Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 It is still one of the most popular budget smartphones, but many owners face a problem: the battery runs out too quickly, even after full charging. 1-2 It's not always the battery's fault, but it's often software settings, background processes, or suboptimal use.
In this article, we will discuss all possible causes of fast discharge on the Redmi Note. 8, from the banal (for example, included) GPS) to hidden (for example, errors in firmware) MIUI). You'll learn how to diagnose a problem yourself, what settings to change first, and when it's time to change the battery, and the unique wear data from the Redmi Note battery. 8 after 3-4 years of operation that you will not find in the standard instructions.
1. Background applications and autoboot are the main “eaters” of charge
On the Redmi Note. 8 factory-set MIUI By default, it allows most apps to run in the background and automatically start when you turn on your phone.This is convenient for instant messengers or social networks, but some programs (such as games, banking apps or fitness trackers) can consume up to 20-30% They are charged daily, even if you don’t use them.
How to check which apps are to blame:
- 📊 Open the Settings. → Battery and productivity → Battery usage. Here you'll see a list of applications, sorted by charge consumption. Pay attention to programs marked "Background" or "Autostart".
- ⚡ If you see little-known applications (e.g. com.android.XXX) at the top of the flow, it could be system services or viruses.
- 🔄 Especially "gluttonous" applications with constant synchronization: mail clients, cloud storage (Google Drive, Yandex.Disk), instant messengers with voice chats (Discord, Telegram).
How to limit background activity:
- Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Select "application"-violator" and press Permissions. → Autostart - Turn off the slider.
- In the same menu, find Battery Use and select the option to Limit Background Activity.
⚠️ Note: Do not disable auto-start for system applications like Google Play Services or MIUI Daemon, this can cause phone malfunctions. Limit only third-party software.
2. MIUI Optimization: Hidden Settings That Eat Charge
Firmware MIUI The Redmi Note 8 has several "chips" that are turned on by default and actively consume energy:
- 🔍 Search for Xiaomi devices (Settings) → Connections and exchanges → Device search) — constantly scans the nearest Xiaomi gadgets (earphones, bracelets, lamps.
- 📡 Improved Wi-Fi (Settings) → Wi-Fi → Additionally. → Improved Wi-Fi: Scans networks even when Wi-Fi is off, is useful for fast connectivity, but consumes up to 5-7% day-load.
- 🎵 Mini player on lock screen – if you listen to music through the standard Mi Music app, it continues to work in the background and update album covers.
- 🌐 Auto-Update Weather – The home screen weather widget updates every 30 minutes, even if you’re not using it.
How to disable unnecessary functions:
| Function | Path in settings | Saving charge |
|---|---|---|
| Search for Xiaomi devices | Connections and exchanges → Searching for devices | up to 10% a day |
| Improved Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi → Additionally. → Improved Wi-Fi | 5-7% day-to-day |
| Auto-weather update | Lock screen → Weather widget → Settings | 3-5% day-to-day |
| Mini-player on lockdown | Lock screen → Notifications → Player. | 2-4% day-to-day |
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If you're not using NFC (For example, for contactless payments, disable it in Settings → Connections and exchanges → NFC. This feature consumes energy even in standby mode.
Battery wear: how to check and what to do
Redmi Note 8 equipped with a lithium-polymer battery capacity 4000 According to Xiaomi, after 500 Full charge cycles battery capacity is reduced to 80% It's from the original. It means that through 2-3 During the year of active use, the phone may be discharged in 1.5-2 times faster than the new.
How to check the wear of the battery:
- Enter the phone app code ##4636##.
- Select the Battery Information item.
- If you look at Battery Health, if it's below 70 percent, the battery is critically worn out.
Signs of a worn-out battery on the Redmi Note 8:
- ⚡ The phone's running out. 20-30% post 1-2 hourly.
- 🔥 The body heats up strongly when charging or during calls.
- 🔌 Charging jumps (for example, from 30% immediately to 50% or vice versa).
- 📉 Battery life has been cut in half compared to the new phone.
⚠️ Warning: If the battery capacity has dropped below 60 percent, don't delay replacement. Lithium polymer batteries with severe wear and tear can swell, causing damage to the motherboard. On the Redmi Note 8, this is especially true because of the non-shatterable body.
The cost of replacing the battery in Xiaomi service centers is from 1500 to 2500 rubles (2026). Self-replacement is possible, but requires care: on the Redmi Note 8, the battery is glued to the body, and if you unwary dismantling, you can damage the plumes.
How to check the originality of the battery after replacement?
4.Screen and brightness: Non-obvious settings that eat charge
Redmi Note 8 display (6.3", IPS LCD) — Even if you set the automatic brightness, some of the settings can quietly increase the flow rate:
- 🌞 Adaptive brightness - in MIUI It doesn't work perfectly, and it often overstates the brightness in the room, and it's better to set a fixed value (for example, a fixed value, 40-50%).
- ⏱️ Screen waiting time – default is 30 seconds, but even 15 seconds is enough to save you money.
- 🎨 The dark subject is on IPS-screens (as opposed to the AMOLED) It does not save energy, but reduces the strain on the eyes.
- 🔄 Screen refresh rate – Redmi Note 8 it is fixed (60 Hz), but some custom firmware allows you to reduce it to 30 Hz to save money.
How to optimize:
- Open the Settings → Display.
- Turn off Adaptive Brightness and set the manual value at the level 30-40%.
- Reduce the screen wait time to 15 seconds.
- Enable Dark Theme (if comfortable) and turn off UI animation in Special Features → Removal of animation.
Another hidden eater is the always-on display (which displays time and notifications on the screen off) on the Redmi Note 8, it's disabled by default, but some custom firmware will activate it. → Lock screen → Always-on display.
