Connecting your phone to a Xiaomi TV over Bluetooth: A complete guide to watching movies

Watching movies from your phone on a big screen on Xiaomi TV via Bluetooth is a convenient way to enjoy your favorite content without unnecessary wires. However, many users face problems from lack of sound to latency. In this article, we will examine all the nuances of connection, including choosing the right settings, solving typical errors and optimizing the broadcast quality.

It’s important to understand that Bluetooth connectivity between a smartphone and Xiaomi TV has limitations: it’s designed primarily to transmit audio, not video. Full streaming of picture movies will require alternative methods (which we’ll mention at the end of the article), but if your goal is to get audio from your phone to your TV speakers and leave the image on your smartphone screen, then Bluetooth is the perfect solution.

We tested the connectivity on Mi TV 4S, Mi TV Q1, Redmi Smart TV and Xiaomi TV A Pro models with different versions of MIUI TV (from 2.0 to 4.0).

1. Check the compatibility of your Xiaomi TV and phone

Not all Xiaomi TVs support Bluetooth connectivity in audio receiver mode, but here are the key points to consider:

• 📺 Models with Bluetooth 4.2 and higher (e.g. Mi) TV Q2 2023, Xiaomi TV A2 43′′ guaranteed support for audio reception from a smartphone.
• 📱 Smartphones on Android 8.0+ (including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13 has a built-in Bluetooth audio transmission function.
• 🚫 Older models (e.g. Mi) TV 3S 2017 may not support the protocol A2DP Sink required for sound reception.
• 🔄 Firmware updates sometimes add Bluetooth audio support. Check the software's relevance in Settings → On TV. → Updating the system.

To determine if your TV supports Bluetooth audio, do:

1. Open the Settings. → Bluetooth and devices on TV.
2. If the list contains the item "Add device" or "Audio mode" - the function is supported.
3. On some models (Redmi Smart TV X) you need to activate “Visibility for All” in Bluetooth settings.

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi TVs with the prefix Mi Box (set-top box) do not support Bluetooth audio reception – only transfer to headphones or speakers.

2. Step-by-step: Connecting your phone to Xiaomi TV over Bluetooth

The synchronization process takes no more than 2-3 minutes, if you follow the algorithm, we will break it down into stages for Android smartphones (including Xiaomi, Samsung, Realme) and separately consider the nuances for the iPhone.

For Android phones:

1. Activate Bluetooth on your TV: Go to Settings → Bluetooth and devices → Turn on Bluetooth. On some models (Mi TV P1), you need to press the Menu button on the remote and select "Bluetooth".
2. Turn the TV into audio mode: From the Bluetooth menu, select Add Device Mode or Audio Device Mode (name depends on the model). The TV should appear in the list of available devices on the phone as "MI-TV-XXX".
3. Connect your phone: On your smartphone, open Settings → Connections → Bluetooth, find your Xiaomi TV on the list and tap it. Confirm pairing on both devices.
4. Set up audio output: Once connected on the phone, a Bluetooth icon will appear in the notification panel. Slip on it and select Media Play → your TV. The sound from the phone will now be broadcast through the TV speakers.

For iPhone (iOS):

The iPhone supports connecting to Xiaomi TV over Bluetooth, but with limitations: audio will only be transmitted from apps (such as YouTube or Netflix), and system sounds (calls, notifications) will not.

1. On your TV, activate Bluetooth Search Mode (as in Step 1 for Android).
2. On iPhone, open Settings → Bluetooth, find Xiaomi TV and connect.
3. Run the video in the app (like YouTube) and tap the audio icon (on the right side of the control panel).

⚠️ Note: On iPhone, the sound may be interrupted when the screen is locked. To avoid this, turn on Settings. → Screen and brightness → Autolock the value of "Never" at the time of viewing.

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If the TV doesn’t appear in the list of Bluetooth devices on the phone, try rebooting both devices and reconnecting. On some Xiaomi TV models, resetting Bluetooth settings to Settings helps → System → Resetting → Resetting Bluetooth settings.

3. Problem Solving: No sound, delay or connection is disrupted

Even after successful pairing, users often face typical problems, and we've put together proven solutions for each of them:

Critical information: Xiaomi TVs with MIUI TV firmware below version 3.0 may not support the aptX codec, which leads to a sound delay of up to 300 ms. In this case, it is recommended to use alternative connection methods (for example, Miracast or Google Cast).

