Modern Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones offer users a wide range of features to improve communication quality, and one of the key technologies is VoWiFi (Voice over Wi-Fi), which allows voice calls over the wireless Internet, which is especially important in areas of insecure cellular reception, such as basements, thick-walled buildings or country houses.
However, despite the availability of technical support in most current models, users often have difficulty finding the right switch in the menu. the interface of the MIUI shell or HyperOS can hide the necessary parameters, and carriers put forward their requirements for compatibility. In this article, we will discuss in detail the algorithm of actions that will help you to configure high-quality voice communication without losing sound quality.
Before you go to the settings, you need to make sure that your plan and SIM-Operators are gradually implementing support for Wi-Fi Calling, but the service may require separate activation in the personal account or on the server side. Ignoring this stage often leads to the fact that even with the feature on the phone, calls do not pass through the Internet.
Technical requirements and operator support
To successfully implement VoWiFi technology, you need to meet several conditions at the same time. First, your device must be certified by the operator or have the appropriate software settings in the firmware. Xiaomi smartphones, officially shipped to the regions where large carriers operate, usually already contain the necessary profiles.
Second, it's critical that the carrier itself maintains this service in your area, and even if there's a switch on the phone menu, it won't work without network-side support, and large carriers are gradually expanding coverage, but in remote areas, the service may not be available.
Also worth paying attention to the operating system version. In older versions of Android or older MIUI builds, the menu may be different or absent. It is recommended to upgrade your smartphone to the latest available version of the software through the Settings menu → About Phone → MIUI version.
⚠️ Note: The feature may not work if you are using custom firmware or a global version of the software on a Chinese device without the appropriate flashing of the region.
Basic activation through the settings menu
The standard way to enable the feature on most Xiaomi and Redmi devices is in the settings section. SIM-The interface may vary slightly depending on the shell version, but the logic remains the same. → SIM-maps and mobile networks.
After choosing the right one SIM-If you have two cards, you will see an additional settings menu, and you should look for an item called "Wi-Fi Calls" or "Wi-Fi Calls." SIM-The card is correctly defined, this switch will be active. In some cases, you need to turn on the slider "Use Wi-Fi for calls».
☑️ Activation checklist
If you don't see this, try searching by settings. Click on the magnifying glass at the top of the screen in the settings menu and type in "Wi-Fi" or "VoWiFi" and the system will tell you where the desired setting is hidden, or tell you that the function is not available.
It is important to understand that network priority also plays a role. The same menu often has a Network Type setting. To work properly, it is better to set a value Preferably 5G/4G/3G/2G (auto) so that the phone can flexibly switch between communication standards depending on the quality of the signal.
Hidden settings and engineering menu
In situations where the standard menu does not contain the necessary options, users often resort to hidden settings of the Android system. On Xiaomi devices, access to the extended test menu can be accessed through a special code in the Phone application.
To enter the engineering menu, dial ##4636##. Once you enter the last character, the hidden Testing menu will open. Select Phone Information. You can find additional switches associated with the radio module here.
Call for the phone: ##4636##
Way: Phone Information -> VoWiFi MenuIn the list that opens, look for VoWiFi Provisioning or similar option, which can force modem-level support to be activated, but if the operator does not provide the service, this action will not work.
Risks of using the engineering menu
It is worth noting that new versions of HyperOS may restrict access to this code for security reasons, in which case this method will not work, and alternative solutions will have to be found.
Configure through the operator application
Often the problem is not the phone, but the lack of activation of the service on the operator's side. USSD-Without this step, the phone will see the Wi-Fi network, but will not route voice traffic through it.
The activation process may vary from operator to operator, and you usually need to go to the Personal Account app, find the Services or Communication Settings section, and enable the Wi-Fi Call option. SMS or USSD-team.
Below is a table with examples of actions for popular operators (the relevance of commands may change, check the information on official sites):
| Operator. | Method of activation | Team/Action | Status of support |
|---|---|---|---|
| MTS | Personal Account / Application | Section “Services» → «Wi-Fi calls» | Supported |
| MegaFon | USSD or application | *105*0053# or menu in the app | Supported |
| Beeline | Personal office | Inclusion in the subscriber profile | Supported |
| Tele2 | Automatically. | Available on supported devices | Partial |
After activation of the service on the operator's side, it is recommended to restart the smartphone, which will allow the device to re-register in the network and get updated profile parameters.
⚠️ Note: Service may be charged or charged under special conditions.Clarify the cost of a minute of conversation via Wi-Fi from your carrier to avoid unexpected costs.
Solving problems with displaying the icon
Even after all the settings, users often wonder why a special icon in the status bar didn't appear. It's usually a handset with a Wi-Fi symbol. The absence of an icon doesn't always mean that the feature isn't working.
Some versions of MIUI may not display the icon, but calls will go through Wi-Fi. You can test this experimentally: turn on flight mode, leaving only Wi-Fi, and try to make a call. If the call is gone, the function is active.
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If the icon doesn’t appear, try switching network mode from 5G to 4G/LTE. Sometimes the VoWiFi module conflicts with 5G priority in certain locations.
Also, check whether Do Not Disturb mode or blocking unknown numbers that may mask your phone’s behavior is enabled, and make sure that the date and time settings are automatically determined, as time desynchronization may disrupt VoWiFi security certificates.
If the icon is missing after the system update, you may have lost your network settings. Try resetting your network settings to factory settings. Way: Settings → Connection and Sharing → Reset Wi-Fi, mobile networks and Bluetooth. This will not delete your personal data, but will return network settings to their original state.
Comparison of VoLTE and VoWiFi technologies
It is important not to confuse two similar technologies: VoLTE (Voice over LTE) and VoWiFi. The first allows high-quality voice transmission over 4G networks without switching to 2G/3G during a conversation, while the second uses an Internet Wi-Fi channel to transmit voice.
Both technologies can work simultaneously. For example, you can be in 4G coverage, but the phone decides to use Wi-Fi to call if the cellular signal is weaker. The sound quality in both cases is significantly higher than in standard 2G networks.
The main difference for the user is the source of the signal. VoLTE depends on the cell tower, and VoWiFi depends on the router and the quality of the Internet channel. If the Internet channel is overloaded with other devices (watching videos, downloads), the quality of the call over Wi-Fi can deteriorate.
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VoWiFi is the ideal solution for rooms with “dead zones” of cellular communication, but a stable Internet.