Telegram on Mi Box: Setup Guide (2026)

Install VelaTV on Xiaomi Mi Box S, Mi TV Stick, or Mi Box 4 in under 4 minutes and start playing your personal Telegram channel videos with the Mi Box remote. No sideloading, no casting, no phone needed during playback.

Why Mi Box is the Easiest TV Box for Telegram Videos

Of all the streaming devices, Xiaomi Mi Box is the simplest path to playing your Telegram videos on a TV - for one specific reason: Mi Box ships with Google Play Store pre-installed. No sideloading. No Downloader app. No developer options to enable.

VelaTV installs in about 30 seconds from the Play Store, the same way you would install any other app. Compare this to Fire TV Stick (where you need to sideload via the Downloader app) or Samsung Tizen TVs (where Android apps cannot run natively at all).

Mi Box S (2018) Mi TV Stick (2020) Mi TV Stick 4K (2022) Mi Box 4 (Global) Mi Box 4K (2024)

Setup: 5 Steps to Telegram Videos on Mi Box

1

Open Google Play Store on Mi Box

From the Mi Box home screen, find the Play Store app (white shopping bag icon). If this is a fresh Mi Box, the initial setup will have asked you to sign in with a Google account already.

2

Search for VelaTV

Use the Play Store search bar to find "VelaTV". The app appears as a private media player for Telegram cloud videos. Select it.

3

Install VelaTV

Press Install. The download is small (about 25MB) and finishes in 20-40 seconds depending on your internet speed. Once installed, press Open or find VelaTV under the Apps row on the Mi Box home screen.

4

Sign In with Your Telegram Account

VelaTV opens to a login screen. Choose QR code (fastest - scan with your phone in 10 seconds) or enter your phone number and verification code. Your Telegram credentials are encrypted locally on the Mi Box using EncryptedSharedPreferences.

5

Pick Your Channels and Play

VelaTV automatically scans your Telegram chats. Select which channels and groups to include in your TV library. Videos are detected and organized automatically. Press play with the Mi Box remote and you are done.

Mi Box Remote Navigation Tips

The Mi Box remote has a clean, minimal design that works well with VelaTV:

Mi Box-Specific Performance Tips

Storage management (8GB constraint)

Mi Box S and Mi TV Stick ship with only 8GB internal storage shared with the system. After the OS, Play Store, and pre-installed apps, you typically have 3-5GB free. VelaTV itself is small (25MB), but downloaded videos can fill this fast. Two solutions:

4K playback

VelaTV uses hardware acceleration when available. On Mi Box S, Mi TV Stick 4K, Mi Box 4K, and Mi Box 4, this means 4K H.264 and H.265 / HEVC play smoothly. The older Mi TV Stick (2020, non-4K) is limited to 1080p hardware decode - 4K files will either downscale automatically or stutter, depending on the codec.

Audio sync

Some Mi Box users report occasional audio drift on long videos (a known Android TV bug on certain Mi Box firmware versions). VelaTV includes a manual audio offset control in playback settings if you encounter this - adjust by 100ms increments until sync is correct.

Mi Box vs Fire TV vs Other Android TV Boxes for Telegram

Feature Mi Box S / 4K Fire TV Stick Shield TV
Native Play Store Yes No (sideload) Yes
VelaTV install time ~30 seconds ~5 minutes (sideload) ~30 seconds
4K HEVC playback Yes (4K models) Yes (4K models) Yes
USB drive support Yes No Yes
Storage (internal) 8GB 8GB 16-256GB
Price range (2026) $40-70 $30-60 $200-400

For most users wanting Telegram videos on TV: Mi Box is the best balance of price, ease, and capability. Fire TV Stick is the cheapest entry point but requires sideloading. Shield TV is the premium option for heavy users with large libraries (the 256GB version stores enormous offline collections).

Key VelaTV Features on Mi Box

Pricing

VelaTV includes a free 10-day trial with full access on Mi Box - no credit card required. After the trial, an affordable subscription unlocks unlimited access via Google Play.

Note for users in Russia / Iran: If Google Play subscriptions are unavailable in your region, see the FAQ below for alternative payment via the Telegram bot. Premium activates on your Telegram account and works on the Mi Box immediately.

