How to transfer a picture from a laptop to a Xiaomi TV: all working ways

You want to move your laptop to a big Xiaomi TV, but you don't know where to start? It seems simple at first glance: a wrong cable, outdated drivers, or incorrect settings can turn the process into an hour-long battle with technology. In this article, we'll look at all the current ways of connecting, from classic HDMI to wireless technologies like Miracast and AirPlay, and also explain how to avoid typical synchronization errors.

Xiaomi TVs (Mi TV A2, P1, Q2, etc.) support most modern video transmission standards, but their implementation may vary depending on the model and version of the MIUI TV firmware. For example, older TVs (before 2020) may not have built-in Wi-Fi Direct, and new ones may require manual screen resolution adjustment when connecting via HDMI. We took into account all these nuances and compiled a universal guide that will suit both Windows and macOS.

Before you start, check two key points: the screen resolution of the laptop (should match or be a multiple of the TV resolution) and the version of the graphics card drivers (especially if you use wireless technology), which often cause image artifacts or no signal at all.

Connecting via HDMI: a classic and reliable way

HDMI cable remains the most stable way to transfer images from a laptop to a Xiaomi TV, it guarantees minimal latency (important for gaming) and supports resolutions up to 4K@60Hz on modern models. However, even here there are pitfalls: not all cables are the same, and ports on laptops can be miniature (HDMI Mini or USB-C with DisplayPort support).

To connect:

• 🔌 Connect one end of the cable to the HDMI port on your TV (usually labeled HDMI 1/ARC or HDMI 2.1).
• 💻 Put the second end in your laptop. If you don't have a port, use an adapter (e.g., USB-C → HDMI).
• 📺 On the Xiaomi remote, click the Source (or Input) button and select the appropriate one. HDMI-port.
• 🖥️ On a laptop, press Win + P (for Windows) and select the display mode: Duplicate, Expand, or Second Screen Only.

If the image does not appear:

• 🔄 Check if the cable has burned out (try another one).
• 🔧 Update the graphics card driver (via Device Manager or manufacturer’s website).
• 📏 Make sure that the screen resolution of the laptop does not exceed that supported by the TV (for example, Mi TV 4A does not pull 4K@120Hz).

⚠️ Warning: On some laptops with hybrid graphics (NVIDIA Optimus or AMD Switchable), the HDMI can be connected to an integrated graphics card, in which case the Control Panel NVIDIA must manually specify which graphics card should handle the external display.

Check the integrity of the cable and ports|

Update the graphics card drivers |

Set the correct resolution on your laptop |

Select the correct source of the signal on TV (Source button)|

Try another HDMI-port on your TV (if you have one)

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2 Wireless Wi-Fi Transfer: Miracast and Xiaomi's Built-in Features

If wires annoy you, you can use wireless technology. Xiaomi TVs support Miracast (standard for Windows and Android) and its own Mi Screen Mirroring feature. The main plus is the lack of wires, the cons are possible lags (especially when watching videos), and dependence on the stability of Wi-Fi.

Instructions for Windows 10/11:

1. On TV: go to Settings → Connection & Sharing → Wireless Display and turn on Miracast.
2. On your laptop: press Win + K (or go to Settings → System → Display → Connect to a wireless display).
3. Choose your Xiaomi TV from the list of available devices.
4. Confirm the connection on both devices (may be required) PIN-code).

For macOS (via AirPlay):

• 🍎 Make sure your TV and Mac are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
• 📱 On your TV, turn on AirPlay in settings (Settings → Apple AirPlay).
• 🖥️ On a Mac, open Control Center → Screen Mirror and select your Xiaomi TV.

⚠️ Note: When using Miracast on Windows, some Xiaomi TV models (e.g. Mi) TV 4S 55′′ can display a black screen when trying to stream protected content (Netflix, Disney)+It's a limitation. DRM - Use it. HDMI for these services.

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If your wireless connection is permanently cut, try switching your TV's Wi-Fi from 5GHz to 2.4GHz (or vice versa) in your router settings. Sometimes interference from other devices interferes with the stable broadcast.

3. USB-C Connection: Universal Connector for Modern Laptops

Many modern laptops (such as MacBook Pro, Xiaomi Mi Notebook or Dell XPS) feature a USB-C port with DisplayPort Alt Mode support.This allows you to transmit a video signal via USB, but requires a special cable or adapter. Xiaomi TVs (starting with the Mi TV Q1 and P1) also have USB-C, but not all of them support input on this port - more often it is only designed for power.

