VoLTE on Xiaomi: A Complete Guide to Setup and Disable

Today’s Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones offer users a wide range of technologies to improve communication quality, among which VoLTE is a special place. The acronym stands for Voice over LTE, which literally means “voice over LTE.” This technology allows you to transfer voice calls directly through the fourth generation network, bypassing switching to older 2G or 3G standards, which was previously the norm for most operators.

Device owners often face situations where an HD or VoLTE icon appears unexpectedly in the status bar, or, conversely, the feature does not activate, although the tariff plan supports it. Understanding the principles of this feature is necessary for each user, since it directly affects the quality of conversation and Internet access during a call. In this article, we will discuss in detail whether to keep this option on, what are hidden menus in the shell of MIUI and HyperOS, and how to forcefully manage network parameters.

The development of cellular networks has led to the fact that classic circuit switching (CS) is gradually becoming a thing of the past, giving way to batch data transfer. That is why VoLTE is becoming the de facto standard for all new smartphones, including Xiaomi’s budget models. However, not all operators and not all regions provide stable support for this technology, which sometimes forces users to look for ways to force it to be turned off to save charge or fix communication problems.

Technological features and advantages of VoLTE

The main difference between VoLTE technology and traditional calls is the way voice traffic is transmitted. If before the phone was forced to switch to 2G or 3G mode when calling or out, interrupting high-speed Internet, LTE allows you to stay on the fourth generation network constantly. This provides instant connection - you will hear the beeps almost immediately after dialing, without the characteristic pause of 2-4 seconds typical of old networks.

VoLTE has significantly improved sound quality thanks to support for HD Voice codecs, where people hear each other more clearly, background noises are more effective and voice sounds more natural, and the technology allows simultaneous conversation and high-speed internet, which is critical for navigation, map viewing or sending files in instant messengers during a conversation.

⚠️ Note: Using VoLTE may slightly increase the power consumption of the model in areas of unstable signal reception, since the device constantly maintains a connection to the tower. LTE even on standby.

To realize all the benefits, support is required from three components: the smartphone itself, the SIM card, and the carrier. If at least one element of the chain does not support the technology, the function will not work. In Xiaomi devices, the software part is usually implemented at the firmware level, but sometimes requires manual activation through an engineering menu or hidden settings.

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The main advantage of VoLTE is the simultaneous operation of high-speed Internet and voice communication without switching between network standards.

How to check the support of the function by your operator

Before trying to enable VoLTE in your smartphone settings, you need to make sure your mobile operator provides this service in your area.The largest operators (the "Big Four") have long implemented this technology, but coverage may vary depending on the terrain.In some remote areas, towers can only broadcast voice over 2G/3G, even if the Internet is caught on 4G.

Often, activation of the service requires the connection of the appropriate tariff option, and some providers do this automatically when available. 4G-smartphone, and others through USSD-For example, activation may require sending a short code or replacing an old SIM card with a new one with support. USIM.

• 📱 Check for a badge «4G» or «LTE» In the status bar without active calls.
• 📞 Call your operator’s support and check the status of VoLTE connection.
• 🌐 Go to the subscriber’s personal account and check the list of available and connected services.
• 💾 Make sure that in the settings of the access point (APN) No outdated parameters are prescribed.

Also, when roaming abroad, VoLTE may not work or be charged separately, and in such cases, the phone may be forced to switch to 3G to make calls. If you travel frequently, it is useful to know how to quickly turn off this feature to avoid unnecessary costs or problems with registering on the network.

Where to find VoLTE settings in MIUI and HyperOS

In modern versions of shells from Xiaomi, the feature switch is often hidden or completely removed from the visible interface, unless the operator is added to the whitelist of the firmware. The standard path to find this option is as follows: you need to go to Settings. → SIM-Maps and mobile networks. Here you select an active SIM card, and the menu that opens looks for "Use VoLTE" or "Enable VoLTE».

But users often find that the switch is not there, which doesn't mean that the phone doesn't support technology, but Xiaomi has probably hidden the button for specific regions or operators, in which case the function can work by default if the operator is right, or be unavailable software. Global firmware is better than Chinese, but there are limitations.

If the standard settings path → SIM-maps and mobile networks → (Yours. SIM) → If you use VoLTE, you don't have the right tumbler, you can try searching by settings, type the word "VoLTE" into the settings search box, or «HD». Sometimes the system finds a hidden shortcut that allows you to activate the function without diving deep into the menu.

