Xiaomi Redmi 6A is one of the most popular budget smartphones, but its owners often face questions about setting up geolocation. Without proper GPS, you can not use maps, taxis, geotags in social networks or Find a device. In this article, we will discuss all the ways to enable geolocation on Redmi 6A, the nuances of working with different versions of MIUI, as well as typical errors that make the smartphone “can’t see” satellites.
The model features a MediaTek Helio A22 chip that pairs with MIUI firmware sometimes behaves unstable. For example, geolocation can turn off after an update or work only with mobile Internet. We tested all methods on Redmi 6A with MIUI 10-12 and prepared a checklist for quick diagnosis of problems. If your smartphone “does not find a location” – there are solutions!
Why you need geolocation on Xiaomi Redmi 6A
The location function is not just used for navigation, but here are the key scenarios where it is essential:
- 📍 Maps and navigation: Google Maps, Yandex.Maps, 2GIS require GPS for building routes and tracking traffic.
- 🚖 Taxi Order: Uber, Yandex.Go, Citymobil determine your location automatically.
- 📸 Geotags in the photo: when shooting, the camera can save coordinates if the appropriate setting is enabled.
- 🔍 Device Search: Xiaomi or Google’s Find Phone feature only works with active geolocation.
- 🎮 Games with AR: Pokémon GO, Ingress and other augmented reality games require precise coordinates.
On Redmi 6A, geolocation is accomplished through a combination of GPS (satellites), A-GPS (accelerated Internet detection), and mobile tower data. If you turn off any of the sources, the accuracy drops, for example, in the basement of a house, the smartphone will navigate only through Wi-Fi networks and towers, and in the open area – by GPS.
Method 1: Enabling geolocation through settings
The most reliable method is to activate GPS in the settings menu. On the Xiaomi Redmi 6A, the path may differ depending on the version of MIUI, but the overall scheme is the same:
- Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen).
- Go to the Additional section (or Advanced Settings in MIUI 12+).
- Select Confidentiality → Permits → Location.
- Activate the location accuracy switch (or geodata in older versions).
- Enable the High Accuracy option for GPS, Wi-Fi and mobile networks.
If your firmware does not have an option, try an alternative path:
Settings → Applications → Permissions → LocationMake sure there is an icon in the status bar 📍
Open Google Maps and wait for location to be determined.
Check the permissions for maps and navigators in the application settings
Reboot your smartphone if you GPS doesn't work-->
Important: Redmi 6A with MIUI 9-10 may not have the High Accuracy option, in which case select Device Only (Pure GPS) or Charge Saving (Network + Wi-Fi).
Method 2: Quickly turn on through the notification panel
If you need to temporarily activate geolocation (for example, to order a taxi), it is more convenient to use the Quick Settings Panel:
- Swipe your finger down to open the notification curtain.
- Find the location icon (usually looks like it) 📍 or 🧭). If it is not, click on the pencil (Edit) and add the item to the active one.
- Tap the icon to turn on the geolocation, and the icon will change to blue or green.
This method has a limitation: it only turns on GPS for a limited time (usually 1-3 hours). After automatic shutdown, you will have to repeat the action. To fix the geolocation permanently, use the settings (Method 1).
💡
If the geolocation icon is missing from the curtain, upgrade to MIUI 11+. In older versions, it can be hidden.
Problems with geolocation on Xiaomi Redmi 6A and their solutions
Even after turning on the GPS, the smartphone can “not see” the satellites or determine the location with a large margin of error.
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Geolocation not included | Failure of the GPS module | Reboot your smartphone or reset your network settings (Settings → Resetting → Network Reset) |
| Long-term location determination | No Internet (required for A-GPS) | Connect to Wi-Fi or mobile network, enable Data Transfer |
| Inaccurate coordinates (Error 50–500 m) | Weak GPS signal in the room | Go out to the open area or enable High Accuracy in the settings |
| Geolocation shuts down on its own. | Optimizing the battery to save energy | Add map apps to exceptions (Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization) |
A critical feature of the Redmi 6A is that at a low charge level (less than 15%), the system automatically turns off GPS to save power.
How to check the GPS without maps?
Setup of permissions for applications
Enabling geolocation at the system level is not enough — each application needs to be given separate permission, for example, Google Maps will not work if it does not have access to the location.
- Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Select the desired application (for example, Yandex.Maps).
- Go to Permits. → Location.
- Set the permission Always or only during use.
Some services (like Find a Device) require permission to Always, otherwise they won’t be able to track the smartphone in the background. Note: MIUI may reset permissions after updates – check them periodically.
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If the application requests access to geolocation, but does not determine the coordinates, check if it is blocked in Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization.
Checking the operation of GPS using third-party utilities
If standard methods don't work, use specialized GPS diagnostics apps.
- 📡 GPS Status & Toolbox: shows the number of satellites visible, signal strength and coordinates.
- 🗺️ GPSTest: displays data from GPS-real-time module including speed and altitude.
- 🔧 GPS Essentials: Advanced tools for compass calibration and verification A-GPS.
How to use:
- Install one of the apps from Google Play.
- Open it and wait until the smartphone finds satellites (can take 1-5 minutes).
- If the satellites do not appear, the problem is in the hardware (GPS antenna or module).
Tip: Before testing, go outside - indoor GPS signal weakened by walls. Even if in open areas, satellites are not caught, try resetting the network settings (Settings → Resetting → Network Resetting).
What to do if geolocation is not working
If neither method worked, the causes could be more serious, from firmware failure to hardware failure.
- Update your firmware: go to Settings → About Phone → System Update and install the latest version of MIUI.
- Reset to factory settings: Settings → Additional → Restore and Reset → Reset. Attention: all data will be deleted!
- Check the GPS antenna, if the smartphone fell or got wet, the module could have been damaged, in which case only repairs will help.
- Install custom firmware: 4PDA forums have modified versions of MIUI with a patched GPS for Redmi 6A.
How to reflash Redmi 6A to fix GPS?
⚠️ Attention: On Redmi 6A s MIUI 9 and below may not support modern satellite systems (for example, GLONASS or Galileo). MIUI 11+ for better accuracy.