Owners of the popular Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro smartphone often face the need for accurate navigation in urban environments or on rough terrain. Modern applications for taxis, food delivery and navigators require smooth operation of the satellite module for proper route construction. In the MIUI operating system based on Android, the geolocation activation process has its own nuances that distinguish it from the stock version of the operating system.
Proper geolocation settings not only allow you to see your location on a map, but also send your exact coordinates to emergency services or friends. Configuration errors can result in a quick battery drain or inability to determine your location indoors. In this article, we will detail all the steps of turning on, calibrating and optimizing the operation of the satellite module on your device.
To start with, basic activation techniques are available to the user immediately after the screen is turned on, and these are primary steps that are necessary to run any navigation service, and ignoring basic settings is often the reason why the phone can't see the satellites.
Quick activation through the notification curtain
The easiest and most affordable way to start a satellite search is to use the Quick Action Panel, which allows you to instantly activate the module without going deep into the settings menu, and just swipe down from the top of the screen to open the control panel.
Find an icon that might look like an arrow or a pin, depending on the version of the MIUI shell. Clicking on this element activates geolocation in standard mode. If the icon is illuminated in blue, then the feature is working and ready for use by applications.
- 📍 Swipe from top to bottom to open the control center.
- 📍 Find the Location icon or «GPS».
- 📍 Click on the icon to make it active.
However, it is worth considering that this method includes a standard mode, which may not provide maximum accuracy in difficult conditions. For navigation in the forest or dense urban areas, it is better to use advanced settings, which will be discussed later.
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To quickly check the operation of GPS, run Yandex.Maps or Google Maps immediately after turning on the icon in the curtain. If the blue dot appears, the module is working.
Extended setting in the system menu
To fine-tune the navigation module, you need to go to the deep system settings menu, where you can access a choice of coordinate method, which directly affects the speed and accuracy of positioning. Go to Settings → Applications → Permissions → Location or search by settings.
In the menu that opens, you'll see the main mode switch, and it's important to select GPS, Wi-Fi and mobile, which is the mode that provides maximum accuracy using all available data sources, and using only satellites can slow down location, especially in a cold start.
Also available in this section is visibility settings for individual applications, you can deny access to geodata for programs that don't need it, which will increase privacy, and permission control is an important part of smart smartphone use.
☑️ Accuracy setting GPS
Location modes and their impact
Understanding the difference between modes is critical to balancing accuracy and power consumption.The Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro features a modern chipset capable of processing signals from various satellite constellations, but the software part also plays a key role.
There are three main modes, each with its own characteristics: choosing the wrong mode can lead to the navigator showing the wrong position or looking for a signal for a long time, and we will consider them in more detail in the table below.
| Regime. | precision | Battery consumption | Use of the |
|---|---|---|---|
| Only GPS. | Tall (outside) | Medium. | Navigation in the car, tourism |
| Saving charge | Low. | Low. | Background tasks, time stamps |
| High precision | Maximum | High-pitched | Taxi, delivery, track-finding |
High Accuracy mode uses scanning of Wi-Fi networks even without connecting to them, allowing you to triangulate your position inside buildings where satellite signal is weak, but this can lead to more battery discharge during the day.
⚠️ Warning: Constant high-precision operation can reduce battery life by up to 20% depending on the intensity of navigation applications.
Calibration of sensors and elimination of errors
Sometimes, after a device crash or long downtime, it may require a forced calibration of the sensors. Xiaomi smartphones have a special engineering menu for diagnostics that allows you to check the operation of the modules.
Enter ##6484## in the dialer. The CIT menu will open. The test list will look for a GPS or Location item, and the test will allow you to see the number of satellites visible and the signal level in real time.
If you don't see satellites in the engineering menu, try going out into the open and waiting 5-10 minutes, and it helps to turn flight mode on and off, and this action restarts the radio modules and can update the satellite almanac.
- 🛰️ Go out to an open place without obstacles over your head.
- 🛰️ Launch the application to check GPS (for example, GPS Test).
- 🛰️ Wait for at least 4 satellites to arrive. 3D-fixation.
There's also a software way to reset A-GPS, which is by using third-party utilities from the Google Play store that clear the almanac cache and upload the latest satellite position data, especially if you've traveled a long distance with your phone off.
What is a cold start GPS?
Problems with access to geodata applications
A common problem in the MIUI shell is an aggressive energy saving policy that can block applications from accessing GPS in the background. If the navigator stops plotting a route when the screen is off, the problem lies here.
You need to manually configure permissions for each critical application. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications, find the desired navigator (for example, Yandex.Navigator or 2GIS). In the “Permissions” section, select “Location” and set the value “Always” or “Only when using”.
It is also important to disable the energy savings for navigation programs. In the app menu, find the "Battery" option and select "No restrictions", which will prevent the system from "killing" the navigation process to save charge, which will ensure stable operation of the route.
Special attention should be paid to the “Exact Location” feature on Android 12 and higher. If this switch is turned off, the application will only receive approximate coordinates, which will make navigation impossible.
⚠️ Note: If the application requests access to the geo-position, but you choose to "Disable", the navigator will not be able to work correctly.
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The stability of navigation in the background on Xiaomi depends on the “No Limits” setting in the battery menu of a particular application.
Diagnostics of hardware faults
If software techniques don't help and the phone doesn't see satellites even outdoors after resetting, it may be the hardware part.The Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro has an antenna module integrated into the body and damage to it can cause signal loss.
The cause could be recent body repairs, screen replacements, or moisture, and the antenna wire could have moved away from the connector on the motherboard, and in such cases, software flashing or resetting to factory settings will not work.
If the signal is detected by using specialized applications that show the signal level in dBm. If the value is below -140 dBm or the status of "No Fix" is stored for more than 15 minutes in the open space, hardware failure is likely.
- 🔧 Check if the case is not covered with a metal cover or magnet.
- 🔧 Remember if there were any falls or contact with water.
- 🔧 Try connecting external Bluetooth GPS-check-in.
If a hardware malfunction is confirmed, you will need to contact a service center to replace the antenna module or perform work on restoring contacts on the board. Self-repair without experience can lead to a complete failure of the device.