How to Enable and Set Up Geolocation on Xiaomi Phone: A Complete Guide

Geolocation on Xiaomi smartphones is not just a feature for maps and navigators, but the accuracy of weather applications, finding nearby establishments, geotags of photos and even security (for example, emergency call services with coordinate transfer) depends on its correct operation. However, many users face problems: the phone is long looking for satellites, shows the wrong location or quickly discharged due to the use of the phone. GPS. In this article, we will analyze all the nuances of geolocation settings on Xiaomi, from basic parameters to hidden chips. MIUI.

Feature of Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi line, POCO and Mi) – presence of branded optimizations in firmware MIUI, which may affect the work GPS. For example, energy saving mode automatically limits background geolocation activity, and some regional firmware defaults to Chinese location servers, and we'll show you how to avoid typical errors and achieve maximum accuracy without loss of autonomy.

Why you need a geolocation on Xiaomi and how it works

Geolocation in Xiaomi smartphones combine several technologies:

• 🛰️ GPS/GLONASS/BeiDou/Galileo — Satellite navigation (most accurate, but energy-consuming).
• 📡 Wi-Fi and cell towers – determining by the nearest access points (less accurate, but works indoors).
• 🧭 Sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope, compass) - help smooth the trajectory of movement.

Xiaomi processes this data through the Fused Location Provider, which selects the optimal signal source, for example, in the city the phone will use Wi-Fi and towers more often, and in the city - satellites. MIUI There are additional settings that are not available in pure Android, such as selecting a priority source or enabling high accuracy for specific applications.

Without geolocation, you can't:

• 🚗 Use Yandex.Navigator or Google Maps to build routes.
• 📸 Link photos to the shooting location (geotegas in the Xiaomi Gallery).
• 🏠 Find My Device and Mi Cloud for Lost Phone.
• 🎮 Play in AR-game-play Pokémon GO Harry Potter: Wizards Unite.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro) POCO X3 Pro after updating to MIUI 14+ If your phone shows your location in China or another country, check your location settings in Additional settings. → Language and region.

How to enable geolocation on Xiaomi: basic settings

To activate geolocation, follow the following steps:

1. Open the settings (cog icon on the desktop).
2. Go to the Appendix section → Permits → Geolocation (on some firmware, the path may differ: Privacy → Permits → Geolocation).
3. Activate the main switch at the top of the screen.
4. Select Precision Mode: High Accuracy - Uses GPS, Wi-Fi, mobile networks and sensors (maximum accuracy but fast battery consumption); only Wi-Fi and cell towers save charge (suitable for cities); only the device - only the device GPS (determines the location for the longest time).

For most tasks, High Accuracy mode is optimal, but if you notice a strong battery consumption, try Saving Charge in urban areas. In nature or when traveling, it is better to use Device Only, since the Wi-Fi signal there is weak, and the signal is weak. GPS It will work more consistently.

Geolocation master switch switch switch switch switch on|Selected mode "High accuracy"|Geolocation permissions are given to key applications (Maps, Navigator)|Security settings have disabled "Stealth mode" (if any)-->

On some models (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi) K50) In the geolocation menu, there's an additional item called "Location Accuracy:

• 🔄 Wi-Fi scans – the phone will search for nearby networks even without connecting to them.
• 📶 Bluetooth scans – useful for location in shopping malls or airports.
• 🛰️ Google Location Service – Using Google’s database to speed up search.

⚠️ Warning: If after turning on the geolocation, the phone began to warm up strongly or discharge quickly, check if the application with constant tracking (for example, a fitness tracker or a taxi service) is running in the background. → Battery → Battery usage and see which app consumes the most power.

Configuring permissions for applications: who to give access to geolocation

Even if geolocation is enabled globally, each application must have a separate permission to use it.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Permissions → Geolocation.
2. Select the application from the list (for example, Google Maps or Yandex.Maps).
3. Install one of the options: Always access at any time (needs for navigators); Only during use, access only when the application is open (recommended for most applications); Ban - complete prohibition (for example, for games or social networks).

Xiaomi has a hidden feature called permissions for the background, for example, Google Maps can continue to track your location even after you've folded, if you've turned on navigation.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the application you want (e.g. 2GIS).
3. Press Permissions. → Additionally. → Background geolocation.
4. Turn access on or off.

On smartphones Xiaomi with MIUI 13+ There is a bug: after resetting, some applications lose their geolocation permissions, even if they appear on the menu as enabled. To fix this, open the application, request geolocation manually (for example, update location in Maps), and confirm the resolution in the pop-up window.

Navigators (Google Maps, Yandex.Maps)|Taxi services (Uber, Yandex.Taxi)|Social media (Instagram, VK)|Fitness trackers (Strava, Google Fit)|Others-->

Xiaomi geolocation problems: why it doesn’t work GPS how to fix

If the geolocation on your Xiaomi is not correctly defined or does not work at all, the reasons may be as follows:

• 📵 Weak signal. GPS — Indoors or among high-rise satellites may not be caught.
• 🔋 Energy-saving regime — MIUI limit background activity GPS.
• 📲 Older versions of the old version MIUI There are bugs with the geolocation module.
• 🛠️ Hardware malfunction - damage to the antenna GPS (relevant after falls or repairs).

Let’s look at the solutions to each problem:

1. Weak signal. GPS

If the phone is looking for satellites or shows inaccurate coordinates:

• Go out to an open space (balcony, street) – the walls of buildings screen the signal.
• Turn on the plane mode for 10 seconds, then turn off - this will reset the connection with the satellites.
• Use diagnostic applications GPS, for example GPS Status & Toolbox (Shows the number of satellites found and the signal strength).

