How to enable Wi-Fi calls on Xiaomi

Many smartphone owners face a situation where indoors, such as in the basement of an office or a thick-walled country house, the mobile network catches poorly, and calls are interrupted or do not pass at all. In such cases, VoWiFi technology, which allows voice calls to be made over the wireless Internet, is the salvation. On Xiaomi devices, this feature is often hidden or requires manual activation, which raises questions among users.

Enabling this option allows your Redmi or POCO to switch to Wi-Fi for voice, providing crystal clear sound even when there is no cell tower signal. This is especially true for those who are often in areas of unstable coverage or are abroad where roaming is expensive but free Internet is available. In this article, we will discuss in detail how to activate this mode, what requirements for the operator exist and what to do if standard methods to enable the feature fail.

It’s worth noting that the success of the operation depends not only on the settings of the smartphone itself, but also on the support of the service by your mobile operator. Modern tariff plans increasingly include this option by default, but at the firmware level it can be disabled by the manufacturer for certain regions.

What is VoWiFi and why does the owner of Xiaomi need it?

VoWiFi (Voice over Wi-Fi) is a standard for transmitting voice traffic over the Internet protocol, similar to how video communication works in instant messengers, but with integration into a standard phone book and dialer. The main difference is that you do not need to open a separate application or alert someone to switch to Internet call mode. For a Xiaomi smartphone owner, this means the ability to stay connected in places where the cellular network is simply absent, such as in deep basements of shopping centers or on the lower floors of office buildings.

Sound quality when used HD Voice over Wi-Fi often exceeds the quality of the usual GSM-Connections, because the data channel has a higher bandwidth, and the battery is more economical because the smartphone does not have to constantly search for the signal of the cell tower, which is an energy-consuming process. This is especially important for models with not the largest battery capacity, allowing you to extend battery life in conditions of poor reception.

However, it is worth considering that not all carriers support this feature, and even if supported, it may not be available in your region or on your tariff plan. Some providers require pre-activation of the service in your personal account or through contacting support. Without confirmation from the operator, the settings on the phone may be inactive or simply not work.

⚠️ Note: When using VoWiFi abroad, make sure you have data roaming turned off if you don’t want to pay for traffic, although calls themselves may be charged as local or under your home fare terms.

Verification of support function operator and tariff

Before you go into deep system settings, you need to make sure that your mobile operator provides a call service via Wi-Fi. In Russia and CIS countries, this technology is being introduced gradually, and the list of supported companies is constantly growing. If your operator does not support VoWiFi, then no manipulation of the smartphone menu will not work, since the network simply will not miss this type of traffic.

Often, activation requires not only technical capability, but also the connection of the corresponding option on the subscriber side, this can be done through the operator's mobile application, personal account on the site or sending. USSD-Some providers have the service automatically turned on for all subscribers with compatible devices, others require a statement.

• 📱 MTS: Calls over Wi-Fi is often enabled by default, but requires a personal account check.
• 📶 MegaFon: You need to make sure that you SIM-card activated service 4G VoLTE, as VoWiFi is often included in the package.
• 📡 Beeline: Requires activation in the application “My Beeline” in the service section.
• 🌐 Tele2: Check the availability of the option in the "Services" section» -> «All services» -> «Internet and communications».

It is also important to use the original or certified SIM-Old SIMs that were used in the old days 2G/3G, You may not support the necessary authentication protocols for secure voice transmission. SIM-card, which has been for many years, it makes sense to replace it with a new one in the operator’s cabin, while maintaining its number.

Standard activation via the Android settings menu

In most modern shells MIUI and the HyperOS feature switch is in the standard settings menu, but its location can vary depending on the Android version and firmware region. Most often the path is as follows: you need to open Settings, go to Connect and share (or SIM-This is where the basic parameters of voice communication are hidden.

Inside this menu, you'll find a item that might be called Wi-Fi Calling, Wi-Fi Calling, or Wi-Fi Calling. If you see this switch, you're lucky enough to just activate it with a slider, and when you turn it on in the status bar next to the signal level, you'll see a corresponding icon, usually a phone with a Wi-Fi symbol.

If a standard switch is not available, it doesn't always mean that the feature is not available. In some cases, it is hidden in the developer menu or requires activation through an engineering menu. However, before you move to complex methods, it is worth checking whether the item is hidden due to the settings of the region. Sometimes changing the region in the phone settings to another country (for example, India or Ukraine, where the feature is more common) can magically unlock the desired menu item.

Activation through engineering menu and codes

For advanced users who haven't found a standard switch, there's a way to activate through Xiaomi's engineering menu, which allows you to force support for the technology if it's physically present in your device's modem but hidden software. Be careful: changing unknown parameters in the engineering menu can lead to unstable network operation.

To enter the engineering menu, open the Phone app and dial the code ##86583#. Once the last star is entered, the "VoWiFi Carrier check was disabled" (or enabled) notification should appear on the screen, which means you have turned on or off the operator check. If the check is turned off, the phone will stop checking support with the operator base and try to turn on the function.

Codes for the Xiaomi Engineering Menu:
#86583## - Turning on/off the VoWiFi operator check
#4636## - Testing menu (Phone information)

Another useful code is ##4636##, which opens the test menu, and you can select Phone Information, scroll down to Set up IMS or VoWiFi Provisioned, and try ticking, and if the tick doesn't tick or flies off, your device's firmware or regional restrictions are blocking this capability at a deeper level.

⚠️ Warning: After you enter the codes and change the settings, be sure to restart your smartphone. Without a reboot, the modem changes may not take effect and the VoWiFi icon will not appear.

Comparison of network modes and priorities

Understanding how a smartphone chooses the way to connect to a call will help avoid unexpected costs or interruptions. Xiaomi, like other Android smartphones, has a logical chain of priorities. Usually the phone always prefers a standard cellular network (GSM/3G/4G) for voice calls if the signal is stable, as this ensures smooth operation even when the Internet connection is broken.

Prefer Wi-Fi mode causes the device to ignore the weak cellular signal and use the Internet channel for calls.This is useful when cellular communication is available, but it is very bad (1 division), and calls are disrupted. However, if the Wi-Fi router is far away or overloaded, the quality of communication can also suffer.

It is critical that the router supports the QoS (Quality of Service) standard to prioritize voice traffic.

Solving problems and lack of VoWiFi icon

Even after all the settings, the icon in the status bar may not appear. This is a common problem that is often solved by simple re-assignment. SIM-Take out the SIM card, wipe the contacts and paste back in. If that didn't work, try moving the SIM card to another slot if you have two, as not all slots in Redmi's budget models support full functionality. 4G/VoWiFi.

Another reason may be the outdated firmware version. Xiaomi regularly releases updates that add support for new operators and fix modem errors. Check for updates in About Phone -> MIUI. Sometimes resetting network settings helps, but remember that this will remove all saved passwords from Wi-Fi.

• 🔄 Resetting network settings: Settings -> Connection and sharing -> Resetting Wi-Fi, Cellular Networks and Bluetooth.
• 📲 Update of components: Go to the Security app» -> Update system components and check for updates for system applications.
• 🗑️ Delete Profiles: If you have previously installed any operator profiles or third-party call apps, remove them.

If nothing helps, your particular device may not be certified to work with VoWiFi in your area, leaving you to use alternative methods of communication, such as WhatsApp or Telegram, which also allow you to make calls over the Internet, although not integrated into a standard dialer.

💡

Use the Google Fi app or similar network testers to check if the phone sees support for IMS profiles, even if the switch is hidden.

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If the VoWiFi icon appeared at least once, then the device and SIM card are technically ready to work, and the problem is most likely in the network priority settings.