diff --git a/esphome/components/midea/air_conditioner.cpp b/esphome/components/midea/air_conditioner.cpp
index 24bbfe76b0b..fce8ab99a9e 100644
--- a/esphome/components/midea/air_conditioner.cpp
+++ b/esphome/components/midea/air_conditioner.cpp
@@ -127,6 +127,19 @@ ClimateTraits AirConditioner::traits() {
   return traits;
 }
 
+#ifdef USE_REMOTE_TRANSMITTER
+static const LogString *display_control_str(DisplayControl control) {
+  switch (control) {
+    case DisplayControl::DISPLAY_CONTROL_UART:
+      return LOG_STR("UART");
+    case DisplayControl::DISPLAY_CONTROL_IR:
+      return LOG_STR("IR");
+    default:
+      return LOG_STR("AUTO");
+  }
+}
+#endif
+
 void AirConditioner::dump_config() {
   ESP_LOGCONFIG(Constants::TAG,
                 "MideaDongle:\n"
@@ -135,7 +148,10 @@ void AirConditioner::dump_config() {
                 "  [x] Request attempts: %d",
                 this->base_.getPeriod(), this->base_.getTimeout(), this->base_.getNumAttempts());
 #ifdef USE_REMOTE_TRANSMITTER
-  ESP_LOGCONFIG(Constants::TAG, "  [x] Using RemoteTransmitter");
+  ESP_LOGCONFIG(Constants::TAG,
+                "  [x] Using RemoteTransmitter\n"
+                "  [x] Display control: %s",
+                LOG_STR_ARG(display_control_str(this->display_control_)));
 #endif
   if (this->base_.getAutoconfStatus() == dudanov::midea::AUTOCONF_OK) {
     this->base_.getCapabilities().dump();
@@ -183,16 +199,20 @@ void AirConditioner::do_swing_step() {
 }
 
 void AirConditioner::do_display_toggle() {
-  if (this->base_.getCapabilities().supportLightControl()) {
-    this->base_.displayToggle();
-  } else {
 #ifdef USE_REMOTE_TRANSMITTER
+  // AUTO uses IR unless the appliance reports light control over UART. Without a transmitter
+  // built in, every setting sends the UART request: Mundoclima, Rotenso and others accept it
+  // without advertising it in the 0xB5 capabilities report.
+  const bool use_ir = this->display_control_ == DisplayControl::DISPLAY_CONTROL_IR ||
+                      (this->display_control_ == DisplayControl::DISPLAY_CONTROL_AUTO &&
+                       !this->base_.getCapabilities().supportLightControl());
+  if (use_ir) {
     IrSpecialData data(0x08);
     this->transmitter_.transmit(data);
-#else
-    ESP_LOGW(Constants::TAG, "Action needs remote_transmitter component");
-#endif
+    return;
   }
+#endif
+  this->base_.displayToggle();
 }
 
 }  // namespace esphome::midea::ac
diff --git a/esphome/components/midea/air_conditioner.h b/esphome/components/midea/air_conditioner.h
index 9977d2088ff..607027d9962 100644
--- a/esphome/components/midea/air_conditioner.h
+++ b/esphome/components/midea/air_conditioner.h
@@ -21,12 +21,20 @@ using climate::ClimateModeMask;
 using climate::ClimateSwingModeMask;
 using climate::ClimatePresetMask;
 
+// How the display toggle reaches the appliance; the AUTO rules are in do_display_toggle()
+enum class DisplayControl : uint8_t {
+  DISPLAY_CONTROL_UART,  // always the UART request
+  DISPLAY_CONTROL_AUTO,  // UART when the appliance reports it or no transmitter is built in, else IR
+  DISPLAY_CONTROL_IR,    // always the IR remote, needs a transmitter
+};
+
 class AirConditioner final : public ApplianceBase<dudanov::midea::ac::AirConditioner>, public climate::Climate {
  public:
   void dump_config() override;
   void set_outdoor_temperature_sensor(Sensor *sensor) { this->outdoor_sensor_ = sensor; }
   void set_humidity_setpoint_sensor(Sensor *sensor) { this->humidity_sensor_ = sensor; }
   void set_power_sensor(Sensor *sensor) { this->power_sensor_ = sensor; }
+  void set_display_control(DisplayControl control) { this->display_control_ = control; }
   void on_status_change() override;
 
   /* ############### */
@@ -54,6 +62,7 @@ class AirConditioner final : public ApplianceBase<dudanov::midea::ac::AirConditi
   ClimateSwingModeMask supported_swing_modes_{};
   ClimatePresetMask supported_presets_{};
   bool frost_protection_set_{false};
+  DisplayControl display_control_{DisplayControl::DISPLAY_CONTROL_AUTO};
   Sensor *outdoor_sensor_{nullptr};
   Sensor *humidity_sensor_{nullptr};
   Sensor *power_sensor_{nullptr};
diff --git a/esphome/components/midea/climate.py b/esphome/components/midea/climate.py
index da952ab87b0..20cd194d2ed 100644
--- a/esphome/components/midea/climate.py
+++ b/esphome/components/midea/climate.py
@@ -33,15 +33,18 @@ from esphome.const import (
     UNIT_WATT,
 )
 from esphome.core import CORE
+from esphome.types import ConfigType
 