Energy-saving regime

MIUI It's aggressively optimizing the background. GPS worked steadily:

• Open Settings → Battery → Power saving mode and turn it off.
• For critical applications (e.g., navigator) set Unlimited in Settings → Battery → Choice of applications.
• B Settings → Additional settings → Confidentiality → Special access → Battery Optimization Disable Optimization for Applications That Need Geolocation.

3.Outdated firmware

Xiaomi has bugs with GPS They're often patched in updates to check the firmware's relevance:

1. Open Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. If an update is available, install it.
3. After the update, reset the settings. GPS: open up GPS Status & Toolbox, press Manage A-GPS State → Reset.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi) 9A or POCO M3) post-update MIUI 12.5+ GLONASS satellites may be lost. To get them back, install an app. GPS Test and manually select the navigation system in the application settings.

Hardware malfunction

If none of these methods worked, the antenna may have been damaged. GPS. You can check it out like this:

• Install the app GPS Essentials, and see how many satellites the phone finds. If 0-2 is a sign of hardware problem.
• Try using it. GPS If it works, the problem is your Xiaomi.
• Contact the service center. Most Xiaomi models have antennas. GPS built into the upper part of the body and can be damaged by falling or getting moisture.

Hidden geolocation settings in MIUI: How to improve accuracy

V MIUI There are hidden features that allow you to fine-tune your geolocation, such as manually selecting priority signal sources or disabling unnecessary location servers.

1. Setup of geolocation servers

By default, Xiaomi can use Chinese servers to locate, which reduces accuracy in other countries.

1. Install the Miui Hidden Settings app (developer rights required).
2. Open the Location section.
3. Select Location Mode and set High accuracy (Google) instead of Device Only (Xiaomi).
4. Reboot the phone.

Compulsory incorporation A-GPS

A-GPS (Assisted GPS) And it speeds up satellite search by downloading auxiliary data from the Internet, and if that's disabled, the phone can take a long time to pick up the signal:

1. Install the GPS Status & Toolbox app.
2. Open the Manage menu A-GPS State.
3. Press Reset, then Download.
4. Wait until the data is downloaded (we need the Internet).

Calibration of the compass

If the geolocation works, but the compass arrow in Google Maps is not rotated correctly, you need to calibrate the sensors:

1. Open Google Maps.
2. Click on the blue dot (your location).
3. Select Calibration of the compass and follow the instructions on the screen (you need to rotate the phone in the air, describing the eight).

On Xiaomi smartphones with Snapdragon processor (for example, Xiaomi) 12T or POCO F4) There's a bug: once you calibrate the compass, the geolocation can go as far as 50 to 100 meters. To fix this, restart the phone and wait for the coordinates to be re-established.

💡

If you travel frequently, turn on the Wi-Fi scans and Bluetooth scans in your geolocation settings, which will help your phone to be identified more quickly in new locations, especially airports or shopping malls with multiple hotspots.

How to save battery when using geolocation

GPS — One of the biggest battery eaters, but Xiaomi can reduce its power consumption without losing accuracy:

• 🔄 Use Adaptive Mode: C Settings → Geolocation select Adaptive Savings (if any). The phone will automatically switch between modes depending on activity.
• 📴 Turn off geolocation for unnecessary applications: check the list in Settings → Confidentiality → Permits → Geolocation and ban access to social networks, games and other programs that do not need it.
• 🔋 Use Google Location: In geolocation settings, enable Improve Accuracy → Google Location: This will allow Google to use its database to speed up location determination without constant scanning. GPS.
• ⏳ Limit background activity: C Settings → Battery → Battery usage see which apps use the most power and limit their background work.

Another way to save power is to use offline maps in navigators, like Google Maps or Yandex.Maps, where you can pre-load maps of the right regions, which will reduce the use of mobile Internet and other technologies. GPS, The phone will not be constantly loading data.

💡

If you only want geolocation for a specific application (like a navigator), turn on “Only during use” for all other programs, which will reduce background activity and prolong battery life.

Geolocation and security: how to protect your data

The geolocation enabled can pose a privacy risk, and malicious actors or even legitimate apps can track your movements to minimize the risks:

• 🔒 Turn off location history: In Google Maps: Profile → Your chronicle. → Settings → Location history → Disconnect. Mi Cloud: Settings → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → Find the device. → Shut down.
• 📱 Check App Permissions: Regularly List Apps With Geolocation Access in Settings → Confidentiality → Permits.
• 🕵️ Use it. VPN for disguise: some applications determine your location by IP-address. VPN (ProtonVPN can help hide the real coordinates.
• 🚨 Set up emergency alerts: in Settings → Memory and emergency situations → Emergency alerts can enable sending your location to trusted contacts in case of an emergency.

Xiaomi has a "Stealth Mode" feature (not present on all models), which restricts access to geolocation for all applications except system ones.

1. Open the Settings. → Confidentiality → Secrecy mode.
2. Activate the switch.
3. Add only those applications that actually need location access (e.g. Maps) to the exceptions.

⚠️ Note: If you sell or transfer your Xiaomi to another person, be sure to reset to factory settings (Settings) → The phone. → Settings reset) even after reset, some geolocation data may be stored in the cache. For complete cleaning before reset, disable Find the device in Mi Cloud and delete your Xiaomi account.

FAQ: answers to frequent questions about geolocation on Xiaomi