How to control a Xiaomi TV with iPhone: all the ways

Using Apple as a remote control for a Xiaomi TV is not just a convenience, but a necessity when a standard remote is lost, the battery is down or more accurate text is required. The Android TV ecosystem and the iOS operating system have long learned to interact, giving users a wide range of tools to fully control the multimedia center. Owners of the Mi Box, Mi TV Stick and modern Xiaomi Mi TVs can turn their iPhone into a powerful controller capable of performing functions inaccessible to a conventional IR remote.

The main advantage of this approach is that it's versatile and it's more powerful than looking for the "Up" button on a physical keyboard, you get a full-fledged keyboard. QWERTY-Keyboard on the smartphone screen, which is critical when entering Wi-Fi passwords or searching for movies on YouTube. Moreover, integration allows you to stream content directly through the AirPlay 2 protocol, turning the iPhone into a signal source without having to buy additional Apple consoles. TV. In this article, we will discuss in detail all available methods of synchronizing devices.

It is worth noting that the quality of the connection depends on the stability of your home network. Both devices must be on the same Wi-Fi subnet (the same). SSID Some routers by default split the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands into different networks, which can create the illusion of connecting when devices do not actually "see" each other. So before you start setting up, make sure your router distributes correctly. IP-Addresses for all gadgets on the local network.

Use of the official Mi Remote app

The most direct and functional way to manage is to use the official Mi Remote app from developer Xiaomi Inc. This software is designed specifically to interact with the brand ecosystem and supports most of the features available on the physical remote. Once installed from the App Store, the application automatically scans the local network for compatible devices. If your TV or console is on and connected to Wi-Fi, they will appear in the list of available devices for pairing.

The app interface is as reminiscent of the classic button layout as possible, but with the addition of touch capabilities. You can use the trackpad area to navigate the Android TV menu, which is often even more convenient than pressing the direction buttons on the plastic remote. Particularly noteworthy is the voice input feature: the iPhone microphone has significantly better sensitivity and speech recognition than the built-in microphones in budget remotes, which makes finding content through Google Assistant fast and accurate.

However, it is worth considering that the application requires an initial setup of the TV. If your TV is completely turned off (not in mode, but is de-energized or pulled from the socket), you will not be able to start it using this method, since the Wi-Fi module will also be turned off, in such cases you will still need a physical remote control or on the TV body button for the initial activation of the Wi-Fi module.

It's also important to set up permissions in iOS correctly. Mi Remote will request access to the local network when it first starts. If you accidentally deny access, the app won't be able to find the TV, and you'll have to manually search for permission in your iPhone privacy settings. This is a common mistake that confuses users into thinking about a hardware malfunction, whereas the problem lies in the operating system's security settings.

Alternative applications from the App Store

If the official app doesn’t suit you with its design or functionality, the App Store offers a variety of alternatives: Third-party developers create universal remotes that often have more flexible interface settings and support for macros. One popular solution is the Remote Control for Android TV app, which emulates the remote through ADB protocol or standard network commands.

The main difference between third-party apps is customization: You can bring commonly used features like starting Netflix or changing brightness to the home screen with widgets. In addition, many of them support multiple TVs at once, which is true for bars, offices or large multi-room homes. Switching between devices in such applications takes place in one tap, without the need to re-search.

⚠️ Warning: Third-party apps often contain intrusive ads or require a subscription to unlock premium features.Be careful when granting permissions and check developer ratings before installing.

Some advanced snails allow you to create your own scripts, for example, if you press a single button "Cinema", the application can automatically start YouTube on the TV, turn the screen brighter (if the TV model supports this command), and send a link from the iPhone to the big screen, such automation turns a regular smartphone into a center for managing multimedia space.

• 📱 Remote Control for Android TV — popular solution with support for trackpad and keyboard.
• 🎮 TV Remote - Universal Control - Minimalist interface and fast connection.
• 🌐 Web Remote - management through the browser without installing unnecessary applications (requires settings on TV).

Broadcasting the screen and AirPlay 2 on Xiaomi TV

iPhone owners appreciate AirPlay technology, and modern Xiaomi TVs, starting with models 2019-2020, often have built-in support for AirPlay 2. This allows not only to control the media player, but also completely duplicate the screen of the smartphone on a large display. To activate this feature, you do not need to install additional applications, just make sure that the AirPlay option is enabled in the settings of the TV in the “Applications” or “Network & Internet”.

