How to force only 4G on Xiaomi: All the ways

Modern Xiaomi smartphones automatically switch between 2G, 3G and 4G networks depending on coverage, but this is not always optimal. Many users face a situation where the phone sticks on a slow 3G network instead of 4G, even with good coverage. The reasons can vary from firmware errors to incorrect operator settings. In this article, we will discuss all the working ways of forcing 4G on Xiaomi devices, from standard MIUI settings to engineering menus and configuration files editing.

Xiaomi phones often hide advanced network settings in the depth of the menu or remove them altogether in new versions of MIUI. For example, MIUI 13-14 disappeared the option "Only 4G", which was in MIUI 12. But this does not mean that there is no possibility - it just needs to be activated correctly. We tested all methods on current models (Redmi Note 12 Pro+, POCO F5, Xiaomi 13T) and prepared step-by-step instructions taking into account the nuances of various firmware.

If you want to not only speed up the Internet, but completely disconnect 2G/3G β€” This guide is for you. We'll look at the official methods (through the settings). SIM-maps, and hidden (through engineering menus and ADB). Important: some methods require a superuser's rights, but most methods work without them.

1. Standard method: settings SIM-card MIUI

The most obvious method is to use the built-in MIUI options. Unfortunately, new firmware versions (MIUI 13/14) have removed the direct option to select 4G only, but some models still retain it.

Open the Settings app and go to the section SIM-maps and mobile networks. Choose yours. SIM-If you have more than one card, then tap on the network type or preferred network type:

  • πŸ“Ά 4G (Preferably, the phone will try to connect to the 4G, But if there's no signal, it'll fall on 3G/2G.
  • πŸ“Ά Only 4G β€” It is ideal, but rarely found (usually on older versions). MIUI).
  • πŸ“Ά 3G/2G (vehicle) - forced shutdown 4G (It's not good for us).
  • πŸ“Ά Only 3G or 2G β€” For testing, do not use.

If you have 4G only, select it and restart your phone. If you don't have one (which is likely), move on to the next method. Note that some firmware (MIUI Global vs MIUI China) may have different options.

⚠️ Attention: Xiaomi with two SIM-The network settings can be duplicated for each slot separately with maps. Make sure you edit the settings for the slot. SIM, data-transmitting.

If you don’t have the right option on your menu, don’t despair – in 90% of cases it can be returned via an engineering menu or a free menu. ADB-Teams (more on this below) and in the meantime, answer a quick survey:

πŸ“Š What kind of smartphone you Xiaomi?
Redmi (any model)
POCO (any model)
Xiaomi (Flagship Series)
Black Shark
Other

2. Engineering menu: hidden network settings

The Engineering Menu (#4636##) is a hidden Android section where advanced network settings are available, including forced selection of the communication standard. On Xiaomi, logging into this menu can be blocked, but we know the workarounds.

First, try the standard method:

  1. Open the Phone app.
  2. Enter the combination ##4636## (as a normal number).
  3. If the menu is open, select Phone Information (or Phone Information).
  4. Scroll down to the Set preferred network type block.

Here you will see a list of available standards. For Xiaomi, the following values are relevant:

  • πŸ“‘ LTE only 4G (look-ahead).
  • πŸ“‘ LTE/WCDMA auto β€” 4G/3G (car, standard mode).
  • πŸ“‘ WCDMA only 3G.
  • πŸ“‘ GSM only 2G.

Select LTE only and press Set. The phone should reconnect to the network. If the combination ##4636## does not work (new Xiaomi often blocks), use an alternative method:

How to open the engineering menu if the code is not working?
1. Install the MTK Engineering Mode app (for MediaTek processors) or Engineer Mode (for Snapdragon). 2. In the app, find the Telephony β†’ Network Selecting. 3. Select LTE Only Mode and save the settings. 4. Reboot the phone.

After changing your settings, check the speed of the Internet using Speedtest. If the network indicator shows 4G, but the speed remained low, the problem may be the congestion of the operator tower.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 11 Pro)+) post-inclusion LTE This is due to the fact that some operators (for example, the number of calls, Tele2) use 3G for voice communication (technology) CSFB). Solution: Enable VoLTE in the settings SIM-map.

