With Xiaomi’s modern multimedia capabilities, it’s easy to turn a living room into a personal photo center. Smartphone owners often face the need to show pictures to a large audience, and a small screen of a mobile device is not enough to do that. Fortunately, the Android ecosystem and MIUI or HyperOS proprietary shells offer a variety of native tools for wireless data transfer.
There are several proven ways to broadcast an image, each with its own characteristics and use cases: some require stable Wi-Fi, others work through a direct connection or even a direct connection. USB-The best choice depends on your TV model, operating system version and personal preferences.
In this article, we will discuss in detail all the current methods of casting and transferring files, you will learn about the intricacies of network configuration, the features of the DLNA and Miracast protocols, and also get answers to frequent technical questions.
Equipment preparation and network connection
The foundation for successful wireless data is the right organization of the local network. For most methods, including Chromecast built-in and Mi Drop, it is critical that both devices — a smartphone and a TV — are on the same subnet, which means that they must be connected to the same router.
If you use a dual-band router, make sure that the gadgets are connected to the same frequency, for example, 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz. Sometimes routers create isolated subnets for different frequencies, which can prevent devices from being detected by each other.
⚠️ Note: If your router is configured with client device isolation (AP Isolation, the phone will not physically be able to "see" the TV, which must be disabled in the router's admin panel.
Check out the software version on both devices. Xiaomi Mi TV and Redmi TVs often come with updates to improve the stability of transmission protocols. Go to Settings menu → About TV → System Update and make sure that the latest available firmware version is installed.
Broadcasting through the built-in “Translation” (Cast) function
The fastest and most versatile way to display a photo is to use the standard Google Cast feature integrated into the Android shell, which does not require installing additional apps if the TV supports Chromecast built-in technology, which is true for most modern Xiaomi models with Android TV.
To start the process, open the gallery on your smartphone and select the image you want. In the action menu (usually three dots or a share icon), find the Broadcast or wave rectangle icon. The system will automatically start searching for available devices on the local network.
Once your TV name appears on the list (e.g., Living Room TV), click on it. The image will open on a large screen, and the phone can be used to control viewing or perform other tasks. The picture quality in this method is usually high, since the original file is transmitted, not the video stream from the screen.
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If the list of devices is empty, try rebooting the Wi-Fi module on both devices, sometimes helping to temporarily shut down mobile traffic (3G/4G/5G) on your smartphone to force the system to use Wi-Fi for search.
It's worth noting that when you stream through a Cast phone, it acts as a remote control, which means that the compression of the image is minimal, and you can flip through the photos in the gallery without interrupting the display on the TV, but if you run a heavy app in the background, the transmission may interrupt.
Using the Mi Remote application to transfer files
The Mi Remote app is a powerful tool that is often underrated, and in addition to IR port management, it has built-in functionality for transferring media between Xiaomi devices, a technique that is especially useful if the standard casting is unstable.
To work, you need to install the app on your smartphone (if it is not built into the system) and make sure that the TV is running the appropriate service. In some regions, Redmi and Xiaomi TVs have a file receiver pre-installed, in other cases, you may need to install the TV Assistant app from the Google Play Store on the TV itself.
☑️ Checking the Mi Remote settings
The algorithm of actions is as follows:
- 📱 Open the Mi Remote app on your smartphone and go to the TV control tab.
- 📺 Find the menu item "Translation" or "File Transfer».
- 🖼️ Select the category “Photos” and mark the pictures for display.
- 🚀 Press the send button and confirm the connection on the TV screen.
The advantage of this method is low latency and the ability to control the playback queue directly from the phone. However, the transfer speed can vary depending on the load of the Wi-Fi channel. For viewing photos in high resolution (RAW or 4K), this method is ideal, since there is no aggressive compression characteristic of instant messengers.
Connection through USB-cable and file managers
When a wireless network is unavailable or is not running smoothly, a time-tested network comes to the rescue. USB-This method guarantees maximum transmission speed and no loss of quality, which is critical for viewing photos in the Internet. 8K or.
You'll need a cable with the appropriate connectors (usually USB Type-C on both ends or Type-C to USB-A). Connect your smartphone to a USB port on your TV. You'll see a request for USB mode on your phone screen; select File Transfer (MTP) or PTP.
On your TV, open the Explorer app or MI TV. Your phone should appear on the list of external devices. Going to the DCIM → Camera folder, you will access all the pictures. Xiaomi TVs usually have a built-in player that can display sketches and slideshows.
| Parameter | Wireless (Wi-Fi) | Wire (USB) | DLNA/Server |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission speed | Medium (depending on router) | High (up to 480 Mbps) | Tall. |
| Convenience | High. | Requires cable. | Medium (tuning) |
| Photo quality | Good. | Original | Original |
| Charging the phone | No (battery consumption) | Yeah (usually) | No. |
It is important to remember that not all USB-ports on TVs support data transmission; some are power-only (5V). If the phone is only charging but not defined as a drive, try another port marked as USB 3.0 or having the appropriate logo.
What if your phone is not visible via USB?
Organization DLNA-server
For advanced users who want to have permanent access to the archive of photos, DLNA technology is ideal. The essence of the method is to turn a smartphone into a network storage (NAS), which the TV refers to as a local source of content.
To implement this scenario, you need to install a server application on your phone, such as BubbleUPnP, LocalCast or the standard Translation in Windows settings, if you use a PC as an intermediary. After starting the server and selecting folders for indexing, the TV will see the new device in the Signal Sources section or in the Media application.
The main advantage of DLNA is the ability to sort photos by dates, albums and tags directly on the TV screen using its interface, and the phone can be locked or used for other tasks, since it only provides access to files, rather than broadcasting a video stream.
However, setting up DLNA can take time, making sure that the firewall doesn't block incoming connections, and antivirus software doesn't consider the network server a threat, is one of the most stable methods for viewing large collections for a home network.
Problem Solving and Quality Optimization
Even if you follow all the instructions, users can face difficulties. A common problem is desynchronization or poor image quality. If a photo looks blurry, check the export settings in the source application. Some messengers and social networks compress the photo when sending; use the originals.
⚠️ Note: When using third-party casting apps (not from Google or Xiaomi), beware of hidden subscriptions.Many free programs in the Play Market impose ads or limit session time.
If the TV doesn't find the phone, try resetting the network settings on both devices. Go to Settings → Wi-Fi, select your network and click "Forget," then reconnect. Also, rebooting the router helps, as it can overflow with DNS cache for a long time.
For owners of older models of Xiaomi TVs running on the PatchWall system without a full Android TV, may be necessary to use HDMI-In this case, the phone connects through an adapter. USB-C to HDMI, And the TV just works like a monitor, and it's 100% compatible, but it's not possible to control the gallery from the remote.
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Connection stability depends on the quality of the router. To transfer heavy media content to 4K, it is recommended to use Wi-Fi 5 (AC) or Wi-Fi 6 (AX) routers.