How to turn on WiFi Direct on your Xiaomi Mi TV: the complete guide

Modern smart TVs from Xiaomi offer many ways to interact with mobile devices, and one of the most popular is wireless content transfer. Users often look for a way to connect the phone to the screen without using a home router or complex network settings. WiFi Direct technology (or its analogues, such as Miracast and Wi-Fi Display) allows you to create a direct connection between gadgets, providing fast video and photo transfer.

However, in the Android TV interface that is installed on most Mi TV models, this functionality is often hidden or renamed, which causes confusion. Instead of the usual WiFi Direct button, you can find options for Wireless Display, Translation or Miracast. Understanding these nuances is critical to the successful launch of the feature. In this article, we will discuss where to look for the right settings and how to avoid typical errors in synchronizing devices.

It's worth noting that connection stability is directly dependent on the firmware version and model of your TV. Some older versions of the operating system may require manual service activation, while newer versions do so automatically when a request is detected. If you want to enjoy content on the big screen without delay, it's important to properly configure network settings.

What is WiFi Direct and how does it work on Android TV?

WiFi Direct is a wireless standard that allows devices to connect directly to each other bypassing a router. On Xiaomi TVs, this technology is most often implemented via Miracast or Wi-Fi Display. This means that your smartphone streams video directly to the TV decoder, creating a local network between the two devices, while data transfer rates can reach 250 Mbps, which is enough for streaming high-resolution video.

Unlike the classic DLNA connection, where files are transmitted over a local network, this is a one-on-one connection, which increases transmission security and reduces the load on the home network. However, it is important to understand that when you use WiFi Direct actively, the speed of the main Internet on the connected smartphone can decrease, as the WiFi module will be busy transmitting video to the TV.

⚠️ Note: When actively connected via WiFi Direct, the smartphone may stop giving out the Internet or work unstable in online games, as the WiFi module switches to direct data transfer mode.

The technology is particularly useful in situations where the home network is overloaded or the router is unstable. You just pick up the TV from the list of available devices on the phone, and the broadcast begins. No passwords or complex settings. IP-Addresses are not required if devices support the standard. WPS oral-coupling.

Where to find the wireless display settings in the Xiaomi menu

The Android TV interface on Mi TVs may vary depending on the region and firmware version, and most often it's not in the basic network settings, but in the app or quick settings section, so to find it, you have to go to the main menu and select the App section, and you'll need to look for a shortcut called Wireless Display, Miracast or Wireless Display.

If there is no standard app on the home screen, try searching the system. Press the search button on the remote and type in "Miracast" or "Display." The system will prompt you to run the service. In some cases, especially on global firmware versions, this feature is built into the system display settings. Go to Settings → Device and applications → External inputs → Wireless display.

Once the service is up, the TV will go into standby mode, and you'll see a message on the screen that the device is ready to pair, and maybe the name of your TV that other gadgets will see, and you can now move on to the smartphone setup.

Step-by-step instructions for connecting a smartphone to a TV

The connection process may vary slightly depending on your smartphone’s operating system (Android or iOS), and below is a universal sequence of actions that works 90% of the time for Android-based devices.

First, make sure that the WiFi module on your phone is on. Then lower the notification curtain and find the "Translation", "Smart View", "Proyector" or "Wireless Display" button. The name depends on the smartphone manufacturer (Samsung, Xiaomi, Huawei). Click on it and the phone will start looking for available devices. Your Mi TV should appear on the list.

Click on the TV name. You may see a request for permission to connect on the TV screen. Use the remote to select "Allow" or "Accept." After that, the smartphone screen will be broadcast to the TV. If the connection does not establish, try restarting both devices and repeat the procedure.

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To reduce latency (input lag) during games via WiFi Direct, turn off image enhancement modes such as Motion Flow or Artificial Intelligence on the TV by switching to Game or Movie mode.

Use the built-in Chromecast instead of the classic Direct

Many users confuse WiFi Direct with Google’s Chromecast built-in technology, which is also present in Xiaomi Mi TVs. Unlike Miracast, which duplicates the entire screen of a smartphone, Chromecast allows you to stream content from specific applications (YouTube, Netflix, Kinopoisk) directly through the TV’s Internet channel. This often gives better picture quality and less load on the phone’s battery.

To use this feature, you don't need to turn on special modes on your TV. It's enough that both devices are on the same WiFi network (or use Chromecast guest mode). Open the app with a video on your smartphone, click on the broadcast icon (rectangle with waves), and select your Mi TV.

The advantage of this method is that you can use the phone for other tasks while the video is playing on the TV, but if you need to show a presentation, gallery photos, or a game that doesn’t support Chromecast, then a return to the WiFi Display (Miracast) method is inevitable.

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Chromecast streams from the Internet, and WiFi Direct (Miracast) duplicates the screen of your smartphone. For games and photos, Miracast is better, for YouTube videos, Chromecast is better.

Solving Connection and Visibility Problems

Despite the stated simplicity, users often experience the TV not seeing the phone or the connection is constantly broken.One of the most common reasons is using different frequency bands. Make sure that both the phone and the TV (if an intermediate router is used for initial handshake) operate in the same range, preferably 2.4 GHz, as it has better penetration, albeit lower speeds.

Problems can also arise from energy-saving smartphone modes. Android can block the background operation of the WiFi module to save charge. Go to the battery settings and make sure that there are no severe restrictions for WiFi system services and screens. Sometimes resetting network settings on the TV through the Settings menu → Device and applications → Reset helps.

Below is a table with common errors and ways to fix them:

⚠️ Warning: Antivirus programs or firewalls on your smartphone can block incoming connections from your TV. Try temporarily disabling them to check.

Alternative methods of broadcasting through third-party applications

If Xiaomi and Android are running insecure, you can always use third-party software. Apps like AirScreen or Receiver for Chromecast can be a great bridge between devices, and they put a virtual receiver on the TV that emulates the work of Apple AirPlay or Miracast with greater compatibility.

To install this app, go to the Google Play Store on your TV, type in the name and click "Install." Once launched, the app will create a new access point or discovery service, and by connecting to it, you often get more flexible image quality settings and the ability to control your mouse cursor from your phone.

These solutions are especially relevant for iPhone owners, as native AirPlay support on older Mi TV models may be missing or not work properly. Third-party applications often take this function on themselves, providing a smooth picture.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)