How to connect Wi-Fi on a Xiaomi phone: instructions for all models

Wireless connectivity on Xiaomi smartphones usually takes less than a minute, but sometimes users encounter errors like “Save, WPA/WPA2 protection” or “No Internet connection.” This article will help you figure out how to properly configure Wi-Fi on any Redmi, Poco or Mi phone – from the budget Redmi 12C to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra.

We're going to look at not only the basic steps of connecting, but also the common issues: why the phone can't see the network, how to reset the network settings, what to do when you fail to authenticate (2.4 GHz / 5 All instructions are relevant to MIUI 14/15 Android 13/14.

If you just bought a new Xiaomi or upgraded your firmware and your WiFi stopped working, don’t rush to bring your phone to the service. 90% of the time, you can solve the problem yourself by following our recommendations. For convenience, we added interactive checklists and surveys to help you find a solution faster.

1. Basic Wi-Fi connection on Xiaomi: step-by-step instructions

To start with, it's simple: connecting to an open or secure network, which works on all Xiaomi models, regardless of the MIUI version, and if your phone has been connected to that network before, it should automatically connect when you turn on Wi-Fi again.

How to turn on WiFi and connect to the network:

1. Open the notification bar by swiping your finger from top to bottom across the screen.
2. Find the Wi-Fi icon (usually located in the top row) and hold it for 1-2 seconds – this will open the settings menu.
3. Activate the Wi-Fi switch (if it is turned off).
4. In the list of available networks, select the desired one. If the network is not in the list, click Update (round arrow in the upper right corner).
5. For secure networks, enter a password and click Connect.

Once you've successfully connected, a tick will appear next to the network name, and a signal level icon will appear in the notification panel, and if the password is entered incorrectly, the system will show an error "failed to connect to the network."

Make sure the router is turned on and distributes Wi-Fi.|Check the correctness of the password (registrar is important!)|Turn it off. VPN or proxy in the phone settings|Restart your router if the network is not displayed-->

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 11 Pro)+) When you first connect to a new network, you may get a location request. This is an Android requirement to scan the networks, click "Allow" or you won't be able to connect.

2 Why Xiaomi doesn't see Wi-Fi network: 5 main reasons

If your Xiaomi can’t find your network, even though other devices can see it, the problem can be in both the phone and the router.

• 📡 Router's hiding. SSID (Many users turn off the network name for security reasons, and to connect to such a network, you need to manually add it to your phone settings (instructions in the next section).
• 🔄 Incompatible Wi-Fi standard: Older routers can only work in mode 802.11b/g, A new Xiaomi smartphones (for example, Xiaomi) 13T) Default looking for networks 802.11n/ac/ax. Solution: In the router settings, enable support for all standards.
• 📶 Weak signal or interference: If the phone is far from the router or between walls of concrete, the network may not show. Try to bring the phone closer or switch the router to a channel with less interference (for example, 1-6 for 2.4 GHz).
• 🔒 Restriction on MAC-Some routers are configured to only allow devices to connect. MAC-Check the filtering settings on the router.
• 🔧 Wi-Fi failure. If your phone can't see any network, there's probably a hardware problem. Try to turn on Flight Mode for 30 seconds, then turn it off.

Xiaomi models with Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset (such as Xiaomi 13 Pro) may conflict with ASUS routers if AI Mesh mode is enabled, in which case disable AI Mesh in the router settings or update its firmware.

TP-Link|ASUS|Xiaomi|Keenetic|D-Link|Other-->

3. How to connect to a hidden Wi-Fi network on Xiaomi

Hidden networks (with SSIDs disabled) are often used in offices or to improve the security of a home network, and to connect to such a network on Xiaomi, you need to manually add its settings.

Instructions:

1. Go to Settings. → Wi-Fi.
2. Scroll down the list of networks and click Add Network (or Other in older versions of MIUI).
3. Type: Network Name (SSID) is the exact name of the hidden network (registrar is important!) Type of security is usually WPA2-PSK or WPA3-PSK. Password is a security key.

