How to connect a Xiaomi TV (Mi TV) to a Xiaomi smartphone: 5 working ways

Synchronizing a Mi TV with a Xiaomi phone opens up a lot of possibilities, from broadcasting the screen to controlling a smart home through a large screen. However, many users face difficulties when connecting for the first time - devices do not find each other, there are authorization errors or problems with compatibility of MIUI versions. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways of connecting, including hidden functions that are not written in the official instructions.

It is important to understand that the method of connection depends on the model of the TV (Mi series). TV 4S, Mi TV 5 Pro, Mi TV Q2 And so on, firmware versions, and even the region where you buy the device, like TVs for the Chinese market (CN-Versions may require additional manipulation of network settings.We took into account all the nuances and prepared universal solutions that work on 95% of Xiaomi devices 2018-2026 release.

1. Connecting via Mi Share (Mi Drop) is the fastest way

Mi Share (formerly Mi Drop) is Xiaomi’s proprietary technology for wireless file transfer between ecosystem devices, ideal for sending photos, videos or documents from phone to TV without using cables, with transfer speeds of 10-15 MB/s (depending on the router model).

To take advantage of the function:

• 📱 On the phone: open the application "Files» → select files → Press "Share» → Choose Mi Share.
• 📺 On TV: Go to Settings → Connection and sharing → Mi Share and activate the option.
• 🔍 The TV will appear in the list of available devices on the phone – select it and confirm the transfer.

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If Mi Share doesn't find the TV, check if both devices are connected to the same 5GHz Wi-Fi network. 2.4GHz networks often cause detection problems.

An important caveat: on TVs with firmware below MIUI TV 3.0, the Mi Share feature may be called "Fast Transfer" or "Mi Drop." Update the software if the option is missing.

2. Mirroring screen over Wi-Fi (Miracast / Google Cast)

Broadcasting a smartphone screen on Mi TV allows you to duplicate images in real time, which is convenient for presentations, games or viewing content from your phone on a large screen. Xiaomi supports two protocols:

• Miracast is a wireless broadcast standard that works without the Internet (direct Wi-Fi Direct connection).
• Google Cast – requires a connection to a single Wi-Fi network, supports video streaming (for example, from YouTube or Netflix).

Instructions for Miracast:

1. On your phone: lower the notification curtain → click on “Translation” (or “Wireless Display”).
2. On TV: go to Settings → Display and Sound → Wireless Display.
3. Select a TV model from the list of available devices.

Connected to a single Wi-Fi network|Unplugged. VPN phone-on|TV is not in energy saving mode|Updated firmware on both devices-->

If the broadcast is delayed or interrupted, try:

• 📶 Switch to 5 GHz in router settings (reduces delays).
• 🔌 Connect your phone to charge (battery savings can limit Wi-Fi performance).
• 🔄 Restart both devices (especially if there were previously connection errors).

3. Connect via the Mi Home app (for smart home)

The Mi Home app allows you to not only control your TV as part of Xiaomi’s ecosystem, but also integrate it with other smart devices (lamps, sockets, robot vacuum cleaners). For example, you can set up a “Cinema” scenario where the TV turns on, Yeelight lamps dim, and the air conditioner goes to “quiet”.

To connect:

1. Install Mi Home on your phone (version no lower than 6.0.100).
2. Sign up or sign in to your Xiaomi account (required to be the same as you would on your TV!).
3. Click Add Device → Select the category “TVs” → follow the instructions on the screen.

If the TV is not on the list:

• 🔄 Restart the TV and re-enter the Xiaomi account in the settings.
• 🌐 Check your account region: TVs for China (CN-versions) will not be visible in Mi Home if the region of the account is Russia or Europe.
• 📡 Make sure your phone and TV are connected to the same network (even if both devices support Wi-Fi Direct).

4. Direct cable connection (HDMI/USB)

If wireless methods are unstable or require minimal latency (such as for gaming), use a cable connection. Xiaomi supports two options:

For HDMI connection:

1. Connect the USB-C → HDMI adapter to your phone.
2. Connect the adapter to the HDMI port on your TV (the port should be labeled as HDMI ARC or HDMI 1/2).
3. On the TV, select the signal source: HDMI 1/2.
4. On the phone, activate the “External Display” mode in the screen settings (some models require you to enable Allow output to HDMI in the Developer Settings).

⚠️ Note: When connecting to HDMI Use the original adapter and avoid long sessions (more than 1 hour) without interruptions.

5. Controlling the TV through a Bluetooth remote in the phone

The Blueooth remote allows you to use your smartphone as a full-fledged remote control for the Mi TV. This is convenient if the original remote is lost or discharged. In addition, the phone screen displays additional buttons (for example, fast access to Netflix or audio settings) that are not on the physical remote.

How to set up:

1. On TV: Settings → Bluetooth and devices → Bluetooth remote.
2. On your phone: Turn on Bluetooth and connect to a device called MI_TV_XXXX.
3. Install the Mi Remote app (if you need advanced management).

Benefits of Bluetooth remote:

• 🎮 It works without Wi-Fi connection (unlike Mi Home).
• 🔋 Saves battery power of the phone (compared to the screen broadcast).
• 🔍 Supports voice input (if the phone is equipped with a microphone).

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Bluetooth remote is the only way to control the TV, which works even when the Internet is turned off and resets the network settings.

6. Solving common connection problems

Even with the right settings, users often encounter errors.-5 problems and ways of eliminating them:

If none of the methods work:

• 🔧 Reset network settings on the TV: Settings → System system → Resetting the network.
• 📲 Delete the Mi Home and Mi Share app cache on your phone.
• 🔄 Update the TV firmware manually (instructions in the section "Software Update»).

⚠️ Attention: On Mi TVs TV 4A mi TV 4C (2018) may not support Miracast due to hardware limitations, in which case use cable or Google Cast.

7. Update TV firmware for compatibility

If your Mi TV is released before 2020, some features (such as Mi Share or Google Cast) may not work due to outdated software.

1. Download the latest firmware version for your model from the official website (choose Global or Russia region).
2. Copy the update.zip file to a flash drive (FAT32 format).
3. Put the flash drive in. USB-television-port.
4. Go to Settings → About TV → System Update → Local Update.

Critical information: When upgrading via a flash drive, never remove it until the process is complete (the progress indicator should reach 100% and the TV will restart on its own).

FAQ: Frequent questions about connecting Mi TV to Xiaomi phone