How to listen to music from your phone on your Xiaomi TV: all ways to connect

You want to fill the room with the sound of your favorite tracks, but the smartphone speakers are too weak? Modern Xiaomi TVs (Mi TV 4/5 series, Redmi Smart TV, Xiaomi TV A/Q) support several ways to wirelessly and wired audio from a smartphone. In this article, we will discuss all the current methods, from simple Bluetooth connection to advanced protocols like Google Cast or Apple AirPlay (for iPhone).

The main advantage of using a TV as an audio system is the powerful built-in speakers (from 20 watts in budget models to 60 watts in flagships) and support for high-resolution formats (FLAC, ALAC, DTS). But not all methods are equally convenient: some will require additional equipment, and some will be transmitted with a delay. We tested each method on Xiaomi TV Q2 55" (2023) and Redmi Smart TV X43 (2022) - the results are summarized in the comparison table below.

1. Bluetooth Connection: A Simple, But Not Perfect Way

The most versatile method that works on any Xiaomi TV with Bluetooth 4.2+ support (all models since 2018) is suitable for listening to music without syncing with video - for example, for the background during cleaning or partying. The main disadvantage is the audio delay of up to 200 ms, which makes the method unsuitable for watching movies.

How to connect:

• 📱 On your smartphone: open Settings → Bluetooth and enable device search.
• 📺 On TV: Go to Settings → Devices → Bluetooth, select "Add Device" mode".
• 🔗 The list of devices on your phone will show the name of your TV (for example, the name of your TV, MiTV-Q2-1234). Tap to pair.
• 🎵 After connecting, launch the player (Spotify, YouTube Music, VLC) — The sound will be automatically transmitted to the TV.

⚠️ Note: On some Xiaomi models TV (Like Mi. TV 4S 32′′ Bluetooth can only work in “Audio Device” mode, not “Dynamic” mode, in which case the sound will only come from applications that support external audio devices (for example, Poweramp or Musicolet).

Television and phone charged at more than 30%

The distance between the devices does not exceed 10 meters

The TV has enabled the mode “Visible for all” in the Bluetooth settings

The sound on the phone is not muted (check the volume slider)

-->

If the TV is not on the lookout, try:

1. Reboot both devices.
2. On TV, reset Bluetooth settings: Settings → Devices → Bluetooth → Delete all devices.
3. Update the TV firmware (relevant for models of 2020 and older).

2. Miracast (Wi-Fi Direct): audio and video transmission without lags

Miracast (aka Wi-Fi Direct) allows you to stream not only audio but also video to your Xiaomi TV without delay, ideal for watching YouTube clips or movies from your phone, and works on all Xiaomi TVs with Android TV 9.0+ (released after 2019).

Instructions for Android:

• 📱 On the phone: open Settings → Connections → Screen transmission (on Xiaomi/Redmi The path may be different: Settings → Screen. → Wireless display).
• 📺 On TV: Go to Settings → Devices → Screen transmission → Wi-Fi Direct.
• 🔍 In the list of available devices on your phone, select your TV (the name begins with MiTV or RedmiTV-).
• 🎬 After connecting the screen of the smartphone will be duplicated on the TV, and the sound will automatically switch to the TV speakers.

For the iPhone, you will need a third-party app, such as Screen Mirroring or ApowerMirror, since Apple does not support Miracast natively.

3. Google Cast: for Android and iPhone owners

If your Xiaomi TV runs on Android TV (all models from 2020), it supports Google Cast, a technology similar to Chromecast, which allows you to stream music from apps like YouTube Music, Spotify or Google Play Music directly to the TV speakers.

How to set up:

1. Make sure your phone and TV are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
2. Open a supported app (like Spotify) and start the track.
3. Slip on the Cast icon (usually in the top right corner) and select your Xiaomi TV from the list.
4. The sound will automatically switch to TV, and you can control the playback from your phone or remote control.

