How to completely disable GPS on Xiaomi: all ways to MIUI 12-14

Why Xiaomi users want to turn off GPS and when they really need to

Geolocation services on Xiaomi smartphones (including Redmi models, POCO And Black Shark, they're in the background almost all the time, and they provide precise location for maps, taxis, social networks and system services. GPS-The module has the opposite side: increased battery consumption, potential risks of data leakage and unwanted tracking of movements.

According to research, on devices with MIUI 13/14 geolocation can be used to 15-20% It's a charge per day, with a lot of navigation, but even in the background, the module. GPS This is evident in the short-term bursts of energy consumption in the battery menu.Switching off the service allows you to save charge, especially on budget models with small batteries (for example, Redmi). 9A or POCO M3).

In some countries (e.g. the UAE or China), using GPS in public places without permission may be considered a violation of local privacy laws.

In addition, disabling the service is useful when testing applications that require location emulation, or when working with devices where geodata can distort results (for example, in scientific experiments).

Method 1: Quickly shut down via notification panel

The easiest method is to use a control center (notification curtain).It works on all Xiaomi devices with MIUI version 10 and later, including the latest firmware based on Android 13/14.

1. Swipe your finger down the screen to open the notification bar.
2. If the panel is displayed in a shortened form, swipe down again to reveal the full menu.
3. Find the Geolocation icon** (usually stylized as an icon with a dot on the map or arrow).
4. Touch the icon once - it should go out (gray means off state).

On some models (such as the Xiaomi 12 Pro or POCO F4 GT), the geolocation icon can be hidden behind the “More” button (three dots).

• 🔍 Click on “More” in the lower right corner of the panel.
• 📍 Scroll down to the Location icon** and tap it.
• 🔄 If the icon is missing, go to Settings. → Notification panel → Edit and add it manually.

The geolocation icon has become gray | The indicator in the status bar has disappeared | Applications (Google Maps, Yandex.Maps) have stopped determining coordinates | In the security settings, GPS status: "Off."

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Method Limitation: Some system applications (e.g. Mi Fit or Google Play Services) may automatically enable geolocation back.To avoid this, use methods 3 or 4 from this article.

Method 2: Completely disabling in system settings

If you need to be guaranteed to turn off GPS At the system level, use the settings menu. This method blocks access to geodata for all applications, including system services. MIUI 12-14:

1. Open the Settings app** (the gear icon on the home screen).
2. Go to Privacy → Application Permissions → Location** (on some firmwares, the path may be Settings → Security → Privacy → Location).

On Android 12+ devices (such as Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Redmi Note 12 Pro+) you may need to take the additional step of:

• 🔧 After disabling the main switch, go to “Additional Settings”** (bottom of the screen).
• 📡 Deactivate the option “Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Scanner”** – this will prevent location over networks even when turned off GPS.
• 🛡️ Enable “Disable Background Access”** for all applications in the list below.

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If some applications (e.g. banking) stop working after GPS is disabled in the settings, add them to the exceptions in the "Perfect Application Permissions" section.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI Global shutdown GPS If you have error notifications after deactivation, restart your smartphone or reset your geolocation settings via Settings → All settings → Resetting settings → Resetting location settings.

Method 3: Disconnection through Power Saving Mode

If you need to temporarily turn off your GPS to save power, use power saving modes, which does not block geolocation completely, but limits it to the background, suitable for devices with MIUI 11 and later:

1. Open “Settings” → “Battery and performance”**.
2. Select “Energy Saving Mode” (or “Super Energy Saving” on new models).

The POCO F5 and Xiaomi 13T have an extended Extreme Energy Saving mode** that completely disables GPS and mobile data for background processes.

• 🔋 Go to "Settings» → «Battery» → «Regimes»**.
• 📉 Select “Extreme” and click “Configure».

Every day |1-2 times a week |Only on trips | I never turn it off | I don't know how to do it-->

This method has the advantage of automatically restoring settings after you connect to a charge or reach a certain level of charge (configured in Mode Settings), but some applications (such as Google Maps) can ignore these restrictions if they are given special permissions.

Method 4: Using the Developer’s Hidden Settings

For experienced users who need to be completely blocked GPS At the hardware level, the method will fit through the developer's settings. It's the only way that disables the module. GPS-chip at the core level, but requires caution.

First, activate the developer mode:

1. Go to "Settings» → «The phone»**.
2. Find the MIUI version and tap it 7 times in a row (you will be notified “You are a developer!”).

Now turn off the GPS:

• 🔍 In the search bar, type “Mock locations” (or “Fictitious locations” in Russian).

⚠️ Attention: Changing the developer settings can lead to unstable smartphone performance. for example, on the Xiaomi Mi 11 after switching off GPS This method has stopped working. NFC-payments and Bluetooth LE. Before use, back up your data through Settings. → Additionally. → Backup.

Method 5: Disconnect via ADB (for advanced users)

If system methods do not help (for example, on custom firmware or devices with root access), you can use the ADB-This is a method that works for all Xiaomi models, but requires a computer connection.

Step-by-step:

1. Download and install Platform Tools from the official Android Developers website.
2. Activate debugging over USB in the developer settings (see Method 4).
3. Connect your smartphone to your PC through USB-cable and select the "File Transfer" mode»** (MTP).
4. Open the command prompt (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux) in the folder with ADB.
5. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices should appear serial number of your device.
6. Execute the shutdown command. GPS: adb shell settings put global location_mode 0
7. To block background access add: adb shell cmd appops set com.google.android.gms android:location BACKGROUND deny

To return the settings back, use:

adb shell settings put global location_mode 3 # Includes high-precision mode


adb shell cmd appops set com.google.android.gms android:location BACKGROUND allow

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ADB-commands allow you to disable GPS even on locked corporate devices or smartphones with limited rights (for example, issued by the employer).

Some firmware (e.g. MIUI China) may require an additional command to reset the geolocation cache:

adb shell pm clear com.google.android.gms

Frequent problems and their solutions

After switching off GPS on Xiaomi, users are faced with typical errors.

If your smartphone starts to overheat or discharge quickly after the GPS shutdown, check the activity of the processes through Settings → Battery → Battery Use. Sometimes background services (such as Mi Cloud or Find Device) try to restore geolocation, which leads to increased load.

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To check if GPS is disabled, use the GPS Status & Toolbox app from Google Play, which shows the status of the module and the number of satellites visible (should be 0 if geolocation is turned off).

FAQ: Answers to popular questions