How to turn off location on Xiaomi phone: all ways (MIUI 12-14)

Why to turn off geolocation on Xiaomi and what risks it carries

Xiaomi's location services work all the time -- even when you're not navigating. MIUI collects your movements to improve maps, target ads, and optimize applications. But what if you want to keep privacy or save battery power? Disabling geolocation can be a solution, but it's important to understand the consequences.

Without access to coordinates, Yandex.Maps, Google Maps, taxi and delivery services will stop working correctly. Some applications (such as banking) can request geodata to confirm transactions. On the other hand, turning off GPS increases battery life by 15-20% by reducing the background activity of the module.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways to deactivate your location, from complete shutdown to selective application rights management, and the instructions are relevant for all modern models, from the budget Redmi Note 12 to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

Method 1: Completely disable GPS through the notification panel

The fastest method is to use the Quick Settings Panel. Swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the notification curtain. Find the Location icon (usually stylized as a navigation icon) and tap it once. The icon should go out and the GPS indicator will disappear from the status bar.

If the icon is not in the main panel, tap on the pencil ("Edit") and add it manually. On some MIUI firmware, you may need to swipe down twice to open the full panel.

• ✅ Quick and convenient – no need to dig into the settings
• ✅ It works on all versions. MIUI (12, 13, 14)
• ⚠️ Does not disable background location for system services
• ⚠️ After the phone reboots GPS may re-activate

💡

If the location icon on the panel is gray and inactive, the GPS is already disabled by the system to save energy. To turn it back on, hold the icon for 2 seconds, and additional settings will open.

Method 2: Deactivate through the MIUI settings menu

For more control, go to Settings → Privacy → Location. Here you will see three main switches:

1. Location accuracy – improves positioning through Wi-Fi and mobile networks (disable if you want maximum anonymity)
2. Wi-Fi Scanner – allows applications to determine location by nearby access points
3. Bluetooth scanner – used to locate indoors (e.g. shopping malls)

Disable all three options to block tracking capabilities completely.Please note that some apps (like Google Play Services) may automatically turn these features back on.To prevent this, manual rights management for each application is required.

Open Settings → Confidentiality → Location|Turn off "Precision of location"|Deactivate Wi-Fi and Bluetooth scanners|Reboot your phone to apply changes-->

Method 3: Selective disabling for individual applications

Not all programs really need to access your coordinates. To restrict the rights of specific applications, go to Settings → Apps → Permissions Management → Location. Here you will see the full list of programs that have ever requested geodata.

Tap on any app (for example, Instagram or Tinkoff Bank) and choose one of the options:

• 🚫 Prohibit - Full access block
• 🔄 Ask each time – request at each launch
• ✅ Allow only during use – access only when the application is active
• 🌍 Allow always – permanent access (not recommended for social networks)

Pay special attention to system services like com.miui.analytics or com.google.android.gms, which can collect data even without your knowledge. For complete anonymity, deny location access to any unwanted programs.

Once a month |Only when you install new apps |Never checked |I don't know how to do it-->

Method 4: Disable Google Services (for advanced users)

Even if you have disabled GPS in your MIUI settings, Google can continue to locate you via mobile networks and Wi-Fi to block it completely:

1. Open Settings → Google → Managing Google Account
2. Go to the tab "Data and privacy"
3. Find the Location History Settings section and turn it off
4. Go back and select “Web and hardware activity settings” – deactivate the option there

For complete certainty, you can disable Google Play Services (but this will cause many applications to fail).The alternative is to use MicroG instead of Google’s standard services, but this requires unlocking the bootloader and installing custom firmware.

Method 5: Use Incognito Mode (MIUI 14+)

The latest versions of MIUI 14 have introduced Incognito Mode, which temporarily blocks access to location, microphone and camera for all applications, to activate it:

1. Swipe down to open the notification panel
2. Find the Incognito Mode icon (mask or shield)
3. Slip on it – all sensors will be locked until the next reboot.

This method is convenient when you need to temporarily hide your location (for example, during important negotiations or trips), the main advantage is that you do not need to manually turn off each permission.

What to do if the location is not switched off

Sometimes, even after all the manipulations, the GPS still works, and here are the typical reasons and solutions.

• 🔄 System failure – try restarting your phone or resetting your network settings (Settings) → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings)
• 🛠️ Update MIUI — Some firmware versions have geolocated bugs. Check for updates in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system
• 📱 Administrator apps — antiviruses or parental controls can block setting changes. → Annexes → Special access → Device administrators
• 🔍 Hidden services on some models (Xiaomi) 13T, Redmi K60) It's a background service called com.miui.location, and you can turn it off by ADB: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.location

⚠️ Note: Disabling system services through ADB This can cause unstable phone operation. Before executing commands, back up your data via Settings. → Additionally. → Backup and reset.

💡

If standard methods don't work, check your phone for spyware, install antivirus software (such as Malwarebytes) and scan the system, especially if you've installed applications from third-party sources.

FAQ: Frequent questions about geolocation on Xiaomi