How to check the remote Xiaomi for performance through Android: the complete guide

Xiaomi’s remotes — whether they’re IR remotes for Mi TVs, Bluetooth remotes for Mi Box consoles, or universal Mi Remote remotes — sometimes fail or malfunction. If your remote is no longer responsive, don’t rush to buy a new one: 80 percent of the time, the problem is solved by self-diagnosis. In this article, we’ll look at how to check the Xiaomi remote with an Android smartphone, from testing an infrared transmitter to analyzing device compatibility.

Xiaomi's remotes are often combined with a combination of communications technologies: infrared (infrared port) for traditional TVs and Bluetooth LE for smart devices in the ecosystem. This makes diagnostics more difficult, but also gives more ways to verify. We'll look at all the current methods, including hidden Android features that allow you to test remotes without additional hardware, and you'll learn how to distinguish hardware breakdown from software failure and when to contact the service center.

1. Checking the IR transmitter of the remote through the smartphone camera

The fastest way to make sure that Xiaomi's remote emits infrared signals is to use an Android smartphone camera, which works because most cameras (especially front-facing ones) can't see the infrared spectrum, but they can pick it up as a faint glow. You don't need special apps, just a regular camera.

Turn on the camera on your smartphone and point the Xiaomi remote lens towards the front camera (or the main one if the front one does not catch the signal). Press any button on the remote and look closely at the screen. If the remote is working, you will see a reddish or purple flicker in the IR region (usually located at the top of the remote).

• 📱 Best smartphones to check out: Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro+, POCO F5, Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra (their cameras are sensitive to IR radiation).
• 🔋 If there is no flicker: replace the batteries (even if they appear charged) or check the contacts in the compartment.
• 🚫 False positives: bright sunlight or incandescent lamps may interfere - test in the dark.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (such as the Mi Box S remotes) use Bluetooth rather than IR. This method is not suitable for them – move on to the next section.

2. Diagnostic Bluetooth remote via "Mi Remote" or "Mi Home"

If your Xiaomi remote is connected over Bluetooth (relevant to the Mi Box 4K, Mi TV Stick and some smart TVs), check it through official apps. Download Mi Remote (for TV management) or Mi Home (for smart devices) from Google Play. These apps not only replace the physical remote, but also help diagnose communication problems.

Connect the remote to the device via Bluetooth (if it has not been paired before) and follow the following steps:

1. Open Mi Remote and select your device (such as Mi Box S).
2. Press any button on the physical remote – if the signal arrives, the click animation will appear on the smartphone screen.
3. If there is no reaction, check if Bluetooth is on on the TV/set-top box and if the remote is locked in the settings.

For deep diagnosis, use the developer mode on Android:

Settings → System → About Phone → Assembly number (shap 7 times)


Back to Settings → System → For developers → Enable “Bluetoothooth Magazine”

• 🔄 Reset connection: in Mi Home, remove the remote from the list of devices and pair again.
• 📶 Interference: Wi-Fi routers at 2.4 GHz can cause interference – temporarily turn them off.
• 🔋 Energy saving: on some smartphones Xiaomi Bluetooth is turned off in the background – add Mi Remote in the exceptions.

3. Battery and contacts testing: hidden issues

Up to 40 percent of Xiaomi service centers' calls for broken remotes are resolved by replacing batteries or cleaning contacts. Even if the batteries seem charged, their voltage may have dropped below the remote's trigger threshold. Use a multimeter (or a special application like Battery Tester) to check:

If the batteries are fine, check the contacts in the remote compartment: oxidation or contamination can interrupt the connection. Wipe the contacts with alcohol and bend them up a little for better fit. In remotes with an integrated battery (for example, Mi Game Controller), check the integrity of the plume connected to the battery - its break is a common cause of malfunctions.

⚠️ Note: The Xiaomi Mi Remote Pro uses a lithium-ion battery that cannot be replaced by itself. If it is bloated, immediately stop using and contact the service.

4. Check the compatibility of the remote with the Xiaomi device

Not all Xiaomi remotes are universal. For example, the remote from the Mi TV 4S will not work with the Mi Box 3, even if they are externally identical.

If the remote is not compatible, you can reflash it through the Mi Remote app:

1. Open the application and select "Add device".
2. Enter your TV/Switchboard model manually.
3. Follow the instructions for updating the remote firmware (wi-fi connection is required).

For Bluetooth remotes, check the protocol version: older models (until 2020) may not support Bluetooth 5.0, causing problems connecting to new devices. Update your TV or console firmware through Settings → System → Software Update.

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If the remote is connected but the buttons are not working correctly, reset its settings: press the OK + Back buttons for 10 seconds before the indicator flashes.

5. Use of specialized testing applications

For a deep diagnostic of the Xiaomi remote, use third-party applications that allow you to check not only the presence of a signal, but also its strength, as well as identify problems with specific buttons.

• 📱 IR Universal Remote (for IR remotes): Tests signal strength and supported protocols (NEC, RC5, etc.).
• 🔍 Bluetooth Auto Connect (for Bluetooth remotes): analyzes connection stability and response delays.
• 🛠️ Remote Check (Xiaomi Edition): a specialized application for remotes Mi Remote with a code base for all Xiaomi devices.

Example of testing in IR Universal Remote:

1. Select the "Test IR Signal" mode.
2. Point the remote to the smartphone’s IR receiver (usually located next to the front camera).
3. Press the button on the remote, and the app will show you a graph of the signal strength. Normal: 70-100%.

If the signal strength is below 50%, the problem may be:

• Contaminated IR transmitter (wipe with alcohol).
• A damaged plume inside the remote.
• A faulty receiver on the TV/set-top box.

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If the application does not detect the signal, but the smartphone camera captures the flicker - the problem is in the firmware of the remote or incompatibility of protocols.

6. Hardware diagnostics: when you need to disassemble the remote

If the software methods didn't work, you'll have to take apart the remote for visual inspection, which is true for models with a removable back cover (like the Mi Remote Pro), you'll need a plastic blade, a screwdriver (for some models) and a multimeter.

Sequence of action:

1. Carefully apply the lid to the shoulder blade, starting at the corners. Careful: Xiaomi remotes often use hidden latches.
2. Check the integrity of the film contacts under the buttons – they can be erased or oxidized.
3. Measure the resistance of the buttons with a multimeter in vertebrae mode. Normal: 0 Ohms when pressed.
4. Examine the quartz resonator (a small metal box on the board) - cracks on it lead to unstable work.

Typical failures in disassembly:

• 🔥 Burned tracks on the board (often due to short circuit of the battery).
• 💧 Oxidation of contacts after moisture.
• 🧲 Folded elements (capacitors, resistors).

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi Mi Game Controller uses glue to fix the battery. When disassembling, don't pull the plume - it's easy to tear it off!

7. Alternative methods of control without remote control

If the Xiaomi remote is finally broken, and the new one has not yet been purchased, temporarily control the device through:

• 📱 Smartphone: Mi Remote apps, Google TV (for Mi Box or Redmi TV Remote.
• 💻 Computer: Browser by browser IP-TV address (e.g., television address, http://192.168.1.100 — Find out the address on the router).
• 🎮 Gamepad: Connect via Bluetooth Xbox or PlayStation controller (works on Mi) TV Android 9+).

For Xiaomi HDMI-CEC TVs, you can use a remote from another device (such as Samsung or LG) connected to the same HDMI port. Activate the function in the menu: Settings → HDMI-CEC → Enable

If neither method works, reset the TV/set-top box to the factory settings. On the Mi Box, press the Reset button on the case for 10 seconds. On the Mi TVs, go to: Settings → Device → Data Reset

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi remotes