How to connect Wi-Fi Direct on a Xiaomi TV: full instructions with pictures and error solutions

Wi-Fi Direct allows files to be transferred between devices without a router, directly, like Bluetooth, but at Wi-Fi speed. On Xiaomi Mi TVs (including Mi TV 4A/4S/5/5X/6 models), this feature often goes unnoticed, although it opens up a lot of possibilities, from viewing photos from a phone on a large screen to streaming videos without lags. However, many users face problems when they first connect - TV does not see a smartphone, the connection is cut off or requires a password that is not in the instructions.

In this article, we will discuss all ways to activate Wi-Fi Direct on Xiaomi TVs, including hidden settings for older models, bypassing typical errors (for example, error). 104 Or you couldn't connect, and alternative methods of data transmission if Direct doesn't work, and we'll focus on compatibility with Android, iPhone and laptops. Windows/macOS.

If you tried to connect via Settings → Network → Wi-Fi Direct, but nothing worked, do not rush to reset the TV. 80% of the time, the problem is solved by changing one or two parameters that are not written in the official manuals. For example, on the models of the Xiaomi Mi TV 4S 2020 release Wi-Fi Direct is disabled by default in the service menu and requires manual activation through the engineering menu.

1 What is Wi-Fi Direct and why is it needed on Xiaomi TV?

Wi-Fi Direct is a wireless standard that allows devices to connect directly bypassing a router. Unlike classic Wi-Fi, where both devices connect to the same network, here the Xiaomi TV becomes the hotspot itself, and the smartphone or laptop becomes the client.

The main advantages for Mi TV owners are:

• 📲 File transfer without the Internet: photos, videos, music can be sent to TV even without a router.
• 🎮 Game mode: connecting gamepads (for example, Xiaomi Game Controller) or a smartphone as a joystick.
• 📺 Streaming from the phone: screen broadcast Android/iOS on the TV without delay (alternative to Miracast).
• 🔧 Remote management: Some apps (e.g. Xiaomi Home) use Direct for sync.

It is important to understand that Wi-Fi Direct ≠ Miracast ≠ DLNA. One creates a direct network, the other duplicates the screen, the third broadcasts media. TV All these technologies can work in parallel, but are configured differently.

⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi TVs with firmware older MIUI TV 3.0 (released until 2021) Wi-Fi Direct may conflict with connection to the router. If the Internet disappears after activation of Direct, check the network priority settings in Settings → Network → Additionally.

2.Preparing Xiaomi TV to Connect

Before activating Wi-Fi Direct, make sure your Mi TV is ready to connect:

Update the TV firmware to the latest version

Turn off VPN on your smartphone/laptop

Make sure your TV is on Wi-Fi (even if you don’t have a router)

Close the background applications that use the network (for example, YouTube)

Check the compatibility of devices (see table below)-->

To check the firmware version, go to Settings → About TV → Software Version. If the version is older than MIUI TV 3.2, we recommend updating through Settings → System Update. On Mi TV 4A (2018), Wi-Fi Direct only works after manually upgrading to MIUI TV 2.3.65+.

On newer models (Mi TV 6 and later), Wi-Fi Direct is automatically activated when you first connect to the network. On older models (Mi TV 4A), you may need to manually activate via the service menu:

1. Open the settings → Device → About the TV.
2. Click 5 times in a row on the MI Logo (top of the screen).
3. Enter the code 12345 (for Mi TV 4S - 54321).
4. Go to Service Menu → Network → Wi-Fi Direct and turn on the option.

3. Step-by-step instructions: how to enable Wi-Fi Direct on Xiaomi TV

Consider the standard way to connect (on 90% of models), and if your TV can't see your device, go to section 4 with problem solving.

💡

On Xiaomi TVs with a remote without a microphone to enter a Wi-Fi Direct password, use the Mi Remote app on your smartphone (available for Android and iOS).

Method 1: Using the TV menu (main)

1. On the remote, press Menu → Settings → Network.
2. Select Wi-Fi Direct (some models call it Direct Connection).
3. Activate the slider Enable Wi-Fi Direct.
4. The TV will start searching for devices. Turn on Wi-Fi Direct on your smartphone/laptop: 📱 Android: Settings → Connections → Wi-Fi Direct. 🍎 iPhone: Use AirPlay (Wi-Fi Direct is not directly supported). 💻 Windows: Parameters → Devices → Add Bluetooth or other device → Wireless display.

Xiaomi TV

12345678

Mi TV

Method 2: Using the Mi Home app (alternative)

If the TV is not displayed in the list of devices:

1. Install the Mi Home app on your smartphone.
2. Add the TV to the app (if not added earlier).
3. Go to Devices → Your Mi TV → Settings → Wi-Fi Direct.
4. Follow the instructions on the screen for pairing.

⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi TVs with firmware MIUI TV 4.0+ When you connect via Wi-Fi Direct, you automatically shut down your Internet access. To return the network, go to Settings. → Network → Prioritize connection and select Wi-Fi router.

5 How to transfer files over Wi-Fi Direct to Xiaomi TV

Once you've successfully connected, you can start transferring data. Let's look at three main ways:

Method 1: Through the built-in file manager

1. On the TV, open the Applications → File Manager.
2. Select Devices → [The name of your smartphone].
3. View the files and copy them to the TV (or vice versa).

Method 2: Using the Send Files to TV (Android) app

For easy transfer of photos and videos:

1. Install Send Files to TV on your smartphone (available on Google Play).
2. Launch the application and select the files to send.
3. On the TV, confirm the reception of files in the window that appears.

Method 3: Screen streaming (Mirroring)

To duplicate the screen of the smartphone on Xiaomi TV:

• 📱 Android: Use Settings → Connections → Screen broadcasting.
• 🍎 iPhone: Control point → Screen duplication → [Your Mi. TV].
• 💻 Windows 10/11: Parameters → System system → Projection on this PC.

6. Wi-Fi Direct Alternatives for Xiaomi TV

If Wi-Fi Direct is not working or is not fast enough, consider alternative ways to do this:

To stream videos from YouTube or Netflix, it is better to use Miracast or Google Cast (if the TV supports). 4K) optimally FTP-server:

1. On your TV, install the FX File Explorer app from Google Play (available for Mi TV with MIUI TV 3.0+).
2. Launch it. FTP-server.
3. Connect to it from a smartphone / PC through any FTP-client (e.g. FileZilla).

7.Security with Wi-Fi Direct

Wi-Fi Direct creates a local area network that can be vulnerable to a man-in-the-middle attack to protect data.

• 🔒 Use complex passwords: Replace the standard 12345678 with a combination of 12+ symbolism.
• 📵 Disable Direct after use: This will prevent unauthorized connections.
• 🛡️ Update the firmware: in older versions MIUI TV Vulnerabilities (e.g., vulnerabilities, CVE-2021-3324).
• 👤 Restrict access: on the Mi TV 6 You can set a "white list" of devices in Settings → Network → Wi-Fi Direct → Device management.

On Xiaomi Mi TV 5 Pro and later, Secure Connection (in the Wi-Fi Direct menu) is available, which encrypts traffic according to WPA3, but can reduce speeds by 10-15%. Activate it if you transmit sensitive data.

⚠️ Note: When connecting to Xiaomi TV With Wi-Fi Direct, some banking applications (such as SberBank Online) can block the network, treating it as “unsafe.” To avoid this, temporarily disable two-factor authentication or use mobile Internet.

8. Frequent Questions (FAQ)