4. Sound quality optimization: codecs and settings

By default, Xiaomi TV uses an SBC codec that provides average sound quality and noticeable latency. To improve playback, you need to manually select a more modern codec:

• 🎵 AAC — Better balance between quality and stability supported by all Android 10 smartphones+ iPhone.
• 🎧 aptX - Minimum delay (up to a minimum delay) 40 MS) but requires support from the phone (e.g. Xiaomi) 12/13, POCO F4).
• 🔊 LDAC — High quality (up to 990 kbps), but can cause interference with a weak signal.

To change the codec on your phone:

1. Connect to the TV via Bluetooth.
2. On Android, open Settings → Connections → Bluetooth.
3. Put it on the gear next to the name of your Xiaomi TV.
4. Select “Sound Quality” or “Bluetoothooth Codec” (name depends on the phone model).
5. Set the priority codec (we recommend AAC or aptX).

On the TV, you can also adjust the sound parameters:

1. Go to Settings → Sound → Bluetooth audio settings.
2. Activate the “Quality Priority” option (if available).
3. Turn off "Sound Processing" (may add a delay).

5. Alternative ways to stream movies on Xiaomi TV

If Bluetooth is not suitable due to sound delay or lack of support on your model, consider alternative methods:

• 📡 Miracast (Wireless Display) - transmit both video and sound wirelessly. Supported on Xiaomi TV s MIUI TV 3.0+. For connection: Settings → Screen. → Wireless display.
• 📱 Google Cast (Chromecast embedded) – streaming from apps (YouTube, Netflix, Kodi) activated in Settings → Communications and networks → Google Cast.
• 🔌 HDMI-Adapter cable: zero latency, maximum quality. Modern smartphones need an adapter. USB-C → HDMI (for example, Xiaomi USB-C to HDMI Adapter).
• 📂 Local area network (DLNA/UPnP) — Play movies from your phone over your home network. Use apps like BubbleUPnP or the built-in Media Server on your home network. TV.

Comparison of methods by key parameters:

⚠️ Note: When using Miracast on Xiaomi TVs with firmware below 3.2, there may be “teared” video when playing content with high bitrate (for example, movies in the video). 4K). In this case, reduce the resolution of the video on the phone to 1080p.

6. How to improve the stability of Bluetooth connectivity

If the sound is interrupted or the connection is broken, try the following methods:

• 📶 Reduce the distance between the phone and the TV to 1-2 meters. Walls and furniture weaken the signal.
• 🔋 Charge your phone to 50% or more. With a low battery charge, Android limits the performance of the Bluetooth module.
• 🔄 Turn off power saving for Bluetooth: Settings → Battery → Energy saving regime → Turn off for Bluetooth.
• 📵 Eliminate interference: Turn off other Bluetooth devices (fitness bracelets, wireless headphones) and Wi-Fi routers running at 2.4 GHz.
• 🔧 Reset network settings on the TV: Settings → System system → Resetting settings → Resetting network settings.

For advanced users:

On root-access phones, you can manually change the settings of the Bluetooth module via the Bluetooth Auto Connect or Bluetooth Repair app.

• Force the use of a specific codec (e.g., aptX LL for minimal latency).
• Increase the priority of Bluetooth connection in the system.
• Turn off automatic switching to SBC when signal is weak.

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For stable Bluetooth connection between the phone and Xiaomi TV, it is critical to use the AAC or aptX codec. SBC codec (set by default) gives a sound delay of up to 300 ms, which makes watching movies impossible.

7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

User experience shows that most Bluetooth connectivity problems are caused by incorrect actions during the setup phase, and these are the most common errors:

• 🔴 Connect to your TV as headphones (instead of choosing audio mode). Solution: On your TV, activate "Audio Device Mode" in Bluetooth settings.
• 🔴 Using your phone while broadcasting (calls, notifications interrupt sound) Solution: Activate Do Not Disturb mode on your phone.
• 🔴 Trying to stream video over Bluetooth. Solution: Bluetooth only transmits sound. Use Miracast for video or HDMI.
• 🔴 Ignoring firmware updates. Solution: Check the relevance of software on your TV and phone.

Another common problem is that the TV is plugged in, but the sound is late.

• Use the SBC codec (replace with AAC or aptX).
• Active sound processing on the TV (turn off in Settings → Sound → Sound effects).
• Low performance phone (close background applications).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions