Users of Xiaomi and Redmi smart TVs often face situations where they need to turn off audio output instantly, which may be necessary late at night to avoid disturbing sleepers, or while watching content from their phone, when sound should only be broadcast through headphones. The Android TV operating system, which runs modern models, has several levels of audio control that not all owners know about.
The standard procedure seems obvious, but there are hidden nuances in the Mi TV ecosystem. For example, simply pressing a button can only minimize the volume, but not turn off the speaker completely, leaving a background hum. In addition, software failures can block the operation of control buttons, requiring more deep intervention in the system settings through the engineering menu or reset parameters.
In this guide, we will analyze all available methods: from the banal use of the remote to complex manipulations with system files. You will learn how to activate Subtitles Only mode, how to reassign buttons, and what to do if the software has stopped responding to user commands. TV 9.0 and above, a complete switch off of speakers is possible only through hidden settings or ADB-commands, as the regular Mute button often just puts volume to zero.
Use of remote control
The fastest way to remove sound is to use physical buttons on the remote. On most Xiaomi Mi TV Stick, Box and full-fledged Master or P1 series TVs, a separate key is responsible for this, but the functionality of this button may vary depending on the version of the MIUI for TV firmware.
Short taps usually put the device into Mute mode, which is visually displayed by the crossed-out speaker on the screen. Prolonged retention (more than 3 seconds) on some voice-controlled remotes can activate voice search, so it is important not to confuse these actions. If a standard tap does not work, perhaps a charge has sat in the power supply or a reconnection of the Bluetooth module is required.
โ ๏ธ Note: On new-style remotes without a digital switch, the switch off button can be combined with the power key or hidden in the quick access menu. Do not try to disassemble the remote for finding hidden contacts - this will lead to loss of warranty.
Letโs look at the basic combinations for different types of remotes:
- ๐ Classic pressing of the button โMuteโ or crossed-out speaker instantly blocks the audio channel.
- ๐ Pressing the Volume Down button to the end (to 0) also turns off the sound, but in some modes leaves a minimum gain level.
- ๐ฃ๏ธ Double pressing the microphone button on some firmware causes a quick menu to turn off all notifications and sounds of the system.
Setting up sound parameters in the menu
If physical buttons don't respond or you need a finer setup, you need to refer to the software interface. The operating system allows you not only to turn down the volume, but also completely disable certain channels or effects that can create the illusion of working sound.
To access advanced settings, go to Settings (cog in the top corner), then select Sound or Display & Sound. This is the key setting Digital Output. Switching this setting to Off or changing the format from PCM to Pass-through can completely drown out the built-in speakers by directing the signal to the external receiver, even if it is not connected.
Also worth noting is the Smart Sound function, or AI Sound. Artificial intelligence algorithms can automatically raise the volume of quiet scenes, which prevents complete silence, and turning it off stabilizes the volume level at zero.
โ๏ธ Checking the sound settings
It is important to check the settings of specific applications. YouTube or Netflix may have their own volume sliders that override system settings. If the app has the audio twisted to maximum and the system has zero, the result can be unpredictable due to software conflicts of the Audio HAL drivers.
Subtitles Only Mode and Availability
The Android TV operating system used in Xiaomi TVs has a useful feature for people with hearing impairments that allows you to completely turn off the audio recordings, leaving only visual information, a mode often ignored by ordinary users, although it is ideal for situations where absolute silence is needed.
To activate this feature, you need to go to the Settings โ Accessibility menu. Here you should find the section associated with subtitles or audio. Activating Text Only or a similar setting forcibly silences the audio track in all applications that support the standard Android APIs.
| Parameter | Standard value | Meaning for silence | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|---|
| Media volume | 50-100% | 0% | Turns off the sound in the apps |
| Loudness of the system | 100% | 0% | Removes interface sounds |
| Notifications | Included. | Off. | Blocks system alerts |
| Touch sounds | Included. | Off. | Removes click when pressed |
| Subtitling regime | Off | On | Complete audio lockdown |
| Audio description | Off | Off | Disable the voice of the announcer |
This is especially true if the TV's built-in speakers are wheezing at low volume, and the only way to get a clean picture without annoying noise is to turn off the sound software, which is more stable than constantly adjusting the volume slider.
Disconnecting the sound through the engineering menu and ADB
For advanced users who own Xiaomi Mi Box S or open-air Android TVs, there is a way to completely disable the audio driver, requiring a USB or ADB Over Network connection to the TV, which is effective if the standard tools donโt work due to software errors.
First, you need to activate the developer mode. โ About the device and click on Build 7 times quickly. After the message "You became a developer", a new section "Developers" will appear in the menu. USB.
โ ๏ธ Note: Making changes through ADB-The commands can cause the system to run in an unstable way, writing commands to a text file before entering will help avoid syntax errors.
Connecting to the TV from a computer (adb connect command) IP_address television), you can use the following commands to control the sound:
adb shell am start -n com.android.tv.settings/.sound.SoundSettingsActivity
adb shell settings put global volume_music_speaker 0