Xiaomi 4:3 or 16:9: Which is the best time to choose in 2026?

Choosing between 4:3 and 16:9 on Xiaomi TVs can be trivial — until you encounter black bars on the sides of the screen, stretched images, or inconvenience when watching old movies — in practice, this parameter affects not only the visual experience, but also the comfort of using the device in different scenarios, from watching movies to playing on the console.

Modern models of Xiaomi Mi TV, Redmi Smart TV Xiaomi TV A Pro is 16:9 (or 16:10) by default, but many users still have to manually adjust their content, such as retro emulator games, archive programs, or documents that are often optimized for 4:3. In this article, we will analyze which format is best for your tasks, how to change it in the Xiaomi settings, and what pitfalls await if you make the wrong choice.

Spoiler: No universal answer. The optimal ratio depends on three factors: content type (movie, games, text), screen size (32, 55, 75), and personal preferences (e.g. tolerance to black fields).

What is the difference between 4:3 and 16:9 in practice?

The 4:3 (or 1.33:1) format is a square standard that dominated television until the 2000s.

• 🎮 Retro-game (NES, SNES, PlayStation 1 – without distortion of sprites.
• 📺 Archival TV and Film Programs (until the 1990s).
• 📄 Documents and tables – more vertical space.

16:9 (1.78:1) is a modern widescreen standard optimized for:

• 🎬 Blockbusters (most movies since the 2000s have been shot in 2.35:1, but 16:9 is closer to the original).
• 🎮 Modern games (PS5, Xbox Series X, PC) — front-to-front.
• 📊 Multitasking (splitting the screen into two windows).

The key difference is the display area. On a 16:9 55 screen, you’ll get 30% more horizontal space than you would in 4:3, but when you view old content, you’ll have to put up with black fields on the sides (or stretch the picture while losing quality).

Pros and cons of each format on Xiaomi TVs

Let’s break down the strengths and weaknesses of both formats in relation to Xiaomi. TV. Please note that some shortcomings can be compensated by settings (more on this in the next section).

Important for Xiaomi Mi owners TV Stick and portable projectors: these devices do not physically support system-level aspect ratio change – only through application-specific settings (e.g., Kodi or RetroArch).

⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi TVs with resolution 3840×2160 (4K) by force-shifting 4:3 The actual resolution will be reduced to 2880×2160 — loses some detail!

How to change the frame format on Xiaomi TV: step-by-step

In most models Xiaomi (series Mi) TV 4S, Mi TV 5, Redmi Smart TV X) the aspect ratio is changed through system settings or settings of a particular signal source:

1. Open the Settings. → Image: → Screen format.
2. Choose one of the options: Auto-TV will select the format for the signal (recommended). 16:9 is forced widescreen mode. 4:3 is forced "square" mode. Pixel to pixel - without scaling (for PC).

For external devices (set-top boxes, PCs) set the format separately in the Settings menu → Entrances → [choose HDMI-port].

Check the current ratio in Settings → Image:|

Update the firmware (some models require) MIUI TV 3.0+)|

For retro games, use emulators with Integer Scaling setting|

Reset the image settings if the picture is distorted (Settings) → System system → Reset)

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Xiaomi Mi Box S or Mi TV Stick can only be changed in apps, like Kodi:

1. Open the video settings (⚙️ → Player → Videos).
2. Enable Adjust display refresh rate and Allow hardware acceleration.
3. Select View mode. → Original 4:3 or Stretch 16:9.

⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi TV A2 43" and younger forced inclusion of 4:3 may result in the trimming of the PatchWall interface - some icons will not be available for selection!

Which format is better for different use cases

The choice of aspect ratio depends on what you plan to watch. Below are recommendations for tasks with the specifics of Xiaomi TV.

🎬 Cinema and TV series

Most modern films are shot in 2.35:1 or 1.85:1 formats. On the 16:9 screen, they will be displayed with black boxes on top and bottom (called "letterbox"), but without distortion.

