How to turn on Wi-Fi Direct on Xiaomi Mi TV 4A: full instructions with pictures and tips

Why you need Wi-Fi Direct on Xiaomi Mi TV 4A and when it will come in handy

Wi-Fi Direct technology allows Xiaomi Mi TV 4A to connect directly to other devices — smartphones, laptops or tablets — without the mediation of a router. It’s like Bluetooth, but with speed and range Wi-Fi. The feature is especially useful when you need to quickly transfer photos from your phone to the big screen, show a presentation from a laptop or stream video from a tablet without HDMI wire.

In practice, Wi-Fi Direct on the Mi TV 4A solves three key problems:

• 📱 Broadcasting without a stream – the smartphone connects to the TV directly, even if there is no Internet at home.
• 🎮 Game mode - reduced delay when streaming games from PC or console.
• 🔄 File sharing – transfer of photos/video in original quality without compression (unlike Bluetooth).

However, not all users know that the feature is disabled by default in the Mi TV 4A menu. It needs to be activated manually, and this is where the difficulties begin. Depending on the firmware version (PatchWall or Google TV), the path to settings may vary, and not all devices support Wi-Fi Direct: for example, iPhones before iOS 13 do not know how to connect to TVs using this technology.

Compatibility Check: Does your Mi TV 4A support Wi-Fi Direct?

Before looking for settings, make sure your Xiaomi TV model supports Wi-Fi Direct at all.The feature is available on all versions of the Mi TV 4A released after 2019, but there are nuances:

To know exactly the firmware version of your TV, go to Settings → About TV → Software version. If it says something older than PatchWall 1.7, you can activate the Wi-Fi Direct function. If the version below, you will have to update the TV via OTA or manually.

⚠️ Attention: On Mi TVs TV 4A Google-based TV (Post-2021 Wi-Fi Direct can be called "Miracast" or "Wireless Display" and look for it in Settings. → Connected devices.

How to turn on Wi-Fi Direct on Xiaomi Mi TV 4A

The activation algorithm depends on the firmware version, and below is the general-purpose instruction that is suitable for most Mi TV 4A models (2019-2023).

Make sure your TV is connected to the network (even if you don’t need the internet)

Turn off Bluetooth on your TV and smartphone

Check that the smartphone is enabled Wi-Fi

Close all apps that use the network (such as YouTube or Netflix)

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1. Open the settings on the Xiaomi remote (button with gear).
2. Go to the Network and the Internet (or Wireless Networks on old firmware).
3. Select Wi-Fi Direct. If you don't have one, look for Miracast or Wireless Display.
4. Activate the slider Enable Wi-Fi Direct (or press OK on the remote).
5. Wait until the TV is visible to other devices (the network name, such as DIRECT-MiTV4A-XXXX, will appear on the screen).

Now you have to connect your smartphone or laptop to your TV. On Android, you have to do this.

1. Open the Settings. → Wi-Fi.
2. Find a network with a name DIRECT-MiTV4A....
3. Connect to it (password is not required).
4. Start a live streaming app (like Google Home or Mi Remote).

⚠️ Note: Some Samsung and Huawei smartphones need to enable the "Smart View" or "Wireless Display" function in the Quick Settings Panel before connecting.

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If the TV is not visible in the list of devices to connect, try rebooting it (press the Power button on the remote for 10 seconds). Sometimes resetting network settings to Settings → System → Reset (select Network Only) helps.

What to do if Wi-Fi Direct is not turned on or working

Even after setting up the right Wi-Fi Direct can fail, and here are the typical problems and solutions:

• 🔄 TV not visible in the list of devices - Check that the smartphone is Wi-Fi enabled (not mobile data). - Make sure that the TV and smartphone are no more than 5 meters apart. - Reboot both devices.
• 🚫 Connection is interrupted after a few seconds - Turn off the "Wi-Fi Autoswitch" function on your smartphone (on Android 10)+). - Try connecting from another device – if the problem recurs, reset the TV’s network settings.
• 📵 No sound when streaming video - In the broadcast settings on your smartphone, select "Transmit sound to TV." - Check if the TV is in No Sound mode (Mute button on the remote control).

If none of these things worked, the problem could be the firmware. On Mi TV 4A TVs with PatchWall versions below 2.0, the Wi-Fi Direct function is unstable.

1. Go to Settings → About TV → System Update.
2. Click Check for updates.
3. If a new version is available, install it (the TV will restart automatically).

Wi-Fi Direct Alternatives: What to Use When the Feature Fails

If Wi-Fi Direct never worked, don’t despair – the Xiaomi Mi TV 4A has other ways to stream wirelessly:

• 📡 Miracast is an analogue of Wi-Fi Direct, but with support for Windows and Android.
• 🌐 DLNA — It's a protocol for streaming media files from devices on a local network, and it works through applications like this. VLC or BubbleUPnP.
• 📱 Google Cast – if the TV has Google firmware installed TV, You can stream the screen via Google Home or YouTube.
• 🔌 HDMI-cable is the most reliable way if wireless technology is malfunctioning.

The best option for iPhone and Mac is AirPlay, but the Mi TV 4A doesn’t support it out of the box, so you can buy an external Apple TV adapter or use apps like ApowerMirror (requires you to connect to a single Wi-Fi network).

Wi-Fi Direct Security: What You Need to Know

Unlike normal Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi Direct is not encrypted by default, which means that in theory someone can intercept the data being transmitted (for example, if you are broadcasting sensitive documents) to minimize the risks:

• 🔒 Turn off Wi-Fi Direct after use – long-term feature turn on makes the TV vulnerable to connections.
• 📵 Do not transmit sensitive information (passwords, bank details) through this channel.
• 🏠 Use only in a trusted network – in public places (hotels, airports) it is better to refrain from Wi-Fi Direct.

Xiaomi TVs with PatchWall 3.0 firmware+ A “Secure Connection” option is available that asks for PIN-code on the first connection. If you have this version of software, be sure to activate it:

1. Go to Settings → Wi-Fi Direct → More
2. Enable the "Request Confirmation" option.
3. When you connect a new device on the TV screen will appear 4-digit code – enter it on your smartphone.

⚠️ Note: Some live streaming apps (such as third-party Screen Mirroring) may request access to contacts, photos, or location. Before installing, check the permissions in Google Play – official Xiaomi apps (Mi Remote, Mi Home) do not send such requests.

Comparison of Wi-Fi Direct with other wireless technologies

To understand when to use Wi-Fi Direct and when to use alternatives, compare it to other popular standards:

As you can see from the table, Wi-Fi Direct is the gold standard for high-resolution video (Full HD or 4K), but it's losing out to Bluetooth in terms of energy efficiency. If you just need to listen to music through your TV speakers, you better use Bluetooth.

For iPhone owners, AirPlay is the best option, but it requires additional hardware (for example, Apple TV). Miracast is versatile, but can slow down when broadcasting dynamic content (games, sports).

FAQ: Frequent questions about Wi-Fi Direct on Xiaomi Mi TV 4A