Many owners of Xiaomi smartphones often wonder how to display an image or media files on the big screen using only one device. USB-It's a really useful feature that allows you to show presentations, show vacation photos or watch high-detailed videos without using the battery to wirelessly transfer data. However, unlike computers, modern Android smartphones, including the Redmi and Poco models, do not always automatically switch to drive mode when connected to a TV.
The main problem is that the standard USB-The port of the TV is primarily designed to read flash drives, not for two-way communication with the phone. MTP (The Media Transfer Protocol, which uses Android, requires support from both devices. TV With advanced features or does not support specific drivers, a simple cable connection can only lead to charging a smartphone.
However, there are proven ways to get around these limitations. We'll look at how software settings inside the shell. MIUI It's also important to understand the difference between file transfer and screen broadcasting, because it's important to understand the difference between file transfer and screen translation. USB-cable is mainly focused on the first, while the second is more often used HDMI or wifi.
Verification of equipment compatibility and requirements
Before you start to take action, you need to make sure that your equipment is technically capable of communicating. USB-The ports on TVs are the same: some are for service or power only (5V), while others support reading data. TV It should be indicated that support is available. USB Mass Storage or MTP.
Cheap cables bundled with some accessories often have only two veins to charge and lack data lines. To connect a Xiaomi phone to a TV, you will need a quality USB Type-C or Micro-USB cable with a label that confirms support for high-speed data transfer.
⚠️ Note: If the phone is only charged when connected, but does not emit an audible signal about the connection USB-Try replacing the cable with an original or certified analogue with guaranteed data transfer.
On older versions of Android (below 6.0) and their corresponding MIUI shells, the USB algorithm may have been different. In modern versions, such as Android 12 or Android 13 with the MIUI 14 shell, security is given priority, so the system by default blocks access to files when connecting to new devices, requiring manual user confirmation.
📊 What type of connection you have to the TV?
Direct USB cable
Through USB-hub
USB to HDMI adapter
Wireless connection only
Basic setting of USB mode on Xiaomi smartphone
The first and often overlooked step is to set the operating mode correctly. USB-Xiaomi, like most Android smartphones, chooses Charging Only mode to save energy and protect data. To get the TV to see the phone, you need to manually switch this mode.
After physically connecting the cable to the TV and smartphone port, lower the notification curtain on the phone screen. USB» or «USB-Connection. Click on this notification to open the mode selection menu.
- 📱 File transfer (MTP): The main mode for accessing photos and videos.
- 📸 PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol: Photo mode, sometimes more stable on older TVs.
- 🔌 Charging only: default mode that blocks access to data.
- 💾 USB-drive: emulates the work of the flash drive (available on older versions) MIUI).
Select File Transfer or MTP. A pop-up requesting permission may appear on the TV screen at that point, and if the TV is old and doesn't have an intelligent system, it may simply ignore the connection because it can't request permission from the host.
Use of the function USB-storage-storage MIUI
Owners of devices that are slow to update or use budget models with a simplified shell can use the emulation function. USB-This method makes the phone behave like a flash drive, which guarantees compatibility with almost any TV that has a flash drive. USB-port.
To activate this function on some versions MIUI You have to go to the settings. The path may be different, but it's often hidden in the developer menu. USB-configuration and select USB-After that, the phone can request confirmation to format or switch mode — agree if the data is already copied or you need access to internal memory.
⚠️ Attention: When switching to mode USB-Access to the phone's internal memory for other applications will be temporarily blocked.Do not try to call or run heavy games while watching files on TV.
If standard tools can't switch, you can use special applications from the Google Play store, such as USB Drive for Android or analogues, which create a virtual partition that the TV recognizes as an external flash drive, but the effectiveness of such programs depends heavily on the presence of root rights on the device.
What to do if the drive mode is not turned on?
