How to Reprogram the buttons on Xiaomi remote

Owning Xiaomi technology opens up a lot of possibilities for the user to manage the smart home, but the standard configuration of the remote often seems limited. Many owners of Mi Box, TVs and IR remotes are faced with the desire to change the purpose of the keys for easier navigation. The standard interface does not always allow flexible configuration of management, which forces to look for alternative ways of customization. In this article, we will examine all available methods of reprogramming, from built-in functions to advanced technical solutions.

Before you start to do complex manipulations, it's important to understand what kind of remote you're holding. Xiaomi devices use different communication protocols: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and infrared. The type of connection that determines the ability to reassign commands. For example, Bluetooth remotes are often rigidly bound to an Android TV system, whereas IR models can emulate signals from other brands. Understanding this difference will save you time and allow you to choose the right algorithm of actions.

Modern ecosystems allow you to turn a smartphone or a standard remote into a universal controller. However, it is worth noting that complete flashing of the microcontroller remote is impossible without special equipment. All of the methods described below concern the software configuration of mapping buttons through the operating system or third-party software. These are safe ways that do not require soldering or disassembly of the device body.

Determination of remote type and compatibility

The first step in the setup process is to accurately identify your control device. Xiaomi remotes fall into several categories: standard IR remotes (Mi Remote), Bluetooth voice remotes for Mi Box consoles and hybrid models. The standard IR remote, often bundled with TVs, works on the principle of transmitting light pulses. It has no feedback from the TV, which limits the reprogramming capabilities only to emulation of other brands' codes.

More advanced models, like the Mi Remote 2 or the Mi Box S, use Bluetooth. It's a two-way connection that allows you to transfer not only commands, but also receive device status. These are the remotes that users most often try to reconfigure, wanting to add macros or change the functions of color buttons. However, the Android TV system on which console firmware is based, has strict restrictions on changing the system keys without root rights.

• 📡 Infrared: Operates via an infrared port, requires line of sight, supports the emulation mode of other brands.
• 🔵 Bluetooth remotes: do not require direct vision, have voice control, are difficult to reprogram without special software.
• 📶 Wi-Fi remotes: Rare type, used in specific smart home ecosystems, managed via cloud.

It’s also important to consider the operating system version. On older versions of Android TV (up to 9.0), customization was enhanced by the availability of third-party launchers with full access. New versions of the system, especially with Google certification, block many system calls. So if you have a task to deeply reprogram the remote, checking the version of the software is a critical stage of preparation.

⚠️ Warning: Trying to reflash the firmware of the remote itself (change the code inside the chip) at home will lead to irreversible device failure).

Using the Mi Home application for IR remotes

The most affordable way to change the functionality of Xiaomi’s standard IR remote is to use the official Mi Home app. This method does not reprogram physical buttons forever, but allows you to create scenarios where one button on the smartphone screen or a virtual button in the application performs complex actions. First, make sure that your remote is added to the application and works in Universal Remote mode.

You can create automation inside the Mi Home app. For example, you can set up a scenario where a short press of a specific virtual button sends a sequence of IR signals. This is useful if your TV doesn't have smart features, but you want to control it in conjunction with other smart home devices. The setup process requires a Xiaomi Gateway or an IR port smartphone.

To create a complex command, you need to go to Scenarios and select Send an IR signal. Here you can write down the sequence of commands: turn on the TV, switch to HDMI 1, increase the volume. Although this does not change the physical button on the case, it expands the functionality to the level of macros. You can take this script to the desktop widget of a smartphone for quick access.

• 📲 Open the Mi Home app and go to the remote device profile.
• ⚙️ Select the menu "Add device" or "Scenarios" depending on the firmware version.
• 🔴 Press Record and sequentially press the buttons on the original remote that you want to clone.
• 💾 Keep a profile under the brand name of your TV (such as Sony or Samsung).

It is worth noting that the Mi Home app has regional limitations. If your account is registered in Europe, some of the functions of the IR remotes may not be available or work correctly. In such cases, experienced users recommend temporarily switching the region in the application settings to China, since there is the most developed Smart Home functionality. Once you set up the scripts, the region can be returned back, although the synchronization of scenarios between regions is sometimes reset.

Customization of buttons in Android TV and Mi Box

Owners of Mi Box and Android TVs often want to reassign color buttons or a special application call key. This is almost impossible to do with standard system tools, since system mapping is protected. However, there are ways to get around these restrictions by installing specialized remapper applications from the Google Play store.

