Modern smart TVs Xiaomi and Redmi are equipped with a powerful operating system Android TV or Google TV, which turns them into full-fledged multimedia centers. However, the built-in memory of the device does not always allow you to download all the necessary collections of photos or archives of videos that you want to show to guests, in such situations, it is necessary to quickly and without loss of quality to transfer data from your smartphone to the big screen.
There are several proven synchronization methods, each with its own characteristics: you can use a local Wi-Fi network for instant streaming, connect devices directly through the Internet. USB-cable or cloud services to sync content, the best way to choose depends on the size of the files, the speed of your router and the version of the operating system installed on your smartphone and TV set-top box.
In this guide, we will take a closer look at the technical details of each method so you can choose the most convenient option.We will look at both standard Google features and specific applications for local data exchange. Understanding the principles of how transmission protocols work will help avoid common errors and desynchronization of devices.
Use of Google Home and Chromecast
The easiest and most common way to display an image is Google Cast technology, built into the Android ecosystem. If your smartphone and Xiaomi TV are connected to the same Wi-Fi network, they will automatically detect each other. To start the broadcast, you just open a supported application, such as YouTube or Google Photos, and click on the icon of the rectangle with waves in the corner of the screen.
It's important to understand the difference between mirroring and streaming. In the first case, the TV just repeats everything that happens on your phone screen, including notifications and calls. In the second case, the device sends only a link to the media file to the TV, and the TV itself downloads content from the Internet, which saves battery power of the smartphone.
- 📱 Open the Google Home app on your mobile device.
- 📺 Choose your Xiaomi TV from the list of available devices in the room.
- 🔗 Click the Broadcast screen button for full display cloning.
- 🎬 Or use the Cast button inside the video player to stream.
⚠️ Note: When using Screen Mirroring, the resolution of the transmitted image may be limited by the capabilities of the smartphone, not the TV. 4K Better to use streaming within applications.
Connection stability is directly dependent on the quality of the wireless signal. If you notice delays or artifacts on the screen, try bringing the router closer to the TV or switching to the 5 GHz band, which is less crowded by neighboring networks.
Transmission over the local area network and DLNA protocol
If you want to play a file that isn’t supported by standard applications, or if you want to manage your media library more flexibly, DLNA technology comes to the rescue. This protocol allows you to share multimedia content between devices within the same local network without having to copy files to the internal memory of the TV.
To implement this method, you will need to install a server application on your smartphone. Popular options include BubbleUPnP, VLC for Android or built-in Xiaomi gallery features. Once the server is up, the TV will see the phone as an external media source, similar to a flash drive.
On the Xiaomi TV side, you open the Media Player app or All Files, then go to the Network Resources section, and you'll see your smartphone name, and you'll have access to folders with photos and videos that you can play in high quality.
☑️ Checking readiness DLNA broadcast
The advantage of this method is that the file is not physically copied, but read directly from the phone, which allows you to instantly switch between tracks or frames without waiting for download, but you should consider that the read speed is limited by the bandwidth of your router.
Sharing files via FTP and File Explorer
For advanced users who need direct access to the file system, the ideal solution is to create a file system. FTP-This method allows you to use the standard file explorer on your Xiaomi TV to copy, move and delete files on your phone as if they were on a network drive.
To start the server, download an application on your phone, such as WiFi. FTP Server or use the Remote Management feature in Mi or Solid Explorer file managers. Once the server is turned on, the smartphone screen will display the address of the type ftp://192.168.1.5:2221.
Then, on your TV, open the File Commander app or any other network-enabled file manager. Enter the displayed address into the connection bar. You can now drag and drop files between the TV and phone folders at the maximum speed of your local network.
Example of address to connect:
ftp://192.168.0.105:2121This method is especially useful if you want to transfer files of specific formats that are not defined as media content, or configuration files for setting up applications. FTP Often higher than using cloud storage.
What if the TV doesn’t see the FTP server?
