How to completely disable Google geolocation on Xiaomi smartphones: all ways

Xiaomi MIUI-based smartphones are using Google’s location services, even when you don’t expect them to. Geolocation consumes battery power, transmits your movements, and can pose privacy risks. But it’s not easy to turn it off completely: Google and MIUI are system-level integrated, and settings are spread across different menus.

In this article, 5 proven ways to disable Google geolocation on Xiaomi, including hidden developer settings and background activity restrictions, we’ll look at how to prevent Google Maps, Google Play Services and other services from tracking your location, and what to do if settings are reset after the MIUI update. Important: some methods require root rights or disable key features – assess the risks in advance.

Why does Google geolocation work even after it’s turned off?

Many Xiaomi users are faced with the paradox that the location is turned off in the settings, but Google continues to determine the coordinates, the reason is the architecture of Android and MIUI:

• 🔄 Google Play Services is a background service that ignores system limitations and can include geolocation to “improve the user experience".
• 📍 Google Location History Stores Data Even When Disabled GPS, using Wi-Fi access points and cell towers.
• 🔗 Integration MIUI: Some features (such as Mi Cloud or Find Device) automatically request location access.
• 🔄 Automatic updates to Google services can reset your privacy settings.

According to a study by Princeton University (2023), even in “flight mode” Android devices can transmit location data via Wi-Fi scanning and Bluetooth LE. On Xiaomi, this is complicated by proprietary MIUI services that duplicate Google’s features.

⚠️ Note: Disabling Google’s geolocation may disrupt Google Pay, YouTube Music and other services tied to the region, for example, without access to the location, Google Pay will stop showing nearby payment terminals.

Method 1: Disabling geolocation in Android settings

The most obvious, but least effective, method is to use standard Android settings, which is suitable for basic protection, but does not block background activity of Google Play Services.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Privacy → Application permissions → Location.
2. Click on "Access to Location" and move the slider to the "Off" position.
3. Go back and select Google Location History → disable the feature for your account.
4. Go to Settings → Applications → App Management, search Google Play Services and disable location access.

The problem with this method is that MIUI and Google can restore access after a reboot or update, for example, Google Play Services automatically turns on geolocation to check the security of the device (Google Play Protect feature).

Is location access disabled for Google Maps|

Is background access to geodata forbidden for Google Play Services|

Is Location History turned off in your Google | account?

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Method 2: Limit background activity through MIUI

MIUI provides additional tools to control applications that can be used against Google, a method that does not require root rights, but can lead to errors in the operation of services.

Steps:

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Management → Applications selection.
2. Find Google Play Services and Google Maps and select Restricted mode for them.
3. Go back to Settings → Applications → App Management, open the settings of Google Play Services and:

Google Play Services

"Blacklist."

Settings → Privacy → Special Permits → Blacklist

This method reduces background battery consumption and limits data collection, but Google can bypass restrictions through system updates, for example, after the MIUI 14 update, many users complained that Google Play Services is again gaining access to geolocation.

💡

If push notifications in Gmail or YouTube stop working after the background activity restriction, temporarily return the settings to "No Limits" mode and repeat the procedure after 1-2 days.

Method 3: Disconnection through Developer Parameters

Android’s hidden settings allow for deeper geolocation control, but require developer mode activation, a method that is suitable for power users.

Instructions:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and click on MIUI Version 7 times.
2. Go back to Settings → More → For developers and find:

ADB

adb shell settings put global location_mode 0

This command completely disables all methods of determining the location at the system level.

After the execution of the team location_mode 0 geolocation will be disabled even for system applications, including Mi Cloud and Find Device.

⚠️ Attention: Teams ADB Reset after resetting settings or updating MIUI. To keep the changes, use the automatic execution script when booting (requires Magisk or Tasker).

Disabled in standard settings Android|

Used the developer parameters |

Limited background activity through MIUI|

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Method 4: Removing Google Play Services Updates

Google Play Services is the main spy on your Xiaomi, and its updates often restore access to geolocation. The radical method is to roll the service back to the factory version.

How to do this:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Google Play Services.
2. Click on the three dots in the top corner and select "Delete Updates".
3. Return to the application settings and:

Reset the device.

After the rollback, Google Play Services will lose some of the features, but geolocation will only work for basic tasks (for example, checking the region in Google Play).

Method 5: Using Magisk and Locking Modules

For users with root rights or Magisk installed, radical methods of blocking geolocation at the kernel level are available, which is the most reliable way, but requires technical skills.

Recommended modules of Magisk:

• 🛡️ DisableFlagSecure – Blocks protected flags, including access to geodata.
• 🔒 Universal SafetyNet Fix – bypasses Google’s checks, but could disrupt banking apps.
• 🌍 FakeGApps – replaces real coordinates with fictitious coordinates (useful for applications requiring geolocation).
• 🚫 App Systemizer – allows you to deactivate Google Play Services as a system application.

Installation instructions:

1. Install Magisk Manager and download the desired module from the repository.
2. Go to Magisk → Modules → Install from storage.
3. Select a module (such as FakeGApps) and confirm the installation.
4. Reset the device.
5. For FakeGApps, set up the fictitious coordinates in /sdcard/FakeGApps/config.json (example: {"latitude": 55.7558, "longitude": 37.6173, "enable": true }).

The advantage of this method is that the geolocation will be disabled at the system level, and even MIUI updates will not be able to restore it.

• Disruption of Google Pay, Netflix and other SafetyNet validation apps
• Potential problems with OTA-update MIUI.
• Manual update of modules after Magisk update.

💡

Magisk modules are the only way to completely block Google geolocation without performance consequences.However, they require an unlocked bootloader and can void Xiaomi's warranty.

What to do if settings are reset after the MIUI update?

One of the most common problems with Xiaomi is resetting privacy settings after the MIUI update, which is because Google and MIUI synchronize security settings with servers.

Solutions:

• 🔄 Turn off automatic synchronization: go to Settings → Accounts. → Google → Sync your account and turn off the "Location" option".
• 📱 Use Tasker to automatically apply settings: create a task that executes commands after a reboot: am broadcast -a android.location.GPS_ENABLED_CHANGE --ez enabled false settings put global location_mode 0
• 🔒 Block Google Play Services Updates: In the Google Play Store, find Google Play Services, click on three dots and uncheck the box with Auto Update".
• 🛡️ Install a firewall app: NetGuard or AFWall+ (requires root to block Google Play Services.

If the problem is repeated, consider turning it off. OTA-update ADB:

adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.ota

But remember: this will deprive you of important security patches for MIUI.

FAQ: Frequent questions about disabling geolocation on Xiaomi