VoLTE in Xiaomi smartphones: how it works, why you need and how to turn on

Have you ever noticed that while talking on the phone, the Internet suddenly “slows down” or disappears altogether? Or that the voice of the interlocutor sounds like he is talking from a barrel? Chances are that your Xiaomi still uses an outdated 3G standard for voice communication — and yet VoLTE technology has been solving these problems for more than a decade, and many users do not even know that their smartphone supports this feature, but it is simply turned off by default.

In this article, we will explain what VoLTE is in Xiaomi, why operators and manufacturers are actively promoting this standard, and most importantly, how to enable it on your device, POCO And Mi supports the technology, how to test it, and what to do if VoLTE is not activated. 3G-Spoiler: the difference is noticeable even on budget smartphones.

What is VoLTE and how is it better than regular calls?

VoLTE (Voice over LTE) is a 4G (LTE) voice transfer technology, unlike traditional calls that work according to 2G or 3G standards. The main advantage is that voice is transmitted in a digital HD-quality format, without compression and loss, as in instant messengers like WhatsApp or Telegram.

But why is this important to Xiaomi owners?The fact is that when you call your smartphone, it switches from 4G to 3G, which is why:

• 📉 Internet speed drops – pages do not load, video slows down, messengers hang.
• 🔊 The quality of the sound is deteriorating - the voice of the interlocutor sounds muffled, with interference.
• ⏳ The connection time increases – sometimes you have to wait 5-10 seconds for the call to “catch” the network.

VoLTE doesn’t have these problems: the call is on top of 4G, the Internet doesn’t shut down, and the voice is transmitted in the AMR-WB (Adaptive Multi-Rate Wideband) format, which provides a frequency range of up to 7 kHz (versus 3.4 kHz in 3G), the difference is especially noticeable in noisy places such as on the street or in transport.

⚠️ Warning: Do not confuse VoLTE with VoWiFi. These are two different technologies, although both improve communication quality. VoWiFi runs over home or public Wi-Fi, and VoLTE runs over a mobile network. 4G.

What Xiaomi smartphones support VoLTE

Virtually all modern Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO models released after 2018 support VoLTE.

• 📱 Flagship series (Mi) 10/11/12, Xiaomi 13/14, Black Shark – VoLTE support out of the box, often enabled by default.
• 💰 Mid-size segment (Redmi Note) 10/11/12, POCO X3/X4/X5) — VoLTE is available, but may require manual activation.
• 🪙 Budget models (Redmi) 9A/10A, POCO M3/M4) — Support depends on the region and firmware version.

To find out if your Xiaomi VoLTE supports, check out:

1. Go to Settings → About Phone → Full Specification.
2. Find the Network or Cellular section – there should be a mention of VoLTE or HD-call-up.
3. If there is nothing in the specifications, check on the GSMArena website - in the characteristics of the model, look for the VoLTE string.

How to enable VoLTE on Xiaomi: step-by-step instructions

If your smartphone supports VoLTE, but the function is disabled, you can activate it for a short time. 2–3 Instructions are universal for all Xiaomi models on the MIUI 12/13/14:

1. Open Settings and go to the section SIM-maps and mobile networks.
2. Choose yours. SIM-card (if two of them).
3. Slip on the network type or network settings item.
4. Find the VoLTE option (or HD-Calls, Improved Calls and Turn on the Switch.
5. Restart your phone – it’s a must for changes!

If the VoLTE item is not on the menu, try:

• 🔄 Update the firmware - go to Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 📋 Reset network settings - in Settings → Memory and backup copies → Resetting settings → Resetting network settings.
• 📱 Insert SIM-card to another slot – sometimes VoLTE only works in slot 1.

The call is connected instantly (without a delay of 2-5 seconds)

The status bar displays an HD or VoLTE icon

The Internet does not shut down during a conversation.

The voice of the interlocutor sounds clear, without noise.-->

⚠️ Note: On some models POCO (for example, POCO X3 NFC) After turning on VoLTE, mobile Internet may disappear. APN Or install custom firmware (for example, Pixel Experience).

Why VoLTE may not work for Xiaomi

Even if your smartphone supports VoLTE, the feature may not be activated.

If after all the manipulations VoLTE and did not work, check:

1. Enter ##4636## → Select Phone Information → See VoLTE provisioned. If there is 1, the function is activated at the network level.
2. Install Network Signal Guru from Google Play, which will show you which network the call is using (LTE or UMTS).

VoLTE vs 3G-Calls: Comparison of quality of communication

To illustrate the difference between VoLTE and traditional calls, we tested three Xiaomi smartphones in different settings.

The difference is particularly noticeable in noisy conditions, for example, when talking on the street with active traffic, VoLTE suppresses background sounds (cars, wind), whereas in the street, VoLTE suppresses background sounds (cars, wind). 3G-When you call, you hear them as well as your voice, and VoLTE is better at dealing with echoes and delays that often occur in traditional calls.

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If you have Xiaomi with VoLTE support but the carrier doesn’t provide it (for example, some virtual carriers), try using apps like Google Phone or Truecaller – they sometimes force activation. HD-call-up.

VoLTE and battery: does the technology affect autonomy?

One of the common myths is that VoLTE eats the battery, and it's actually the opposite: VoLTE saves power because:

• 🔋 No switching between 4G and 3G — Smartphones don’t waste energy on finding a network.
• ⚡ Optimized voice encoding – modern codec (EVS, AMR-WB) Requires less processor resources.
• 📶 Stable signal – fewer attempts to reconnect with weak coating.

In our tests, the Redmi Note 11 with VoLTE enabled consumes 8-12% less battery per hour than when using 3G. However, there is a caveat: if your region has weak 4G coverage, the smartphone will actively search for the network, which may negate the advantage, in which case it is better to disable VoLTE manually.

⚠️ Note: On some models POCO (for example, POCO F3) If you have active VoLTE, you can heat up the processor during long conversations. That's not critical, but if the phone gets too hot, check your power saving settings or turn off VoLTE.

The future of VoLTE: what awaits the technology in 2026-2026

VoLTE has become a de facto standard, but it will be subject to changes in the coming years.

• 🌍 Global shutdown 3G — Many operators (including Russian ones) are planning to completely abandon the project. 3G By 2026, that means that without VoLTE, calling on older smartphones will be impossible.
• 📡 Transition to VoNR – Voice over technology NR (5G) It's already being tested. In the future, calls will go through 5G, That will improve the quality even more.
• 🤖 AI integration – some operators (e.g. MTS) are already implementing AI-based noise cancellation for VoLTE calls.

For Xiaomi owners, this means that:

• If you plan to use a smartphone for longer than 2-3 years, VoLTE should be a priority when choosing a model.
• Older devices (until 2018) may lose call support after 3G shutdown.
• New flagships (such as Xiaomi 14 Ultra) already have VoNR support, which is the next step after VoLTE.

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If your Xiaomi is released before 2018 and doesn’t support VoLTE, consider buying a new smartphone – calls on such devices may stop working as early as 2026.

FAQ: Frequent questions about VoLTE in Xiaomi