Owners of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 often face the problem of inaccurate location, especially in urban areas or outside the GPS coverage area. The reason lies in the default of alternative satellite systems such as the Russian GLONASS or European Galileo.
In this article, you will find a step-by-step guide to activating GLONASS on the Redmi Note 9 (including the Pro, Pro Max and NFC modifications), as well as tips for diagnosing the operation of satellite modules. We will analyze the hidden settings of MIUI, explain the difference between GPS, GLONASS and other systems, and show you how to check whether your smartphone uses all the available signals.
What is GLONASS and why include it on Xiaomi
GLONASS (Global Navigation Satellite System) is a Russian alternative to U.S. GPS designed to accurately pinpoint positions anywhere on Earth. Unlike GPS, which uses 31 satellites, GLONASS operates 24 satellites in orbits with a different tilt, a key advantage: in high latitudes (such as Russia, Canada or Scandinavia), GLONASS often works more accurately than GPS because of better satellite coverage.
On Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 (models M2003J15SC, M2003J15SS, etc.) installed chip Qualcomm Snapdragon 662 or Mediatek Helio G85, which support simultaneous work with:
- 🛰️ GPS (United States: 31 satellites
- 🇷🇺 GLONASS (Russia) – 24 satellites
- 🇪🇺 Galileo (EU) – 28 satellites
- 🇨🇳 BeiDou (China) – 35 satellites
By default, MIUI only activates GPS and BeiDou (as a Chinese brand, Xiaomi prioritizes the local system).
- ⚡ Speed up the search for satellites by 1.5-2 times (especially in cities with tall buildings).
- 🎯 Increase the accuracy of the coordinates to 3-5 meters (against 10-15 m at one) GPS).
- 🌍 Improve signal stability in northern regions or mountainous areas.
⚠️ Warning: Turning on all satellite systems may slightly increase battery consumption (by 2-5%) due to parallel signal processing. GPS + BeiDou.
Check the current GPS/GLONASS settings on Redmi Note 9
Before you turn on GLONASS, make sure that the problem of inaccurate positioning is related to satellites that are disabled.
- Open the Google Maps or Yandex.Maps app and try to locate yourself. If your position icon flashes blue or gray for more than 30 seconds, the signal is weak.
If the list does not include satellites with the prefixes R## (GLONASS) or E## (Galileo), then they are disabled in the system settings. Also note the setting "TTFF"** (Time To First Fix) - the time of the first determination of coordinates. Normal value: up to 15 seconds in open areas. If the TTFF exceeds 30 seconds, you need to adjust.
Step-by-step: how to turn on GLONASS on Xiaomi Redmi Note 9
Depending on the version of MIUI (12, 13 or 14) and regional firmware, the path to settings may differ, and we will look at both options: through the standard menu and using hidden developer settings.
Method 1: Through basic settings (MIUI 12–14)
- Open “Settings” → “Connections and Sharing”.
If your firmware does not have the option "Accuracy Mode"**, then the manufacturer has restricted access to these settings. In this case, use Method 2.
Method 2: Developer settings (for all MIUI versions)
This method works even on custom firmware or if the manufacturer has hidden the settings of satellites.
Activate Developer Mode (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version, tap 7 times)
Connect to Wi-Fi or mobile internet
Charge your phone at least 30%
Close all applications that use GPS (Maps, taxis, trackers)-->
- Activate Developer Options**: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (tap 7 times in a row) A notification will appear “You became a developer!”**.
“Save” and reboot the phone.
After the reboot, check the satellite operation through the engineering menu (#4636##) or the Google Play's "GPS Status & Toolbox" app. If GLONASS still doesn't show, go to Troubleshooting.
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To quickly check GLONASS, install the app GPSTest** (free on Google Play) which shows all available satellites, their signal and accuracy in real time.
Accuracy comparison: GPS vs GLONASS + Galileo on Redmi Note 9
To assess the real benefits of the inclusion of GLONASS, we tested the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9 Pro (Snapdragon 720G) in urban areas (Moscow, center).
| Satellite configuration | TTFF (search time), sec | Precision, m. | Satellite count | Signal stability |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Only GPS. | 28 | 12–15 | 8–10 | Mean (loss of signal 2-3 times) |
| GPS + BeiDou | 18 | 8–10 | 12–14 | High (loss 1 time) |
| GPS + GLONASS + Galileo | 12 | 3–5 | 18–22 | Excellent (signal stable) |
| All systems (GPS + GLONASS + Galileo + BeiDou) | 9 | 2–4 | 24–28 | Maximum |
As can be seen from the table, the inclusion of GLONASS and Galileo reduces the time of searching for satellites by 3 times and increases the accuracy of 4-5 times. Especially noticeable is the difference in the "canyons" between high-rises, where the GPS signal is often shielded by buildings, and GLONASS thanks to a different angle of orbits better penetrates into urban development.
⚠️ Note: In some regions (e.g. Southeast Asia), BeiDou is the best choice, as the density of Chinese satellites is higher. GPS + GLONASS + Galileo.
Typical problems and their solutions
After turning on GLONASS, Redmi Note 9 users may encounter a number of errors.
1. GLONASS is on, but satellites are not detected
Causes and solutions:
- 📵 Weak signal: Check if the phone case is blocking the antenna (e.g., a metal case.
- 🔄 Module failure GPS: Reset network settings: Settings → System system → Resetting settings → Resetting mobile network settings and Wi-Fi
- 🛠️ Outdated Module Firmware GNSS: Update Google Play Services** to Google Play or install the latest version MIUI.
2.The battery quickly goes down after activation of GLONASS
If your battery consumption has increased by more than 10%, follow these steps:
- 📱 Install the Greenify app** and add to sleep all programs that use geolocation in the background (such as social media or weather widgets).
3. Coordinates "jump" or show incorrect location
This problem is typical for phones with unoriginal firmware or after resetting.
- 📡 Download the latest data AGPS (Satellite search speeds up: Engineering menu (#4636##) → GPS test → Menu → AGPS → Reset
- 🌍 Manually specify the region in the settings GPS: Developer parameters → Configuration GNSS → Region (select Europe or Russia)
What do you do if nothing helps?
Additional tips for optimizing GPS
Turning on GLONASS is just the first step to accurate navigation. To maximize the geolocation experience on the Xiaomi Redmi Note 9, follow these guidelines:
- 📲 Update the firmware: In new versions MIUI Often optimize drivers GPS. Check for updates in Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.
- 📡 Use an external antenna: For hiking or car trips, you can connect an external antenna GPS-receiver via Bluetooth (for example, Bad Elf) GPS Pro).
- 🗺️ Calibrate your compass: In Google Maps, open the blue dot of your location → «Calibrate the compass and rotate the phone on the axis.
- 🔄 Drop the cache GPS: Once a month, clear the data of the Google Play Services application** (Settings) → Annexes → Application management → Google Play Services → Warehouse → Clear the cache).
It is also useful to install alternative navigation applications that are better optimized to work with multiple satellite systems:
- 🚖 Yandex.Navigator – optimized for Russia and CIS.
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For maximum accuracy in the city, simultaneously activate GPS, GLONASS and Galileo. When hiking or outdoors, add BeiDou, which will increase the chances of catching a signal in low-course conditions.