How to remove call retention on Xiaomi Redmi phone

When a call on a Xiaomi or Redmi smartphone suddenly appears when a second caller is trying to reach you, it can take you by surprise, at which point the voice of the caller pauses, and you hear a characteristic standby signal, which is called Hold Call or Call Wait, which is activated by default on most SIM cards and Android settings.

For many users, this option becomes a source of irritation, especially if during an important conversation distracting signals interfere with focus. Often there is confusion between simply waiting for a second call and a full hold when the first subscriber is put on pause. To figure out how to manage these modes, it is necessary for every owner of a Xiaomi smartphone to have full control over their phone communication.

In this article, we will discuss in detail all ways to disable this function. MIUI, stealth USSD-You'll learn not only to block incoming codes and possible network problems, but also to understand why this feature is even turned on.

The concept of retention and waiting for a call in Android

Before you start to shut down, it's important to clearly distinguish between two related concepts that even power users often confuse: Call waiting is a service that lets you hear a buzzer and see a notification if someone calls you while you're already on the phone, at which point you can switch to a new person or reset the call.

Call retention is the action you take on your own, by pausing your current person to respond to another person or find information. On Redmi and Xiaomi smartphones, these functions are closely intertwined in software. Disabling one often affects the behavior of the other.

⚠️ Warning: Disabling the standby feature completely may result in you simply not being aware of a second incoming call until you have completed a current conversation or until the caller hears a “busy” signal».

In Android, which runs the MIUI shell, the Phone system app is responsible for these processes, and its settings are the priority for changing the communication parameters, but it is worth remembering that the final decision on connecting the service is always left to the SIM card and your carrier’s tariff plan.

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If you often conduct business negotiations, it is better not to disable the function completely, but to learn how to manage it competently, putting unnecessary interlocutors on hold to return to an important conversation.

Disconnection through standard phone settings

The easiest and safest way to remove unnecessary signals is to use the built-in settings menu. MIUI interface may vary slightly depending on the firmware version (Global, China, EEA), but the logic remains the same. You will need to find the section responsible for SIM cards and mobile networks.

Go to the main menu and select Settings. Next, look for SIM cards and mobile networks. This menu displays all your active SIM cards. Choose the one you want to change settings (Sim 1 or Sim 2), as the settings for each card may differ.

Inside the menu of the selected SIM card, scroll down to the "Additional Settings" block, which is where the switch we want to hide, find the "Waiting" item (or "Containing" in some translations), and turn the slider to "Off."

Once the slider is turned off, the system can spin the load indicator for a few seconds, sending a request to the operator's network. If the setup is successful, the slider will remain gray, and the corresponding inscription may appear next to it. Now, when the second call is incoming, the system will act according to the operator's settings, most often just dropping the call or occupying a line.

Use of the USSD-service-management codes

If the settings do not change through the menu or the slider is burning gray (inactive), they come to the rescue. USSD-These are special requests that go directly to the mobile operator's network, bypassing the smartphone interface, and this is the most reliable method, because it works even on push-button phones.

To manage the call/hold service, the universal code *43# is used. To check the status of the service, simply dial this number and press the call button. In response, an SMS or pop-up message will come up whether the service is enabled or not.

To forcefully disable retention and waiting, you need to enter a deactivation command. For all major operators (MTS, Beeline, MegaFon, Tele2), the disconnect code is the same: #43#. After dialling this combination and pressing the call button, you will receive a message about the successful shutdown of the service.

There is also a “nuclear” option to reset all forwarding and waiting settings – code ##002#. It is useful in cases where standard methods do not work, but be careful: it can turn off voicemail if it is configured through redirecting during class.

Settings in the phone application from Google

Many modern Xiaomi Redmi models (especially global versions) use Google’s standard Phone app instead of the branded MIUI call. The interface is different here, and the settings can be hidden elsewhere. The logic of the action remains similar, but the path to them is different.

Open the Phone app (green handset). In the upper right corner, click on three dots or your profile icon to open the menu. Select Settings. In the list that opens, look for Accounts or Additional Settings where Waiting for a Call will be.

In some versions, the shell settings can be broken down into SIM cards right in the app's main settings menu.You'll need to select a specific SIM card to see the switch. If you see the inscription "Service is not supported", then the lock is on the operator's side, and you need to use the device. USSD-code.

⚠️ Warning: After updating your Android system or the Phone app itself, the settings may reset to factory settings. Check this item periodically if the feature suddenly starts bothering you again. Often users are faced with a situation when the switch is active in the smartphone menu, but it is not possible to remove the retention, or it returns to its original position after a while. This is a classic sign that a service is imposed at the level of a tariff plan or subscriber profile in the operator's network, and some tariffs, especially corporate or archival ones, have strict terms of service provision. In such cases, the phone settings only display the status, but cannot change it. The only solution is to contact your operator's support service or use your personal account. It's also worth checking if you have additional services like Number Anti-Detector or Secretar, which can conflict with the call-waiting function, giving the illusion of a phone malfunction. 💡If the settings in the phone are not saved after the restart, the problem is guaranteed to be on the operator’s side, and the software methods are powerless. In rare cases, third-party applications for calls installed from the Play Market or system failures can cause incorrect operation. If standard methods do not help, you can try resetting the network settings. This will not delete your personal data (photos, contacts), but will return the Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and mobile settings to factory values. To do this, go to the Settings. → Connection and Sharing (or “Additional») → Reset Wi-Fi, mobile networks and Bluetooth. Confirm action. Once rebooted, the phone will try to re-register and call settings can be updated. Using third-party calls (Truecaller, Dialer, etc.) on Xiaomi can lead to conflicts, as the system can be used to re-register. MIUI It's aggressively controlling permissions. If you're using an app like this, check its internal settings. Often it has its own Call Wait switch, which is more important than the system. ⚠️ Warning: Before resetting your network settings, be sure to write down passwords from your Wi-Fi networks, as the phone will "forget" them and require re-entering. Frequently asked questions (FAQ) Why do I still hear the beep after I turn off the hold? This may be a “second call” signal from the operator itself, which comes as a “second call” signal. SMS-A notification or voice message after you've hung up, and check if you're using voicemail when you're busy, does the on hold affect battery life? Standby mode itself consumes minimal energy, because the phone simply monitors the network for a second call, but the constant activation of the screen when entering during a conversation can significantly reduce the battery.-1 Sim and-2? Yes, Xiaomi's dual-SIM smartphones have independent settings for each card. You can turn off waiting on the work SIM and leave it on your personal, by going through the setup procedure separately for each #43# He writes, "A connection error»? This means that there is no communication with the operator’s server at the moment or the code is not supported in your region/roaming. Try to turn off Wi-Fi and call the code over the mobile network, or contact the operator’s technical support.