Xiaomi Redmi 5A, released in late 2017, was a hit with a combination of price and quality. However, over time, owners often face a problem where they only have enough charge for half a day of active use. If your Redmi 5A starts to run out quickly, it doesn’t always mean that the battery is completely out of order. Often the cause lies in software failures, incorrect settings or background processes that “eat” energy.
In this article, we will take a closer look at the underlying causes of rapid battery loss and suggest specific steps to address the problem.You don’t need to be an engineer to perform basic diagnostics and significantly improve the battery’s autonomy.We’ll look at both software optimization techniques and the physical aspects of battery wear so you can make the right decision about repair or replacement.
Diagnostics of the state of the battery and system
Before we go to radical measures, we need to understand the current state of the grid. We have built-in monitoring tools in the MIUI shell that show which applications use the most power. Go to Settings → Battery and performance and look closely at the statistics. It often turns out that the main expense goes to social networks or navigators running in the background.
Pay attention to the temperature of the case during charging and discharging. If the phone heats up very much even under light load, this is a sure sign that the battery has degraded or the power controller is not working correctly. The high temperature accelerates the chemical reactions inside the cell, which leads to even faster loss of capacity.
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Remember: if the phone heats up at the top (where the processor is) even in a simple one, it may be a system process that requires a reboot or reset.
For a deeper diagnosis, you can use third-party utilities like AccuBattery or AIDA64, which allow you to evaluate the actual capacity of the battery compared to the factory, if the wear exceeds 30-40%, software methods will only give a temporary effect, and you will need to replace the battery.
- 🔋 Check the flow statistics in the Battery menu to identify hidden energy eaters.
- 🌡️ Control the temperature of the body: heating above 40 degrees in standby mode - an alarm.
- 📉 Use applications to measure real capacity (SoH - State of Health).
MIUI software settings to save energy
The MIUI shell is famous for its customization capabilities, but by default it may not be optimized for an old battery. The first step is to activate the power saving mode. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance and select Saving Energy or Ultra mode, which will limit background activity and reduce the frequency of the processor, which will significantly prolong the running time.
Special attention should be paid to screen settings, as the matrix is one of the main consumers. Reduce brightness to a comfortable level or turn on autobrightness. Also, reduce the time before going to sleep to 15-30 seconds. In the Settings menu → Screen, turn off "Rise to turn on" and "Double tap to wake up" if they are active.
☑️ Optimization of screen settings
It's important to check synchronization and geolocation settings. Constant GPS satellite search and background data loading can discharge Redmi 5A literally in front of your eyes. Turn off GPS when it's not in use, and limit background data transfer for unnecessary applications through the traffic management menu.
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The inclusion of the Ultra mode in MIUI can increase the battery life by 1.5-2 times, limiting the functionality to only calls and messages.
The Impact of Background Apps and Advertising
One of the hidden reasons for fast discharging is aggressive advertising and background services. Many free apps constantly update content or show ads even when you are not using them. MIUI has a mechanism for “autostart” that you need to carefully monitor.
Go to the Security app → Permissions → Auto Run. Leave only instant messaging apps (like Telegram or WhatsApp) on, and the rest of the apps, like games, stores or news aggregators, must be turned off, preventing them from starting right after the phone is turned on.
⚠️ Note: Do not disable system processes whose names contain System», «MIUI» Or Android, or the phone may not work properly or stop taking calls.
Advertising viruses can mine cryptocurrency or display banners in the background, consuming processor resources.If you notice strange system behavior or pop-up ads on your desktop, scan the device with an antivirus or remove recently installed suspicious applications.
- 🚫 Limit auto-runs for all apps except vital messengers.
- 🛡️ Conduct a full virus check through the built-in antivirus in the Security app».
- 📡 Turn off background data transfer for heavy apps in traffic settings.
Problems with charger and cable
Often users forget that the state of the charger directly affects the health of the battery. Using cheap Chinese power supplies without certification or damaged cables leads to unstable charge current, which causes voltage surges that kill the lithium-ion cell faster than usual.
For the Xiaomi Redmi 5A, which supports standard fast charging (though not the most powerful by modern standards), it is important to use a cable with sufficient cross-section. Thin wires create high resistance, the phone warms, and the charge goes slowly and unevenly. Visually inspect the Micro-USB connector for oxidation or backlash.
How do I check the cable?
It is recommended to use original accessories or certified analogues from well-known brands (Baseus, Anker, Ugreen). USB-A computer port or weak power supply (0.5A), the process can take forever and charge cycles will be incomplete, which is also harmful to battery chemistry.
| Type of charger | Current power | Impact on the battery | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|
| The original Xiaomi block | 1A - 2A | Optimal. | Use it all the time |
| Cheap analogue (NoName) | Unstable. | High risk of overheating | Replace immediately |
| USB port of the computer | 0.5A | Slow charge, long wear and tear | Only as a last resort. |
| Powerful Charge (Quick Charge 3.0+) | High-pitched | Safe (the controller will limit the current) | We can use it. |
Physical wear and calibration of the battery
If your Redmi 5A is a few years old, physical battery wear is a natural process. Lithium-ion batteries have a limited life of charge-discharge cycles (usually 500-800 full cycles). After that, the capacity drops, and the phone can turn off at 20-30% charge, although the indicator shows a different value.
In these cases, battery calibration can help, a procedure that helps the system recalibrate the percentage of charge, which requires you to completely discharge the phone before you turn it off, then charge it when it's off to 100% and hold it for another hour, and then turn it on.
But if the battery is swelling, no calibration will help, because the bloating is the result of the accumulation of gases inside the cell due to chemical disruption, and it is strictly forbidden to pierce or mechanically impact it, as it can lead to ignition.
⚠️ Warning: If the back cover of the phone starts to move away or the screen is pushed out of the case, immediately stop using the device and replace the battery!
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Calibration helps only in desynchronization of the software and the controller, but will not restore the physical capacity of the worn battery.
When a battery replacement is needed
Sooner or later, there comes a point where software methods stop working, and if after optimization, resetting and calibration, the phone still runs out in 2-3 hours of moderate use, then the chemical cell's life is exhausted. The battery replacement in the Redmi 5A is inexpensive and fast.
When choosing a new battery, pay attention to the capacity. The standard for this model is 3000 mAh. Buying batteries with “enhanced” capacity (for example, 5000 mAh) from unknown brands is often a marketing ploy: the real capacity there is no higher than the original, and the quality of control is lower.
It is best to go to authorized service centers or buy original components from trusted suppliers. Self-replacement requires care, since the back cover is glued and the plumes are tightly located. Poor assembly can lead to dust or contact withdrawal.
- 🔧 Replacement is required if the battery wears more than 30-40% diagnostics.
- 🛒 Choose batteries with protection against counterfeiting (QR-Xiaomi codes, holograms).
- ⚠️ Avoid “reinforced” batteries of unknown brands – they may not fit into the case or swell.