How to untie the remote from the console Xiaomi: 4 proven ways (including hidden)

The Xiaomi Mi Box can be used in a variety of situations: you bought a used device with a previous owner’s remote, you want to connect a new remote, or the old one started to glittle after updating the firmware. Unlike TVs, where resetting the remote is often reduced to removing batteries, Xiaomi consoles use more complex pairing mechanisms, from standard Bluetooth to proprietary protocols in older models.

The main problem is that the manufacturer does not always document the unbundling process. In the official instructions for the Mi Box S, Mi Box 4K or Mi Box 4C, you will find a section on connecting the remote, but not on removing it. Meanwhile, improper actions (for example, trying to reset via Settings → Bluetooth) can lead to a complete lockdown of the console control. In this article, we will discuss all working methods from the simplest to the technically complex, including hidden engineering commands.

1. Standard reset via console menu

If your Xiaomi console turns on and responds to the remote (though not the one you want to untie), start with this method.It works on most models, including the Mi Box S (MDZ-22-AB), Mi Box 4K and Mi Box 3.

Instructions:

• 📺 Turn on the console and wait for the main screen to load.
• 🔄 Go to Settings. → Devices → Bluetooth (on some firmware, the path may be different: Settings) → Connections → Remote and accessories).
• 🔍 In the list of conjugate devices, find the current remote – it is usually marked as Mi Remote Controller or Xiaomi RCxxx (where xxx is the model).
• ❌ Click on the basket icon or select Forget the device/Delete.
• ✅ Confirm action. The remote will be untied, and the console will automatically go into the mode of finding new devices.

⚠️ Attention: On the consoles with firmware MIUI TV (Like the Mi Box. 4C) If the screen is stuck in the device search phase, pull the power cable for 10 seconds and reconnect.

This method will not work if:

• 🔋 The remote is discharged or broken and you can’t control it.
• 🔒 The device is blocked by the previous owner’s password.
• 🛠️ Bluetooth Menu is not in your firmware version (relevant for older models until 2018).

2. Hardware reset button on the body

If the remote doesn’t respond or you can’t go into the settings, use the physical reset button, which is on all Xiaomi Mi Box models, but is arranged differently:

• 📦 Mi Box S and Mi Box 4K: the button is hidden in the hole on the back panel (you need to press a paper clip or toothpick).
• 📦 Mi Box 3 and Mi Box 4C: button is placed on the lower edge of the body (you can press the finger).

Step-by-step:

1. Turn off the power supply (remove the cable from the outlet).
2. Press and hold the reset button (10-15 seconds).
3. Without releasing the button, connect the power back.
4. Hold the button for another 5-7 seconds until the Xiaomi logo or Recovery Mode sign appears on the screen.
5. Release the button - the console will reset to the factory settings.

⚠️ Warning: Hardware reset deletes all data, including accounts, stored Wi-Fi passwords and application settings. If the console was tied to a Xiaomi account, you will need to re-authorize after the reset.

3. undressing the remote via ADB (for advanced users)

If standard methods have not worked and the console is still responding to commands (e.g., via USB-mouse or remote app on a smartphone, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge – This method is suitable for all Android models TV, It requires minimal knowledge of command line.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB Tools.
• 🔌 USB-cable for connecting the console to the PC (or shared over Wi-Fi).
• 📱 Initiated Debugging Mode USB on the prefix (activated in Settings) → About the prefix → Build Number – Press 7 times, then return to Settings → For developers).

Instructions:

1. Connect the console to your PC via USB (or Wi-Fi if ADB over the network is enabled).
2. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) and do:

adb devices

If the console is determined (the serial number will appear), continue. If not, check the drivers or cable.

1. Run a command for a list of Bluetooth devices:

adb shell dumpsys bluetooth_manager

Find the paireddevices section, and there it will be. MAC-remote address.

1. Remove the remote with the command (replace) XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX real MAC-address):

adb shell cmd bluetooth_manager remove_bond XX:XX:XX:XX:XX:XX

1. Reboot the console:

adb reboot

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If after removing the console console does not find new devices, follow the command adb shell cmd bluetooth_manager disable, then adb shell cmd bluetooth_manager enable – this will restart the Bluetooth module.

⚠️ Note: Some of the firmware Xiaomi team bluetooth_manager This may not work due to manufacturer limitations, in which case try an alternative method using settings:

adb shell am start -n com.android.tv.settings/.device.bluetooth.BluetoothSettingsActivity

This command will open the Bluetooth menu directly, where you can manually remove the remote.

4. Reset via Recovery Mode (if the console does not load)

If Xiaomi does not turn on or hovers on the logo, but reacts to the reset button (see section 2), you can try resetting via Recovery Mode.This method deletes all data, including the tethered remotes, but requires caution - wrong actions can lead to the "bricking" of the device.

Instructions:

1. Turn off the console (remove the power cable).
2. Press and hold the reset button (as in Section 2).
3. Connect the power by continuing to hold the button until the Recovery menu appears (usually a blue or green screen with items in English).
4. Use the volume buttons on the remote (if it works at all) or connected USB-mouse.
5. Select Wipe data/factory reset and confirm the action.
6. After reset, select Reboot system now.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi firmware may not have Wipe data. In this case, select Apply update from ADB and connect to the console via a computer as described in Section 3, then execute the command:

adb sideload update.zip

Where update.zip is the official firmware for your model (you can download it on the Xiaomi Support website).

5. Features of the detachment of the remote on different Xiaomi models

Not all Xiaomi consoles handle remote resets the same way, and here are the key differences to avoid errors:

🔹 For the Mi Box 3 and Mi Box 4C: If the remote uses RF-protocol (works without prefix orientation), its decoupling may not work through standard methods:

• 🔋 Try removing the batteries from the remote for 10-15 minutes – sometimes it resets the connection.
• 🔄 If the remote is hybrid (IK) + RF), untie it through the Settings menu → Remote and accessories, then reset the console with a button.

🔹 For the Mi Box. S/4K: If after detachment of the console does not respond to the new, check:

• 📶 Settings HDMI-CEC (Settings menu → Display and sound – sometimes they block new devices from connecting.
• 🔄 Firmware Version: Older versions (below Android 9) may require manual updates.

6. What should I do if nothing helps?

If you’ve tried all the methods, but the remote never stopped, here are the alternatives:

• 🛠️ Replacement of Bluetooth module: on models of Mi Box 3/4C Sometimes the Bluetooth module itself fails. It can be replaced by yourself (cost). ~500–1000 ₽) or to call on the service.
• 📱 Using your smartphone as a remote: Install the Mi Remote Controller app (official from Xiaomi) and connect via Wi-Fi.

💡

Before you take drastic measures (disassembly or firmware), check the remote on another device, and perhaps the problem is not the tether, but the remote itself - for example, the batteries have gone or the contact has gone.

⚠️ Note: If the console was bought with hands and tied to the previous owner's account, the reset may not help because of the Mi Account Lock feature:

1. Try contacting the seller and asking to untie the device through Xiaomi’s personal account.
2. If the connection is lost, contact Xiaomi support with a purchase check (if any).

FAQ: Frequent questions about remote detachment