How to disable geolocation on Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus

Modern smartphones, including the popular Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus, are equipped with a variety of communication modules that constantly exchange data with the outside world. GPS-Many users do not even realize that even with the navigation system turned off, the system can continue to track coordinates for various system services and applications.

Disabling geolocation on Redmi 5 Plus is not just a way to protect your privacy, but also an effective way to extend the battery life of the device. In the MIUI operating system, which is based on Android, the management of these parameters has its own features, different from the stock interface. Below we will discuss in detail all available methods of deactivation of location.

It's worth noting that a complete GPS shutdown can affect some applications that require access to maps or weather data, but that a good setup can balance functionality with privacy, and you can control which programs have access to your coordinates and which don't.

Basic disconnection through the notification panel

The fastest way to stop transmitting your Redmi 5 Plus coordinates is to use a quick-setting curtain, ideal for situations where you need to instantly hide your location or save battery power at a critical moment, just swipe down the screen from top to bottom to open the control panel.

Find an icon that's labeled as Location or has a map pin on it, and if the icon is blue, it means it's active. Press it once to change to gray, and this action forcefully shuts down all the radios that are responsible for geo-positioning, including satellite reception and Wi-Fi detection.

But it has its limitations: it is a global switch, but it doesn't give detailed control over which applications can request GPS access in the background after being turned on again, and some MIUI system services can ignore the switch if they have special permissions.

⚠️ Note: When using a fast switch, geolocation is turned off completely for all applications at once. Make sure that at this point you do not need to navigate in taxis or mapping services.

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For quick access to geolocation settings, press your finger on the Location icon in the notification curtain – this will immediately open the GPS settings menu.

Once the icon is turned off, it is recommended to check if the navigation symbol has disappeared from the status bar. If the icon is missing, then the device has stopped looking for satellites. This is the first and easiest step to increase the privacy of your Xiaomi.

Deep setting in the system menu

For more subtle management, you need to go to the full operating system settings menu. Here you will find advanced options that are not available through the fast bar. Go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Privacy or immediately to the Location section, if it is displayed separately in your firmware version.

In this section, you'll see the "Use Location" switch, which is equivalent to a curtain switch, but below are more interesting options. For example, the "Mode" option allows you to choose the method of determining the coordinates. On the Redmi 5 Plus, options are available: "GPS, Wi-Fi and mobile network only", "Wi-Fi and mobile network only" and "GPS only".

Selecting GPS-only mode (device) means that the phone will ignore the Wi-Fi databases of routers and cell towers, referring exclusively to satellites. This improves accuracy in open areas, but slows down the initial positioning. Wi-Fi and mobile (network) mode works faster indoors, but less accurate.

Also on this menu is the important “Improving Accuracy” feature, which allows Google to use Bluetooth and other sensors to clarify position, and it is recommended to turn off this option if you want to limit the collection of data about your movement to third-party services as much as possible.

Managing permissions for individual applications

The modern Android operating system and MIUI shell allow you to flexibly configure access rights for each application installed, which means you can deny access to GPS for some programs and allow for others, which is the most secure and correct setting in terms of digital hygiene.

To set this up, go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Find an app you're interested in, like a social network or game. Go to its properties and select the Permissions option. Find the Location line and set the value to "Disallow" or "Ask."

Some applications may only request geodata when they are open on the screen, but have a hidden ability to track you in the background. The new MIUI versions for Redmi 5 Plus have a separate Background Location switch that you need to monitor.

System applications such as Weather or Calendar often require geo-location access to automatically update data. You can leave them access, but limit it to network use only by disabling it. GPS-modules when there is no urgent need for them.

Disconnecting Google and MIUI System Services

Even with GPS turned off, some services may try to determine your location using alternative methods. In the ecosystem of Xiaomi and Google, there are services that collect data to improve maps and advertising. On Redmi 5 Plus, it is important to check your Google account settings.

Go to Google's settings through the app menu or system settings. Find Location and then Location History. If this feature is active, Google saves all the places you've been, even if the GPS has been turned off using cell tower data. Disabling this feature will prevent the creation of a digital footprint.

It's also worth checking the settings of the MIUI shell itself. In the Security section or in system services, the Device Search option can be activated. This feature is necessary to find a lost phone, but it keeps the communication module active constantly to transmit coordinates to the server.

Disabling advertising identifiers also indirectly affects the collection of geodata, as ad networks use them to target content by your location.This is done in the Advertising and Privacy section of the Google account settings.

Special facilities and debugging

The developer menu, which can be activated by repeatedly clicking on the build number in the About Phone section, hides additional geolocation management tools, and you can find the Select App for Fictitious Locations feature here.

Using this feature allows you to swap real coordinates for any other, which is useful not only for testing applications, but also for protecting privacy: if an application requests GPS, it will receive false data instead of real ones. For Redmi 5 Plus, this can be a salvation from intrusive tracking.

Also in this section is the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Scan Log, which, if enabled, can scan the environment even when the communication modules are off, and turning it off is critical to completely isolate the device from external tracking in public places.

⚠️ Note: Making changes to the developer menu may affect the stability of some system features.Write down your actions to return default settings if necessary.

Remember that using fake locations may violate the terms of use of certain services, such as taxis or food delivery, so use this method selectively.

Impact on autonomy and productivity

Constant search for GPS satellites is energy-intensive. On the Xiaomi Redmi 5 Plus, which is equipped with a Snapdragon 625 processor, competent geolocation management can significantly increase battery life.

In addition, disabling unnecessary geolocation services frees up RAM and reduces CPU load. This is especially true for models of the past, where the system’s resources are not unlimited. Users note that after turning off Google’s background services, the interface becomes more responsive.

However, it is worth considering that some functions, such as automatic time zone change or time synchronization, may not work properly without access to the geolocation network, in which case the time and date will have to be adjusted manually.

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A complete shutdown of geolocation and background services could extend the Redmi 5 Plus’ standby time by 15-20%.

If you notice that your phone is running out quickly, check the battery consumption statistics first, and geolocation services are often the top energy consumer, even if you don't use a navigator.

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