New user; can't connect controller to Pixel 4XL

[EricF]

Just getting started, but ran into a connection issue that has me stumped.

• I installed the v1.5.1 APK from DJI on my Pixel 4XL running Android 12.
• The app opened fine, and asked me to sign in or set up an account. I did so, but it then went directly to the "Connection Guide" page without asking me to register my Mini 2 as I had expected it would from support videos.
• When I tap the "Connection Guide" button and select DJI Mini 2, it displays steps for "Remote Controller Setup and Power On".
• I have done that; both the drone and controller are powered on, and my Pixel is giving me feedback that presumably indicates that it is looking for a device (a wave graphic & sound from the right), so I assume there is a connection between the controller and the Pixel. However, when I touch the "Camera View" button, the screen just displays a red message bar: "RC not connected to mobile device".

Am I missing something? Is there a way to get to the initial setup within the app or do I have to start over again with re-installing the app? Any advice would be much appreciated!

 

[old man mavic]

@EricF ,please dont think ,i think you have missed this step out, but have you connected your screen device to the controller with the supplied cable ,and made sure it is plugged into the correct connector on the top of the RC only one of the outlets has a connector the other is a dummy to stow the cable in

 

[EricF]

Yes, it is connected. I thought of that too, but the fact that my Pixel displays the connection graphic & sound shows that they are electrically connected. The problem seems to be that the app doesn't have the details about my drone: it does not display the "Connect Aircraft" as shown in DJI's Linking video ("DJI Mini 2 | How to Link the Remote Controller") — and I can't find any way to register my drone in the app.

 

[old man mavic]

have you ever had a DJI account with another drone ,what you could do is completely scrub the APP off the device and start again ,sometimes if the internet is very busy it can interfere with the down load ,or it could be that the server is down, hope you get it to work

 

[EricF]

No. The APK downloaded from the DJI site and installed without any errors.

The seller store's support rep thinks that my Pixel 4XL is incompatible — although others on this site seem to have been able to use the same smartphone with an older version of the app. The DJI Fly app is not available on Google Play, and the official DJI download site only had the most recent version, v1.5.1 (which is what I installed). Unfortunately, DJI support is closed on weekends so I will have to wait until Monday to try to get help from them.

 

[old man mavic]

@EricF it could just be that the phone is unable to run the latest version of the APP then

 

[spudster]

If you have a case on the phone, remove it. They can prevent the cable from being fully seated. Also, try a different cable.

 

[EricF]

I managed to get an old iPhone SE connected properly, so at least I know the problem isn't with the Mini 2 now. I expect it will be a SW incompatibility with the newest version of the DJI Fly app since I've found other users who have been able to use a Pixel 4XL with older versions.

Re the case blocking the cable connection: I ran into that problem with other devices, so I now have a case that doesn't interfere with 90° USB-C plugs. I checked just to be sure though, and that wasn't a problem. The tell-tale clue was the "seeking" sound & graphic while the plug was in and getting some sort of signal to the Pixel — and that will likely be a further clue that there is a SW incompatibility. I'll update this thread when/if I can talk to DJI support.

 

[spudster]

Could be the phones USB is setup for charging and not file transfer mode. Try

1. Plug the phone into the controller.
2. Pull up the notification bar.
3. Choose “USB,” “USB for file transfer,” or “USB charging this device.” The wording may vary, depending on the phone's make and model. There may be more options pop up once you make a choice.

 

[EricF]

No; the Pixel is set for file transfer. I suspect the v1.5.1 has a glitch: another forum user mentioned that an older version (v1.4.12) works with his Pixel 4XL and Android 12. I found a mirror site for the older version, but will confer with DJI support before installing it.

 

[diesel97]

My Pixel 3XL works great with v1.5.1 (2025) running Andriod 12

just saying

 

[latra]

Maybe is unrelated, but may you need enable USB Debugging (and enable developer tools on your phone too)? On my Pixel 3XL, the phone requested for debugging permissions when I plugged the controlled the first day.

 

[EricF]

Thanks! Yes; I tried that too after an online "chat" with DJI support. No luck. I'm generally a bit uneasy about messing around too much with settings like that lest it cause other problems or open up security holes. I have noticed that DJI Fly is chewing up battery even when it is not actually running (i.e. neither in foreground or background). Setting it to Pause seems to stop the battery consumption, but that is not something I need to do with any of the many other apps I have installed.

I will probably just opt to use an old iPhone SE as the dedicated fly tool for now — even though the screen is ridiculously small and hard to read with the DJI Fly app's tiny fonts & busy UI!