Xiaomi MiPicks: what kind of technology it is, how it works and how it differs from competitors

If you own a Xiaomi TV or projector, you've probably come across the term MiPicks, the company's proprietary wireless content technology that the company is actively promoting as an alternative to Apple AirPlay and Google Cast. But what's behind that name? How does MiPicks integrate into Xiaomi's ecosystem, and why can it be more useful than standard protocols like Miracast?

In this article, we will take a closer look at what MiPicks is, how it works at a technical level, what devices support it, and what hidden capabilities are opening up for users, how to configure the screen transfer from your smartphone to your Xiaomi TV without delay, what limitations the technology has, and why it is often confused with Miracast (though these are fundamentally different things), and also compare MiPicks with competitors and give practical tips to fix typical problems.

What is Xiaomi MiPicks: Definition and Purpose

MiPicks is a proprietary wireless media protocol developed by Xiaomi for its devices, DLNA, AirPlay, it's optimized specifically for the brand ecosystem, which provides more stable operation and additional features:

• 📱 Broadcast screen from smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO on TVs and projectors of the brand without wires.
• 🎮 Low latency game mode (up to 30–50 ms) for cloud gaming or console streaming.
• 🔊 Streaming audio to Xiaomi speakers or soundbars (e.g. Mi Soundbar).
• 📂 Sharing files between devices on the local network (photos, videos, documents).

It’s important to understand that MiPicks isn’t just a Miracast replacement. While Miracast duplicates the device’s screen as is (with all the lags and artifacts), MiPicks uses adaptive compression and stream optimization for a specific receiving device. For example, when broadcasting on a Xiaomi TV TV A2 43" The protocol automatically selects the permission. 1920×1080 instead of original 2560×1440 Smartphones to reduce the load on the network.

Another key difference is integration with MIUI. On smartphones Xiaomi MiPicks is built-in at the system level, so you do not need to install third-party applications for broadcasting (unlike Google Cast, where Google Home is required".

How MiPicks Works: Technical Features

From a technical point of view, MiPicks combines elements of several protocols:

• 🔄 Wi-Fi Direct – for direct connection of devices without a router (but with 5 GHz network support to reduce delays).
• 📶 Miracast – as a basic basis for screen duplication, but with improvements from Xiaomi.
• 🔒 Proprietary encryption – to protect the flow from interception (unlike open Miracast).
• 🎛️ Adaptive bitrate – dynamic change in flow quality depending on network load.

One of the main advantages of MiPicks is the support of several modes of operation:

MiPicks is a critical difference from AirPlay and Miracast: the technology uses video compression at the level of hardware codec (H.265/HEVC), This reduces the load on the processor and reduces delays, for example, when you stream a game through Miracast, the delay can reach a high level of speed. 200–300 MS, while MiPicks in game mode fits into the 30–50 MS is almost like connecting to a HDMI.

However, there are also disadvantages:

• ⚠️ It only works between Xiaomi devices (cannot be streamed from iPhone or Samsung smartphone).
• ⚠️ Requires updated software (on TVs older than 2020 may not be supported).
• ⚠️ In game mode, drains the smartphone battery faster due to the active use of Wi-Fi and codec.

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If you have a Xiaomi TV 2021 or newer, upgrade to the latest version of the firmware – in new versions MiPicks supports sound transmission in Dolby Atmos format (previously there was only stereo).

What devices support MiPicks?

MiPicks technology is not available on all Xiaomi devices, and here is the full list of compatible hardware (as of 2026):

Televisions and projectors

• 📺 Xiaomi Series TV A2 (All models starting with 32").
• 📺 Xiaomi TV Q2/Q1E (2021–2026 years).
• 📺 Mi TV P1 (including versions of 120 Hz).
• 🎥 Xiaomi Smart Projector Projectors 2/2 Pro and Mi Laser Projector.
• 🎤 Mi Soundbar and Redmi Soundbar (audio stream only).

Smartphones and tablets

• 📱 All Xiaomi flagships since Mi 11 (2021).
• 📱 The Redmi Note series 11/12/13 and POCO F4/F5.
• 📱 Tablets Xiaomi Pad 5/6.

⚠️ Note: On budget models (e.g. Redmi) 10A or POCO M4) MiPicks may be missing due to a weak processor. Check for a feature in the Settings menu → Connections and sharing → Wireless broadcasting.