How to check compatibility:

• 🔍 See the specs of your TV on Xiaomi’s website – look for USB-C with DisplayPort support.
• 🔌 If the port supports input, use the USB-C → HDMI cable (e.g., Anker 810 or Baseus).
• ⚡ Connect the cable to your laptop and TV, then select the USB-C signal source on the remote.

If the image does not appear:

• 🔄 Try another cable — cheap adapters often don't support video transmission.
• 🔧 In your laptop settings (Windows: Settings → System → Display) check if a second screen is detected.
• 📋 Some laptops (e.g. Lenovo Yoga) need to manually enable DisplayPort mode for USB-C in BIOS.

4.Use of DLNA and Third Party Applications

If you don't want to mirror the screen, but you just want to stream photos, videos, or music, DLNA technology or specialized applications like Xiaomi Home or LocalCast are good, and it's not good for games or documents, but it's ideal for media files.

How to set up DLNA:

1. On TV: Turn on DLNA in your network settings (Settings → Network → DLNA).
2. On a laptop: install a server program, such as Serviio or Plex.
3. Add folders with media files to the program library.
4. On the TV, open the Media Player or Gallery app and select your laptop as the source.

To broadcast the screen through the applications:

• 📱 Install ApowerMirror or TeamViewer QuickSupport from Google Play on your TV (if you have Mi TV on Android TV).
• 💻 Download the desktop version of the same application on your laptop.
• 🔗 Connect to the TV via IP- address or QR- code.

⚠️ Warning: When using DLNA, the Xiaomi TV may not play files with rare codecs (e.g., HEVC 10-bit or FLAC).In this case, convert files in advance or use Plex, which transcodes content on the fly.

5 Problem Solving: No image, sound or connection

Even with the right connection, you can have failures, and here are the most common problems and solutions.

Critical error: if the Xiaomi TV after connecting to HDMI shows the message "No signal" or "Unsupported format", and the laptop "does not see" the second screen - a problem in the HDMI protocol. Solution: on the laptop manually set the RGB 4:4:4 mode (not YCbCr) in the graphics driver settings (for NVIDIA or AMD).

If none of these methods worked:

• 🔄 Reboot both the laptop and the TV.
• 🔧 Reset your image settings to TV (Settings → System → Resetting).
• 📋 Check to see if the antivirus or firewall is blocking the network connection (relevant to Miracast).

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90% of connection problems are solved by updating the graphics card drivers on the laptop and resetting the HDMI- port settings on the TV (in the Settings menu → CEC/ARC).

6. Image optimization: resolution and sound setting

Once connected successfully, the image may look blurry or cropped, due to the discrepancy between the screen resolutions of the laptop and the TV, and this is how to adjust the picture perfectly:

For Windows:

1. Press Win + P and choose Expand or Duplicate.
2. Go to the settings → System → Display.
3. Select the second screen (TV) and set the recommended resolution (usually 3840×2160 for 4K or 1920×1080 for Full HD).
4. In the section Scale and markup set 100% (otherwise the text will be fuzzy).

For macOS:

• 🍎 Open System Settings → Monitors.
• 🔍 Hold Option (⌥), press Scaled and select Low Resolution for better definition.
• 🔊 To adjust the sound, go to System Settings → Sound and select HDMI as the output device.

Additional settings on the Xiaomi TV:

• 📺 In the Settings menu → Image, turn on Game Mode to reduce latency.
• 🎨 In Settings → Sound, select HDMI ARC if you use the sound system.
• 🔄 In Settings → CEC, enable Anynet+ (HDMI-CEC) to control the TV from the laptop remote (if supported).

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If the colors on the TV look unnatural (for example, facial skin is too red), check the color profile in the graphics card settings. For NVIDIA, set Output Color format: RGB, Color depth: 8 bits, Output range: Full (0–255).

Comparison of Connection Methods: Which One Should You Choose?

Each method has its pros and cons, and here is a quick comparison for different scenarios:

For most users, HDMI is the best solution, which is versatile, reliable and unconfigurable, and wireless technology is convenient for temporary use, but will not replace wired connectivity where stability is important (games, high-resolution video).

FAQ: Frequent questions about connecting a laptop to Xiaomi TV