How to transfer a photo from your phone to your TV Xiaomi Mi: all working ways

It's hard to imagine an evening without sharing family photos on the big screen. But how do you transfer photos from Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 or iPhone 14 to Xiaomi Mi TV A2 or Mi TV Q2 without losing quality? There are plenty of ways, from wireless technology to wired connections, but not all of them are equally convenient.

Some methods require additional adapters, others work only with certain smartphone models. A key problem is that users often experience delays when broadcasting over Wi-Fi or can not find the right settings on the TV. This article provides proven instructions for all scenarios, including solutions for outdated Xiaomi TVs on Android TV 9 and new models with Google TV.

We tested every method on real devices, from the budget Redmi A2 to the flagship Xiaomi 13 Ultra. Particular attention was paid to transfer speeds and save resolution — because no one wants to watch blurry 4K photos on a screen with Dolby Vision. If you need to urgently show photos from a vacation or present a portfolio, choose the method from the comparison table below and follow the step-by-step instructions.

1. Wireless transmission via Mi Share (formerly Mi Drop)

The easiest way for owners of Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphones is to use Mi Share’s proprietary technology. It works on the Wi-Fi Direct protocol, does not require connection to the router and retains the original quality of photos (up to 108 MP on the Xiaomi 12S Ultra).

Cons: Mi Home or Mi should be installed on the TV TV Assistant (not available on all models) and Mi Share does not support transmission RAW-files – they are automatically converted to JPEG. If you need to transfer photos in the original format, use a cable or cloud.

• 📱 On your smartphone: Open the gallery, select a photo → «Share» → «Mi Share» → Select the TV from the list.
• 📺 On TV: Go to Settings → Connections and sharing → Mi Share and activate visibility.
• ⚡ Speed: ~10-15 MB/s (depends on the model of the Wi-Fi module in TV).
• ❌ Restrictions: Does not work with iPhones and smartphones of other brands.

The TV and phone are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (not necessarily, but speeds up search).

Visibility mode is on TV in Mi Share

On the smartphone allowed access to files for the application "Gallery"

Updated firmware on both devices (minimum version of MIUI 12.5)

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If the TV doesn’t appear in the device list, try rebooting both devices or resetting Wi-Fi Direct settings to Settings → Network & Internet → Additional. The 2018 Xiaomi Mi TV 4S models may require a manual update to the Mi Home app via Google Play.

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If the transmission is interrupted, reduce the number of photos sent simultaneously (optimally 10-15 pieces at a time).

2.Use of Google Cast (Chromecast built-in)

All Xiaomi Mi TVs since 2019 support Google Cast technology, which allows you to broadcast the screen of your smartphone on the big screen. Unlike Mi Share, this method works with any Android device and even with iPhone (via applications like Google Home).

For maximum clarity:

1. Connect your phone and TV to a single 5GHz network.
2. On the TV, activate Settings → Connected devices → Broadcast settings → Enable wireless broadcasting.
3. On your smartphone in the Google Photos or Gallery app, click “Translate” (screen and Wi-Fi icon).

⚠️ Note: On the iPhone to stream through Google Cast will need to install the app Google Home and manually select the TV in the list of devices. TV Not supported – this is a firmware restriction.

Mi Share (for Xiaomi)

Google Cast (Chromecast)

HDMI/USB cable

Cloud services (Google Photos, Mi Cloud)

Another option-->

3. Wired connection via USB or HDMI

If you need to transfer a large amount of photos (for example, from a photo shoot) or work with a person RAW-Files, wired connectivity remains the most reliable option. - Xiaomi Mi TVs TV Supports two types of connections:

• 🔌 USB Type-A: Connect your phone via cable USB-OTG (Android, or Lightning-to-USB (iPhone) adapter, the TV will define the device as a flash drive.
• 📺 HDMI: Use the adapter. USB-C/Lightning → HDMI for live screen broadcasting (supports) 4K@60Hz new-model).

Instructions for USB-connection:

1. Connect your phone to a USB 2.0/3.0 port on your TV (usually located on the side).
2. On the TV screen, select the source of the USB signal.
3. On your smartphone, in the notification curtain, click on “File Transfer” (for Android) or “Trust this computer” (for iPhone).
4. Open the built-in file manager on your TV and select the DCIM or Pictures folder.

⚠️ Note: On the iPhone when connecting through USB TV will only see photos taken by the phone’s camera (folder) DCIM). Screenshots and Downloads won’t show up – this is a limitation of iOS.

4. Cloud services: Google Photos and Mi Cloud

If you need to show photos from multiple devices or you travel frequently, cloud services will be the perfect solution. Xiaomi Mi TVs have Google Photos and Mi Cloud apps pre-installed that sync with your accounts.

Advantages of the method:

• ☁️ Access to photos from any device (even if the phone is dead).
• 🔍 Easy search by dates, places and faces (in Google Photos).
• 📁 Automatic backup (configured in the mobile application).

How to set up:

1. Upload your photo to Google Photos or Mi Cloud.
2. On the TV, open the corresponding app and log in to the same account.
3. Choose an album or use search for quick access.

📌 Important: To view photos in original quality in Google Photos requires a subscription to Google One (free compression is available up to 16 MP). In Mi Cloud, the limit is 5 GB for free (extension to 200 GB for 99 is available).₽/month).

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Cloud services are ideal for regular viewing of photos, but are not suitable for one-time transfer of large amounts of data (due to traffic restrictions and download speeds).

5. Local area network: DLNA and SAMBA

For advanced users who want to run a home media server, DLNA or SAMBA connectivity is the right technology, allowing them to access phone folders directly from the TV as if they were a network drive.

How to set up DLNA:

1. On the phone, install a server application, such as BubbleUPnP or Plex.
2. In the application settings, specify folders with photos for shared access.
3. On your TV, open Mi Video or Mi Media Center → select the DLNA source.
4. Your phone will appear in the list of devices – select it and view the photo.

For SAMBA (connection as a network drive):

1. On your phone, install MiXplorer or FX File Explorer.
2. Activate. SAMBA-server in application settings.
3. On the TV in Mi File Manager, select Network Storage → Add SAMBA.
4. Enter. IP-telephone address (specified in settings) SAMBA-servers) and data for connection.

⚠️ Attention: When in use DLNA iPhones will require jailbreak or special applications like PlugPlayer, since iOS limits the work with the local network. SAMBA Depends on the router class: on Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax) Delays are minimal and on Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) can reach 500 ms.

6.Alternative methods: AirDroid and Send Anywhere

If standard methods don’t work (for example, on older Xiaomi Mi TV 3 models), you can use universal applications for file transfer:

• 📲 AirDroid: Creates a local web server on your phone that connects the TV through a browser.
• 🌐 Send Anywhere: Generates 6-digit code for fast transfer without registration.
• 🔗 LocalSend: Open analogue of AirDrop with support for Android, iOS and Windows.

Instructions for Send Anywhere:

1. Install the app on your phone and TV (via Google Play on TV).
2. On your phone, select a photo → “Send” → generate a code.
3. On the TV, type this code in the Send Anywhere app.

The advantage of these methods is cross-platform (working even between iPhone and Xiaomi TV) and the lack of binding to the same Wi-Fi network. However, the transfer speed is limited by the bandwidth of the router: in practice, 5-8 MB / s on Wi-Fi 5.

Comparison of all methods: what to choose?

For a one-time viewing 10-20 If you want to transfer an archive of photos (for example, from a wedding), use it. USB-cable SAMBA. For regular access to photos from all devices, set up Google Photos or Mi Cloud.

FAQ: Frequent Questions and Solutions