How to turn off the Internet in the smartphone Xiaomi: all methods

Modern Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones function as powerful minicomputers that require constant network connectivity to synchronize data, receive notifications and update widgets. However, there are situations when you need to completely or selectively restrict your device’s access to the global network, this may be due to the desire to save traffic, extend battery life, or simply focus on important things without distractions.

MIUI and the new HyperOS have flexible network management tools that not only completely disconnect the connection, but also set application-specific constraints to make data consumption management as efficient as possible. It is important to understand the difference between a data shutdown and a complete disconnection via air mode.

In this article, we will take a closer look at all the available ways to deactivate the Internet, touching on standard methods through the notification curtain, settings in the system menu, as well as more advanced options for limiting background activity, and controlling network connections is a basic skill that will help you optimize the operation of your gadget.

Quick shutdown through notification curtain

The easiest and fastest way to interrupt a connection is to use a control panel that is swiped down from the top of the screen. Depending on the version of the MIUI shell, the interface may look different, but the logic remains the same. To access the full set of tools, you often need to click on the pencil icon or the four-square icon in the corner of the panel.

Here you'll see switches for mobile data and Wi-Fi. Clicking on a two-arrow icon (usually blue or green) activates or deactivates data transfer via the SIM card. If the green light is on, the Internet is active. To completely turn off, you need to turn off both indicators.

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Use the “Sleep Mode” feature in Wi-Fi settings to automatically turn off your wireless network at night, saving battery life.

It’s worth noting that simply turning off Wi-Fi doesn’t always guarantee that there are no background connections if mobile internet is activated. Make sure both modules are disabled if your goal is to completely isolate the device from the network. Some HyperOS builds have added the ability to quickly switch between SIM cards to access the network, which is also convenient to control from the curtain.

Network management through system settings

Deeper control of connections is through the main menu settings of the smartphone, which allows not only to turn off the Internet, but also to adjust the settings for each SIM card separately, which is important for dual-symbol devices Xiaomi and POCO.

First, you need to go to the Settings section. → SIM-Maps and mobile networks. This shows all active SIM cards. When you click on a particular SIM card, you'll be taken to a menu where you can customize the network types in detail (4G, 3G, 2G) And most importantly, disable the data transfer.

• 📱 Open the “Settings” app on your desktop.
• 📡 Go to section «SIM-maps and mobile networks».
• 🔘 Select the desired SIM card from the list of active.
• 🚫 Click on the “Use Mobile Data” switch to turn it off.

You can find access point settings and roaming options on the same menu. If you're abroad, it's critical to turn off roaming data to avoid charging large amounts of traffic. MIUI often warns you about roaming enabled, but it's best to manually check the settings before you travel.

Use of flight mode

Flight mode (or "Air mode") is a radical method that completely disables all wireless communication modules: cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and NFC. This is the most effective way to guarantee (sever) any connection of the smartphone with the outside world.

You can activate this mode through the notification curtain (aircraft icon) or through the Settings menu → Connections and Sharing → Flight Mode. When you turn on the air mode in the status bar, the characteristic icon of the aircraft appears, and signal level indicators disappear. The cellular network becomes unavailable for incoming calls and SMS.

⚠️ Note: In flight mode, you will not be able to receive regular calls and SMS. Make sure that this does not interfere with emergency communication if you need it.

An interesting feature of the Android implementation on Xiaomi smartphones is the ability to selectively turn on modules. For example, you can turn on the air mode to turn off the cell tower, and then manually activate Wi-Fi to listen to music or read saved pages, which creates an isolated environment without the risk of receiving calls.

Restricting background data for applications

Often, users don't have to shut down the Internet completely, but rather ban specific applications from spending traffic in the background, which is true for heavy games, social networks or video services that can eat gigabytes without you knowing. MIUI This allows you to flexibly adjust these parameters.

Go to Settings → Apps → All apps. Select the app you want (like YouTube or Instagram) and find “Data Use” or “Traffic Savings” where you can disable background connection or restrict access only via Wi-Fi.

There's also a built-in Security app (a green lightning icon) that has its own traffic control module, and in Statistics, you can see a list of all the programs that use the network and limit their rights, and background processes will be stopped, which will also positively affect the autonomy of the device.

Setting up profiles and saving traffic

Modern versions of Xiaomi firmware have smart profiles that allow you to switch between use cases with one touch, which is convenient if you need to quickly transition from Maximum Performance and Connectivity to Saving or Games mode.

To set up, go to Settings → Digital Well-Being and Parental Controls, or use the Security → Battery app, where you can create a scenario where, at a certain charge level or at a given time, background sync and mobile internet will automatically shut down.

The Traffic Saving feature in connection settings also helps control consumption. When activated, the system will alert applications to attempts to log in and block background update downloads, which is especially useful when you use Internet distribution from your phone or are in a coverage area with a limited tariff.

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Using savings profiles is the best way to extend battery life on a trip by automatically disabling unnecessary network requests.

Frequent problems and their solution

Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the Internet does not turn off or, conversely, spontaneously turns on, this can be caused by failures in the communication module, firmware errors or aggressive energy saving settings that reboot network services.

If the standard switches don't respond, try resetting your network settings. This action won't delete your personal data (photos, contacts), but will return all network settings to factory values. Path to function: Settings → Connections and Sharing → Reset Wi-Fi, mobile networks and Bluetooth.

• 🔄 Reboot the device – it solves 90% of temporary software failures.
• 📡 Check if the “Always Active Internet” feature is enabled in the advanced Wi-Fi settings.
• 🔧 Make sure that the SIM card does not have operator services that (forced) renew the connection.

⚠️ Warning: Once you reset your network settings, you'll need to re-enter passwords from all your stored Wi-Fi networks.

In rare cases, the problem may lie in the physical malfunction of the antenna module or the SIM card itself. If the software methods do not help, and the Internet behaves chaoticly, it is worth checking the SIM card on another device or contacting the Xiaomi service center for a hardware diagnosis.

Questions and Answers (FAQ)