Transferring photos from an iPhone to a Xiaomi TV seems like a simple task, but in practice users face a lot of nuances: from incompatibility of protocols to manufacturer restrictions. In 2026, owners of iOS devices and Mi TV have at least 5 working ways of synchronizing — from wireless technology to wired connections. The main difficulty is that Apple and Xiaomi use different ecosystems: the first relies on AirPlay, the second on Miracast and their own solutions like Mi Home.
In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, from the fastest (live streaming over Wi-Fi) to universal (cloud services), and also reveal the hidden settings of Xiaomi TVs that allow you to bypass the restrictions of iOS on the transfer of media files. You will learn how to avoid common mistakes like “device not found” or “unsupported format”, and you can choose the best way depending on the model of your Mi TV (Q, P, A or ES series).
1. AirPlay Transfer: Does Xiaomi TV Work?
AirPlay is the standard solution for iPhone owners, but with Xiaomi TVs, there are pitfalls. Officially, the technology is only supported on Mi TV models with tvOS (for example, Mi TV 4S 2022+ or Xiaomi TV Q2 2023), which pre-installed the Apple TV app. On older devices (until 2021 release) or budget series (Mi TV A), AirPlay will not work - Miracast or DLNA is used instead.
To check the compatibility of your TV:
- 🔍 Go to Settings. → Connections → Apple AirPlay (if no item, your model does not support technology).
- 📱 On iPhone, open Control Point (swipe down from the top right corner) and press Screen Mirror.
- 🖥️ The list of available devices should show your Mi. TV (for example, Xiaomi-Q2-1234).
⚠️ Note: If the TV doesn’t appear in the AirPlay list, update your Mi firmware TV In 2023, Xiaomi added AirPlay support for a number of models through an update, but only for regions. EU and Global (Russian firmware may not include this feature).
To transfer photos via AirPlay:
- Connect your iPhone and Mi TV to the same Wi-Fi network (important: guest network or repeater will not work).
- Open the photo in the Photos app on your iPhone and click the Share button (square with an up arrow).
- Select AirPlay and list your TV.
- On the Mi TV screen, a confirmation request will appear - (consent).
2. Miracast: AirPlay alternative for older Xiaomi models
Miracast is a universal wireless screen protocol that works on all Xiaomi TVs (including the budget Mi TV A and Mi TV ES series). Unlike AirPlay, there are no additional apps, but there is a limitation: the iPhone does not support Miracast out of the box.
Step-by-step:
- 📺 On TV: Settings → Connections → Wireless display (Miracast) → turn on the option.
- 📱 On iPhone: Install Screen Mirroring (App Store) and launch it.
- 🔗 In the list of devices, select your Mi TV (name will be in format MI-TV-[letter-figure]).
- 🖼️ After connecting, open the gallery and play the photo in full screen mode - the image is duplicated on TV.
| Method | Transmission speed | Quality. | Limitations |
|---|---|---|---|
| AirPlay | Instantly. | No loss (4K HDR) | Only new models of Xiaomi |
| Miracast | 1-2 seconds delay | Full HD (1080p) | Requires third-party software on the iPhone |
| USB-cable | 5-10secs in the photo | Original | Adapters are needed (Lightning → USB-A) |
| Google Photo | Depends on the Internet. | Compressed (up to 16 MP) | Restriction on storage capacity |
⚠️ Note: When using Miracast through third-party apps on your iPhone, a watermark or session time limit (usually 10 minutes in the free version) may appear.To avoid this, use paid versions of programs or connect via the service. USB.
TV and iPhone connected to the same Wi-Fi network
Miracast mode is on on Mi TV
On the iPhone installed app for mirroring
VPN and energy saving modes are disabled
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3. Wired connection: USB-cable
If wireless methods don’t work (for example, because of a weak Wi-Fi signal), the most reliable way is to connect directly via USB.
- 🔌 Lightning adapter → USB-A (Official from Apple or certified MFi).
- 📺 USB-Port on TV (on Xiaomi models) TV Q2 newer USB 3.0 – it reads files faster).
- 📂 Photos must be saved in a standard gallery (not in cloud services).
Instructions:
- Connect the adapter to the iPhone and insert USB-cable.
- On the Mi screen TV notice «USB-Device connected" - select Open files.
- Go to DCIM → 100APPLE (here are stored photos from the iPhone).
- Select the images you want and click Play (or copy them to the TV's internal memory).
Advantages of the method:
- ⚡ Maximum transmission speed (up to 50 MB/s per USB 3.0).
- 🔒 No dependence on Wi-Fi or the Internet.
- 📸 Supported formats HEIC (Mi TV You may not open them, you will need to convert them to JPEG).
What if the Mi TV can’t see the iPhone via USB?
4. Cloud services: Google Photos, Mi Cloud and iCloud
If you need to transfer photos wirelessly and with no additional adapters, cloud services will be the best solution, and the main advantage is access to photos from any device, including Mi TV.
1. Google Photos (recommended for Xiaomi)
- 📤 On iPhone: install the Google Photos app, upload a photo to the album.
- 📺 On Mi. TV: Open Google Photos (preinstalled on most models) and log in to the same account.
- 🖼️ Choose an album and play a slideshow.
2. Mi Cloud (only for Xiaomi account holders)
- 📱 Upload photos to Mi Cloud via mobile app (available for iOS).
- 📺 On TV: Appendices → Mi Cloud → Sign in and open the gallery.
3. iCloud (with limitations)
- ⚠️ Mi TV It does not have native iCloud support, but you can use a workaround:
- 🌐 Open iCloud.com via your browser on your TV (for example, TV Bro), log in to your account and download the photo.
- 📥 Alternative: Send a photo from your iPhone to an email linked to Mi TV (via Mi Mail).
💡
If photos in Google Photos are displayed in low quality, check your sync settings on your iPhone: Google Photos → Settings → Download size → Select Original Quality (paid storage required).
5: Xiaomi apps: Mi Home and TV Assistant
For owners of smart devices Xiaomi has two branded solutions:
1. Mi Home (for the Mi ecosystem)
- 🏠 Install Mi Home on iPhone and add TV to your device list.
- 📤 In the Gallery section, select photos and send them to Mi. TV via the option Send to the device.
2. TV Assistant (for direct transmissions)
- 🔗 Connect to the TV through QR-code (displayed in Settings) → Connections → TV Assistant to Mi TV).
⚠️ Attention: Annex TV Assistant may not work on iPhone with iOS 17+ Because of Apple's restrictions on accessing local files, in which case, use Google Photos or Miracast.
6: The solution to the problem: why the TV can’t see the iPhone
If none of these methods worked, check the following points:
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| The TV is not displayed in AirPlay | The outdated firmware of Mi TV | Update the software through Settings → Update |
| Miracast is not connected | Blocking the router firewall | Turn off AP Isolation in Wi-Fi settings |
| USB is unrecognizable. | Unoriginal adapter | Use a certified MFi cable |
| Photos in Google Photos not open | Regional limitation | Change your account region to the United States in settings |
Additional advice:
- 🔄 Reboot the iPhone and Mi TV (Sometimes helps reset network: Settings → Network → Resetting network settings).
- 📶 If you use 5 GHz Wi-Fi, try switching to 2.4 GHz – some Mi models TV They are not working well with high frequency networks.
- 🔒 Turn it off. VPN iPhone – it can block local connections.
💡
On Xiaomi’s Q2 series and later, there is a hidden option to Allow Apple devices to connect to the developer menu. To activate it, click on the Software Version 5 times in the system settings, then go to For Developers → Apple Compatibility and turn on the switch.