3. ADB-commands: forced inclusion 4G rootless

If the engineering menu isn't available, the next reliable way is to use ADB (Android Debug Bridge), Google's official tool that lets you send commands directly to Android, and it works for all Xiaomi without having to get root rights.

You'll need:

  • πŸ–₯️ Computer with Windows/Linux/macOS.
  • πŸ“± USB-cable (preferably original).
  • πŸ”§ Installed Xiaomi and ADB-tools drivers.

Step-by-step:

  1. Turn on the phone Developer Mode: go to Settings β†’ About phone and 7 times tap on the item MIUI version.
  2. Return to Settings β†’ Additional β†’ For developers and activate Debugging over USB.
  3. Connect the phone to the PC and in the command line (terminal) perform: adb devices Make sure that the device is determined (should appear its serial number).
  4. Enter a command for forced inclusion 4G: adb shell settings put global preferred_network_mode 9 Code"9" means "Only" LTE" (4G). For other standards, use: 7 (LTE/WCDMA), 8 (LTE/GSM), 10 (LTE/WCDMA/GSM).
  5. Reboot your phone with the command: adb reboot

After the reboot, check the network type in the status bar. If the indicator shows 4G, but the Internet is not working, try an alternative command:

adb shell settings put global preferred_network_mode 1

This command resets the network settings to factory settings, which sometimes helps in conflicts.

β˜‘οΈ Preparation for ADB-team

Done: 0 / 5

4. editing the build.prop file (requires root)

For advanced users who are ready to get root rights, there is a method of editing the system file build.prop. This file contains the configuration of the device, including network parameters.

Instructions:

  1. Get root rights with Magisk or a similar tool.
  2. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
  3. Go to /system/build.prop and open the file in the text editor.
  4. Add the following lines to the end of the file: ro.telephony.default_network=9 persist.radio.lte_only=true
  5. Save the file, reboot the phone.

After the reboot, the phone should only work on a 4G network. If you have problems with calls, add another line:

persist.radio.volte_on=true

This force activates VoLTE (voice calls over 4G).

⚠️ Warning: Editing build.prop can reset network settings after update MIUI. It is recommended to back up the file before changes, and some banking applications (for example, SberBank Online) can block work on phones with root.

5. Operator settings: how to get the tower to give 4G

Sometimes the problem isn't the phone, it's the operator's settings. Tele2 and Iota are the default 3G resource-saving 4G-To fix it:

  • πŸ“ž Call the operator and ask to activate. 4G/LTE Check if your rate supports this option.
  • πŸ“§ Send. USSD-Team: For MTS: *111*467# For Beeline: *110*180# For MegaFon: *105*484# For Tele2: *155*1#
  • πŸ”„ Update the settings APN: Go to Settings. β†’ SIM-maps and mobile networks β†’ Access points (APN). Choose. APN your operator and check the parameter type APN. It should contain default,supl,mms,lte. If it doesn't, create a new one. APN with settings from the official website of the operator.

After the changes, restart your phone and check the network type. If the indicator has not changed to 4G, try manually selecting the operator's network:

  1. Go to Settings. β†’ SIM-maps and mobile networks β†’ Choice of network.
  2. Turn off Automatically and select your operator manually.
  3. Wait for registration online (can take up to 2 minutes).

If that didn’t work, the problem could be in the coverage area. Check your carrier’s 4G coverage card (e.g. for MTS: https://www.mts.ru/pokritie).

6. Alternative methods: applications and firmware

If none of the above methods worked, consider the following options:

  • πŸ“± Annexes for compulsory 4G: 4G Only Mode (requires root) Network Signal Guru (shows detailed information about the network and allows you to block the network). 2G/3G). LTE Discovery (analyzes nearby towers) 4G).
  • πŸ”§ Custom firmware: Firmware like LineageOS or Pixel Experience often have more flexible network settings. For example, LineageOS can select "Only" LTE" The downside: loss of official warranty and possible bugs.
  • πŸ“‘ External 4G-Modems: If the phone is not holding 4G, Your network is stable in your area, so use it. USB/Wi-Fi modem (e.g. Huawei) E3372). It's guaranteed to give you 4G-Internet, but will not allow mobility.

