How to connect your phone to Xiaomi Mi Stick: All the ways + fixing

Xiaomi Mi console TV Stick (or Mi Box S in some regions) turns any TV into a smart entertainment center, but its capabilities are expanded significantly if you connect a smartphone. Through such a connection, you can broadcast a screen, control the console as a remote, transfer files or even play mobile games on a large screen. However, not all users know that how to connect your phone to Mi Stick depends on the device model, firmware version, and even the type of content you want to share.

In this article, we will analyze all current synchronization methods – from standard Miracast to little-known functions like USB-We will pay special attention to typical errors (for example, when the phone “cannot see” the console) and nuances for iPhone vs Android. If you want not just to duplicate the screen, but to use the phone as a gamepad, keyboard or media server, here you will find step-by-step instructions with pictures and videos.

1.Preparation: What to check before connecting

Before you try to pair your phone with the Xiaomi Mi Stick, make sure both devices meet the minimum requirements.This will save you 80% of the connection issues.

Requirements for the console:

• 📺 Mi TV Stick 4K (model MDZ-26-AB), Mi TV Stick 2K (MDZ-24-AA) or Mi Box S (MDZ-22-AB) firmware MIUI TV 2.0.100. You can check the version in Settings → About the prefix.
• 🔌 Connecting to the TV through HDMI-port HDCP 2.2. 4K-content).
• 📶 Stable connection to the same Wi-Fi 5 GHz network (for Miracast and Google Cast.

Phone requirements:

• 📱 Android 8.0+ (for Miracast or iOS 12+ (for AirPlay via third-party apps. There is no Miracast support on the native iPhone.
• 🔋 Battery charge above 30% – when broadcasting the screen, the phone discharges 2-3 times faster.
• 🛠️ Screen Mirroring (iOS) or Android in the settings.

Critical Mistake: If Your TV Is Released Before 2017, It May Not Support You HDMI-CEC, So the console can't automatically switch the input when you connect the phone, so use the remote to manually select the source. HDMI.

2. Method 1: Wireless screen broadcast (Miracast)

The most universal method is to use the Miracast protocol, which is built into most modern Android devices, which allows you to duplicate the screen of the phone on the console without lags (with good Wi-Fi).

Step-by-step:

1. On the console Xiaomi Mi Stick open Settings → Connection and sharing → Screen transmission.
2. Select Miracast and activate the Allow Connection option.
3. On your Android phone, lower the notification curtain and look for the screen transfer button (the name may vary: Smart View, Screen Mirroring or Wireless Display).
4. In the list of available devices, select your console (the name will be in the MiTV-Stick-XXXX format).
5. Confirm the connection on both devices.

If the phone doesn't find the console:

• 🔍 Make sure the console is enabled Detection in Miracast settings.

⚠️ Note: There is no Miracast native support on iPhone. Use apps like ApowerMirror or LetsView to stream the screen, but they will add a 1-2 second delay.

3. Method 2: Connect via Google Cast (content only)

If you don't need to duplicate the entire screen, but only stream videos, music or photos, use Google Cast, which is less loading and more stable than Miracast.

How to connect:

1. Make sure that the phone has Google Home app installed (for example, for Android/iOS).
2. Open the video to YouTube, Netflix or Google Photos and tap the Cast icon (screen icon with Wi-Fi).
3. In the list of devices, select your Xiaomi Mi Stick.
4. The content will start playing on the TV, and the phone can be used for control (pause, volume).

Apps that support Google Cast:

If the Cast icon is not active:

• 🔌 Check that the console and phone are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
• 📱 Update the app you’re trying to stream content through.
• 🔄 Restart the Google Cast service on the console: Settings → Annexes → Systemic → Google Cast → Stop/Run.

💡

If you broadcast video from your phone to the console, turn off traffic savings in the settings of the mobile network - this will reduce the quality of the picture.

Method 3: Connecting to USB (file-debugging)

If wireless methods do not work or you need to transfer large files (movies, games), you can connect your phone to Xiaomi Mi Stick via the phone. USB-This also allows you to use your phone as a gamepad or keyboard.

