Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often face unexplained device actions, such as suddenly turning on GPS or the appearance of strange notifications in logs. One of these mechanisms, which causes a lot of questions and concerns, is the so-called “SMS positioning”, which is often confused with conventional location tracking, but technically it is a more specific function of the interaction of base stations and devices.
Understanding how geolocation works over a mobile network is critical for every digital security user. Unlike satellite GPS, this method can work even in rooms with poor signal and consumes significantly less power. However, the flip side of the coin is a constant stream of data about your movement that can be used by both system services and potentially third parties if you have access to a communications operator.
In this article, we will discuss in detail what lies behind the term SMS positioning in the context of the MIUI and HyperOS ecosystem, why the system requests these permissions, and whether it is possible to completely limit the transfer of coordinates without losing the basic functionality of the phone.
Technical essence of SMS positioning
The term “SMS positioning” is somewhat conventional and is often used by users to describe the process of determining the coordinates of a device through triangulation of cell towers. Technically, SMS (Short Message Service) here acts more as a channel for transmitting service signals or a trigger for updating location data, although the geolocation itself is determined by the identifiers of the base stations (Cell ID) to which your Redmi is connected.
When a smartphone is online, it constantly exchanges signals with the nearest operator towers. The system analyzes the signal strength from multiple sources and calculates the approximate location of the subscriber. The accuracy of this method varies from a few hundred meters in the city to several kilometers in the countryside, which is significantly inferior to satellite GPS, but it is faster and more energy efficient.
⚠️ Note: In some cases, users mistakenly understand “SMS Positioning” as a “Find Device” function that can actually use SMS commands to activate coordinate transfer if the Internet is disabled.
It is important to distinguish between MIUI system processes that use this data to improve map and service performance and third-party applications that request access to geodata. Often, it is the system's background services that cause the most traffic and battery drain, trying to constantly clarify your location even without actively using the navigator.
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Use Flight mode in places where complete network isolation is required, as simply turning off GPS does not stop the phone from registering on the operator's towers.
Why Xiaomi and Redmi are using this data
Xiaomi collects location data not only for mapping services, but also for optimizing the Wi-Fi aggregator and improving position accuracy when satellites are weak, allowing maps to load instantly before the GPS module can catch the satellites.
And that data is also necessary for Find Device to work, and if your phone is stolen and an attacker shuts down the Internet, the system may try to send coordinates through a hidden text message or use the last known location on the towers before shutting down, a critical security mechanism that helps in finding lost equipment.
Localization helps the system offer relevant content, weather and news for your city, but users often don’t realize that even with ads turned off, background data collection can continue for “use analytics.”
- 📍 Accelerating cold start GPS navigation by pre-loading tower data.
- 📍 The service “Find the device” in offline mode or in the absence of mobile Internet.
- 📍 Providing contextual information in Weather, Browser and system widgets.
- 📍 Logistics for the “Chronology” feature in Google Maps and similar Xiaomi services.
Difference Between GPS, Wi-Fi and Network Positioning
To effectively manage battery and privacy, you need to understand the differences between the three main geodata sources: Satellite GPS provides the highest accuracy (up to several meters), but requires a line of sight of the sky and consumes a significant amount of battery power Redmi.
Network positioning (what is often called SMS positioning) works wherever there is an operator signal, it is less accurate, but it is almost invisible to the user, and works even in the subway or in buildings with thick walls, and it is this method that is often used for background synchronization.
The third source is Wi-Fi scanning, and even if you're not connected to the network, the smartphone scans the surrounding access points, because Wi-Fi databases (like Google or Yandex) are anchored. MAC-The phone can determine your location with high accuracy, just by “seeing” a familiar router in a cafe or shopping center.
| Parameter | GPS/GLONASS | Networking (LBS) | Wi-Fi scanning |
|---|---|---|---|
| precision | Tall (3-10 m) | Low (100-2000 m) | Medium (10-50 m) |
| Battery consumption | High-pitched | Minimum | Medium. |
| Work indoors | Bad / Not present | Great. | Great. |
| The Necessity of the Internet | No (for admission) | No (for basic triangulation) | Preferably (for MAC bases) |
The Android system on Xiaomi smartphones uses a combined method by default, choosing the most appropriate source depending on the situation, but the user can forcibly limit the use of certain sources in the privacy settings.
How to check what exactly consumes the battery on geolocation?
How to disable the transfer of geodata to Xiaomi
If you want to keep yourself as safe as possible from tracking, you need to do a series of things in your system settings. Remember that completely disabling all services can disrupt your cards, taxis, and some banking applications. Start by going to Settings menu → Privacy Protection → Permit Management.
Here you'll see a list of all the applications that have access to location, and it's recommended that most of them go to "Only in Use" mode, or completely disable access if it's not vital, and pay particular attention to system services like MIUI Daemon or GetApps.
For a deeper setup, go to Settings → Location → Location Access. You can turn the module off completely or configure it more flexibly. You should also turn off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth scanning for geolocation, as these functions continue to work even when the main GPS module is off.
☑️ Checklist to shut down surveillance
Remember that even when you software shut down your GPS, your carrier still sees your approximate base station location, which is the layer of the cellular protocol that you can't change without using special hardware or flight modes.
Setting up the service "Find the device"
Find Device is one of the most important security features in Xiaomi’s ecosystem, allowing you to remotely lock your phone, erase data, or play back sound, requiring an active Mi Account and usually an enabled geolocation.
To check the status of this feature, go to Settings → Mi Account → Find the device. Make sure the switch is active. It is this service that can initiate hidden coordinate transfer or sending a service SMS in case of loss of the gadget. If you turn off geolocation completely, the Find the device function will only work at the last known location before turning off.
⚠️ Note: When resetting to factory (Hard Reset) without first leaving the Mi Account, the phone can be blocked by requesting a password (FRP lock. Make sure you remember your data.
There is also the option of configuring trusted individuals who can see your location in real time through the Maps or Locator app, which is convenient for parents monitoring children, but requires constant active data transfer.
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Balance between convenience and security: Leave Find Device enabled, but limit geolocation access to all other applications.
Impact on autonomy and productivity
Constantly requesting coordinates is one of the main “eaters” of battery life. If you notice that your Redmi is quickly discharged in standby mode, check if any application “wakes up” or not. GPS-This can be traced back to the battery statistics.
Background network positioning (LBS) consumes less power than GPS, but frequent network requests also contribute to the discharge.Disabling unnecessary services can extend the life of a smartphone by 10-15%, which is especially true for older models where battery capacity is already reduced.
In addition, excessive location data collection can put a strain on the processor, causing micro-lags in the interface. Optimizing permissions is not only a matter of privacy, but also a way to improve the overall responsiveness of the MIUI system.
- 🔋 Disabling background geolocation reduces the load on the radio module.
- 🔋 Less background processes – less heating of the device body.
- 🔋 Increased Standby Time (Standby Time).
- 🔋 Reduction of the volume of traffic transmitted in the background.