Try VelaTV on Mi Box

Free 10-day trial. Installs in 30 seconds from Google Play.

Get VelaTV on Google Play

Frequently Asked Questions (Mi Box)

Which Mi Box models does VelaTV work on?
VelaTV works on all Mi Box / Mi TV Stick models running Android TV: Mi Box S (2018), Mi TV Stick (2020), Mi TV Stick 4K (2022), Mi Box 4 (China and global), Mi Box 4K (2024), and any Xiaomi-branded Android TV box. Minimum requirement is Android TV 7.0 or higher, which all current models satisfy.
Does VelaTV need a lot of storage on Mi Box?
No. VelaTV is small - about 25MB installed. The bigger concern on Mi Box is the 8GB internal storage shared with the system and all other apps. VelaTV streams directly from Telegram cloud without saving anything by default. If you use the offline-download feature, you can pick a USB drive (Mi Box supports USB OTG) as the download target to avoid filling internal storage.
Will VelaTV play 4K videos smoothly on Mi Box?
Yes on Mi Box S, Mi TV Stick 4K, Mi Box 4K, and Mi Box 4. These models have hardware-accelerated 4K decoders for H.264 and H.265 / HEVC. The older Mi TV Stick (non-4K, 2020) is 1080p only - 4K files will downscale or stutter. If you have a Mi TV Stick non-4K and a 4K TV, consider upgrading to the Mi TV Stick 4K for VelaTV.
Why use VelaTV instead of casting from phone to Mi Box?
Casting via Google Cast or Chromecast built-in works for some videos but has limitations: 1) Compressed quality, not original file quality. 2) Your phone has to stay near the Mi Box during the entire video. 3) Your phone battery drains. 4) Telegram cloud videos cannot be cast directly - you have to download to phone first, then cast. VelaTV plays directly from Telegram cloud to Mi Box, no phone in the loop after sign-in.
Does VelaTV work on the China-region Mi Box (Mi Box CN)?
The China-region Mi Box does not ship with Google Play Store. You would need to install Google Services Framework manually (advanced, voids warranty), then sideload VelaTV. We recommend using the global Mi Box S / Mi TV Stick / Mi Box 4K instead - these have native Play Store and VelaTV installs in 30 seconds.
Can I use VelaTV on Mi Box without a Google account?
No, because Mi Box itself requires a Google account during initial setup to access the Play Store. Once signed in to Google for the Mi Box, you only need your Telegram account for VelaTV - they are separate identities. Your Google account and Telegram account are not linked or shared.
How do I navigate VelaTV with the Mi Box remote?
The Mi Box remote has a circular D-pad and a center OK button. Use the D-pad to move between videos and menus, OK to select / play, the curved Back arrow to go back, and the home button to return to the Mi Box home screen. The microphone button activates Google Assistant voice search across the system (not inside VelaTV).
Does VelaTV support Bluetooth headphones for private listening on Mi Box?
Yes. Pair Bluetooth headphones to your Mi Box first (Settings > Remotes & Accessories > Add accessory). Then audio from VelaTV (and any other Mi Box app) plays through the headphones automatically. Useful for late-night viewing without disturbing others.
Why is the Mi Box restricted in some countries?
Some governments (USA most notably) have restricted Xiaomi devices from federal contracts and large retail chains due to security and data-localization concerns. The Mi Box hardware itself is not blocked from personal use, and Xiaomi continues to ship Mi Box S and Mi TV Stick globally. VelaTV does not collect Xiaomi-related telemetry - it only talks to your Telegram cloud via official Telegram TDLib.
What if Google Play doesn't accept my payment on Mi Box?
If Google Play subscriptions are unavailable in your region (for example in Russia or Iran), you can purchase premium through our Telegram bot @VelaTVBot. The bot accepts Telegram Stars and cryptocurrency (USDT). Premium activates on your Telegram account and works on the Mi Box immediately, no reinstall needed.

Related Guides

Start Playing Telegram Videos on Mi Box

Free 10-day trial. Installs from Google Play in 30 seconds.

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