Modern Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones have powerful navigation modules that often run in the background, even if you are not using cards.This leads to increased battery consumption and a potential leak of data about your location. Many users are wondering how to completely or partially limit the access of applications to the Internet. GPS-coordinates without loss of device functionality.
The deactivation process can vary depending on the version of the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS. In some cases, it is enough to transfer the slider to the menu, in others it requires a deep configuration of system services. In this article, we will discuss all the available methods, from fast shutdown to fine-tuning the access rights for each application.
Turning off geolocation is not just energy saving, it's also an important step in digital hygiene, and understanding which services are asking for your coordinates allows you to control the flow of information that your smartphone sends to the network.
Quick shutdown via control panel
The easiest and most obvious way to stop the coordinates is to use the notification curtain, which instantly blocks the operation. GPS-It's a global shutdown that will affect navigators, cameras, and instant messengers.
To perform the operation, swipe down from the top of the screen to reveal the full list of switches. Find an icon signed as Location or GPS. Click on it to become inactive (gray). If the icon is not on the first screen, swipe right to access the additional buttons.
⚠️ Note: Using this method, you will lose the ability to share your current geo-position in messengers and take photos with reference to the shooting place until you re-enable.
Importantly, in some versions of MIUI, when you try to start the navigator, the system will prompt you to activate the module, which is a standard behavior of the Android operating system, which is designed to prevent errors in the operation of maps.
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Use the Location widget on your desktop for quick access to settings if you have to switch GPS modes frequently.
Deep customization through the system menu
If you want to not just turn off GPS, but adjust the accuracy of the definition or control access rights, you need to go to the settings section, which is the basic privacy management tools that allow you to flexibly regulate the operation of services.
Go to Settings → Privacy → Permissions Management. In this section, you will see a list of all installed applications, sorted by category. Select Location to see which programs have access to your coordinates right now or have had it before.
Within the application list, you can select a specific program and change its status.
- 📍 Allowed – the app can track you even in the background.
- 📍 Only allowed when used – access is only available when the program window is open.
- 📍 Request each time – the system will ask permission each time it starts.
- 📍 Prohibited – Total ban on access to GPS.
Special attention should be paid to system services such as Google Play Services or Device Search. Disabling geolocation for system components can disrupt synchronization and search for lost smartphones.
Configuring accuracy and methods of determination
Android uses not only GPS satellites, but also Wi-Fi data from networks and cell towers to speed up coordinate search, a mode often called High Accuracy, which if your goal is maximum energy savings or stealth, you need to turn off that mode.
To change the settings, follow the Settings → Location → Mode (or “Determination Method”) path. Here you will see several options, each with its own characteristics and impact on the autonomy of the device.
| Mode of work | Data sources | precision | Battery consumption |
|---|---|---|---|
| High precision | GPS, Wi-Fi, Mobile Network | Maximum | High-pitched |
| Saving charge | Wi-Fi, Mobile Network | Medium/Low | Low. |
| Only GPS. | Satellites | Tall (outside) | Medium. |
Selecting Charge Saving mode effectively shuts down the satellite module, leaving only the network definition, which is useful if you need to approximate the location for the weather, but you don't want to waste battery life looking for satellites.
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Switching to Network Only mode (Power Saving) is the best way to save the battery if the exact coordinates are not critical.
System Services Management and Google
Even with the main switch off, some services may try to scan their environments, including Google using location history to create a timeline and personalize ads, a separate tracker that needs to be manually disabled.
Go to your Google account settings via Settings → Google → Location. This is Location History. By clicking on it, you will be taken to account management where you can suspend data collection. It is also recommended to check the Geolocation section in the settings of the Google account itself.
There is also a hidden Wi-Fi and Bluetooth scanning feature to improve accuracy, which works regardless of whether the communication modules are on, and to turn it off, go to Settings → Location → Scanning (or “Geolocation Services”).
⚠️ Note: Disabling Google services may cause incorrect maps, assistants and some banking applications that require geo-location confirmation.
Owners of global firmware Redmi smartphones may also face persistent requests from system applications like Security or Mi Browser, and they may also need to individually check access rights in the corresponding menu section.
Why does Google collect location data?
Use of flight mode and special capabilities
Sometimes users need to temporarily and completely shut down all transmitting modules, in which case the most effective solution is to activate the flight mode, this step is guaranteed to block data transmission over the cellular network, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, making positioning on towers impossible.
However, even in flight mode, if you manually turn on GPS, the device will be able to determine its position by satellite, since the reception of the signal is not a data transfer, so to be completely anonymous, you need to make sure that the Location switch is also switched off.
There is also the option of using automation scenarios if your version of MIUI supports Auto Tasks. You can set the rule: "If the Camera application is running → Turn off geolocation" or "If it's 23:00 → Enable flight mode."
- 🛡️ For complete isolation, turn on the flight mode.
- 🛰️ GPS He works even without the internet.
- ⚙️ Automation helps save time on settings.
This approach is especially relevant for those who want to exclude any tracking at night or during important negotiations, when the smartphone should be as deaf as possible for the outside world.
Problems and solutions after GPS shutdown
After a global geolocation shutdown, users may face a number of restrictions: Some applications, especially banking, taxis and delivery, can refuse to work or issue errors, requiring access to a location to confirm transactions or search for an address.
If you notice that time on your device is no longer synced automatically, check the date and time settings, which are often tied to a time zone that is determined over the network, and then you have to set the time manually.
⚠️ Note: Find My Device will stop working if you GPS Turned off when you lose your smartphone. Take care of your data backups in advance.
If you have any errors in your maps, try clearing the app cache. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Google Maps → Memory → Clear the cache. This often helps resolve conflicts that have arisen after abrupt changes in privacy settings.
☑️ Checklist of full privacy
If you need to temporarily give access to an application, don’t turn on global GPS, but go to the settings of the specific application and allow access only for the duration of use, as described in the section on access rights.