If the system blocks the activation of the drive mode, try to disable debugging by USB Sometimes, the driver conflict is the developer menu. ADB It interferes with normal mode switching, and check if the function is on. USB-A modem that can intercept port control.> Alternative methods: USB-Hubs and adapters If you connect your Xiaomi phone to your TV directly USB It doesn't work, it can be power shortages or the lack of drivers in the TV itself. USB-You can get the hub to the port of the TV and then the phone to the hub, and you can stabilize the connection. USB to HDMI. Although technically it is not quite a connection through USB» In its pure form (using digital video output via the Type-C port), this is the most reliable way to display an image. The phone defines the connected adapter as an external monitor, and the picture is duplicated or expanded to the TV screen. When using adapters, it is important to consider support for DisplayPort Alt Mode technology. Not all processors in Xiaomi smartphones support video output via USB Type-C. Flagship models usually have this feature, while budget Redmis can be limited only to data transfer. Connection method Image quality Latency Difficulty configuring Direct USB (MTP) High (media) No low (media) USB-Powered hub Medium/High Low Medium Adapter USB-C to HDMI Maximum (4K) Minimum Low Emulator Apps Depends on TV High Solution to common problems and errors Even with all instructions, there may be situations when the TV sees the phone but does not read files, or vice versa - the phone ignores the connection. The problem is often with the file system. TVs usually support formats. FAT32 and NTFS, While modern Android smartphones can use an internal file system that is incompatible with direct reading by external devices, another common mistake is locking the screen. Many Xiaomi models for security disable data transfer if the screen is locked. Make sure that while connecting and viewing files, the smartphone screen is unlocked and configured to burn constantly so that the system does not go into sleep mode. USB Although this mode is designed for programmers, its inclusion sometimes causes the system to re-prioritize its priorities. USB-Connection and correctly identify the host device (TV). adb shell pm grant com.android.providers.media android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE The above command (for advanced users with installed ADB) It can help to force media files to be opened if standard methods don't work, but for the average user, it's easy enough to check notification and cable settings. ⚠️ Warning: Do not turn off the cable abruptly while reading or writing files. This can cause file system damage or data loss, especially if the TV caches content. 💡The main reason for failure is file system incompatibility or lack of protocol support. MTP In such cases, switching to Wi-Fi or HDMI-The adapter is the only working solution. USB-Is it worth suffering with wires at all if there is Wi-Fi? Wireless technologies such as Chromecast built-in, Miracast or proprietary solutions from Xiaomi (MI Drop, Xiaomi Share, is certainly more convenient. They allow you to stream the screen without any unnecessary movement. USB-Connectivity benefits in the stability and speed of large amounts of data (4K HDR) Wi-Fi may cause delays due to interference in the network. The cable, on the other hand, provides a constant bandwidth independent of the load of the ether, USB-The connection doesn’t drain the phone’s battery as quickly as an active Wi-Fi module, as the phone gets power from the TV. 🚀 Speed: USB 3.0 much faster than Wi-Fi 5/6 file transfer. 🔋 Energy: Wireless connection charges the phone, wireless connection consumes charge. 🛡️ Security: Physical connection eliminates interception of data by air. 📉 Stability: No delays and buffering when viewing heavy content, so if your goal is just to show a photo to friends, it's more convenient to use wireless projection, but if you plan to watch a movie long, at maximum quality, or carry gigabytes of data, USB-And the reason why the TV says, "Unformatted," is that cable is the absolute leader in reliability. USB»? This means that the phone's file system is not recognized by the TV. FAT32 or NTFS, They see the complex structure of Android. Solution: Mode. MTP Or emulator apps. Can you play games on TV through USB? No, through standard. USB-The connection only broadcasts access to files. HDMI-Adapter or wireless screen duplication (Cast) – Does this method work on older push-button phones? No, this instruction is only relevant for Android smartphones (Xiaomi, Redmi, Poco). Older phones do not have the necessary file system for such a connection. Do I need to install drivers on the TV? Most of the time, no, modern Smart TV have built-in drivers MTP. However, on very old models, support may not be available at the hardware level.