How to enable fast charging on Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro: all the ways and nuances

Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro is one of the most popular smartphones of the mid-price segment, which is still actively used thanks to the powerful processor Helio G90T and a capacious battery of 4500 mAh. However, many owners face a problem: despite the support of fast charging technology 18 watts, the phone charges too slowly. What is the matter and how to fix?

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can activate fast charging on the Redmi Note 8 Pro, including hidden MIUI settings, checking the compatibility of chargers and cables, and solving typical problems. You’ll learn why a smartphone can β€œfail” to fast-charge even with the original adapter, and how to make it work at full power.

Importantly, not all methods are equally effective β€” some require manual intervention in system settings, others depend on the firmware version, and we tested each method on current versions of MIUI 12-14 and prepared clear instructions with explanations.

1. Checking the compatibility of the charger and cable

Before digging into your smartphone settings, make sure your charger and cable really support fast 18W charging. The Redmi Note 8 Pro uses Quick Charge 3.0 protocol, but with some nuances:

  • πŸ”Œ Original adapter: complete with the phone is a charger MDY-11-EP (18 If you use another, check its power, it must be at least 18 Watt (9V/2A).
  • πŸ”— Cable: Must support data transmission and high current strength. Original cable from Xiaomi or certified USB Type-C β†’ USB-A (or Type-C. β†’ Cheap cables often limit power to 10-12 watts.
  • ⚑ Protocol: Adapter must support Quick Charge 3.0/4.0 or USB Power Delivery (PD). Qualcomm Quick Charge Adapters 2.0 They will work slower.

How to check the current charging power?

  1. Connect your smartphone to the charger.
  2. Open the Security app β†’ Battery.
  3. Click on the icon. ⚑ in the upper right corner – the current power will be displayed (for example, β€œFast charging 18W” or β€œNormal charging 10WΒ»).
πŸ“Š What Charger Are You Using for the Redmi Note 8 Pro?
Original from Xiaomi
Third-party (Quick Charge 3.0)
Third-party (USB-PD)
I don't know which one.

⚠️ Warning: If the charging power is below 15 watts, the problem is probably a cable or adapter. Try replacing them with certified accessories. Cheap chargers can not only slow down charging, but also damage the battery.

2. Enabling fast charging in MIUI settings

In some versions of MIUI, the fast charging feature is disabled by default or hidden in deep settings. Here's how to activate it:

Method 1: Through the battery menu

  1. Go to Settings β†’ Battery and performance.
  2. Select Battery Settings.
  3. Find the Quick Charging (or Quick Charging Mode) option and turn on the switch.

Method 2: Through Hidden Settings (for MIUI 12-14)

If there is no standard item, try this method:

  1. Open the phone app and enter the combination: ##4636##
  2. In the menu that opens, select Battery Information.
  3. Check AC powered status – if the value is β€œtrue”, but the power is low, then the problem is in the system settings.
  4. Go back to Settings β†’ All settings β†’ Additional and find Charging Optimization. Turn it off.

Is fast charging enabled in the battery settings?

Is charging optimization disabled in additional settings?

Is the charging power checked through the "Safety" application?

Have you tried another cable/adapter for the test?

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Critical nuance: on some firmware (for example, global MIUI 13.0.4), the β€œFast Charge” option may not be available, in which case only resetting or updating the software will help.

3. Update firmware and reset settings

If fast charging doesn't work despite the right settings and a compatible charger, the problem may lie in the firmware.

Step 1: Update MIUI to the latest version

  1. Go to Settings β†’ About the phone β†’ System update.
  2. Click Check Updates and install available patches.
  3. After the update, restart the phone and check the charging.

Step 2: Reset your settings (if the update didn’t work)

Sometimes, fast charging failures are due to conflicts in system settings.

  1. Go to Settings β†’ About the phone β†’ Reset settings.
  2. Select Reset all settings (not to be confused with Reset to factory – it will delete all data!).
  3. After restarting, check the charging again.
MIUI versionSupport for fast chargingTypical problems
MIUI 11–12Yes, but it may require manual activation.Item in settings is hidden, activation through the engineering menu is required
MIUI 12.5–13Yeah, it usually works out of the box.Conflicts with battery optimization
MIUI 14 (global)Yes, but there are possible bugs on some assemblies.Charging is limited to 10-12 watts for no reason.
Brush firmware (LineageOS, Pixel Experience)Depends on the build.Often requires a core with QC 3.0 support

⚠️ Note: if you use custom firmware (not official) MIUI), fast charging may not work due to the lack of drivers for the power controller, in which case only the firmware of the core with support for Quick Charge will help.

4.Battery problems and their solution

Over time, the battery capacity decreases, and the smartphone can automatically limit the charging power to extend the battery life.

Checking battery status

  1. Install the AccuBattery app (available on Google Play).
  2. Charge the phone to 100% and check the battery health setting. If the value is below 80%, the battery is worn out and needs to be replaced.
  3. Pay attention to the Temperature during charging – if it exceeds 40Β°C, the system can force the power down.

Battery data reset (calibration)

If the battery shows an incorrect charge level or discharges quickly, calibrate:

  1. Reduce the phone to 0% (until it turns off).
  2. Connect the original charger and charge up to 100% without interruptions.
  3. Turn off the power and turn the phone back on. Repeat the cycle 2-3 times.

πŸ’‘

If the phone gets too hot while charging, remove the case and charge it in a cool place. Overheating is one of the main reasons for automatic lowering of charging power.

Battery replacement

If the battery capacity has fallen below 70% and the phone is quickly discharged, consider replacing the original battery for the Redmi Note 8 Pro has the article MBJ4056 (4500 mAh).