Before installing custom firmware, check its compatibility with your Xiaomi model on the XDA Developers forum. For example, Pixel Experience is suitable for POCO X3 Pro, and ArrowOS is suitable for Redmi Note 10 Pro.

πŸ’‘

If you often lose 4G in roaming, try turning off automatic network selection and manually specifying your home carrier, which will prevent you from switching to slow roaming partners.

Comparison of methods: which way to choose?

To make the choice easier, we have compiled a comparative table of all methods, indicating the complexity, requirements and effectiveness of:

MethodDifficultyRoot is required.It's working on MIUI 14.Risk of failureEfficiency
Settings SIM-map⭐❌ No.βœ… Yes (rarely)❌ No.⚠️ Low (often no option)
Engineering menu⭐⭐❌ No.βœ… Yes.⚠️ Medium (may reset)⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tall.
ADB-team⭐⭐⭐❌ No.βœ… Yes.❌ No.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Maximum
Editing by build.propβ­β­β­β­βœ… Yes.βœ… Yes.⚠️ High (risk of "bricking")⭐⭐⭐⭐ Tall.
Custom firmwareβ­β­β­β­β­βœ… Yes.βœ… Yes.⚠️ Very tall.⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Maximum

For most users, the best option β€” ADB-Method 3: It does not require root, it works on all versions. MIUI If you don't want to mess with a computer, try the engineering menu (method 2.

πŸ’‘

ADB-Adb shell settings put global preferred_network_mode 9 β€” The most reliable way to force 4G on any Xiaomi without root rights.

FAQ: Frequent questions about 4G on Xiaomi

❓ Why the phone shows up 4G, but the speed is like 3G?
This may be due to several factors: πŸ“Ά Overloading towers - even on the network 4G speed may fall during peak hours. πŸ“± Operator Limitation – Some tariffs have a speed limit (e.g, 10 Mbit/s). πŸ”§ Wrong settings APN β€” Check the access point parameters (the protocol should be specified) IPv4/IPv6). πŸ“‘ Poor coverage – the phone can β€œclunge” to a weak signal 4G Solution: Try manually selecting an operator's network or contact support to check the fare.
❓ Can we just include 4G call-free?
Yes, but for this, you need to activate VoLTE (voice over the phone). 4G). Check: Go to Settings β†’ SIM-maps and mobile networks β†’ [Yours. SIM] β†’ VoLTE. Activate the option (if you have one), if you don't have one, call the operator and ask them to connect VoLTE. 4G The phone may not work (the phone may not be able to switch to the phone). 3G/2G voice-over).
❓ Why After Updating MIUI squash 4G?
Updates MIUI User network settings are often reset, especially if they have been changed through build.prop or an engineering menu: πŸ“± Save your current network settings (take a picture of the engineering menu screen). πŸ”§ After the update, repeat the procedure with ADB or engineering menu. πŸ“¦ If you used build.prop, check if the root has gone down after the update. MIUI via the official website of Xiaomi.
❓ Does this work for Xiaomi with two? SIM-map?
Yeah, but there's nuance: πŸ“± The network settings apply separately for each slot. 4G first-hand SIM, Just tune it in. πŸ”„ With two active SIM One of them may be working in 3G (For example, for calls, even if the SIM into 4G. ⚠️ On some models (Redmi Note 9 Pro) SIM switching over 2G active 4G Solution: Turn off the second. SIM Or set it to "Only." 3G" through the engineering menu.
❓ How to return the automatic mode (4G/3G/2G)?
To abolish compulsory 4G and return the automatic switch, use: πŸ“± Through settings: Select 4G (preferably in the network type. πŸ–₯️ Through ADB: adb shell settings put global preferred_network_mode 10 (code"10" means automatic LTE/WCDMA/GSM). πŸ”§ Through the Engineering Menu: Select LTE/WCDMA/GSM Auto. After the change, restart the phone.