NFC Xiaomi Redmi 9: A Complete Guide to Features and Setup

You just bought Xiaomi Redmi 9 and noticed a mysterious acronym in the specifications NFC? Or have you been using a smartphone for a long time, but still don't understand why you need this chip and how to put it into practice? NFC Redmi 9 A to Z: From basic principles to hidden possibilities, which even official instructions are silent about.

We won’t be overloading you with technical details about radio frequencies and data exchange protocols (though if you’re interested, see this in the spoiler below), instead focusing on specific use cases, from contactless payments to smart home automation, and why. NFC Redmi 9 doesn’t work like Xiaomi flagships, and how to get around the limitations of a budget model.

Spoiler: If you think that NFC You only need to pay with your phone, you're missing 80 percent of the phone's capabilities.

What is NFC in a smartphone in simple words

NFC (Near Field Communication is a very short-range wireless technology (literally, "near field communication"). Think of it as Bluetooth, but with two key differences:

• 📏 Range: only works at a distance to 10 see (in practice — 2-4 It's both a plus (safety) and a minus (inconvenience).
• ⚡ Speed: Transmits data at speeds up to 424 kbps – 10 times slower than Bluetooth 5.0, but it is enough to transfer small pieces of information (for example, a bank card number.
• 🔋 Energy consumption: near zero. chip NFC Redmi 9 consumes in the ~15mA with active use, 20 times less than Wi-Fi.

Main advantage NFC — Instant connection. Unlike Bluetooth, where you have to look for devices and confirm pairing, you just have to put your smartphone to a terminal or a tag. No passwords, no waiting, it happens in a fraction of a second.

Xiaomi Redmi 9 chip NFC It's located at the top of the back cover (under the camera), and it's important to remember when paying or reading tags, that you should hold your phone upside down, not sideways.

What functions NFC Available in Xiaomi Redmi 9

Despite the budget price, Redmi 9 supports all major modes of operation. NFC. But there are nuances: some features may require additional customizations or third-party apps:

Important for Redmi 9: Android Beam is disabled at the software level. MIUI You can't get around it, only through third-party apps like "Send Anywhere".

The most popular feature is contactless payments, of course, but let's see how this works in practice and what pitfalls Redmi 9 has.

⚠️ Note: Some regional versions of the Redmi 9 (e.g. India or China) have a chip NFC It can be turned off at the firmware level. You can check this in the Settings menu. → Connections and sharing → NFC. If there is no point, your model does not support the technology.

How to set up NFC Xiaomi Redmi 9 for Payment by Phone

To start paying with your phone instead of a credit card, you only need to follow 3 steps, but there are nuances that are not mentioned in the official instructions. HCE (Host Card Emulation, without which some banking applications will not work.

Enable NFC in the settings

Add a bank card to Google Pay/SberPay

Activate HCE in hidden settings (if payment does not work)

Check the compatibility of the card with contactless payments

Update MIUI last-minute-->

Step-by-step:

1. Activate. NFC: Go to Settings. → Connections and sharing → NFC And move the slider to "On." There's an icon next to it in the notification bar.
2. Set up a payment app: For Google Pay: install an app from the Play Market, add a card and confirm it through the Play Market SMS For SberPay or Mir Pay: Use the official applications of banks.
3. Check the work. HCE (If payment fails: Enter the dialer code ##4636##, select Phone Information and scroll to the block NFC. If the status HCE "Disabled – Enable it (root access may be required).

Now you can pay for purchases: bring the phone to the terminal (screen up), unlock the device (do not have to enter). PIN — Just swipe it, and wait for the beep. Redmi 9 is faster if you open the payment app first.

⚠️ Note: Some terminals in Russia do not support payment through Google Pay due to sanctions restrictions, in this case, SberPay or Mir Pay will help. Also check that the phone has enabled the function of Quick unlock (in security settings) – otherwise you will have to enter PIN at every.

💡

If the terminal is not reading the phone, try to bring it not to the center, but to the upper right corner of the terminal - there is usually an antenna. NFC. Also make sure that the phone is power-saving mode turned off: it can block the background operation of payment applications.

How to Use NFC for Smart Home and Automation

Few people know, but with help. NFC-You can automate routine actions on your phone, like tapping a tag on your bedside table, you put it on silent mode and you set your alarm, or you put it on a tag in your car, and you automatically start Google Maps, and you start your route to work.

Here are the 3 most useful scenarios for Redmi 9:

• 🏠 Home tag: Attached the phone to the tag on the door — Wi-Fi turned on, mobile data turned off, the smart home application was launched (Mi Home).
• 🚗 Car tag: Touching the tag in the car turns on Bluetooth, launches music through Spotify and sends SMS My family: I'm going home".
• 🛌 Night mark: The label on the nightstand puts the phone in Do Not Disturb mode, reduces the brightness of the screen and turns on night lights (Xiaomi) LED Desk Lamp).

You'll need to set up:

1. NFC-Tags (you can buy on AliExpress for a short time) 100-200 rupee 10 piece).
2. Annex NFC Tools (free version is enough for basic tasks).
3. Tasker or Automate application for creating complex automations.