☑️ Optimizing the screen to save charge
5. Network and connections: 4G, Wi-Fi and GPS background
Communications are another hidden source of battery consumption, and the Redmi Note 8 is particularly conspicuous in the following scenarios:
- 📶 Weak signal. 4G — If the phone is constantly searching for the network (for example, in the subway or outside the city), the cost can increase. 15-20%.
- 🔄 Constant switching between Wi-Fi and mobile network — MIUI It defaults to mobile Internet if Wi-Fi is weak. It's convenient, but it's energy-intensive.
- 📍 Background use GPS — Even if you don’t open the maps, some apps (such as weather, fitness trackers) may include geolocation.
- 📶 Regime. VoLTE/VoWiFi — Improves call quality but increases the load on the processor and communication module.
How to reduce the cost:
- Turn it off. 4G in areas with weak signal: settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Preferred type of network → 3G.
- Prevent applications from using geolocation in the background: Settings → Confidentiality → Permits → geodata.
- Turn off VoLTE and VoWiFi if you are not using it. HD-Calls: Settings → SIM-map → A challenge through Wi-Fi/VoLTE.
- Enable Traffic Saving Mode in Settings → Connections and exchanges → Traffic savings – this will limit background data transfer.
If you are often in areas with poor coverage, consider buying an external antenna. 4G (It is attached to the phone via an adapter and improves the signal, reducing the load on the battery.
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Shutdown VoLTE/VoWiFi It can reduce the quality of the calls, but saves you 8-12% Charges per day with active phone use.
6. firmware and system errors: when to blame MIUI
Sometimes the Redmi Note 8’s fast battery drain is not due to hardware issues, but to firmware errors, especially for devices that have not been updated for a long time or use custom builds.
Typical systemic problems:
- 🐛 Process freezes - some versions MIUI (for example, 12.0.3-12.0.8) There was a bug with the mediaserver process that was consumed by the 30% charge-hour.
- 🔄 Incorrect optimization after updates MIUI Sometimes resets the energy saving settings.
- 📦 Malware packages – some regional firmware (for example, for India) preinstalled advertising services that work in the background.
How to diagnose and correct:
- Check the version. MIUI: Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI. The latest stable version for the Redmi Note 8 — MIUI 12.5.7 (Android 10).
- If the version is outdated, update via Settings → System update. Don't use betas -- they often contain bugs.
- If the problem appears after the update, reset settings: Settings → Additionally. → Recovery and discharge → Resetting settings.
- For advanced users: check the battery logs through ADB: adb shell dumpsys batterystats --charged This will show what processes discharged the phone in the last cycle.
⚠️ Note: If you use custom firmware (such as LineageOS or Pixel Experience), fast discharge may be associated with incorrect battery calibration. TWRP post-flashing.
If after all the manipulations the problem remains – try to roll back to the previous version. MIUI. Instructions and archives of firmware can be found on the forum 4PDA (Xiaomi Redmi Note 8).
7.Temperature and operating conditions: why the battery does not like cold and heat
The Lithium Polymer batteries installed in the Redmi Note 8 are extremely sensitive to temperature.°C to 35°C. When going beyond these limits, the battery capacity is temporarily reduced, and with prolonged exposure - degrades irreversibly.
How temperature affects the battery:
| Temperature. | Impact on the battery | How it manifests |
|---|---|---|
| Lower 0°C | Chemical processes slow down, the capacity falls on 30-50% | The phone turns off at 20-30% charge. |
| 0°C – 10°C | Capacity is reduced by 10-20% | Fast discharge in the cold, recovery under heating |
| 35°C – 45°C | Accelerated wear and tear, risk of bloating | The phone overheats, the charge "melts" in front of the eyes |
| Above 45°C. | Critical damage, possible failure | Automatic phone shutdown |
What to do:
- ❄️ In winter, carry your phone in your inner pocket, not in your bag or outer jacket pocket.
- ☀️ Avoid direct sunlight in the summer (for example, don’t leave your phone on a torpedo in your car).
- 🔥 If the phone overheats, don't put it in the fridge! cool it at room temperature (e.g., put it on the table in the shade).
- 🔋 Do not charge your phone at temperatures below 5.°C or higher than 40°C – This reduces battery life.
If you often use the Redmi Note 8 in extreme conditions (such as working outside in winter), consider buying an external battery (power bank) with a heated function.
8.Alternative savings: from calibration to battery replacement
If all of the above methods didn’t work, try the following:
- 🔄 Battery calibration - sometimes the charge controller starts to misrepresent the charge level.To reset it, completely discharge the phone (before switching off), then charge to 100% No breaks. 2-3 once.
- 🛠️ Thermopaste replacement -- if the phone gets too hot, it could be due to the dried-up heatpaste on the processor. 500-800 ruble.
- 🔋 Use a larger battery capacity – in the Redmi Note 8 you can install a battery of 5000 mAh (for example, from the Redmi Note 8 Pro), but this will require a modification of the body.
- ⚡ Fast charging – if you use charging more powerful 18W, This speeds up the wear and tear of the battery, and for everyday use, it's best to use a standard adapter on the battery. 10W.
If you are replacing the battery yourself, here is what you will need:
- New battery (original or high-quality analogue, for example, from Green Cell).
- A set of screwdrivers (cross and flat).
- Plastic blades for battery separation.
- A dryer or heating platform (to soften the glue).
- Clay. B-7000 fixing.
⚠️ Note: When you replace the battery on the Redmi Note 8, be careful with the display plume - it is located next to the battery and easily damaged.
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Calibration of the battery only helps when the charge controller fails, and if the battery is physically worn out, calibration will not return the battery to its previous capacity.