Transfer of data through USB-cable
When wireless networks are not available or you need to transfer files of huge volume (for example, movies to the Internet). 4K weight 50-80 GB, the most reliable is the good old USB-But there's a big technical nuance: Xiaomi TVs are usually hosted (USB Host, not devices.
This means you can’t just connect your phone with a cable. USB-USB And you expect the TV to see it as a flash drive, and you have to put it into a special mode, or you have to use adapters, and most of the time, this method works if the phone is running on the same mode. USB OTG in the opposite direction, which is rare.
A more realistic scenario with cable is to use your phone as an intermediate storage device: you copy files from your computer to your phone, and then if your TV model supports reading NTFS or exFAT file systems via a USB port, you plug your phone into Mass Storage mode. But today's Android smartphones default to MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) mode, which TVs don't always see correctly.
- 🔌 Use a quality cable with data transfer support, not just charging.
- 💾 On the phone in the connection notification USB Select the File Transfer Mode or PTP.
- 📂 On the TV, go to External Devices and find the connected gadget.
- ⚡ For large files, this method can be slower than 5GHz Wi-Fi.
⚠️ Warning: Do not disable the cable during active data transfer, this may cause the file system to be damaged or some information to be lost.
If your phone and TV support Android 11+ and have the appropriate ports, you can try using a USB-C to USB-C cable. In this case, the phone can emulate an external drive that the TV recognizes automatically.
Cloud storage and synchronization
The most versatile, though not the fastest, way is to use cloud services. By installing Google Drive, Yandex.Disk or Dropbox on a Xiaomi TV (via the Google Play Store) and on a smartphone, you get access to a single space.
By uploading files to the cloud from your phone, you can instantly open them on your TV, which doesn't require devices to be on the same network or even in the same room, but the main requirement is that both devices have a stable Internet connection.
Xiaomi ecosystem owners also benefit from Mi Cloud, which is a feature that automatically shows up in the Gallery of the phone with sync enabled, after logging in to the same Mi Account, which is ideal for watching family albums.
| Method | Speed. | We need the Internet. | Convenience |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Cast | Tall. | No (locally) | Very high. |
| DLNA | Medium | No (locally) | Average. |
| FTP | Tall. | No (locally) | Low (for beginners) |
| Cloud. | Depends on the tariff. | Yes (required) | High. |
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Use cloud storage only for documents and photos. 4K-It is better to use a local network or external hard drive so as not to consume Internet traffic and not depend on download speed.
Solving Connection Problems
Despite the simplicity of modern technology, users often face a situation where the Xiaomi TV does not see the phone. First of all, check whether your network is divided into guest and main. Devices must be connected strictly to a single SSSID router, guest networks often have client isolation.
The second common reason is power saving settings: Aggressive MIUI algorithms or TV shells can turn off the Wi-Fi module or the server application's background processes to save power. Add the apps used to the exception list or allow auto-start.
If you use a dual-band router, make sure that both devices do not “split” over different frequencies (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz), although modern routers usually know how to throw traffic between them, older models can block such interaction.
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90% of connection problems are solved by restarting the router and checking that both devices are on the same subnet (the same first three digits). IP-address).
In rare cases, resetting network settings on the TV helps. → Network and Internet, and choose to forget the network, then reconnect. DNS refresh DHCP- lease.
Comparison of codecs and file formats
Successful file transfer is only half the battle. The other half is playback. Xiaomi TV's built-in player supports most popular formats, but there may be problems with specific containers or audio tracks.
The most versatile format for video is MP4 with H.264 codec. More modern H.265 codecs (HEVC) require more processing power and can cause slowdowns on older TV models, even if the file is transferred successfully. Audio tracks in AC3 format may not play due to licensing restrictions.
For photo format JPG is the standard, but for HDR-Content is better used PNG or HEIF, If the TV firmware is updated to the latest version, RAW-Files from the camera phone make sure you have a third-party player installed, for example, VLC or MX Player, as the standard gallery may not open them.