Example of setting up a label for a home scenario:

1. Open up. NFC Tools and select "Write down" → Add a record. → The challenge".
2. Create a task: turn on Wi-Fi, turn off mobile Internet, start Mi Home.
3. Bring the tag to the phone (to the top of the back cover) and wait for the recording.
4. Put a tag on a door or a table, and then touch the phone and start the script.

💡

NFC-The tags in Redmi 9 only work when the screen is unlocked. If you want the script to work without unlocking, use the tags with the function. NFC LockScreen Bypass (sold separately).

Is it possible to emulate a transport card in Redmi 9 (Troika, Strelka, etc.)

Officially, Xiaomi Redmi 9 does not support emulation of transport cards like the Moscow Troika or St. Petersburg Podparlodika, but there are workarounds with reservations.

Here's what works and what doesn't:

• ✅ Through bank applications: Some banks (such as Tinkoff or Sberbank) allow you to link a transport card to a virtual bank card, then the fare will be debited from your bank account, and the phone emulates your bank card.
• ❌ Direct emulation: Apps like My Pass or Metro Moscow do not support Redmi 9 due to lack of certification SPT (Standard of Personal Transportation).
• ⚠️ Through NFC-Labels: You can put your transport card data on a tag and put it on the turnstile, but this violates the rules of the carriers and can lead to a card lock.

The most reliable way is to use a bank card with a fare function (for example, Troika in Tinkoff).

1. Link the transport card to the bank in the mobile application.
2. Add a bank card to Google Pay or SberPay.
3. Pay for the fare by attaching the phone to the turnstile (it will charge money from a bank account, not from a transport card).

⚠️ Note: In Moscow, from 2023, there are restrictions on fares through Google Pay on some metro lines.If the turnstile does not work, try using a SberPay or a physical card.

Hidden functions NFC Redmi 9, which you didn’t know about

Beyond the standard scenarios, NFC Redmi 9 can be used for non-obvious tasks. Here are 5 little-known chips:

• 🔑 Copying Intercom Keys: If Your Intercom Supports NFC-cards (such as Cyfral or Eltis), you can copy the key to the phone using the application NFC ReTag. Doesn't work with all intercom models!
• 🎮 Connecting gamepads: Some wireless gamepads (e.g, 8BitDo or Gamesir) support pairing through NFC. Just hold your phone to the joystick and they will connect automatically.
• 📱 Quick Wi-Fi Password Transfer: The WiFi Key Share app lets you write your Wi-Fi network data to NFC-Guests can connect to the Internet by simply putting their phone to a tag.
• 🛒 Barcode scanner: Using the app NFC TagInfo can read data from smart packaging (e.g., wine bottles or medicines) where manufacturers embed the data. NFC-chip.
• 🔧 Device Diagnostics: Some Xiaomi smart devices (such as Mi Band 6 or Mi Smart Scale 2) have hidden devices NFC-Mi Home can read error data from them.

Most of these features will require specialized applications.-5 utility NFC on the Redmi 9:

Important: When working with specialized tags (for example, to copy keys), Redmi 9 may give an error "Unsupported card type." NXP PN54T — It doesn't support some proprietary formats, and in that case, it's just changing the phone to a model with a chip. NXP PN80T (For example, the Redmi Note 10 Pro).

Why? NFC Redmi 9 may not work and how to fix it

If NFC Your Redmi 9 refuses to turn on or is unstable, the reasons may be both software and hardware:

Check if it's on. NFC customized

Make sure there is no physical damage to the antenna

Update MIUI to the latest version

Check conflicts with other applications

Reset the network settings-->

Let’s look at the most common problems and their solutions:

• 🔄 NFC It turns on, but immediately turns off: Reason: conflict with power saving mode. Solution: go to Settings → Battery and performance → Battery management and add Google Pay apps NFC-service.
• 📵 Phone can't read tags: Reason: weak antenna or cover interference. Solution: Remove the case and put the tag on top of the back cover (where the antenna is located). If it doesn't work, try another type of tag (for example, NTAG213 instead NTAG215).
• 💳 Payments are not processed via Google Pay: Reason: Disabled HCE ore-of-fashion MIUI. Solution: Update the firmware through Settings → The phone. → System update. If it doesn't work, check status. HCE via the engineering menu (#4636##).
• 🔌 NFC stopped working after the phone fell: Cause: physical damage to the antenna or chip. Solution: repair only at the service center. Average replacement cost NFC-module 9 — 1500-2000 ruble.

If nothing helps, try resetting your network settings:

1. Go to Settings → System and device → Additional → Resetting.
2. Select Network Settings Reset (this won’t delete your data, only network settings).
3. Restart your phone and check the NFC.

⚠️ Note: If you have installed custom firmware (for example, LineageOS), NFC It may not work due to the lack of proprietary Xiaomi drivers, in which case only returning to the official one will help. MIUI.

FAQ: Frequent questions about NFC in Xiaomi Redmi 9