Sideload applications on Mi Box 4K
Table of Contents
Now you can Sideload apps on Mi Box 4K by using this GuideAfter a lot of speculations and leaks, Xiaomi India has finally unveiled its Mi Box 4K in India. The launch event took place along-side the Xiaomi Mi 10 flagship smartphone. Although this is one of the IoT (internet of things) products launched here in India, this has got huge attention for two reasons! One being, for under 4000 INR, you can convert any TV into Android TV! The second reason being the critical pricing of Mi 10 in India. Leaving the Mi 10 story behind, let us talk Mi Box 4K.
Well, as the name itself suggests, Mi Box 4K supports 4K resolution content out of the box given that the connected TV supports 4K. I mean, most of you might own a 4K TV from companies like Sony or Samsung, but without Android. Well, any TV like that is not considered as Smart TV. But with just plugging in the Mi Box 4K, it arguable converts your old boring TV into a Smart TV with Android support.
Well with the being said, did you buy a Mi Box 4K and would like to install some apps which are not available in Google Play Store? Do you want to sideload applications on your Mi Box 4K? Although it is technically possible, it is very tricky and time taking to do so. Well, that is where we come in. We at RootUpdate brought you guys three different ways in which you can sideload or install third-party applications that are not available in Play Store. Well, with any further discussion, let us quickly get started with the process, Shall we?
Mi Box 4K Specifications and Features
Mi Box 4K is the small and minimal sized box, just like the set-top box but with a smaller footprint. Mi Box 4K is designed in such a way that the box can be connected to the TV via the included HDMI cable and can be placed on a table or considering the lighter weight, it can be placed or hanged anywhere. But, still, it comes with a larger footprint compared to what Amazon Fire TV sticks offer.
The device itself is powered by a Quad-Core Amlogic processor and comes with 2 GB of RAM and 8 GB of internal storage for apps. It comes with Xiaomi’s own Patch Wall user interface, also with Android TV OS features buried in. The device as one would expect comes with Play Store TV version with a lot of TV apps and games which you can download. Considering the mediocre specs, you cannot expect your TV to support PUBG, but bigger titles like Asphalt 8 and Asphalt 9 are playable with some decent graphics and manageable frame rates.
Talking about the elephant of the show, the 4K support, you can stream 4K content on all the OTT media platforms and any media player for that matter and Mi Box 4K comes with HDR 10 support out of the box as well. So, given that you have a 4K television, the Mi Box is capable of playing 4K and HDR content from all the streaming platforms such as Netflix and Amazon Prime Video. Mi Box 4K users will get extra connectivities like a USB port and 3.5mm digital out jack for certain things such as to connect headphones and connect speakers and etc.
How to sideload applications on Mi Box 4K using Pendrive/Hard disk
Step 1: On your PC, open any browser.
Step 2: Next up, search for APK Mirror on Google. Well, you can download from anywhere, but I would prefer APK Mirror any day!
Step 3: Once APK Mirror is loaded, towards your right-hand side of screen you can find a search bar. In that search bar search for the app which you would like to install on your TV. Do remember to mention “Android TV” after the keyword.
Step 4: In my case, I am trying to download Netflix, so I have searched for “Netflix Android TV”. Now, you will be greeted with all the versions there.
Step 5: Download the version you would like to try.
Step 6: Once it downloads, connect your pen drive or an external hard disk and copy-paste the downloaded application on your desired folder.
Step 7: Connect the Pen Drive or Hard Disk to your Mi Box 4k and open File Manager. If you do not have any file manager installed, download ES File Explorer from Google Play Store.
Step 8: Now, browse for the application file which you have copied on Hard Disk or Pen drive using ES File Explorer.
Step 9: Once found, click on it and select install. You may need to enable unknown sources and allow all pop-ups while installing.
Step 10: That’s all, you can repeat this step as many times as you want. No Pen Drive? Well, no worries! We have two other methods by which you can sideload the apps on Mi Box 4K.
Another Method to sideload applications on Mi Box 4K using Send Files to TV
Step 1: On your Android Phone, download Send Files to TV application.
Step 2: Next up, search for APK Mirror on Google.
Step 3: Once APK Mirror is loaded, towards your right-hand side of the screen you can find a search bar. In that search bar search for the app which you would like to install on your TV. Do remember to mention “Android TV” after the keyword.
Step 4: In my case, I am trying to download Netflix, so I have searched for “Netflix Android TV”. Now, you will be greeted with all the versions there.
Step 5: Download the version you would like to try.
Step 6: Now on your Mi Box 4K, open Play Store and download Send Files to TV app.
Step 7: Open the application on both the devices and do note that both Mi Box 4K and your Android device should be connected to the same Wireless Network.
Step 8: Now you can find your Mi Box on your Android app. Select and connect to the TV.
Step 9: Now you can send the downloaded file or any other files like videos, music, photos directly from your phone to TV in just a matter of seconds.
Step 10: That’s all, you can send anything from your phone to TV.
Method 3: How to sideload apps on Mi Box 4K using Puffin TV Browser
Step 1: Open Play Store on your TV and search for Puffin Browser.
Step 2: Download the Puffin Browser and once downloaded, open it and give all the permissions it asks.
Step 3: Next up, search for APK Mirror on Google. I suggest you connect Wireless keyboard for a few minutes as it is considerably hard to type using remote.
Step 4: Once APK Mirror is loaded, towards your right-hand side of the screen you can find a search bar. In that search bar search for the app which you would like to install on your TV. Do remember to mention “Android TV” after the keyword.
Step 5: In my case, I am trying to download Netflix, so I have searched for “Netflix Android TV”. Now, you will be greeted with all the versions there.
Step 6: Download the version you would like to try.
Step 7: Now go to downloads on Puffin Browser and select and tap on the application you have downloaded.
Step 8: Click on Install. You may need to enable unknown sources and allow all pop-ups while installing.
Step 9: That’s all, you have now successfully installed your desired application on your Mi Box 4K.
Also Read: Download Mi Account unlock tool
Conclusion
These are the three methods that you can try to sideload apps on Mi Box 4K. If this guide helped you in sideloading apps on your Mi Box, do show us some love by sharing this post with your friends and family for whom this guide might be helpful. For more posts like this stay tuned with us. Until next time, Stay techy!