Activation through engineering menu and codes

For advanced users who don't find the switch in the standard menu, there is an option to activate through the engineering menu. This is a hidden part of the system designed to test equipment. Be careful when changing the settings in this menu, as improper actions can lead to unstable operation of the communication module.

To get into the testing menu, open the Phone app and dial ##4636##. Once you enter the last star, the Test menu should open. Select Phone Information. From the list that opens, find the "Install preferred network type" section.

In the list of networks, you need to select an option containing «LTE» and «GSM/WCDMA». There's a point there often «LTE Only" (only" (only) LTE), But it's not recommended to turn it on, because you'll lose the ability to take regular calls if VoLTE isn't set up perfectly «LTE/TD-SCDMA/GSM» Or a similar one where voice is not explicitly forbidden, and there may also be a separate "VoLTE Provisioned" switch on the menu that you need to activate.

If the ##4636### code doesn’t work (it’s blocked on some new Xiaomi models), you can use the Activity Launcher app from Google Play. Search the Settings activity list and look for items related to “VoLTE”, “IMS” or “Carrier.” Running hidden activity can open access to the cherished switch.

⚠️ Warning: Changing the settings in the engineering menu may cause the network to disappear. If the signal is lost after the changes, return the settings to the original state or reset the network settings.

Comparison of communication standards: Characteristics table

To better understand the differences between technologies and the need for VoLTE, consider a comparative table that shows how different standards handle voice and data. It is important for Xiaomi users to see that the transition to LTE brings a tangible increase in connection speed and audio quality.

And you can see from the table that VoLTE is the most advanced technology at the moment. However, if you're in an area where the 4G signal is very weak, the phone will waste a lot of energy on holding it, and in such cases it might be wise to manually switch the smartphone to 3G Only mode or turn off VoLTE to keep the battery power.

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If you’re often in places with poor 4G reception, turning off VoLTE can improve voice stability, as 3G often has better coverage in buildings and basements.

How to disable VoLTE on Xiaomi smartphones

There are several reasons why a user may want to disable VoLTE. This can be unstable function, problems with the audibility of the subscriber, increased battery consumption, or simply a desire to remove unnecessary icons from the status bar. On Xiaomi devices, the process of disconnecting depends on whether you see the switch in the menu.

The easiest way is through the standard settings. Go to Settings. → SIM-You can select the SIM card you want. If there's a VoLTE switchboard on it, just turn it off. IMS-operator network for voice calls and will use classic switching.

If the switch is not available but the function is active (HD icon is on), disable it via the engineering menu described above (##4636##). In the Phone Information section, find the option "VoLTE Provisioned" and deactivate it. You can also try changing the network type to "3G preferably" or "3G Only" in the same menu, which will force LTE and, accordingly, VoLTE to be disabled.

In some cases, network resets help, and this action will return all mobile Internet and call settings to factory values. Go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → Reset Wi-Fi, mobile networks and Bluetooth. Click Reset and confirm the action.

⚠️ Note: After resetting your network settings, you will need to re-enter passwords from your saved Wi-Fi networks and reconfigure Bluetooth connections with your watch or headphones.

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If the standard switch is hidden, the way to turn off is to use an engineering code or temporarily switch the phone to 3G mode.

Possible problems and ways to solve them

Despite the benefits, Xiaomi users sometimes experience errors when using VoLTE. One of the common problems is that the caller can't hear you even though you can hear him. This may be due to the malfunction of the codecs at the operator. The solution is often to reboot the phone or temporarily shut down the function.

Another common issue is the icon “HD” or “VoLTE” burns, but calls still break down in 3G. This suggests that the operator tower does not support voice transmission over LTE in your location, or the phone cannot register with the IMS. In this case, the forced inclusion of the function through the engineering menu will not help, since the problem is on the provider’s side.

There are also cases when, after updating the firmware MIUI or HyperOS, the ability to make calls with VoLTE enabled is lost. This is a compatibility bug. Before the release of the fix, developers are advised to disable the function or roll back to the previous version of the software. It is important to monitor security updates, which often contain patches for communication modules.

• 🔄 Reboot the smartphone to update registration in the operator’s network.
• 📡 Remove and insert the SIM card again by checking contacts.
• 📲 Update the Google Play Services app and system components.
• 🏗️ Check for system updates in the About Phone menu».

If nothing helps, maybe your SIM card is too old and doesn't support the necessary profiles. Contact the salon for a free replacement of the SIM card with 4G and USIM support. This often solves the problems with registration in new generation networks.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)