💡

If the Cast icon doesn’t appear, upgrade to the latest version of the app or reboot the TV. Some Xiaomi TV models (such as Mi TV 4A) require you to manually enable Google Cast: Settings → Network and Access → Google Cast

List of apps that support Google Cast:

• 🎵 Spotify (premium account)
• 🎵 YouTube Music
• 🎵 Google Play Music (Old, but It Works)
• 🎬 YouTube
• 📺 Netflix, Disney+, KinoPoisk

⚠️ Note: Xiaomi TVs with firmware older than 2021 may not support Spotify Connect. in this case, use YouTube Music or transmit audio via Bluetooth.

4.HDMI wired connection: no delays and loss of quality

If you need minimal audio latency (for example, for games or watching movies), the best option is a wired connection via HDMI.

• 📱 Smartphone with support USB-C or Lightning (for iPhone).
• 🔌 adapter USB-C → HDMI lightning → HDMI (cost ₽).
• 📺 Cable HDMI (usually comes with a TV set).

Step-by-step:

1. Connect the adapter to the smartphone and the HDMI cable to the adapter and TV (HDMI 1/ARC port is preferred).
2. On the TV, select the signal source: press the Input button (or Source) on the remote and select the appropriate one. HDMI-port.
3. On the smartphone, you may need to turn on the “Screen Transfer” mode (on Xiaomi: Settings → Screen → HDMI mode).
4. Start the player – sound and video will be transmitted to TV without delay.

Advantages of HDMI:

• 🎮 Zero sound latency is ideal for gaming (PUBG Mobile, Call of Duty).
• 🎧 High-resolution sound support (Dolby Atmos, DTS:X).
• 🔋 Does not drain the battery of the phone (unlike Bluetooth).

Disadvantages:

• 💰 Purchase of an adapter is required.
• 📱 The phone will be tied to the cable (inconvenient for movement).
• 🔌 Not all adapters support charging your phone at the same time as data transfer.

5. Apple AirPlay: For iPhone owners

If you have an iPhone and a Xiaomi TV on Android TV 10+ (Models 2021 and newer), you can use Apple AirPlay to transfer music.This method provides better sound quality than Bluetooth, and minimal latency (about 50 ms).

How to connect:

1. Make sure that your TV and iPhone are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
2. On TV: Go to Settings → Network & Access → AirPlay and turn on the feature.
3. On iPhone: Open Control Point (swipe down from the top right corner) and tap the Screen Mirroring icon.
4. In the list of devices, select your Xiaomi TV.
5. Run Apple Music or any other audio app – the sound will be transmitted to TV.

If AirPlay is not working:

• 🔄 Reboot the TV and iPhone.
• 📶 Check that both devices are connected to a 2.4 GHz network (5 GHz may not be supported).
• 🔒 Turn it off. VPN iPhone.
• 📱 Update the TV firmware (AirPlay only appeared in Android) TV 10).

💡

AirPlay on Xiaomi TV only works on Android TV 10 and later (released after 2021). For older TVs, use Bluetooth or HDMI.

6.Alternative methods: AUX, optical cables and smart applications

If none of the above methods are suitable, consider these options:

1. Connection via AUX (3.5 mm)

If your Xiaomi TV has an AUX In connector (a rarity in newer models), you can connect your phone via a 3.5mm → 3.5mm audio cable or a USB-C → 3.5mm adapter.

Optical cable (TOSLINK)

For audiophiles, if the TV supports optical input (S/PDIF), you can use a USB-C → Optical adapter (e.g. Apple USB-C Digital AV Adapter), which transmits sound in its original quality without compression.

3. Streaming applications

Some applications (such as SoundWire or AudioRelay) allow you to stream audio from your phone to your TV via Wi-Fi. Minus: you need to install server software on your TV (which is not always possible on Xiaomi TV due to the limitations of MIUI for TV).

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

The choice of method depends on your tasks:

• 🎶 For background music (party, cleaning): Bluetooth or Google Cast.
• 🎬 For movies and videos: Miracast or HDMI.
• 🎮 For games: only HDMI (minimum delay).
• 🍎 For iPhone: AirPlay (on new TVs) or Lightning → HDMI.
• 🎧 For audiophiles: optical cable or HDMI.

If you often listen to music through a TV, we recommend you purchase a Bluetooth transmitter (for example, 1Mii B06 Plus), which connects to the optical output of the TV and allows you to listen to music on wireless headphones or speakers in parallel with the built-in speakers.

FAQ: Frequent Questions and Problems