Modern smartphones, including budget models like Xiaomi Redmi 5A, They've become indispensable navigation devices in everyday life, from calling a taxi and delivering food to using maps in an unfamiliar city, all of these functions require proper geolocation. GPS-Many applications will simply refuse to perform their basic functions, which can create serious inconvenience for the user.
However, the process of activation may vary depending on the version of the MIUI operating system and regional settings. Sometimes a standard switch in the curtain is not enough, and deep adjustment of system parameters is required to improve accuracy. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the activation methods, as well as methods for eliminating common errors encountered by owners of this popular model.
It is important to understand that the operation of navigation satellites requires not only software activation, but also the correct interaction with the antenna of the device. Xiaomi Redmi 5A, having a compact body, has its own characteristics of signal reception, which must be taken into account when setting up.
Basic activation through the notification curtain
The fastest and most obvious way to start a satellite search is to use a quick access panel, which is suitable for situations where you need to turn on navigation urgently, for example, before you leave a vehicle, you need to unlock the screen and swipe down the entire area from top to bottom to open the full control menu.
In the icon list that opens, find an icon that usually looks like an arrow or a pin on a map. Depending on the MIUI design theme, it can be called Location or GPS. Clicking on this icon puts the module into active mode, as evidenced by the change in the icon color. If you don't see the right button in the first row, try swiping to the right or pressing the menu edit button.
It is worth noting that this method does not always guarantee high accuracy of positioning, since it relies on standard system settings. For everyday use, this is often enough, but additional actions may be required to navigate in difficult terrain.
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To quickly check the GPS operation, run Yandex.Maps or Google Maps immediately after the module is turned on – they will show your current position for 10-20 seconds if there is a signal.
Keep in mind that the constant operation of geolocation in the background can increase battery consumption.If you are not using navigation right now, it is better to deaktivirovat module through the curtain to save energy your Redmi 5A.
Configure the accuracy and modes of operation of GPS
For those cases where standard inclusion is not enough and maps determine the location with a large error, you need to delve into the system settings. Here the user can choose which data sources will be used to calculate the coordinates. Go to the Settings menu → Advanced Settings → Privacy → Location.
In this section, you will be asked to choose one of the modes of operation, each of which has its advantages and disadvantages, and understanding the difference between them will help you optimize the operation of the device for specific tasks.
- 📡 Only in the end. GPS: It uses satellite signals only, provides high accuracy in open areas, but may not work inside buildings and requires more energy.
- 📶 Network coordinates: Determines position by cell towers and Wi-Fi. Operates quickly and economically, but has low accuracy, sufficient only to determine the city or area.
- 🚀 High accuracy: Combines data GPS, Wi-Fi and mobile networks are the best choice for navigation, balancing speed and accuracy.
By choosing High Accuracy mode, you allow the smartphone to use all available resources. However, this can lead to faster battery discharge, which is critical for models with a capacity of 3000 mAh, such as the Redmi 5A. If you are indoors and navigation is not required, it is better to switch to network determination or turn off the function completely.
Also on this menu, you should pay attention to the item “Improving accuracy”: Activating Wi-Fi and Bluetooth scanning even when the modules are off helps Google and Xiaomi systems find your location faster using access point databases around.
Permissions for applications and services
Often, geolocation is enabled, high-precision mode is activated, but a specific application (such as a taxi or delivery) says that access is prohibited, which means that the Android system has not issued the appropriate permission for the program. Without this step, all previous settings will be useless for a particular software.
To fix this, go to Settings → Applications → All apps. Find the right program (e.g. Yandex.Maps, 2GIS or Uber) and find the “Permissions” or “Access Rights” option on the app menu, and find the “Geodata” or “Location” category and select the appropriate access option.
The system can offer multiple levels of access, and it is important to choose the right one for the right operation:
- 🔴 Prohibit: The app will not receive any data about your location.
- 🟢 Only when used: GPS It only turns on when the app is open on the screen, and it's the best way to save battery life.
- 🔵 Always allow: The program can track you in the background».
Note that newer versions of MIUI also have a blurred location feature, which if activated, will not give you your exact coordinates, but an approximate area of a few kilometers radius. This is unacceptable for the navigator, so you need to turn this feature off for maps.
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Without explicit permission in the settings of a particular application, access to GPS is blocked by Android security, even if the module itself is turned on globally.
If you have installed a new app and it doesn't work, the first thing you do is check that particular settings section, and often users accidentally click "Disallow" on the first run, and then forget about it.
Calibration of compass and elimination of errors
It happens that a blue dot appears on the map, but the direction of movement (arrow) is wrong, or the dot “jumps” across the screen. This indicates the need to calibrate the sensors. The built-in magnetometer in the Xiaomi Redmi 5A can be lost due to the impact of magnetic fields or metal objects nearby.
You can use special utilities or built-in map tools to fix this, and the easiest way is to open the Google Maps app, click on the blue dot of your location, and select Calibrate. The system will ask you to move the phone as the number eight in the air.
In addition to software methods, there are physical causes of a bad signal:
| Cause of failure | Symptoms. | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Magnetic case | Compass lies, direction doesn't match | Remove the magnetic clasp case |
| Metallic construction | Total loss of GPS signal | Going out into the open space |
| Google services failure | The point does not appear or freezes. | Clear the cache of Google Play Services |
| Wi-Fi is off. | Long search for satellites in the city | Enable Wi-Fi for A-GPS (without connection) |
If you're trying to calibrate a compass inside a concrete building with no windows, the result is not satisfactory. Go outside or at least to the window for the procedure.
What is A-GPS and why is it needed?
Reset GPS settings and engineering menu
If software methods don’t work and the location on the Xiaomi Redmi 5A is not working correctly or permanently shut down, it may be necessary to reset the satellite almanac, a deeper procedure that clears the cache of navigation data and forces the phone to re-acquaint itself with satellites.
You can use a special engineering code to do this. Open the Phone app and type in the combination ##6484##. This will open the engineering testing menu. Find the item associated with GPS or Single Test. Here you can perform a reset command or check the status of the connection to the satellites.
An alternative and safer way for ordinary users is to use third-party utilities such as GPS Status & Toolbox. From the app menu, select “Manage A-GPS Status” and click “Reset” and then “Download”.
⚠️ Warning: Be careful when using the engineering menu. Changing unknown settings in the Radio or Common section may lead to loss of communication or incorrect operation of the modem. GPS Test.
After the data reset, be sure to go out into the open space and give the phone 5-10 minutes to search for satellites, at which time the screen should be on and the map application is running. Don't expect instant results indoors.
☑️ Checklist of diagnostics GPS
The impact of energy saving on navigation
One of the most common reasons why geolocation falls off on the road is the aggressive MIUI energy saving policy.The system can force the background processes of the navigator to close, considering them too voracious, especially if the battery charge drops below 20%.
To avoid a sudden loss of the route, add the navigation app to exceptions. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance. Find the desired application in the list and set the "No Limits" mode, which will prevent the system from "killing" the map process.
Also worth checking is the settings in the "Safety" → "Battery" section, where you can activate "Sleep Mode" for apps that restrict their background activity, and for cards and taxis, this is unacceptable, since they must work constantly, even when the screen is off and the phone is in your pocket.
⚠️ Warning: Setting the "No Limits" mode for the navigator will result in increased battery consumption.Make sure you have a power reserve or connected charger on long trips.
Ignoring these settings on Redmi 5A often causes voice prompts to go silent and the route to stop reconfiguring even though the phone screen is on. GPS-module to save processor resources.