select the Global or EEA region for Europe).
2. Unpack the archive and copy the file update.zip root USB-storage device (not in the folder!).
3. Connect the flash drive to the TV (USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 port – it doesn’t matter).
4. Go to Settings → About TV → System Update → Update via USB.
5. Select the update.zip file and confirm the installation.

Important nuances:

• 💾 The flash drive should be formatted in FAT32 (not NTFS exFAT).
• 🔋 The TV must be connected to the network – if during the update the power goes off, the firmware may be damaged.
• 📁 Don’t rename the file – it should be called update.zip.

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If the TV can’t see the flash drive, try another one. USB-scaling-up (preferably by volume) ≤32GB) Some Xiaomi models do not support flash drives USB 3.1 or a large amount of memory.

Frequent OTA issues on Xiaomi TV and their solutions

Even after OTA is enabled, users often encounter errors.

1. error "No updates available" (no updates available)

Causes and solutions:

• 📡 Xiaomi servers are overloaded – try checking for updates later (e.g. at night).
• 🌎 Wrong region – change the country to India or Germany (there are more updates coming there).
• 🔄 Cache updates clogged - clean it through Settings → Annexes → Updating the system → Clear the cache.

2. Hanging during the loading phase

If the TV is hanging when downloading firmware:

• 🔌 Check the speed of the Internet – the minimum speed should be ≥5 Mbps.
• 🔄 Restart your router – sometimes changing your Wi-Fi channel to 5GHz helps.
• 📵 Disconnect other devices from the network – they may consume traffic.

3.The TV will not turn on after the upgrade

Critical error that requires resetting:

1. Turn off the TV for 1 minute.
2. Press and hold the Power button on the case (not the remote) for 15 seconds.
3. Connect the power – the TV should start in recovery mode.
4. Select Wipe data/factory reset (reset to factory settings).

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If the TV is constantly restarted after updating, this is a sign of firmware incompatibility, in which case you need to roll back to the previous version via USB or contact the service center.

How to speed up the acquisition OTA-update

If you don’t want to wait for Xiaomi to release an update for your region, you can force the process to speed up:

• 📡 Use it. VPN — Connect to servers in India or Singapore (updates are available earlier).
• 🔄 Reset network settings – sometimes it resets the update cache.
• 📅 Change the date – set the current date +1 month (this will cheat the verification system).
• 📥 Participate in beta testing – register for miui.tv/beta (not available to all models).

You can also subscribe to official Xiaomi channels in social networks (for example, Telegram), where they announce the release of new firmware.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions