How to connect a smartphone to Xiaomi Smart TV: all the ways

Modern Xiaomi TVs support many ways to wirelessly and wiredly sync with smartphones, from standard Miracast to proprietary solutions like Mi Share. However, not all users know how to properly configure the connection to avoid image delays, audio breaks or compatibility problems. This article covers all current methods of connection (including hidden features for older models) with the features of the MIUI TV and Google TV firmware on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices.

We will not only look at basic scenarios (like screen duplication via Screen Mirroring), but also advanced options such as using a TV as a monitor for games from a smartphone or streaming content in 4K HDR without loss of quality, with particular attention to solving common errors (such as code 10 or “device not supported”) that occur when connecting devices on Android 13/14 or iOS.

Important: instructions are relevant for Xiaomi Mi TV 4A/4S/4X (2018-2023), Mi TV 5/6/7 series, Redmi Smart TV X, as well as flagship models Mi TV Q1/Q2/Q2 Pro with MediaTek and Amlogic processors. If your model is older than 2017, check the section on alternative methods of connection.

1. Preparation of TV and smartphone for connection

Before syncing devices, you need to follow a few steps to avoid crashes.

• 📺 Update the firmware MIUI TV to the latest version: go to Settings → About TV → System Update. On Google TV models, the path will be Settings → System → Software Update.
• 🔄 Reboot the TV (Power button on the remote → Reboot) This will reset the cache of network services.
• 📶 Connect your TV and smartphone to the same Wi-Fi network (preferably at 5GHz for minimal delays).
• 🔒 Disable VPN and proxies on both devices — they can block local detection.

On a smartphone (Android or iOS):

• 📱 Enable Developer Mode (if you plan to use ADB for fine-tuning): Go to Settings → About Phone → Build Number and tap 7 times.
• 🔄 Activate File Transfer over Wi-Fi (Mi Share on Xiaomi or Nearby Share on pure Android).
• 🔋 Make sure the battery level is above 30% – at low charge, the system can limit the performance of wireless modules.

⚠️ Warning: On Xiaomi TVs with firmware older than 2021 (MIUI TV 3.0 and below), Miracast may not work smoothly, in which case use a wired connection via HDMI or an adapter USB-C → HDMI.

2 Method 1: Wireless Screen Duplication (Miracast/Screen Mirroring)

This is the most versatile method, working on all Android 5.0+ smartphones and Xiaomi TVs (except the oldest models). Miracast technology transmits images and sound over Wi-Fi Direct protocol, which provides minimal latency (about 50-100 ms).

Instructions for Android smartphones:

1. On TV: open Settings → Connection and Sharing → Wireless display (Miracast).
2. On your smartphone: lower the notification curtain and tap the Screen Mirroring icon (or Screen Transfer, Smart View – the name depends on the firmware).
3. In the list of available devices, select your Xiaomi TV (the name will be in the MiTV-[XXXX] format).
4. Confirm the connection on both devices.

For iPhone (iOS 12+):

Apple uses a proprietary AirPlay protocol that is not compatible with Miracast, but Xiaomi Mi TV 5 Pro and newer TVs support AirPlay 2:

1. On TV: Settings → Apple AirPlay → turn on the option.
2. On iPhone: swipe up for Control Panel → Screen Duplication → select your Mi TV.

⚠️ Warning: If the image is slowing when connecting via Miracast, try reducing the screen resolution of the smartphone to 720p in the developer settings (Settings → System → Developer → Minimum width).

Television and phone in the same Wi-Fi network|Power-saving modes disabled|Wi-Fi Direct on the TV|Updated firmware of both devices-->

3 Method 2: Wired connection via HDMI or USB-C

If wireless methods are unstable (for example, due to a weak Wi-Fi signal), use a direct wired connection, which is important for gamers who stream games from their phone to the big screen, or to watch videos in maximum quality without compression.

Option 1: Through the USB-C → HDMI adapter (for smartphones with DisplayPort Alt Mode support):

• 📱 Connect the adapter to the port USB-C of the smartphone.
• 🖥️ Connect the adapter to the TV cable HDMI (use the port HDMI 2.0 or HDMI 2.1 for 4K@60 Hz).
• 🔄 On the TV, select the appropriate signal source (HDMI 1/2/3).

Option 2: via MHL- adapter (for older smartphones with Micro-USB):

Relevant for devices up to the 2018 year (for example, Xiaomi Mi 5 or Redmi Note 4). You will need a MHL → HDMI adapter and external power (USB- charging).

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If the TV doesn’t recognize the signal via HDMI, try another cable (preferably with HDMI 2.0 support) or restart both devices with the cable connected.

