How to change video player on Xiaomi: 5 ways for TVs and smartphones

The standard video player on Xiaomi devices is often criticized for limited functionality, lack of support for popular formats or an uncomfortable interface, especially for Mi TVs and Redmi Smart TVs, where the built-in Mi Video app may not open.mkv files with multichannel sound or slow down when playing 4K HDR. On smartphones, the situation is better, but there users face problems - for example, the lack of subtitles or the inability to adjust the playback speed.

In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to replace video players on Xiaomi devices, from installing alternative applications to manually mounting network disks. Particular attention will be paid to TVs on Android TV and Google TV, where the process is nuanced due to the manufacturer's limitations. You will also learn how to avoid common errors (for example, the disappearance of sound after changing the player) and what settings to optimize for smooth playback.

Why Xiaomi’s standard player doesn’t suit users

The built-in Mi Video player (or Gallery on smartphones) was developed with a focus on basic functionality, which leads to a number of limitations:

• 🚫 No format support: does not play.mkv,.flac,.avi with DivX or Xvid codecs without converting.
• 🔊 Sound problems: TVs often "disappear" sound track DTS or Dolby Digital.
• ⚙️ Minimum settings: no adjustment of playback speed, equalizer or synchronization of subtitles.
• 📱 Advertising and integration: on smartphones in the player can appear banners of Xiaomi services (for example, Mi Video) VIP).

According to a 4PDA survey (2023), 68% of Xiaomi TV owners install third-party players in the first 3 months of use; among smartphones, this figure is lower at about 40%, but even there users often switch to VLC or MX Player due to more flexible settings.

⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi TVs with PatchWall firmware (Indian version), some alternative players may be blocked by the system as "uncertified", which will require root access or rollback to global firmware.

Method 1: Installation of an alternative player on a Xiaomi smartphone

On smartphones, the process is as simple as possible - just download the application from Google Play or a third-party source.

• 🎬 VLC Android: supports all formats, equalizer and synchronization of subtitles. Minus - sometimes brakes on weak chips (for example, Snapdragon) 4xx).
• 📺 MX Player: Optimized for Xiaomi, has hardware acceleration for HiSilicon and Mediatek.
• 🔧 Kodi: More suitable for streaming, but can be used as a local player with plugins.

Step-by-step:

1. Open Google Play and find the player you select (like VLC).
2. Click Install and wait for the download to be completed.
3. Launch the player and provide access to files in the Settings → Permissions menu.
4. In the player settings, activate options: Hardware acceleration (if available for your CPU). Autoturn for correct display of vertical videos.

If the player does not see files, check if the hidden folder display is enabled in the Xiaomi File Manager (Settings → Show hidden files).

Method 2: Replace the player on the Xiaomi TV (Android TV/Google TV)

On TVs, the process is more complicated because of the limitations of Android TV. You can't just install.apk, you need to use workarounds.

Option A: Installation via Google Play (for supported models)

New Xiaomi TVs (such as Mi TV Q2 2023 or Redmi Smart Fire TV) have access to Google Play for TV.

1. Open Google Play on your TV.
2. In the search, type in the player name (for example, VLC for Android TV).
3. Install the application and launch it.
4. Connect an external drive (a flash drive or hard drive) via USB or configure network access (SMB/DLNA).

Option B: Installation via Send Files to TV (for older models)

If your TV doesn’t have Google Play (like the 2018 Mi TV 4A), use the Send Files to TV app:

1. Install Send Files to TV on your smartphone and TV (download.apk for TV from sendfilestotv.app).
2. On your smartphone, select a player file (such as MX Player for TV) and send it to your TV.
3. On the TV, confirm the installation in the Safety menu → Unknown sources.

Instructions for setting:

1. Install Kodi via Google Play or Send Files to TV.
2. Go to Settings → File Manager → Add source.
3. Specify the path to the network folder (for example, smb://192.168.1.100/films/) and enter the login/password.
4. Return to the main menu and select Movies or TV shows – Kodi will automatically scan the folder and add content to the library.

💡

If the video slows down after installing Kodi, try in the player settings (Settings → Player → Video) to enable the option to Allow hardware acceleration (MediaCodec) and select AMCode as the decoder.

Method 4: Connecting an external player through USB-OTG or HDMI

If none of the software methods are suitable (for example, on very old Mi TV models), you can use external devices:

• 🖥️ Android-based console (for example, Xiaomi Mi Box S): connects via HDMI and allows you to install any player.
• 📱 Smartphone in DeX mode: some models of Samsung or Huawei support TV display with a full interface.
• 💾 Media player with USB: for example, WD TV Nvidia Shield – they read files from external drives and display the image on Xiaomi TV.

How to connect the Mi Box S to the Xiaomi TV

1. Connect the console to the HDMI port on the TV.
2. Turn on the Mi Box and select it as the source of the signal on the Xiaomi remote (Source button).
3. Install the desired player through Google Play on the console.
4. Connect the external drive to the Mi Box or set up access over SMB.

⚠️ Note: When using external devices HDMI Xiaomi TVs can be protected HDCP, It turns the screen black. The solution is to turn it off. HDCP in the settings of the TV (Settings) → Display and sound → HDMI → Shut down. HDCP).

Method 5: Manual mounting of a network disk (for advanced ones)

If you need to play files from a NAS or computer without installing additional players, you can mount the network drive directly into the Android TV system. This method requires knowledge of ADB commands, but gives maximum flexibility.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer installed ADB (download).
• 📡 Included Debugging by USB on the TV (Settings) → On TV. → Build Number – Press 7 times, then return to Settings → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 Network Storage with Support SMB or NFS.

Mounting commands:

adb connect IP_ your TV: 5555


adb shell




su




mkdir /storage/emulated/0/nas_mount




mount -t cifs //192.168.1.100/films /storage/emulated/0/nas_mount -o username= your login, password= your password, vers=2.0

After executing the folder commands /nas_mount will appear in the file manager of the TV, and you will be able to open files with a standard player (although it is better to use it). VLC or MX Player for stability).

💡

mounting the network disk through ADB — the only way to access the SMB-But after you reboot the TV, the mounting is reset and the command needs to be re-run.

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

When you replace your player with Xiaomi, users face typical problems.

• 🔇 No sound in MKV: V MX Player Go to Settings → decoder → Audio and select. SW Decoder. VLC Turn on the audio option. → Use an alternative audio output.
• 🐢 Video brakes: Turn off hardware acceleration in player settings or reduce video resolution to 1080p.
• 🚫 Player not installed: On PatchWall TVs, try rolling back firmware to global version via Fastboot.
• 📁 No files on the flash drive: Format the drive in FAT32 ExFAT (Xiaomi TVs are often not read) NTFS).

If the player gives an error "Not supported format", check the video codecs using MediaInfo on the PC. Often the problem is in non-standard codecs (for example, HEVC 10-bit), which are not supported hardware on Xiaomi budget chips.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions