How to install applications Xiaomi Mi Box S: all working ways

Xiaomi Mi Box S – popular Android TV-It's a box that turns a regular TV into a smart media center, but the standard set of apps from Google Play is often limited, and many users want to install it. APK-Files, streaming services or games that are not available in the official store. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to install applications on the Mi Box S - from basic to advanced, including bypassing system limitations and solving typical errors.

It’s important to understand that the Mi Box S runs on Android TV (not standard Android), so some installation methods that are common for smartphones here require adaptation. For example, direct running.apk through the file manager is blocked by default, and for third-party sources you need to include special permissions. We will consider circumventing these restrictions without risking damage to the device.

This article will be useful for both beginners and experienced users: the first will find step-by-step instructions with pictures (in text format), and the second will find technical nuances of working with ADB, sideloading and alternative stores.

1. Install applications through the Google Play Store

The easiest and safest way is to use the official Google Play Store pre-installed on the Mi Box S. However, there are nuances here: not all Android apps are compatible with Android TV, and some (for example, YouTube Vanced or Kodi) may not be in the search.

To find the app:

• 🔍 Open the Google Play Store on the Mi Box S home screen.

If the desired app doesn’t show up in the search, try:

1. Go to Google Play from your phone or PC, find the app and send it to Mi Box S via the Install on other devices (if it’s compatible with Android TV).

⚠️ Note: Some apps (such as Netflix or Disney)+) You may need to confirm compatibility with Android TV. If the installation is blocked, try alternative methods from the following sections.

Installation APK-file USB-storage

If the application is not available on Google Play, you can install it manually through an.apk file. USB-drive (flash drive) with file system FAT32 or exFAT and file manager that supports installation APK Android TV (For example, File Commander or X-Plore).

Step-by-step:

• 📁 Download.apk file to your computer (for example, from APKPure or APKMirror site).
• 💾 Transfer the file to a formatted flash drive.
• 🔌 Connect the flash drive to the Mi Box S (use it) USB-hub if ports are not enough).
• 📂 Open the file manager (e.g. X-Plore) and go to the section USB-accumulator.
• 📥 Select the.apk file and click Install.

If the button is inactive:

1. Go to Settings → Security and Restrictions → Unknown Sources.
2. Enable permission for a file manager (e.g., X-Plore).
3. Repeat the installation attempt.

⚠️ Attention: Installation APK Before downloading, check the hash amounts of files on sites like VirusTotal and avoid pirated versions of applications.

Installation via ADB (for power users)

The ADB (Android Debug Bridge) method is suitable for installing applications when other methods do not work, or for batch installation of multiple APKs. This requires connecting the Mi Box S to a computer and using the command line.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB Tools.
• 🔌 USB-cable (Micro-USB or USB-C, Depending on the Mi Box S model).
• 📱 Included debugging by USB device-wise.

Instructions:

1. On Mi Box S, go to Settings → About Device → Build Number and click on it 7 times to activate Developer Mode.
2. Go back to Settings → For developers and enable USB debugging.
3. Connect the Mi Box S to your computer via USB.
4. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and type: adb devices The device should appear in the list.
5. Install the APK command: adb install path/to/file.apk For example: adb install C:\Downloads\kodi-20.1.apk

To install several APKs from the folder, use:

for %f in (*.apk) do adb install "%f"

⚠️ Note: When connecting the Mi Box S to a PC USB You may need to choose a data mode. If the device is not detected, try another cable or port.

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To speed up installation via ADB, use the -r flag to replace your existing application without deleting data:

adb install -r file.apk

4.Use of alternative app stores

If Google Play doesn’t offer the right apps, you can use alternative stores optimized for Android TV.

• 📦 Aptoide TV — Google Play with a wide catalog, including modified versions of applications.
• 🎮 APKTime - a specialized store for Android TV remote-interface.
• 📺 TVAppRepo – a collection of apps optimized for large screens.

To install an alternative store:

1. Download the store’s APK (e.g., Aptoide TV) from the official website.
2. Install it via USB or ADB (see previous sections).
3. Open the installed store and find the desired applications.

Advantages of alternative stores:

⚠️ Warning: When using alternative stores, turn off automatic app updates in Settings → Apps to avoid conflicts with versions from Google Play.

5. Installation via cloud services (Send Files to TV, bootloader)

If you're not on hand USB-drive or computer, you can download APK directly to the Mi Box S via cloud services or a browser:

• 🌐 bootloader – an application for downloading files via a direct link.
• ☁️ Send Files to TV — Transfer files from your phone to Mi Box S over a local network.
• 🔗 Browser – built-in or third-party browser for downloading APK directly.

Instructions for Send Files to TV:

1. Install Send Files to TV on the Mi Box S (available on Google Play).
2. Install the same app on your smartphone (Android/iOS).
3. Open the app on both devices and select Send on your phone.
4. Choose. APK-file and wait for the transfer to be completed.
5. On Mi Box S, click Accept and install the file.

For bootloader:

1. Install bootloader from Google Play.
2. Open the application and enter URL on APK-file (for example, with APKMirror).
3. After downloading, click Install.

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Cloud services are convenient for fast file transfer, but speed depends on the stability of Wi-Fi. For large files (>100 MB), it is better to use USB or ADB.

Solving typical installation errors

When installing applications on the Mi Box S, users often encounter errors, and let's look at the most common ones and how to fix them.

Error: "Application not installed"

• 🔹 Check compatibility. APK architecturally arm64-v8a (For the Mi Box S).
• 🔹 Remove the previous version of the application through Settings → Annexes.
• 🔹 Free up space in memory (minimum 500MB free).

Mistake: "Patch parsing"

• 🔹 Download. APK Repeatedly – the file may be corrupted.
• 🔹 Check that the download is complete (compare the file size with the original).

Error: "The device is not supported"

• 🔹 Use modified versions of Android apps TV (Like YouTube. TV Instead of YouTube).
• 🔹 Try to install through ADB flag-headed -t (For testing: adb install -t file

Mistake: "Not enough memory"

• 🔹 Remove unnecessary apps or cache through Settings → Warehouse.
• 🔹 Move the applications to USB-Drive (Adoptable Storage is required, but on the Mi Box S it is disabled by default).

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi Mi Box S cannot expand internal memory USB-The only way to free up space is to remove unnecessary applications or use cloud services to store media files.

7. Optimize the work of applications on the Mi Box S

Once installed, their work on the Mi Box S may be unstable due to the device's limited resources (2GB of RAM, Cortex-A53 CPU).

Optimization tips:

• ⚡ Turn off auto-run of unnecessary apps in Settings → Annexes → Auto-start.
• 🧹 Clean the cache regularly through Settings → Warehouse → Cache data.
• 🔄 Use lightweight alternatives to resource-intensive apps (e.g. SmartTubeNext instead of standard YouTube).
• 📵 Turn off background activity for apps you don’t use often.

Recommended applications for the Mi Box S:

For gaming applications, it is recommended to use a gamepad (for example, Xiaomi Game Controller), since control from the remote is inconvenient for most games.

FAQ: Frequent questions about app installation