5.Problems with the USB-C port and their elimination

A contaminated or damaged USB Type-C connector is a common cause of slow charging. Here's how to diagnose and fix the problem:

Signs of port failure:

  • πŸ”Œ Charging is interrupted at the slightest movement of the cable.
  • πŸ“± The phone defines the charger as USB 2.0 (power up to 500 mA).
  • πŸ” In the port, dirt, oxidation or bent contacts are visible.

Cleaning the USB-C port

  1. Turn off the phone.
  2. Take a wooden toothpick (not metal!) and gently remove the dust from the connector.
  3. Use alcohol wipes to remove oxidation (do not overdo it with moisture!).
  4. Allow the port to dry for 10-15 minutes before connecting the cable.

Contact checks

If the cleaning didn't work, the problem could be the damaged contacts.

  • If it is identified as an Unknown device or permanently shuts down, the port requires repair.
  • If charging is slow, try another cable – perhaps only the quick charging pins (they are responsible for transmitting power data) are damaged.
What happens if the port is physically damaged?
If the contacts are bent or broken, self-repair can damage the motherboard. Contact the service center - replacing the USB-C connector with the Redmi Note 8 Pro costs about 1500-2500 rubles (2026). Do not use a phone with a damaged port - this can lead to a short circuit!

6. Alternative methods of accelerating charging

If the standard methods didn’t work, try these non-obvious techniques:

Switching on the aircraft mode

During charging, turn off all wireless modules:

  1. Activate Airplane Mode in the notification curtain.
  2. Turn off Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and GPS manually (unless they are automatically disabled).
  3. Close all background applications through Recent Tasks.

This will reduce the load on the processor and speed up charging by 10-15%.

2.Using Power Bank with Quick Charge Support

If the socket is not at hand, choose an external battery with Quick Charge 3.0 or USB-PD support.

  • πŸ”‹ Xiaomi Mi Power Bank 3 Pro (45 W, USB-C + USB-A).
  • πŸ”‹ Baseus 65W Power Bank (supported by the Bank) PD and QC).
  • πŸ”‹ Anker PowerCore 26800 (30W) Quick Charge).

3. Background restriction setting

MIUI aggressively restricts background processes, which can interfere with charging.

  1. Go to Settings β†’ Applications β†’ Application Management.
  2. Find Security (a battery monitoring app).
  3. Select Background Limitation β†’ No restrictions.

πŸ’‘

The most efficient way to speed up charging is to combine the original 18W adapter with quality cable and aircraft mode, which gives you up to 20 to 25 percent speed gain over standard conditions.

7. Frequent errors and myths about fast charging

There's a lot of rumors going around about Quick Charge technology.

Myth 1: β€œFast charging ruins the battery”

In fact, modern power controllers (such as the Redmi Note 8 Pro) automatically adjust current and voltage.

  • πŸ”‹ Original or certified adapter used.
  • 🌑️ The battery temperature does not exceed 45Β°C.
  • πŸ”„ The phone does not charge to the point (it is optimal to keep the charge between 20% and 80%).

Myth 2: β€œThe more powerful the adapter, the faster the charge”

No! Redmi Note 8 Pro supports a maximum of 18 watts. If you plug in a 30 watt or 65 watt adapter, the phone will still charge at 18 watts - the excess power is simply not used.

Myth 3: β€œYou should always charge to 100%”

This is bad for lithium-ion batteries. The optimal range is 20-80%. MIUI has Optimized Charging, which automatically stops charging by 80% (includes in Settings β†’ Battery).

Error: Using wireless charging

The Redmi Note 8 Pro doesn't support wireless charging. If you see wireless charging adapters on sale on this phone, that's a hoax! The maximum they'll give is 5 watts (like a standard USB), but at the risk of overheating.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions

Why does fast charging only work sometimes?
It could be related to: πŸ”Œ Unstable contact in port USB-C (check the cleanness of the connector). πŸ“‰ Overheating of the phone (the system automatically reduces power at temperatures above 40)Β°C). πŸ”„ Background application conflict (try to turn on Airplane Mode) Solution: clear the port, charge the phone in a cool place, and use the original adapter.
Can I use a charger from another Xiaomi (like the Redmi Note 10 Pro)?
Yes, but with reservations: βœ… Redmi Note 10 Pro Adapter (33W) Will Charge Note 8 Pro at 18W – It’s Safe. ⚠️ Adapters with power above 18 watts will not give you speed gain, but will not damage the phone. ❌ Do not use adapters from POCO Black Shark – They may have custom charging protocols.
How to check if your phone is charging in Quick Charge mode?
There are several ways: Open Settings β†’ Battery and see the current power (it should be 15-18 watts). Install the Ampere app (showing real-time charging current). Connect your phone to your PC and type in the command: adb shell dumpsys battery In the output, find the charge counter line - if the value is growing rapidly (for example, 3000-4000 mAh / h), charging is accelerated.
What if the MIUI update has stopped fast charging?
This is a well-known problem of some assemblies. MIUI. Decisions: πŸ”„ Reverse to the previous version of the firmware through Settings β†’ The phone. β†’ Updating the system β†’ Three points. β†’ Select a Service Package. πŸ“± Reset your settings (see Section 3). πŸ› οΈ Install a custom core (like Perseus Kernel) with Quick Charge support. If nothing works, contact Xiaomi with system logs.
Can you speed up charging even more than 18 watts?
Technically not – the power controller Redmi Note 8 Pro is limited to 18 watts, however, you can slightly optimize the process: πŸ”‹ Use the adapter with USB Power Delivery (e.g. from MacBook) – sometimes it gives a more stable 18 watts than Quick Charge. ❄️ Charge your phone at a temperature of 10–25Β°C (in cold, charging is slower, but it is safer for the battery). πŸ“΅ Disable all unnecessary functions (NFC, GPS, background).