How to watch movies from Xiaomi phone on TV via USB- Cable: Full Guide

You want to stream your favorite Xiaomi movie or video to a big TV screen, but you don't know how to do it through a USB- cable? Many users mistakenly think that just connecting devices with a cable will immediately appear on TV. In practice, it's more complicated: you need to set up your smartphone correctly, support for protocols with your TV and sometimes even additional software.

In this article, we’ll break down all the working ways Xiaomi connects (including the Redmi Note, POCO and flagship series) to Samsung, LG, Sony and other brands via USB-Type C or Micro-USB. You’ll learn why sometimes the phone screen isn’t duplicated on TV, how to get around the limitations of MIUI, and what USB alternatives exist for wireless broadcasting.

Important: The methods in this article are relevant for TVs that support USB OTG or MHL (Mobile High-Definition Link). If your TV is released before 2015, you will most likely need an adapter or a Smart console. Check the specifications of your model in advance!

1. What cables and adapters will be needed to connect

Before you connect Xiaomi to a TV, make sure you have the right cable. The type of connector depends on the smartphone model and TV:

• 📱 For modern Xiaomi (2019–2026): USB-C → HDMI cable with support for MHL or DisplayPort Alt Mode (e.g. Anker 310 or Baseus).
• 📱 For older Xiaomi (until 2018): Micro-USB cable → HDMI with MHL chip (e.g. Samsung EH-MU90).
• 📺 For TVs without HDMI: HDMI → VGA/DVI + audio cable 3.5 mm (sound if required).
• ⚡ Power: Some adapters require an external power source (use Xiaomi charging on 5V/2A).

⚠️ Warning: Cheap cables without MHL or DisplayPort support will not be able to transmit video. Check the labeling on the package - there must be a MHL logo or an indication of 4K@30Hz.

If your Xiaomi supports USB OTG (most models after 2016), you can try connecting directly through the USB-A port on your TV, but in this case, the TV will see the phone as a flash drive, not as a video source, and to play a movie, you need to copy it in advance to the DCIM or Movies folder on your smartphone.

2. Step-by-step: Xiaomi connects to TV via USB-HDMI

Consider a universal method of connection via the adapter USB-C/HDMI (relevant to Xiaomi 11/12/13 series, Redmi Note 10/11/12, POCO F/X).

1. Step 1: Connect the USB-C → HDMI adapter to your smartphone. If the adapter requires power, connect the charging cable to the USB-PD connector.
2. 2 Step: Connect the HDMI- cable to your TV (use the HDMI 1/ARC port for better compatibility).
3. Step 3. On the TV, select the signal source: press the Source or Input button on the remote and select the corresponding HDMI-port.
4. Step 4: Xiaomi will be notified of the connection to the external display, and allow access if the system requests it.
5. Step 5. In the screen settings (Settings → Display → Display Mode), select Duplicate Screen or Expand Screen.

Make sure the cable supports MHL/DisplayPort|

Charging phone > 50%|

TV plugged in |

Port port HDMI It is good on TV (check with another device)-->

If the screen is not displayed on TV:

• 🔄 Reboot both devices.
• 🔌 Try another one. HDMI-port on the TV (preferably) HDMI 2.0).
• ⚙️ In Xiaomi settings, enable Debugging on USB (Settings → About Phone → Version MIUI → 7 times press the version → Additional settings → For developers).

A critical nuance for Xiaomi on MIUI 14+: after connecting, you may need to manually enable the “External Display” mode in the quick settings menu (swipe down from the top edge of the screen → the “Screen” icon).

3.Why the phone can't see TV through USB: Common problems

Even with the right connection, errors can occur, and here are the most common causes and solutions:

⚠️ Warning: Some LG TVs (series UK6xxx, UK7xxx) may experience an error when connected via USB-HDMI, in which case resetting the HDMI- port settings will help: press the Input button on the remote for 10 seconds.

If you are using Xiaomi with a Qualcomm Snapdragon processor (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro or POCO X3 Pro), check if the HDMI- target device is enabled in the developer menu.