• 🔹 The picture stretches vertically - the faces of the actors become "extended".
• 🔹 Up to 25% of the original shot is lost on the sides.

Conclusion: for movies, it's definitely 16:9 with black fields, except for movies before the 1990s (e.g., "Star Wars: Episode: "The Wars") IV"), who filmed at 4:3.

🎮 Games

It all depends on the platform:

• 🔹 Modern consoles (PS5, Xbox Series X) — only 16:9. Forced inclusion 4:3 will crop the interface (for example, a map to the game). GTA V).
• 🔹 Retro consoles (NES, SNES) — 4:3 is mandatory. 16:9 will stretch the sprites, and games like Super Mario Bros. will distort the physics of jumping.
• 🔹 PC-games, most of them support both formats. In the graphics settings, look for Aspect Ratio.

💡

For emulators on Xiaomi TV (For example, RetroArch) enable Crop Overscan in the video settings to remove black margins in 4:3 games.

📺 YouTube and streaming

YouTube automatically adjusts the format to your screen, but:

• 🔹 4:3 video (such as old reviews or lectures) on the 16:9 screen will have black margins on the sides.
• 🔹 Video at 9:16 (vertical) on Xiaomi TV The black boxes will be displayed on the left and right (regardless of your settings).

Recommendation: Leave the car in the image settings. For vertical videos, it is better to use a smartphone or tablet.

📊 Textwork and web surfing

When browsing web pages or documents, 4:3 can be more convenient — less scrolling. TV 55" and above, the difference is minimal. Exception: if you're connecting TV as a PC monitor, in this case:

• 🔹 For office tasks (Excel, Word) choose 4:3.
• 🔹 For design or video editing – 16:9 (meets the standards of rendering).

💡

For hybrid use (movie) + Retro games are optimal Xiaomi Mi TV Q2 75" with Dynamic Aspect Ratio - it automatically switches between 4:3 and 16:9 depending on the content.

Xiaomi models with better format support: a review of 2026

Not all Xiaomi TVs work equally well with different aspect ratios, and below is the rating of models for the flexibility of settings (from best to worst):

1. Xiaomi Mi TV Q2 75" - supports Dynamic Aspect Ratio, without distortion at 4:3.
2. Xiaomi TV A Pro 65" - Manual format configuration, but no dynamic mode.
3. Redmi Smart TV X55 — basic support 4:3, but with a trimming interface.
4. Xiaomi Mi TV Stick – 16:9 only, change is possible only in apps.

If support is critically important 4:3 (For example, for retro games, avoid resolution models. 3840×2160 (4K) — When you switch to square mode, they lose some of the pixels. TV Q1E (QLED) MediaTek-based 9650, which correctly scales both formats.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When changing formats to Xiaomi TV Users are faced with typical bugs. Here's how to fix them:

🔳 Black fields do not disappear when 16:9 is turned on.

Reason: The signal source (prefix, PC) is transmitting the video in a different format.

1. Press the Menu remote. → Image: → Screen format → Pixel-in-pixel.
2. In the settings of the external device (for example, NVIDIA Shield: Install Output Resolution → 1920×1080p.

🔳 Image stretched or flattened

This happens when you zoom incorrectly.

• 🔹 Settings Overscan in the TV menu (should be off.).
• 🔹 The ratio of the sides in the player (for example, in VLC kodi).

🔳 No 4:3 option on the menu

Some models (e.g. Xiaomi Mi) TV 4A) The option is hidden, to unlock it:

1. Activate Developer Mode (click 7 times on Version) MIUI TV customized).
2. Connect to the ADB and execute the command: setprop persist.sys.aspect.ratio.enable 1
3. Reboot the TV.

⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi TV P1 Google TV change of formats through ADB Chromecast services may crash. Make a backup of your settings before experimenting!

FAQ: Answers to popular questions