Where to enable geolocation on Xiaomi: a complete guide to setting up GPS and permissions

Why Xiaomi doesn’t have geolocation and how to fix it

You open Google Maps or Yandex.Maps, and your location is determined by a few kilometers of error — or not at all? The problem with geolocation on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones is more common than you think. It is not only hardware limitations, but also the features of the MIUI firmware, which aggressively optimizes background processes. In 80% of cases, the solution lies on the surface: it is enough to include the right settings in the Location menu and issue permissions to the right applications.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways Xiaomi devices can activate geolocation, from basic GPS settings to hidden developer settings. How to check satellite performance, why Google Play Services can block your location, and what to do if your phone doesn’t see your position even in open areas. And for owners of older models (such as the Redmi Note 4 or Mi A1), we’ve prepared separate recommendations for speeding up satellite search.

Before you go into settings, make sure the problem is not due to external factors:

• 📶 Weak network signal: In basements or dense forests, GPS may be unstable.
• 🌧️ Weather conditions: rain, snow, or magnetic storms impair satellite reception.
• 🔋 Power saving mode: MIUI turns off GPS in the background if the battery is discharged below 15%.

Basic geolocation settings in MIUI

To start with, the obvious is to check if the GPS module is on in the system settings. On Xiaomi smartphones, the path to this menu may vary depending on the version of MIUI (12, 13 or 14), but the general logic remains.

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen).
2. Go to Location (older versions may call it Security and Privacy → Location).
3. Activate the slider Location at the top of the screen.
4. Click on Mode and select High Accuracy (Uses GPS, Wi-Fi, mobile networks and sensors).

If the High Accuracy option is not available (shaded in grey), this means that Google services are disabled on your device.

• 🔄 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management.
• 🔍 Find Google Play Services and open its settings.
• ⚙️ Press Permissions and enable Location access.
• 🔄 Reboot the phone.

Slider "Location" in the settings is enabled

Selected "High accuracy" mode

Google Play Services has access to geodata

The smartphone is rebooted after changes-->

Important! Some models (such as the POCO F3 or Redmi K40) reset the permissions for system applications after the MIUI update. If the geolocation stopped working after the update, check the permissions for Google Play Services and Google Maps manually.

App Permits: Why Maps Can't See Your Location

Even if GPS is enabled at the system level, individual applications (e.g., 2GIS or Uber) may not have access to geodata. In MIUI, permissions are managed separately for each software to verify:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Select the desired application (for example, Yandex.Navigator).
3. Press Permissions. → Location.
4. Set the value Always (for navigators) or Only during use (for social networks).

On models with MIUI 14 and later, Special Access has been introduced, which allows applications to use geolocation even in the background.

• 📱 Open the application settings (as in the paragraphs above).
• 🔍 Scroll down to the block Additional.
• 🔘 Enable the option to Allow Background Location.

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If the application requests geodata for the first time, MIUI can show a pop-up with a choice of "only once", "during use" or "Always". For maps and navigators, choose "Always", otherwise, when you wind up the GPS program, it will turn off.

Permissions are often blocked after resetting or installing custom firmware. If you notice that Google Maps stopped displaying your location after the update, check:

⚠️ Warning: There is a bug in MIUI 13 and older that resets permissions after rebooting. Solution: Go to Settings → Special Features → Permissions Management and manually confirm access for all the applications you need.

GPS check: how to know if your phone can see satellites

If the settings are turned on, but the geolocation still doesn't work, maybe the problem is in the hardware. GPS-module:

1. Download the GPSTest app (or GPS Status & Toolbox) from Google Play.
2. Open it and wait for the program to find the satellites.
3. Note: 📡 Number of satellites visible (must be at least 8-12). 📶 Signal level (green bars are good reception). 🎯 Accuracy (should be less than 10 meters).

If the satellites are not defined at all (or there are less than 3), try:

• 🔄 Reboot the phone — sometimes the GPS module freezes.
• 📱 Update firmware — older versions MIUI had bugs with GPS drivers.
• 🧲 Reset network settings: Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Reset network settings.

To speed up the search for satellites in open areas:

⚠️ Warning: If you use Xiaomi with custom firmware (like LineageOS), make sure it has proprietary drivers for GPS. Without them, the module will not work properly, even if everything is enabled in the settings.