The connection process is intuitive: open Control Point on your iPhone (swipe down from the top right corner), click Screen Replay icon and select your Xiaomi TV. The image from your phone will instantly appear on your TV screen. This is ideal for showing photos, presenting work documents or running games that do not support native output to large screens.

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For best picture quality when streaming via AirPlay, make sure your router supports 802.11ac (Wi-Fi 5) or later, and both devices are connected to a 5GHz network.

You have to distinguish between built-in AirPlay and the Translation feature inside apps. When you click on the Cast button on YouTube or Netflix, the phone acts as a remote, and the video is downloaded by the TV directly from the Internet, saving the iPhone battery power. When the screen is completely duplicated (Mirroring), the phone encodes the video stream and sends it to TV, which creates additional load on the smartphone processor and can lead to dissynchronization of sound and video in a weak network.

Network setup and elimination of visibility problems

The most common problem when trying to connect an iPhone and a Xiaomi TV is the lack of visibility of devices with each other. 90% of the time, this is due to router settings. Modern routers often have an "AP Isolation" or "Client Isolation" function, which prevents devices connected to Wi-Fi from communicating with each other for security purposes.

It's also important to consider frequency separation. If your iPhone is connected to the network, 5 GHz, and the TV "sees" only the network 2.4 GHz (or they are called variously, for example, HomeWiFi and the HomeWiFi_5G), They can be on different subnets, and the solution is to combine networks under one name (SSID) in router settings or forced connection of both devices to the same frequency. For stable operation of AirPlay and Mi Remote, it is preferable to use a range 5 GHz due to its greater bandwidth.

⚠️ Warning: If you're using a guest Wi-Fi network, the devices are by default isolated from each other.Make sure iPhone and Xiaomi are both TV Connected to the main network, not the guest network.

In some cases, a simple restart of network equipment helps. Routers running for months without turning off can accumulate errors in the table. ARP-Rebooting the router and turning on the TV and then the iPhone consistently often solves the problem of "losing" devices.

Control via infrared port (for models with IR)

Some iPhone models (mostly older, before the iPhone X) and certain versions of the iPad were equipped with an infrared transmitter, but modern Apple smartphones have lost this component. Therefore, using the iPhone as a classic IR remote for a Xiaomi TV that is not connected to Wi-Fi is directly impossible. USB-C.

If your iPhone doesn’t have an IR port, but you need to control a TV that’s not connected to the Internet (like a hotel or a country house), the only way out is to use a physical button on the TV case to log in to the menu and connect to the network. After that, you can use the Wi-Fi methods described above. The alternative is to buy a universal IR remote with HomeKit support, which will be controlled from the iPhone via Siri, but this is already a complex smart home scheme.

For those who still want to use IR control, there are adapters like the Broadlink RM4. It's a small device that connects to Wi-Fi and has an IR emitter. You set it up once through an app on your iPhone, and then the phone sends commands to Broadlink, which in turn "shots" an infrared signal into a TV, which allows you to turn any "stupid" TV into a smartphone-controlled one.

• 🔌 External IR adapters – connect via Lightning/USB-C, feed.
• 🏠 Smart IR hubs (Broadlink) – work over Wi-Fi, are independent of the presence of IR in the phone.
• 📶 Bluetooth adapters are a rare solution, requiring support from TV.

Voice control and integration with Siri

Apple's ecosystem allows you to integrate Xiaomi TV management with Siri voice assistant. Through the HomeKit app or third-party integrations (for example, through HomeBridge if the TV doesn't support HomeKit natively), you can give voice commands. Phrases like "Hello, Siri, turn on the TV" or "Switch off the lights in the living room" (if the TV is connected as a smart device) become available.

Full integration often requires an Apple TV or third-party automation servers like Home Assistant. However, even without the complicated setup, you can use Siri to manage content within apps. Say, "Hi Siri, show cat videos on YouTube," and if the YouTube app is open on TV or phone, the search will be done. This is especially convenient when hands are busy or the remote is far away.

Voice control is also effective for navigation. Instead of typing queries on a virtual keyboard, you can dictate them. In remote applications, such as the official one from Xiaomi, there is a microphone button that activates voice input from Google Assistant directly on the TV using the iPhone microphone, which provides high recognition accuracy comparable to using the native voice search remote.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

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Using the iPhone as a remote for Xiaomi TV opens up access to advanced functionality, including voice search, a convenient keyboard and multimedia broadcast, making interaction with the TV more modern and comfortable.