 CODEOWNERS = ["@dudanov"]
 DEPENDENCIES = ["climate", "uart"]
 AUTO_LOAD = ["sensor"]
 CONF_POWER_USAGE = "power_usage"
 CONF_HUMIDITY_SETPOINT = "humidity_setpoint"
+CONF_DISPLAY_CONTROL = "display_control"
 midea_ac_ns = cg.esphome_ns.namespace("midea").namespace("ac")
 AirConditioner = midea_ac_ns.class_("AirConditioner", climate.Climate, cg.Component)
 Capabilities = midea_ac_ns.namespace("Constants")
+DisplayControl = midea_ac_ns.enum("DisplayControl", is_class=True)
 
 
 def templatize(value):
@@ -82,11 +85,29 @@ CUSTOM_PRESETS = {
     "FREEZE_PROTECTION": Capabilities.FREEZE_PROTECTION,
 }
 
+# How midea_ac.display_toggle reaches the appliance; see do_display_toggle() for the AUTO rules
+DISPLAY_CONTROLS = {
+    "UART": DisplayControl.DISPLAY_CONTROL_UART,
+    "AUTO": DisplayControl.DISPLAY_CONTROL_AUTO,
+    "IR": DisplayControl.DISPLAY_CONTROL_IR,
+}
+
 validate_modes = cv.enum(ALLOWED_CLIMATE_MODES, upper=True)
 validate_presets = cv.enum(ALLOWED_CLIMATE_PRESETS, upper=True)
 validate_swing_modes = cv.enum(ALLOWED_CLIMATE_SWING_MODES, upper=True)
 validate_custom_fan_modes = cv.enum(CUSTOM_FAN_MODES, upper=True)
 validate_custom_presets = cv.enum(CUSTOM_PRESETS, upper=True)
+validate_display_control = cv.enum(DISPLAY_CONTROLS, upper=True)
+
+
+def validate_display_control_with_transmitter(config: ConfigType) -> ConfigType:
+    """`display_control: IR` needs a `remote_transmitter` to send through; UART and AUTO do not."""
+    if config.get(CONF_DISPLAY_CONTROL) == "IR" and CONF_TRANSMITTER_ID not in config:
+        raise cv.Invalid(
+            f"'{CONF_DISPLAY_CONTROL}: IR' requires '{CONF_TRANSMITTER_ID}' to be set"
+        )
+    return config
+
 
 CONFIG_SCHEMA = cv.All(
     climate.climate_schema(AirConditioner)
@@ -100,6 +121,7 @@ CONFIG_SCHEMA = cv.All(
             ),
             cv.Optional(CONF_BEEPER, default=False): cv.boolean,
             cv.Optional(CONF_AUTOCONF, default=True): cv.boolean,
+            cv.Optional(CONF_DISPLAY_CONTROL, default="AUTO"): validate_display_control,
             cv.Optional(CONF_SUPPORTED_MODES): cv.ensure_list(validate_modes),
             cv.Optional(CONF_SUPPORTED_SWING_MODES): cv.ensure_list(
                 validate_swing_modes
@@ -134,6 +156,7 @@ CONFIG_SCHEMA = cv.All(
     )
     .extend(uart.UART_DEVICE_SCHEMA)
     .extend(cv.COMPONENT_SCHEMA),
+    validate_display_control_with_transmitter,
     cv.only_on(
         [
             PLATFORM_ESP32,
@@ -204,6 +227,7 @@ async def to_code(config):
         cg.add(var.set_transmitter(transmitter_))
     cg.add(var.set_beeper_feedback(config[CONF_BEEPER]))
     cg.add(var.set_autoconf(config[CONF_AUTOCONF]))
+    cg.add(var.set_display_control(config[CONF_DISPLAY_CONTROL]))
     if CONF_SUPPORTED_MODES in config:
         cg.add(var.set_supported_modes(config[CONF_SUPPORTED_MODES]))
     if CONF_SUPPORTED_SWING_MODES in config:
diff --git a/tests/components/midea/common-uart_only.yaml b/tests/components/midea/common-uart_only.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..d05df221732
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/components/midea/common-uart_only.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,6 @@
+climate:
+  - platform: midea
+    id: midea_uart_only
+    name: Midea Climate UART Only
+    autoconf: true
+    display_control: UART
diff --git a/tests/components/midea/common.yaml b/tests/components/midea/common.yaml
index 25fc2debcd2..bade07be43f 100644
--- a/tests/components/midea/common.yaml
+++ b/tests/components/midea/common.yaml
@@ -33,6 +33,7 @@ climate:
     timeout: 2s
     beeper: false
     autoconf: true
+    display_control: AUTO
     visual:
       min_temperature: 17 °C
       max_temperature: 30 °C
diff --git a/tests/components/midea/test-uart_only.esp32-idf.yaml b/tests/components/midea/test-uart_only.esp32-idf.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..ce09bbb7b7d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/components/midea/test-uart_only.esp32-idf.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+packages:
+  uart: !include ../../test_build_components/common/uart/esp32-idf.yaml
+  midea: !include common-uart_only.yaml
+
+# The MideaUART library includes esp_wifi.h on ESP-IDF
+wifi:
+  ssid: MySSID
+  password: password1