What you need:

• 🔌 USB-C/USB-A cable (depending on the phone connector).
• 📱 The phone has enabled file transfer mode (MTP) or USB-Debugging (for advanced functions).
• 🖥️ The console has a file manager (for example, X-Plore or X-Plore). FX File Explorer).

Instructions:

1. Connect the phone to the console through USB-port (on the Mi Stick it is located on the side).
2. On your phone, select File Transfer Mode (for Android) or Trust this computer (for iPhone).
3. On the console, open the file manager and go to the section USB-device.
4. Copy the necessary files into the internal memory of the console or on the connected flash drive.

⚠️ Note: When connecting the iPhone to USB The camera recognizes it as a camera (PTP), You can only view photos and videos from the gallery, and you can access them in a jailbreak or a special app like iMazing.

5. Method 4: Using the phone as a remote or gamepad

If you lose the Xiaomi Mi Stick remote or want to play emulators, you can turn your phone into a full-fledged controller, and there are official and third-party solutions for that.

Official Mi Remote app:

• 📱 Install Mi Remote from Google Play or App Store.
• 🔍 Select the Xiaomi Mi Box (Yes, the Mi Stick uses the same protocol).
• 📶 Make sure your phone and console are on the same Wi-Fi network.
• 🎮 Click Connect and follow the instructions on the screen.

The gamepad app side:

• 🎮 Octopus – emulates a gamepad for games from Google Play.
• 🕹️ Mantis Gamepad – supports XInput and DInput for emulators (RetroArch, PPSSPP).
• 🖱️ Unified Remote – Turns your phone into a keyboard/mouse.

To connect the gamepad:

1. On the console, install an emulator (for example, RetroArch from Aptoide). TV).
2. In the emulator settings, select Input → Manage Binds.
3. Connect your phone via Octopus or Mantis as instructed by the app.
4. Set the buttons manually (we recommend using the Xbox 360 Controller template).

💡

For low-input-lag games (e.g. fighting games) use USB-Connecting your phone instead of Wi-Fi – the delay is reduced from 50–100 ms to 10–20 ms.

Method 5: Direct connection via HDMI (advanced)

If your phone supports you USB-C → HDMI (For example, Xiaomi 13 Pro or Samsung Galaxy S22+), You can connect it directly to the TV without the console, but the Xiaomi Mi Stick acts as a proxy for control.

What you need:

• 🔌 adapter USB-C to HDMI (Supported by DisplayPort Alt Mode).
• 📺 Free-to-air television HDMI-port (preferably) HDMI 2.0 4K).
• 🔋 Power supply for the phone (when broadcasting) 4K It discharges in 1-1.5 hours).

How to connect:

1. Connect your phone to your TV via an adapter USB-C → HDMI.
2. On the TV, select the appropriate HDMI-entrance.
3. On the phone, activate Desktop Mode (if any) or simply expand the image in the screen settings.
4. Connect Xiaomi Mi Stick to another HDMI-television-port.
5. Use the console to manage content, and the phone as an additional screen (for example, for chat while streaming).

⚠️ Warning: This kind of connection heats up the phone more than normal.°C, the broadcast can automatically shut down. Use a cooling stand.

7. Solving common problems

Even with the right connection, errors can occur, and here are the most common ways to fix them:

If none of these methods worked:

• 🔄 Reset the network settings on the console: Settings → Network and Internet → Resetting Wi-Fi settings.
• 📱 Update your Mi Stick firmware to the latest version (instructions in the next section).
• 🛠️ Check cables and adapters for physical damage (especially if you are a physical injury). USB-C connector).

8. Update firmware for better compatibility

Many phone connection problems are solved by updating the firmware Xiaomi Mi Stick. MIUI TV 2.0.120 patches Miracast for Android 13.

How to update the console:

1. Go to Settings → About the console → System update.
2. Click Check for updates.
3. If a new version is available, download it (requires at least 500 MB of free space).
4. Confirm the installation and wait for the reboot (do not turn off the power!).

If the automatic update does not work:

• 📥 Download the firmware manually from the official Xiaomi website (select the Mi model). TV Stick).
• 💾 Save the.zip file to the flash drive and connect it to the console.
• 🔄 In the update menu, select Local Update and specify the path to the file.

FAQ: Frequent questions