Wi-Fi Direct is not included on Xiaomi: all the reasons and ways of solving it

You try to transfer files between devices via Wi-Fi Direct, but the feature stubbornly refuses to turn on your Xiaomi smartphone? This problem is more common than it seems - from owners of the budget Redmi Note 12 to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra. 80% of cases are not to blame for hardware breakdowns, but software failures or hidden MIUI settings, which users do not even know.

In this article, we’ll look at all the possible causes of Xiaomi’s Wi-Fi Direct failure, including rare firmware bugs, conflicts with other communication modules, and even hardware limitations on some models. You will get not only standard tips like “reboot your phone”, but also exclusive methods that you will not find in the official documentation – for example, how to force activate a function through an engineering menu or bypass the lock using the help of a computer. ADB-And for those of you who need to transfer files urgently, we've put together a list of alternative ways to compare speed and reliability.

1. Check the basic working conditions of Wi-Fi Direct

Before digging deep into the settings, make sure the minimum requirements for the feature to work are met.WI-Fi Direct on Xiaomi may not turn on due to trivial reasons that users often miss:

• 📶 Wi-Fi Adapter on: The function uses the same module as normal Wi-Fi. If it is turned off (for example, in "In Airplane" mode), Direct will not work.
• 🔋 Battery level: On some Xiaomi models (e.g, POCO X5 Pro) the function is automatically locked at a charge below 15% to save energy.
• 📱 Device compatibility: Wi-Fi Direct should support both devices, such as older Mi TVs TV (Until 2019, new smartphones may not be visible due to different protocols.
• 🛡️ Absence VPN/Proxies: Active VPN-connections (especially with WireGuard) sometimes block local area networks, including Direct.

Check if the Wi-Fi adapter is on in the notification panel or along the way: Settings → Wi-Fi. If the icon is gray, tap it to activate. To check for device compatibility, try connecting to another smartphone (not necessarily Xiaomi) - if Direct works there, the problem is in your device.

2. Failures in the firmware MIUI: how to fix software

The most common reason for Xiaomi's Wi-Fi Direct to fail is MIUI shell bugs, especially MIUI 13/14 devices, where the configurations of the communication module often fly out after updates.

⚠️ Attention: Before any firmware manipulation, back up your data via Settings → The phone. → Backup. Network reset will delete all saved Wi-Fi passwords!

• 🔄 Reset Network Settings: Go to Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Network resets, and that brings Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and mobile internet back to the factory.
• 📲 Cleaning the system cache: Go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → Three dots (menu) → Show system-based → Settings, then click "Clear Cache".
• 🛠️ Manual reset of Wi-Fi: Enter the dialer code ##546368## (to test Wi-Fi), then select "Reset Wi-Fi".
• 📥 Update rollback: If the problem appeared after the update MIUI, Try to revert to the previous version through Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → Three points. → Select the update package (needs a firmware file).

If the network reset didn’t help, try forcefully restarting the Wi-Fi Direct service via ADB.

1. Enable USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (tap 7 times), then Additional → For Developers.
2. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: adb shell am broadcast -a android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED This simulates a system reboot and sometimes “wakes up” the suspended modules.

Conflicts with other communication modules

Wi-Fi Direct on Xiaomi may not be enabled due to conflicts with other wireless technologies, such as if Bluetooth 5.2+ (especially in LE Audio mode) or NFC is simultaneously active, the system may block Direct to save power.

• 🎧 Connected wireless headphones (especially Xiaomi Buds) 4/5 Pro with support LC3 codec).
• 📡 Active Wi-Fi hotspot (if the phone is giving out the Internet).
• 📶 The use of two SIM-map-mode DSDS (Dual SIM Dual Standby).
• 🔗 Connect to smart Mi Home devices (such as light bulbs or sensors).

To test this hypothesis:

1. Turn off Bluetooth and NFC in the notification panel.
2. If you use headphones, disconnect them or switch to AAC mode instead of LC3 (in the headphone sound settings).
3. Turn off the mobile internet (sometimes) 5G-Modem conflict with Wi-Fi Direct).
4. If you are giving away Wi-Fi, disable the access point in Settings → Access Point and modem.

On some models (for example, Xiaomi 12T) helps to enforce Wi-Fi frequency restriction.