Hidden settings: Developer mode and GPS acceleration

If standard methods didn't work, it's time to look at the developer menu, where you can manually configure GPS settings, which are hidden from the user by default, to activate the developer mode:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Find the MIUI version and click on it 7 times in a row.
3. Enter a pattern lock or password if required.
4. Return to the main settings menu – a new section will appear Additional → For developers.

Now open for developers and find the following options:

• 📡 Enable GPS- debugging - activate this item.
• 🔄 Data reset GPS – press if the satellites are detected for too long.
• 📱 Mode Select GPS – Set Device only (for testing) or High Accuracy.

For models with Qualcomm Snapdragon (such as POCO X3 Pro or Redmi K50), the option to Enable QZSS (Japanese Satellite System) is available.

Settings → For developers → Enable QZSS (if any)

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Resetting GPS data from the developer menu helps in 60 percent of cases where satellites are not detected after a firmware update, which does not delete personal data, but only resets the module cache.

On older devices (e.g., Redmi 4X or Mi 5) you can manually download AGPS- data:

• 📱 Install the GPS Status & Toolbox app.
• 🔄 Open the menu → Status Management AGPS → Reset.
• 📡 Then press Download - this will update the satellite almanac data.

Problems with geolocation in specific models Xiaomi

Some Xiaomi smartphones have unique GPS bugs related to hardware or firmware, and we have collected typical problems and solutions for popular lines:

Devices with a MediaTek processor (such as the Redmi Note 11 or POCO M4 Pro) have a problem with GPS hanging after prolonged use of the navigator.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Google Maps or another navigation device.
3. Click Clear cache and erase data.
4. Reboot the phone.

On the Xiaomi 12T and Redmi K60 with MIUI 14, there is a bug that causes GPS to stop working after connecting to a Bluetooth navigator (for example, in a car). Temporary solution: before using the navigator, turn off Bluetooth for 10 seconds, then turn it back on.

Energy saving and geolocation: how to make GPS work in the background

The MIUI operating system aggressively optimizes background processes to save battery life, which can shut down GPS 5 to 10 minutes after the application is shut down, to avoid:

1. Open Settings → Battery and Performance.
2. Select Battery Consumption Management for applications.
3. Find your navigator (e.g. Yandex.Navigator) and install it without restrictions.
4. Go back and click Battery Optimization → Applications.
5. For Google Play Services and mapping apps, select Not Optimize.

On models with MIUI 13/14, Deep Optimization has been introduced, which can block GPS even for system applications.

• 📱 Go to Settings. → Special facilities.
• 🔍 Find permission management → Deep optimization.
• 🔘 Turn off the slider for Google Play Services and navigators.

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If you use your navigator frequently in your car, add it to Auto Run (in battery settings) to prevent the application from being accidentally shut down by the system.

For owners of devices with Android 12+ (for example, Xiaomi 13 or Redmi Note 12) is available feature Adaptive battery that learns your habits. GPS It shuts down at the wrong time:

1. Go to Settings → Battery → Adaptive battery.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Reset Adaptive Settings.

What to do if nothing helps: radical methods

If you've tried all the ways, but GPS still doesn't work, there are radical measures left, and we warn you, they can lead to data loss or unstable phone operation.

⚠️ Warning: Resetting to factory settings will delete all data from internal memory, including photos and apps. Pre-backup via Settings → About Phone → Backup.

Method 1: Reset network and location settings

• 📱 Open the Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks.
• 🔄 Select Network Settings Reset (this will remove stored Wi-Fi and cellular settings).
• 📡 Then go to Settings → Location → Additional → Data Reset GPS.

Method 2: Fastboot Flashing (for power users)

If the problem occurred after the MIUI update, it may be that the firmware is installed with errors.

1. Download the official firmware for your model from the Xiaomi Firmware website.
2. Unpack the archive and connect the phone to your PC in Fastboot mode (clip Volume Down + Power when the phone is off).
3. Use the Mi Flash Tool to flash it (instructions are available on 4PDA).

Method 3: Replacement of the antenna module

If the GPS does not work even after resetting and flashing, there may be a hardware malfunction.

• 📡 Disconnected antenna plume (often after a battery drop or change).
• 🔌 Oxidation of contacts on the motherboard (especially after moisture hits).
• 🔧 Faulty GPS- module (solved by replacing the chip in the service).

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Before you visit the service, check the GPS on another device in the same place. If the problem recurs, it is not the weather or the operator that is to blame, but your smartphone.

FAQ: answers to frequent questions about geolocation on Xiaomi