Owners of the popular budget smartphone Xiaomi Redmi 4X often face a situation when the navigator refuses to determine the location or does it with a huge error. The problem lies not so much in the hardware of the device, but in the software settings of the operating system MIUI, which are optimized by default for saving charge, not for maximum accuracy. To turn your gadget into a full-fledged navigation device, you need to manually activate a number of hidden parameters and correctly configure geolocation services.
In this article, we will discuss the entire process from basic module activation to professional calibration through the engineering menu. You will learn how to make satellites work faster and more accurately, which is especially important for drivers using Yandex.Navigator or 2GIS. Proper setting will eliminate delays in the display of the route and allow you to use the phone as a full replacement for the car navigator.
Basic activation and choice of coordinate mode
The first step is to turn on the global positioning module itself. The standard path through the top notification curtain often doesn't give you complete control over accuracy, so you need to go to the deep settings menu, where you can choose the method that your smartphone will use to calculate coordinates, combining data from satellites and wireless networks.
Find Settings and scroll down to Advanced Settings. In the menu that opens, select Location (or Geodata in older firmware versions), and it's critical to switch the switch to active if it's turned off. Then the system will suggest you choose a mode, and that's the choice that determines the speed of navigation.
It is recommended to choose the option on satellites GPS This mode provides the best balance between positioning speed and accuracy in urban environments where satellite signals can be reflected from buildings. GPS") It can significantly increase search time, especially when starting cold.
⚠️ Attention: Use of the “Only” regime GPS" Indoors or in dense urban areas can lead to a complete lack of signal, as concrete floors block the direct visibility of satellites.
Once the mode is selected, the system can request permission to scan Wi-Fi and Bluetooth networks even when the communication modules are off, which is required for A-GPS technology, which uses access point databases for quick start, and agree to use this data to speed up the initial positioning.
Configure permissions for navigation applications
MIUI is famous for its aggressive energy-saving policies, which often block the background processes of navigators. If an app does not have permanent access rights, it will not be able to update your position on the screen when the phone is in sleep mode or folded up, which is a common reason why the voice assistant is silent and the card freezes.
To correct the situation, go to Settings → Applications → All applications. Find your main navigator (for example, Yandex.Navigator, Google Maps or Navitel). Click on the program name to open the control menu. Here we are interested in the Permissions or Other Permits.
Make sure that the geolocation value is set to Allow Always. The "Only When Use" option is not suitable for full navigation, since when the screen is locked, GPS access will be disabled, and it is also worth checking whether you have permissions to work in the background and access to the microphone for voice control.
💡
Set the status of "No Limits" in the "Activity Control" section for the navigator, so that the system does not force the application to close to save energy.
Some firmware versions require you to enable autorun for navigation programs, find the appropriate switch in the application control menu and activate it, which ensures that after restarting the phone, the navigator can access the satellites on its own without your intervention.
Calibration of sensors and reset almanac data
If the basic settings didn't work and the satellites are in place but not connecting, it's possible that the phone has accumulated erroneous almanac and ephemeris data, which helps the device find satellites faster, but over time they become obsolete. GPS Re-download current information from satellites.
To perform this operation, download the free GPS Status & Toolbox app or analog from the Google Play store. After launching the application, open the menu (usually three dots or swipe to the right) and find the A-GPS Status Management item. Click Reset to clear the cache of satellite data.
Once reset, go back to the same menu and select Download. The phone will contact the servers and download a fresh almanac. Now go out into the open space, launch the navigator and wait a few minutes. Ideally, the number of satellites visible should increase and the positioning accuracy improve.
☑️ Calibration verification
Besides the software part, it is worth checking the physical condition of the device. Make sure that there are no metal stickers or metal plate covers on the back cover, in the upper end, that can shield the antenna. Xiaomi Redmi 4X has a plastic body, but the antenna module is located specifically, and any metal obstacles near it are critical.
Using an engineering menu to fine-tune
For advanced users who want to make the most of the hardware, there's an engineering menu available, which is a hidden part of the system that allows you to control the parameters of the radio module, and you can log in through a standard phone call by entering a special combination of characters.
Dial the code ##3646633##. The EngineerMode menu will open. Go to the Location tab (or LocationBasedServices) where you can see the status of the module and force testing to start. Be careful: changing unknown parameters can lead to unstable communication.
| Parameter | Description | Recommended value |
|---|---|---|
| GPS Log | Recording GPS logs | Off (to save space) |
| Y-Cap Filter | Antenna interference filter | Default |
| AGPS Reload | Rebooting A-GPS data | Start (for update) |
In the GPS -> GPS Debug section, you can see the number of satellites visible in real time. If the phone "sees" fewer than 4 satellites outdoors, the problem may be hardware.
⚠️ Note: Do not change the values in the section"NVRAM" Or "connectivity" if you're not a qualified engineer, which can cause you to lose your signal. IMEI or complete failure of communication modules.
After making changes (if necessary), be sure to restart the device. The engineering menu is a powerful tool, but for most users, standard calibration through applications is enough. Use it only if other methods have failed.
Influence of covers and external factors on the signal
Often, external factors are the cause of poor signal reception, which users forget about. The antenna in Redmi 4X is located at the top of the body. If you use a case with a metal edging, magnetic clasp or built-in metal stand, this creates a "screen" that blocks weak signals from space.
Try removing the case and checking the navigation. If the problem is gone, replace the accessory with a more suitable one, and consider that tinting on metallic car windows (such as athermal film) can significantly weaken the GPS signal, making navigation impossible inside the cabin.
Another important aspect is weather conditions: dense clouds, storm clouds or being in a deep gorge (the "city canyon" of tall buildings) physically limit the visibility of satellites, in which conditions even a perfectly tuned phone will work intermittently.
Why isn't GPS working indoors?
It is recommended to use external active drivers. GPS-antennae OTG-cable, if the smartphone is used as a stationary navigator in the car, this solves the problem of reception in cars with athermal glass.
Solving common problems and errors
If the problem persists after all the settings, check the date and time. To properly work the encryption and satellite sync protocols, the device must have the current date, time and time zone on it. Turn on Autodate and time in the settings.
In some cases, a complete reset of network settings helps. Go to Settings → Additional → Recover and Reset → Reset your Wi-Fi, mobile internet and Bluetooth settings. This will not delete your personal data, but will return network settings to factory values, which often eliminates software conflicts.
If nothing helps, it is possible that the antenna plume or the GPS module itself is damaged. In the Xiaomi Redmi 4X, the antenna module is combined with the bottom charging plume or the top of the board (depending on the revision), in which case diagnostics are required in the service center.
💡
Integrated approach: The combination of the correct MIUI setting, the use of A-GPS and the absence of physical obstacles ensures a stable navigation.