1. Go to Settings → Wi-Fi → Additional → Wi-Fi frequency range.
2. Choose only 2.4GHz (even if your router supports 5GHz).
3. Try turning on Wi-Fi Direct again.

4. Hardware limitations and model features

Not all Xiaomi smartphones support Wi-Fi Direct at the hardware level, such as the low-end models on the MediaTek Helio G35/G85 chips (such as the Redmi 9A/10A) often have a stripped-down Wi-Fi module, where Direct only works in one direction (you can receive files, but not send them).

If your model is in a table marked “Partially” or “Limited”, try the following workarounds:

• 🔄 Use Access Point Mode instead of Direct: Create an Access Point on one device and connect the other to it.
• 📁 Use Mi Share (built-in) to transfer files MIUI Wi-Fi data exchange P2P).
• 🔌 Connect devices through OTG-cable (if you need to transfer large files).

⚠️ Note: On devices with MediaTek chips (especially the Helio G series), after Wi-Fi Direct is turned on, the mobile network may disappear. MT6765/MT6768. The solution is to restart the phone.

5 Hidden MIUI settings: How to enable Wi-Fi Direct forcibly

In some versions of MIUI (especially on Chinese firmware), the Wi-Fi Direct option is hidden or blocked for certain regions.

Method 1: Engineering Menu (MTK)

For devices on MediaTek chips:

1. Open the dialer and type in ##36446337##.
2. Go to the Connectivity section → Wi-Fi.
3. Find the Wi-Fi Direct Persist Enable setting and set the value 1.
4. Save the settings and restart the phone.

Method 2: ADB-Teams (for all chipsets)

If the engineering menu is not available, use ADB:

1. Connect your phone to a PC with USB debugging enabled.
2. Follow the commands in turn: adb shell settings put global wifi_direct_enable 1 adb shell am broadcast -a android.intent.action.WIFI_DIRECT_STATE_CHANGED --ez enabled true
3. Reset the device.

Method 3: Editing the build.prop file

For experienced users (requires root):

1. Open /system/build.prop file in any root-access text editor.
2. Add the line: persist.sys.wifidirect.enable=1.
3. Save the file and restart it.

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If you have not yet managed to use the engineering menu or ADB, check the error log via the adb logcat | grep WifiDirect command. Often, it will specify the specific reason for blocking (e.g., ERROR: Country code not set).

6. Alternative ways to transfer files without Wi-Fi Direct

If all attempts to enable Wi-Fi Direct have failed, don’t despair – Xiaomi has built-in and third-party alternatives for fast data transfer.

For maximum speed, we recommend using FTP-The server is over the local area network:

1. Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network.
2. Open the first device. FX File Explorer (or similar) and launch FTP-server in the "Network" section".
3. Remember the address of the species ftp://192.168.x.x:xxxx.
4. On the second device, connect to this address through any file manager.

💡

If you need to transfer files regularly, the best option is to use Mi Share (for Xiaomi devices) or Nearby Share (for cross-platform transfer), which are more reliable than Wi-Fi Direct and less likely to crash.

7. When the "iron" is to blame: diagnosing hardware problems

If the software methods don't work, there's a possibility of hardware failure of the Wi-Fi module, and this is true for devices that:

• 💧 I was in the water (even if my phone was working normally).
• 🔥 Overheated (for example, during charging or playing).
• 🛠️ Renovated with the replacement of the motherboard or antenna module.

Checking hardware serviceability can be as follows:

1. Enter the dialer code: ##4636##.
2. Select Wi-Fi Information.
3. See Wi-Fi Direct status: If it says Unsupported, it doesn't support the hardware level function. If Error is a driver or hardware problem. If Enabled is not working, it's the firmware.

Typical hardware breakdowns:

• 📡 Wi-Fi antenna dump: Often occurs after falls.Symptoms - weak Wi-Fi signal and lack of Direct.
• 🔌 Power problems module: On the board fails the capacitor responsible for supplying voltage to the Wi-Fi chip.
• 🔥 Chip burnout: After severe overheating (for example, from charging with non-original RAM).

⚠️ Warning: If you see Driver Status: Failed in the Wi-Fi section of the engineering menu (#4636###), it's almost guaranteed to be a hardware problem. Self-repair won't help here - you need a diagnostic at the service center.

8. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)