1. Activate Developer Mode (as described above).
2. Go to Settings → Additional → For developers.
3. Find the HDMI- Target Device and select Included.

4. Alternative ways to stream from Xiaomi to TV (if USB doesn’t work)

If USB connection fails, consider other options:

• 📶 Miracast/Wi-Fi Direct: Wireless screen transfer via Settings → Connection and Sharing → Screen transfer. Works on Xiaomi with MIUI 12+ and TVs with Android TV or WebOS 3.0+.
• 🔗 Google Cast: Use YouTube or Google Photos apps with Broadcast (top right icon) Requires a connection to one Wi-Fi network.
• 💻 DLNA/UPnP: Programs like BubbleUPnP or LocalCast let you stream files from your phone to TV without cables.
• 🖥️ Smart console: Connect the Xiaomi Mi Box or NVIDIA Shield to your TV and use Google Play Movies or Kodi to play.

For owners of Xiaomi Mi TV, there is an additional bonus: you can use the branded Mi Home app to sync the screen. Open the app, select your TV from the list of devices and press the phone screen. The latency with this connection is minimal (about 50 ms), which is suitable even for games.

5. Optimizing videos for viewing via USB: formats and codec

Not all video formats play correctly when connected via USB. To avoid problems with sound or image, follow the recommendations:

• 🎬 Recommended formats are MP4 (codec H.264), MKV (with video H.265 and sound AAC/AC3).
• 🚫 Problem formats: AVI (with DivX codec), MOV (Apple ProRes), FLV.
• 🔊 Sound: 5.1 or DTS may require conversion to Stereo AAC.
• 📏 Resolution: Optimal 1920×1080 at 30FPS. 4K- Video can lag on weak adapters.

If the video is not reproduced:

1. Check the file on your phone using the VLC or MX Player app (they support more codecs than the standard MIUI player).
2. Convert the file to MP4 using HandBrake or Format Factory (select Preset Android).
3. If the audio and video are not synced, try changing the player on the TV (for example, use Kodi instead of the built-in player).

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To play subtitles, copy the subtitle file (.srt) to the same folder as the video and rename it identically (e.g. film.mp4 and film.srt). Most Android TV players will automatically pick up the subtitles.

⚠️ Warning: Samsung's J and K series TVs (2015-2017) may not be able to play MKV sound when playing USB Solution: Convert video to MP4 or use external audio output (3.5 mm or Bluetooth).

6. Connection mode comparison: USB vs. Wi-Fi vs. HDMI

To choose the best method of broadcasting, compare the key parameters:

For movies and TV shows, the best choice is USB-HDMI (maximum quality) or Wi-Fi Cast (if TV supports). For photos and music, direct USB connection is enough. If you need to duplicate the screen (for example, for presentations or games), use Miracast or a wired adapter.

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For stable USB-HDMI on Xiaomi, be sure to use the original cable with DisplayPort Alt Mode support. Cheap analogues can cause image artifacts or a complete lack of signal.

7.How to speed up phone charging when connected to TV

When streaming video over USB, Xiaomi discharges faster than usual due to the high load on the processor and display.

• ⚡ Connect your phone to charge at the same time as the broadcast. Use the power supply on 18W+ (e.g., the original charging from Xiaomi).
• 🔋 Enable Power Saving Mode (Settings → Battery → Power Saving Mode), but disable the performance limitation for the player app.
• 📴 Reduce the brightness of the phone screen to a minimum (if the screen is duplicated on TV, the phone's brightness is not important).
• 🧊 Close background applications through Security → Optimization.

If your phone is still running out, try an alternative method:

1. Connect Xiaomi to a power bank with a capacity of 10,000 mAh+.
2. Use an externally powered USB-Hab (e.g. Baseus 6-in-1) to charge your phone and transmit video at the same time.

⚠️ Warning: Some models of the POCO (e.g., POCO X3 NFC) may have overheating protection when connected via USB-HDMI. If the phone gets too hot, take a 10- to 15-minute break or use a cooling stand.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi's USB TV connection