One of the most effective tools is the Button Mapper app, which allows you to intercept the buttons of the remote and reassign them to start applications, perform actions (Home, Back), or macros. The application does not require root rights to operate, but some features may require a PC connection and use. ADB-teams for granting special permits.

The process of setting up is this: once you install the app, you need to give it access to special features. The system will issue a security alert, which is normal, since the application gets deep access to input events. In the program interface, you select a button (for example, "Double press Home") and assign an action, such as launching YouTube or switching the keyboard layout.

adb shell pm grant com.flar2.homebuttonmanager android.permission.WRITE_SECURE_SETTINGS

It is important to understand that reassigning system buttons such as Home or Back can lead to unstable interfaces. If you set a heavy application to run on the Home button, navigation can become difficult. Always leave at least one combination or way to reset the remapper application settings to avoid being left with a "locked" interface.

Advanced customization via ADB and KeyLayout

For users who aren't afraid of the command line, there's a deeper level of customization, which is keylayout file editing, which allows you to change button identifiers at the Android driver level. It requires you to enable USB debugging and connect a console or TV to your computer. It's the only way to change the behavior of buttons globally for the entire system, not just within a particular application.

First, you need to access the device's file system. Connect the Mi Box to your PC via cable. USB-USB (or use the network. ADB-connection, if IP-Enter the command to obtain permission to read system files. Please note that without root rights, you can only view files, but you will need to either root or temporarily grant rights through the root permissions to record changes. ADB at the current session.

Once you find the file you want (usually a file with a name that contains your remote vendor ID), you need to copy it to your computer, edit it in a text editor, and download it back. In the file, you'll see lines of the key 102 HOME type. If you change the HOME to another action (such as MENU or SEARCH), you'll reassign the button function. Action codes can be found in the Android SDK documentation.

After replacing the file, you need to restart the device with the adb reboot command. If the file syntax has been broken, the device may not boot or the remote will stop responding, in this case, downloading in Recovery mode and resetting to factory settings, or reflashing the file with corrections through ADB. This method is only suitable for confident users.

Third-party applications and universal remotes

If built-in methods seem too complex or limited, third-party applications like universal remotes come to the rescue. Apps like Peel Smart Remote (for models with an infrared port) or Google's Android TV Remote Control allow you to completely ignore the physical remote, you transfer control to the smartphone screen, where you can create your own interface layouts.

And of particular interest are macro-based applications like MacroDroid or Tasker, which allow you to create complex chains of action, for example, if you press the volume button "Up" for 3 seconds, the system can not just zoom in on the sound, but can launch a particular application or change the brightness of the screen, which is the real reprogrammability that the average user can have.

• 🤖 MacroDroid: Simple trigger and action interface, perfect for beginners in automation.
• ⚙️ Tasker: The most powerful tool for pros, allowing you to write scripts of any complexity.
• 📱 Unified Remote: Turns your phone into a remote with customizable buttons for PC and TV.

When using such applications, it is important to consider input delay. Since the signal passes through the software layer, the response can be slower than when using a native IR signal. In addition, some applications require constant access service permissions, which can theoretically reduce data security, although the risk is minimal for local macros.

⚠️ Note: Install applications from unknown sources (APK-forum files) to reprogram remotes can infect malware. Use only trusted repositories such as Google Play Store or F-Droid.

Possible problems and ways to solve them

When setting up, users often find that the remote is not responding or is not working correctly. The most common problem is desynchronizing the Bluetooth connection. If the remote "falls off" after installing the rehapper, try re-pairing the device through the Bluetooth menu, previously removing the old pairing.

Another common mistake is application conflict: If you have multiple remote control programs installed (such as Mi Remote and Button Mapper), they can intercept signals from each other, in which case you need to disable one of the applications in the settings or delete it, and problems can also occur with low battery charge, because when reprogramming, the frequency of the button polling can increase.

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If the remote stopped responding after setting up the ADB, press the Home and Back buttons for 10-15 seconds at the same time. On many Xiaomi models, this causes a forced soldering of the Bluetooth connection or a reset to the factory settings of the remote.

In case you edited the system keylayout files and the device went to bootloop, the only solution is to reset via Recovery. For the Mi Box, this is done by pressing the Back and OK buttons (or Home and Back, depending on the model) when power is turned on, which will return the system files to their original state.

And don't forget the physical limitations. IR remotes can't learn commands if the receiver's LED is contaminated or if the angle of inclination when recording the signal is too high. When cloning remotes from other brands, make sure you're 5-10 cm away from the IR port and using a fresh signal source.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

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It is safest to use software rehappers (applications), rather than climbing into system files - this gives 90% of the necessary functionality without the risk of getting a "brick".