Many users face the need to quickly turn off all wireless modules of the smartphone. This may be required in the plane, to save battery power or just so that no one distracts with calls. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices have several ways to activate this feature, each of which has its own characteristics.
In this article, we will take a look at all the available methods, from a standard swipe to the use of an engineering menu, you will learn how to forcefully reset the network if the signal is lost, and how to use the flight mode to extend the life of the battery in emergency situations.
Modern MIUI and HyperOS shells provide flexible communication management tools, and understanding these mechanisms allows you not only to perform basic tasks, but also to solve complex problems with connecting to cell towers without completely restarting the device.
Activation through the control center and notification curtain
The most obvious and quickest way to disable communication is to use the control panel. On Xiaomi devices, the interface may vary depending on the system version and the setting region. In the classic Android style, swipe is done from top to bottom, and in the iOS style (often enabled by default) - from bottom to top.
To access the desired item, swipe your finger from the top edge of the screen to the center. If you can't see the icon of the aircraft, try to push the curtain itself with your fingers or press the edit button (usually looks like a pencil or three dots) to add the icon to a prominent place.
Clicking on the icon Air Mode instantly breaks the connection to the cellular network, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. In some versions of the firmware when you turn on this mode Bluetooth and Wi-Fi can not be turned off immediately, but after a few seconds, which is normal behavior of the system to complete background processes.
- ✈️ Swipe from top to bottom (or bottom to top) to open the curtain.
- 📶 Find the icon with the image of the aircraft in the grid of quick settings.
- 🔴 Click on it: red means activation, gray means deactivation.
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If the flight mode icon is missing from the curtain, check the settings for displaying the controls. Sometimes, after updating the system, widgets may be reset by default.
Use of the system settings menu
If the touch screen is unresponsive or the notification curtain is locked, you can use a deep settings menu, which is less fast, but it guarantees access to the function even when the interface crashes. The path to the switch may vary slightly on different models, but the logic remains the same.
Go to the main app menu and select Settings. At the top of the screen, just below the search bar, there is often a block with the main switches. Here you can find a Flight Mode slider that duplicates the function from the curtain.
An alternative path is through the Connection and Sharing section or SIM-Maps and mobile networks: These subsections provide more detailed management of each communication module separately, allowing you to flexibly configure network settings before completely shutting down.
Forced resetting of the network through the engineering menu
There's a more advanced way to control radios, which is available through an engineering menu, and it's useful if standard air mode doesn't help you recover the signal, or if the phone is stuck in a network search, and it requires you to type a special command.
Open the Phone app and dial the combination ##4636##. Immediately after entering the last digit, the hidden test menu will open.
In the list that opens, look for the Turn off radio switch, which force all radios at the driver level to be turned off, a more rigid analogue of the aeromode that engineers often use for diagnostics.
⚠️ Warning: Be careful in the engineering menu. Do not change the values in fields that you do not know the purpose of, especially those associated with frequencies. LTE or type of network, so as not to lose the possibility of registration in the operator's network.
Automation through scripts and schedules
The MIUI has a powerful automation tool that allows you to turn on schedule or event mode, which is especially useful for those who want to save battery power at night or during certain hours of operation without being distracted by manual control.
Go to the Security app and select the Battery section. In the upper right corner, find the menu (three dots or gear) and select the On/Off Schedule, where you can set the time when the phone will go to sleep or turn on air mode.
You can also use the Scenarios app (or Automation), and create a new script with the condition "Time" or "Geoposition" (for example, when you come to the office) and the action "Enable Flight Mode", which will allow you to forget about manual switching.
☑️ Setting up night mode
The effect of air mode on charging and battery
One of the popular questions is about charging speed, and many users think that turning on the air mode significantly speeds up the energy storage process, and let's see if that's true and if it makes sense to manipulate it.
When the flight mode is activated, the processor stops wasting time searching for a cell tower, especially if the signal is weak. In poor coverage, the phone can use up to 30% more power to maintain communication.
However, modern Xiaomi smartphones have quite efficient power controllers. The difference in charging time with the air mode on and off in a good signal is only a few minutes. You won’t notice the global time gain, but the heating of the device can decrease.
| Parameter | Regular regime | Air mode |
|---|---|---|
| Searching the net | Active. | Unplugged. |
| Background synchronization | It's working. | Suspended |
| Heating the hull | Medium/High | Low. |
| Charging speed | Standard. | A little higher. |
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Turning on the aeromode makes sense to speed up charging only in conditions of a very poor signal or when using an old, unoriginal charger.
Solving problems: when the air mode is not turned off
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the icon of the aircraft caught fire, but you can not return the connection, or the button in the menu became inactive (gray).
The first step is to try to just reboot the device, which solves 90 percent of the problems with the grid modules that are stuck, and if the reboot doesn't work, check if the Do Not Disturb feature or special power saving modes that can block the modules from turning on are on.
In rare cases, the problem is that system files are damaged after an update. If nothing helps, you may need to reset your network settings. Go to Settings → About Phone → Reset → Reset your Wi-Fi, mobile networks and Bluetooth settings.
⚠️ WARNING: Resetting network settings will remove all saved Wi-Fi passwords and paired Bluetooth devices.Make sure you remember passwords from important networks in advance.
If this does not help, it is possible that the communication module is physically damaged or you need to flash the device, in such cases, contacting an authorized Xiaomi service center is recommended.