Is it bad to catch a network on Xiaomi? 15 proven ways to improve communication on Android

Have you noticed that your Xiaomi has become worse at catching mobile networks and calls are interrupted in the most unexpected places? Or maybe the 4G/5G Internet is working in a jerky way, although everything was stable before? Communication problems on Redmi, POCO or Mi smartphones are common, and the reasons can lie in both the MIUI settings and the hardware features of the device.

In this article, we’ll look at 15 working methods to improve communication quality on Xiaomi, from basic settings to hidden engineering menu features. You’ll learn why a smartphone can fail to catch a network even where other phones work normally, and how to fix it without going to a service center. And we’ll also tell you which Xiaomi models are most likely to suffer from antenna problems and what to do about it.

1. Check the basic network settings

Before digging deep, make sure your Xiaomi settings are set up correctly, sometimes with a mis-chosen network mode or a randomly disabled setting.

Open the Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks. Check here:

• 📶 Network mode: must be selected 4G/3G/2G (car 5G/4G/3G/2G (If it's supported, if it's worth it. 3G or 2G, The smartphone will not use more modern and faster networks.
• 🔄 Automatic network selection: enable this option if it is disabled. manually selected operator network may perform worse than automatic search.
• 📱 Roaming: If you are in another carrier’s coverage area (e.g. on a trip), turn roaming on, but watch out for fares.

Also, consider prioritization (priority) SIM-If you have two-sim Xiaomi, you can specify which one. SIM And it's going to be used for data and it's going to be used for calls, and sometimes the smartphone is going to mistakenly pick the second one. SIM Internet coverage, although it is worse.

2. Update firmware and modem

Manufacturers regularly release updates that fix errors in the modem, the chip responsible for communication. If your Xiaomi has not been updated in a long time, this can be the cause of a bad signal.

To update the firmware:

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Click Check Updates and install the latest version of MIUI.
3. If the update doesn’t come automatically, try downloading it manually from Xiaomi’s official website (select the version for your model!).

Sometimes the modem update comes separately from the main firmware.

• 🔧 Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Network settings.
• 🔄 Find Network Configuration Update or Modem Update (on some models it is hidden in Additional Settings).

💡

If the connection gets worse after the update, try to roll back on the previous version of MIUI. Sometimes new firmware contains bugs, especially on older Xiaomi models.

3. Resetting network settings

If the problems started after installing applications, changing settings or updating, it is possible that the conflict is caused by incorrect network parameters, in which case the reset will help.

How to reset your network settings on Xiaomi:

1. Open the Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Network Reset (or Mobile Network Reset).
3. Confirm action. Once you restart, the smartphone will reconnect to the operator's network.

This method also resets stored Wi-Fi networks and passwords, so write them down in advance. If the connection hasn't improved after the reset, move on to the following methods.

4. Configure the engineering menu (Secret Codes)

Xiaomi, like other Android smartphones, has a hidden engineering menu where you can manually adjust communication settings, a powerful tool, but you need to use it carefully - the wrong settings can make things worse.

To open the engineering menu, enter one of these codes in the Phone application:

• 📱 ##4636## - The main test menu (works on most models).
• 🔧 ##225## - calibration information (for some Redmis).
• 📡 ##7262626## - Field Test (Field Test).

After entering the code ##4636##, select Phone Information.

• 📶 Set preferred network type: install LTE only NR/LTE/TD-SCDMA/GSM auto (for 5G-model).
• 🔄 Refresh Network: Click to Forced Update Connection.
• 📊 Signal strength: This shows the current signal level in dBm (the closer to 0, the better).

Enter the code ##4636## and open "Phone Information" |Look at Signal strength |Try to change network type |Refresh button

-->

Warning: Do not change the settings unless you are sure of their purpose, for example, if you do not configure Band Selection correctly, you may lose communication completely.

5. Problems with SIM-card-and-slot

Often, bad communication on Xiaomi is not related to the smartphone itself, but to the smartphone. SIM-It's a card or a slot:

Status. SIM-map:

• 🔍 Examine the map for scratches, chips or contaminants on the contacts. If any, gently wipe the map with a stripe or soft cloth.
• 📏 Make sure that SIM Xiaomi usually supports nano-SIM, but some older models (e.g. Redmi) 4X) You may need a micro-SIM.
• 🔄 Try inserting. SIM If the phone is also bad, the problem is with the card or the operator.

Slot problems:

• 🔌 Carefully get the tray for SIM And check if the contacts inside the slot are bent, and if so, that could be the cause of the bad signal.
• 🔧 On some Xiaomi models, for example, POCO X3 Or Redmi Note 10) the second slot may perform worse than the first due to hardware limitations. SIM first-place.

If you use two of them SIM-Remember, on many Xiaomi the second slot does not support 4G, If the first slot is already 4G-SIM. This is a hardware limitation and cannot be fixed software.

💡

On Xiaomi models with a hybrid slot (for example, Redmi Note 8 Pro), the second SIM can only work in 2G mode if the first slot is a microSD card.

6.Audit and body inspection

The antennas in Xiaomi are located along the body, and their performance can deteriorate due to physical damage or improper assembly.

Metal case and covers:

• 📱 If you have a model with a metal body (for example, Mi 8 or Mi 9), it can shield the signal. Try to remove the case or use a model with slots for antennas.
• 🛡️ Some cases with magnets or metal inserts also impair communication.

Falls and impacts:

• 💥 If the smartphone fell, the antenna tracks on the board could get damaged, and models with a severable body (for example, Redmi) are especially vulnerable. 5A or Redmi 6).
• 🔧 In service centers, they can diagnose this damage with a tester, and if the antenna is really damaged, it can be soldered.

Checking of coverage areas:

• 📡 Use applications like Network Cell Info Lite or OpenSignal to see where the signal is missing, and it may not be the phone that's the problem, but the poor carrier coverage in your area.

If you suspect a hardware malfunction, but do not want to disassemble the smartphone yourself, contact the service.Analyte repair on Xiaomi usually costs from 1,500 to 3,000 rubles, depending on the model.

7. Alternative methods of signal amplification

If the standard methods did not help, try these non-obvious techniques:

Compulsory registration on the network:

• ✈️ Turn on Flight Mode for 30 seconds, then turn it off. This will force the smartphone to re-register on the operator's network.

Change to IMEI (for power users only!):

• 🔧 Some Xiaomi (especially Chinese versions) may have a "beaten" IMEI, This can be corrected through an engineering menu or special utilities (for example, Maui). META), But it's risky and can lead to a device lock.

Use of external antenna:

• 📡 For supported models OTG (for example, POCO F3 or Redmi K40) You can connect an external antenna to an adapter, and that's true for areas with very weak signals.

APN setting:

• 🔄 Sometimes operators change the parameters. APN (Delete the current access points. APN You can find the settings on your operator's website (for example, for MTS, this is Internet.mts.ru).

It's also worth checking if you're running a power saving mode, and some Xiaomi models are limiting the modem in this mode, which makes communication worse.

💡

If you’re in a bad signal area, like a basement or outside the city, try Network Signal Guru, which provides detailed information about nearby towers and helps you pick the best network manually.

Comparison of Xiaomi models by communication quality

Not all Xiaomi smartphones are equally good at catching the network, and the table below is the rating of models for communication stability (based on user feedback and tests).

If your model is on this list and is marked as problematic, try the methods in the previous sections. For older devices (such as the Redmi 5 or Mi A1), you can improve communication only by changing the firmware or hardware repairs.

FAQ: Frequent questions about communication on Xiaomi