Save.

If you don’t know the exact network name or type of security, check with the network administrator or look at the router sticker (usually listed there). SSID by default, for example TP-LINK_1234).

5GHz Wi-Fi setup on Xiaomi: Why the phone doesn't see the network

Many modern routers operate in two bands: 2.4 GHz (long range but lower speed) and 5 GHz (high speed but shorter range). Xiaomi defaults to looking for networks in both bands, but sometimes 5 GHz may not show up. Here are the possible reasons:

On some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi 9A), the Wi-Fi module may not support the 5GHz band. To check this, check out the specifications of your model on the official Xiaomi website or use the WiFi Analyzer app from Google Play.

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If your router supports Wi-Fi 6 (802.11ax), but your phone is not connected to the network in this standard, upgrade your MIUI firmware to the latest version. In some cases, resetting your network settings (Settings → About Phone → Settings Reset → Reset your Wi-Fi, mobile network and Bluetooth settings helps).

5 Connection errors: "Save, WPA/WPA2 protection" and others

One of the most common problems when connecting to Wi-Fi on Xiaomi is the message "Save, WPA/WPA2 protection." This means that the phone has saved network data but cannot connect due to an authentication error. Here's how to fix it:

• 🔑 Wrong password. Even if you're sure you entered it correctly, try re-entering it. Sometimes it helps to copy the password from notes (to avoid typos).
• 🔄 Failure in network settings. Delete the network from the saved network: click on its name in the Wi-Fi list → Delete → Try to connect again.
• 📱 Conflict with phone settings. Go to Settings → Connections and sharing → Private DNS and select Automatically (if there was a custom box specified). DNS).
• 🛠️ Router problems. Reset router (turn off power for 30 seconds). If that doesn't work, reset it to factory settings (Reset button on the back panel).

Another common mistake is "No Internet connection" when you're in active Wi-Fi.

1. Check if the internet is working on other devices.
2. If yes, reset your network settings on your phone (Settings → System → Resets → Reset Wi-Fi settings).
3. If not, restart the router or contact the provider.

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If the error "Save, WPA/WPA2 protection" appears on all devices, the problem is exactly in the router, most often due to incorrect security settings (for example, WPA and WPA2) are simultaneously enabled. Solution: in the router settings, select only WPA2-PSK (or WPA3-PSK for new models).

6. Additional Wi-Fi settings on Xiaomi: what can be optimized

MIUI offers several hidden features to help improve Wi-Fi performance, for example, you can enable automatic switching between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz if your router supports both bands under the same name (Band Steering technology).

Where to find these settings:

1. Go to Settings. → Wi-Fi.
2. Press on. ⚙️ (gear) in the upper right corner.
3. Enable options: Autoconnect to open networks (not recommended for security reasons); Notify public networks – the phone will alert you to potentially dangerous networks; Additional features → Switch to the best network automatically (if available).

MIUI also has Wi-Fi Power Saving Mode, which turns off the Wi-Fi module when you lock the screen, to turn it off:

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Energy Saving Mode.
2. Select No Limits or add Wi-Fi to the exceptions.

For advanced users: If you connect to different networks frequently, you can use the Tasker app to automatically turn on/off Wi-Fi depending on your location.

7. Network Resetting: When to Do It and How to Do It

If none of these things work, the last option is to reset your network settings, which will delete all the stored Wi-Fi networks, passwords, and reset your mobile Internet and Bluetooth settings, and the phone data (photos, apps) will not be affected.

How to reset your network settings on Xiaomi:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Select Settings Reset.
3. Click Reset Wi-Fi, Mobile Network and Bluetooth settings.
4. Confirm the action by entering PIN-code.

Once reset, the phone will reboot. You'll have to re-enter passwords for all Wi-Fi networks, but this often solves connectivity problems, especially after the MIUI update.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Poco) F5) After resetting the network settings, you may lose access to the mobile network. In this case, restart the phone or manually select the operator in Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Wi-Fi connectivity on Xiaomi