4 Method 3: Connecting through applications (DLNA, Mi Share, Google Cast)

If you do not need to duplicate the entire screen, but just broadcast individual files (video, photos, music), use DLNA protocols or Xiaomi proprietary solutions:

Method 1: Mi Share (for Xiaomi/Redmi/POCO smartphones)

1. On TV: Open the Mi Share app (or Files → Remote Access).
2. On your smartphone: lower the curtain → Mi Share → select files to transfer → tap on the TV name.
3. Transfer speed: up to 10 MB/s over 5 GHz Wi-Fi.

Method 2: Google Cast (for YouTube, Netflix, Chrome)

• 🎬 In the YouTube or Netflix app, click the Cast icon (in the upper right corner).
• 📺 Choose your Xiaomi TV from the list.
• 🔊 Sound and video will be broadcast directly to TV, and the smartphone can be used as a remote.

Method 3: DLNA (for any files)

Use apps like BubbleUPnP or VLC:

1. Turn it on on the TV. DLNA-server: Settings → Network → DLNA.
2. In VLC on your smartphone, select Local Area Network → UPnP Devices → Your TV.

5. Method 4: Using the TV as a gaming monitor (Game Mode)

If you want to play on a smartphone with a big screen display, it is important to minimize delays (input lag).

• 🎮 On your TV, turn on Game Mode: Settings → Picture → Image Mode → Game. This will turn off post-processing of the video.
• 📱 On your smartphone, activate Performance Mode (Settings → Battery → Performance Modes).
• 🔌 Use a wired connection (HDMI) – the delay will be 5–15 ms versus 100+ ms over Wi-Fi.

For streaming games with Xiaomi Black Shark or other gaming smartphones:

1. Connect your phone to your TV via USB-C → HDMI.
2. In the smartphone screen settings, select Extended Mode (if available).
3. Launch the game in landscape orientation – this will reduce artifacts when zooming.

⚠️ Warning: When connecting via Miracast, games may lag due to video compression. PUBG Mobile or Genshin Impact recommends using HDMI or specialized applications like Rainway (requires root).

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For minimal delays in games, combine wired connection (HDMI) with game mode on your TV and performance mode on your smartphone.

Method 5: Alternative methods (for older or non-Miracast models)

If your Xiaomi TV doesn’t support Miracast (like the 2016 Mi TV 3S), try these options:

• 🖥️ Through PC: Connect your smartphone to your computer using USB and your computer to your TV using HDMI. Use Scrcpy to broadcast the screen.
• 📡 Through a router with USB: Some routers (e.g., Xiaomi Mi Router 4A) support flash drive connectivity and content distribution over DLNA.
• 🔌 Through Chromecast: Connect Google Chromecast to the HDMI TV port and stream the screen via Google Home.

Scrcpy Instructions (for advanced users):

1. Install Scrcpy on PC (official website).
2. Connect your smartphone to your PC via USB with debugging enabled (Settings → For developers → USB debugging).
3. Run the command: scrcpy --bit-rate 10M --max-size 1920 (where 10M is bitrate, 1920 is maximum screen width).
4. On PC, open the broadcast to the TV via Miracast or HDMI.

7. Solving typical connection errors

If your smartphone doesn’t find the TV or the connection is cut, check these points:

Additional advice:

• 🔄 If the TV doesn’t appear in the Miracast list, try turning on the hotspot mode on your smartphone and plug the TV into it manually.
• 🔒 Some firmware MIUI TV must allow new devices to be connected manually: Settings → Security → Device Management.
• 📡 If you use Powerline adapters, they can block Wi-Fi Direct. Connect the TV directly to the router.

8. Comparison of Connection Methods: Which One Should You Choose?

The choice of method depends on your tasks:

• 🎥 For movies, google cast (minimum load on your smartphone) or DLNA (for local files).
• 🎮 For games: HDMI (minimum lags) or Miracast with game mode.
• 📱 For screen duplication: Miracast (Android) or AirPlay (iPhone).
• 📁 For file transfer: Mi Share or FTP- server on TV.

Model recommendations:

• Mi TV 4A/4S: HDMI or Mi Share is the best option (due to the weak Wi-Fi module).
• Mi TV Q2 Pro: Optimally Miracast with 4K@60Hz resolution or AirPlay 2 for iPhone.
• Redmi Smart TV X: Wi-Fi Direct is stable, but HDMI is better for gaming.

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For maximum video quality (4K HDR), use a wired connection or Miracast on TVs with a MediaTek MT9669 chip (Q2/Q2 Pro series).

FAQ: Frequent questions