How to disable GPS on Xiaomi: The Complete Guide

In modern smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO navigation module is constantly running, providing maps, taxis and weather widgets. However, continuous satellite communication significantly consumes battery power and may raise questions about data privacy. Many users are looking for a way to fully deactivate this feature to extend the battery life of the device.

The geolocation disablement procedure is easy, but there are nuances in the MIUI shell and the new HyperOS that not everyone knows about. A standard switch in the curtain is sometimes not enough if you want to deny access to coordinates for all applications at once. Below we will discuss all the available methods, from simple buttons to deep system settings.

Before we get started, it’s worth noting that a complete GPS shutdown can disrupt some geotag services, not just for navigators, but also for banking applications that use location to verify transaction security, so approach the setup consciously, understanding the implications for your gadget’s functionality.

Quick shutdown through notification curtain

The most obvious and quick way to temporarily stop the transmission is to use a control panel, which is ideal for situations where you need to hide your location or save energy, just swipe from the top edge of the screen down to open the control center.

Find an icon that resembles an arrow or a marker on a map, usually signed as "Location" or "Geolocation." If the icon is blue, then the module is active. Press it once to turn gray or disappear, which will mean that the navigation module will stop working completely.

⚠️ Note: When disconnected through a curtain, some system services may after a while re-activate the module for background tasks, such as finding a lost device.

It's important to understand the difference between turning off the module itself and denying access to applications. The curtain turns off the hardware part, but doesn't change the permissions for the software. If you turn on the GPS back, all the programs will again access your coordinates without additional request.

Deep setting in the system menu

To control geoservices in more detail, you need to go to system settings, where you can not only turn off GPS, but also configure modes of operation that affect accuracy and power consumption. Go to Settings → Applications → Permits → Geodata to view the list of programs.

In this menu, you'll see three basic access options: "Always Allowed," "Only Allowed" and "Forbidden." Choosing "Forbidden" mode for key applications ensures that they won't be able to request coordinates even when the module is on, which is more efficient than just turning off the GPS in the curtain.

Also hidden in the location settings menu are often important options that affect accuracy, such as Improve Accuracy, which uses Wi-Fi and Bluetooth to quickly search for satellites, and disabling this option makes search slower but increases anonymity as the phone stops scanning its surroundings.

Remember to check the list of applications that have access to geo-location periodically, the software may request new rights after updates, and regular auditing of permissions is the best protection against stealthy data collection in the background.

Disabling debugging by USB and service services

There is a hidden tier of settings available through the developer menu, where you can turn off services that often ignore standard prohibitions, and you need to click on the build number in the About Phone section several times to log in to this menu until you notice that you have activated the developer mode.

Once activated, go to Settings → Advanced Settings → Developer. Find “Select geolocation mode” or “Mock location app.” Setting “Device Only” or selecting a special emulator can block the transfer of real coordinates to Google system services.

Pay special attention to the item "Allow fictitious location." If you select a stub application here, the system will give all programs false coordinates. This is a radical method that completely disorients trackers, but can break the navigation maps.

⚠️ Warning: Changing the settings in the developer menu can lead to unstable system operation. Return the default settings if you notice a network or application malfunction.

Managing permissions for specific applications

Global GPS shutdowns are often inconvenient because they make useful applications like taxis or food delivery more functional, and it's much more efficient to set up selective access, so you can let the navigator see you, but you can't let the flashlight or the calculator do that.

To do this, go to Settings → Applications → All apps. Select a suspicious program, click Permissions and select Geometry. Set the value “Prohibit.” Newer versions of MIUI also have the “Request Every Time” option, which gives you maximum control.

There's a category of applications that require location access to work properly, even if you're not using them right now, which are messengers (for geo-location chat) and antiviruses, and you only have to turn off GPS in extreme cases.

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Use the Virtual Location feature in the developer settings to swap real coordinates for random points in another city for test applications.

Check the Special Opportunities section in permission settings regularly. Some malware masquerades as system services and requires access to GPS to work, removing such suspicious items will improve security.

Hiding location in Google services

Even when it's off. GPS The smartphone can transmit an approximate location through IP-Address and cell towers. To minimize the digital footprint, you need to set up a Google account. Go to your account settings through your browser or Google app.

Find the Data and Personalization section → Location History, which stores the full chronology of your movements, unless previously disabled, click Stop to stop recording, and it is also recommended to delete the history already accumulated by clicking the appropriate cleanup button.

Another feature worth mentioning is Find Device, which allows you to track your phone even when the screen is off, and if privacy is more important to you than finding a lost gadget, you can also deactivate it in Google's security settings.

⚠️ Attention: Disabling Google services may cause Play Market to malfunction and sync contacts.

There is a nuance with offline maps: if you downloaded maps for navigation without the internet, they may still try to update your location on the first run using the latest known GPS signal.

Impact on autonomy and productivity

The main reason why users turn off GPS is energy savings, and constant satellite surveys and Wi-Fi scanning really land the battery, especially in areas of uncertain reception, where the module is running at maximum power.

However, in modern Xiaomi smartphones with Snapdragon and MediaTek processors, the effect of GPS on the battery in standby mode is minimal if no application requests coordinates actively.

Disabling geolocation can also have a positive impact on the speed of the interface, and background processes trying to determine the location will not be loading the processor, which is especially noticeable on older models of smartphones with a small amount of RAM.

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A complete GPS shutdown gives a noticeable increase in autonomy only in conditions of a weak signal or with the active use of heavy applications that constantly request coordinates.

If you want to maximize savings, use the power saving mode, which automatically limits background activity and the frequency of sensors, including GPS, without having to manually adjust each setting.

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