How to watch a video on Xiaomi Redmi: from basic settings to advanced features

Xiaomi Redmi smartphones have long been universal devices for media consumption, but not all users know how to unleash their full potential when watching video. From the basic features of the built-in player to fine-tuning streaming services, Redmi’s capabilities go far beyond standard playback. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways of viewing, including little-known MIUI chips, image quality optimization and solving typical problems.

The Redmi lineup is a combination of powerful hardware (like Snapdragon or MediaTek Helio processors) and software optimizations from Xiaomi that often go unnoticed. You'll be surprised how much of a hidden setting affects smooth playback, color reproduction, or even battery consumption while you're watching. And if you're faced with lags, artifacts, or no sound, you'll find solutions without going to the service.

1. MIUI built-in video player: features and hidden functions

The standard Video app (or com.miui.videoplayer in the system) on Redmi is often underrated, although it supports most modern formats without having to install third-party players. MIUI:

• 📌 H.264 (AVC) — basic format for Full HD;
• 📌 H.265 (HEVC) — for 4K file-weight;
• 📌 VP9 — alternative HEVC, used by YouTube;
• 📌 AV1 — New standard (supported on Redmi Note 12 Pro)+ newer).

To enable advanced player settings, go to Settings → Apps → Video → Additional. You can activate:

• 🔄 Hardware acceleration (reduces processor load);
• 🎨 Color correction (for old videos with poor color rendering);
• 🔊 Normalization of sound (aligns volume between files).

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If video is slowing down, try turning off hardware acceleration in the player settings – sometimes software decoding works more stable on weak Redmi models (for example, Redmi 9A).

In the models with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Redmi) K50 Pro) in the player MIUI It automatically activates True Black, which jams pixels in black areas, saving up to 15% of battery life, and it can't be manually disabled, it only works when you play video in full screen.

2. Streaming services: YouTube, Netflix, Kinopoisk and others

Watching videos through streaming platforms on Redmi has the nuances of supporting Widevine DRM (anti-piracy protection).

To check the Widevine level on your device:

1. Install the DRM Info app from Google Play
2. Open it and find the Widevine CDM string.
3. If L3 is specified, Netflix will have a maximum quality limit of 480p.

To improve the quality of streaming on models with Widevine L3, you can use workarounds:

• 🌐 Browser browsing: Open Netflix in Chrome or Firefox – sometimes the quality is higher than in the app;
• 📱 Mod versions of apps (such as Netflix Mod) but this violates the service's rules;
• 🔄 VPN servers in the United States – sometimes gives access to a higher bitrate.

3. TV connection: Miracast, HDMI and DLNA

There are three main ways to watch Redmi videos on the big screen, each with its own limitations:

1. Wireless broadcasting (Miracast/Wi-Fi Direct): ✅ It works without the internet; ❌ Delay to 200 MS (critical for gaming); ⚠️ On Redmi with MIUI 14+ You need to turn on the settings. → Connections → Broadcasting → Wireless display.
2. HDMI via adapter (Type-C) → HDMI): ✅ Without delay, supports 4K@60Hz; ❌ Requires an adapter with DisplayPort Alt Mode (not all cheap ones work); ⚠️ On the Redmi Note. 10 Pro and newer need to manually allow the output HDMI In Settings → Screen. → Regime. HDMI.

DLNA/UPnP (via local area network)

• ✅ Supports almost all formats;
• ❌ Requires stable Wi-Fi 5 GHz;
• ⚠️ For reproduction MKV subtitled VLC or Kodi on TV.

To increase smooth playback (relevant for low FPS video):

• 🎬 Enable interpolation of frames in the player MX Player (settings) → decoder → Hardware.+);
• 🔄 Use the Motion Turbo app (requires root) to force the increase FPS before 90/120 Hz;
• ⚠️ On Redmi with Snapdragon processor 7xx interpolation can cause overheating.