If your device is not listed but supports Miracast, you can still stream the screen, but without the benefits of MiPicks (no game mode and adaptive bitrate).

1. Open the settings on the TV.
2. Go to the Network and Connections → Wireless broadcasting.
3. If there is a "MiPicks" item, the technology is supported.

MiPicks vs AirPlay vs Miracast: Technology Comparisons

To see how much better (or worse) MiPicks are than the competition, compare it to the most popular wireless transmission protocols:

And you can see from the table that MiPicks beats Miracast in all respects, except compatibility. And compared to AirPlay, it's only inferior to other brands, and the main advantage over Google Cast is low latency, which is critical for gaming and watching live video.

But there are nuances:

• 🔴 AirPlay is better optimized for Apple Music and Apple TV+.
• 🔴 Google Cast supports more streaming services (Netflix, Disney)+).
• 🟢 MiPicks Leads in Games and Local File Transfers.

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If you have a fully Xiaomi ecosystem (smartphone) + television + MiPicks is the best choice, but if you use devices of different brands, you should pay attention to AirPlay or Google Cast.

How to set up MiPicks: step-by-step instructions

The MiPicks setup takes less than a minute if both devices support the technology. Consider the process by broadcasting from a Xiaomi 13 smartphone to a Xiaomi TV TV A2 55":

Update the software on both devices|Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network (or activate Wi-Fi Direct)|Open the notification panel on your smartphone|Make sure the TV is on "Wireless broadcast" mode"

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1. Activate MiPicks on your TV: Go to Settings → Network and connectivity → Wireless broadcast and enable the option "MiPicks". TV should appear in the list of available devices.
2. Connect your smartphone: Swipe down the notification panel on your smartphone and tap on the Wireless (or Cast) icon. From the list, select your TV.
3. Select mode: After connecting, a window with a choice will appear: 🎬 "Screen broadcasting" - full duplication. 🎮 "Game mode for cloud games. 🎵 "Audio only for music.

Customize the quality (optional):

In the broadcast menu, you can select permission (720p, 1080p, 4K) and frequency (30fps or 60fps). It is recommended for games 1080p@60fps.

⚠️ Warning: If the TV is not displayed in the list of devices, check: Both devices are connected to the same Wi-Fi network (or Wi-Fi Direct is activated). → Wireless networks → Visibility: Power saving mode is disabled on the smartphone (it can block background data transmission).

If the broadcast is interrupted or slowed down, try:

1. Switch to 5 GHz network (less interference).
2. Reduce the permit to 720p.
3. Close the background applications on the smartphone.

Typical MiPicks Problems and Their Solutions

Despite the optimization, users sometimes experience errors when using MiPicks, and here are the most common problems and ways to fix them:

If none of these methods worked, try resetting the network settings on your TV:

1. Go to Settings. → Network and connectivity → Additionally.
2. Select "Reset network settings".
3. Connect again and try to start MiPicks.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi TVs (e.g. Mi) TV 4S 2019) MiPicks may be unstable due to hardware limitations, in which case use Miracast or HDMI-cable.

MiPicks’ Hidden Powers: What Technology Can Do Beyond Broadcasting

Few people know, but MiPicks can do more than just duplicate the screen, and here are a few hidden features that make the technology even more useful:

• 🖥️ Multitasking: You can stream video to your TV while using your smartphone for other tasks (e.g. chats".
• 🎤 Microphone cast: When broadcasting in applications like Zoom or Discord, the sound from the smartphone microphone will be transmitted to the TV (useful for video conferencing).
• 📁 Fast file transfer: In the MiPicks menu there is a "Send files" option - you can quickly transfer photos or videos to your TV without cloud services.
• 🎮 Support for gamepads: In game mode, you can connect the Xiaomi Game Controller gamepad directly to the TV, bypassing the smartphone.

Another little-known feature is the screen mode. + If you have a Xiaomi speaker connected (like Mi Home Speaker), you can stream video to your TV and sound to your speakers:

1. Run the TV broadcast.
2. Open Mi Home and select the column.
3. In the audio output settings, specify "MiPicks Audio".

MiPicks also supports screen transfer in “Audio Only” mode to save battery life – useful if you’re listening to music or podcasts through your TV and your smartphone screen is off.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Xiaomi MiPicks