Auto-download Updates via Mobile Data
If your Xiaomi phone keeps pulling system updates in the background while you are off Wi-Fi, mobile data usage can climb fast without warning. MIUI treats update downloads as automatic once a new version is detected, and a separate toggle decides whether mobile data counts as an allowed source for that download. Switching it off limits update downloads to Wi-Fi only, which matters if you are on a limited plan.
Select Network Manually
When you travel abroad and your phone keeps hanging on a weak carrier, automatic network selection is usually the cause. MIUI picks a network by signal priority, not by actual reception quality, so calls drop and data stalls even though a stronger carrier is available nearby. Switching to manual selection lets you pick that carrier yourself instead of waiting for the phone to reconnect.
Location Accuracy Mode Settings
If your Xiaomi phone struggles to lock onto a location or the battery drains faster than usual, the active location mode is often the reason. MIUI offers different accuracy levels that combine GPS, WiFi, Bluetooth and mobile network data in different ways, and the wrong choice leads to slow fixes indoors or unnecessary power drain outdoors.
Turn Wi-Fi Auto Reconnect On or Off
If your Xiaomi phone keeps rejoining a Wi-Fi network you would rather avoid, or the connection drops every time you walk back into range, the Connect automatically option tied to that specific network is behind it. MIUI turns this behavior on by default for every network you have ever joined, and it stays active until you switch it off for that network individually. That is also why disabling it on one network never changes the behavior of the others.
Turn Portable Wi-Fi Hotspot On or Off
If other devices cannot get online through your Xiaomi phone, the portable hotspot might simply be switched off or still using a network name and password you do not remember. This feature turns your mobile data connection into a Wi-Fi network for laptops, tablets or other phones nearby. Once it is active, the tricky part is usually finding the right toggle again, since it sits inside a settings screen most people only visit once.
Turn a SIM Card On or Off
On a dual SIM Xiaomi phone, calls or texts sometimes keep arriving on a line you no longer want to use, or you want to silence one number without pulling the physical card out. MIUI lets you deactivate a SIM slot completely, which stops all calls, messages and mobile data on that line until you switch it back on.
Turn Data Usage On or Off for a SIM Card
If mobile data suddenly refuses to turn back on after your phone hit its limit, the culprit is usually the Data usage toggle inside the Security app. Xiaomi switches off the connection automatically once the set threshold is reached, and it stays off until you flip that switch again. The same setting also lets you disable mobile data manually before any limit is close.
Turn Emergency Location Service (ELS) On or Off
If first responders cannot pinpoint your position during an emergency call or text, Emergency Location Service on your Xiaomi phone may be switched off. This feature sends your current GPS position automatically whenever you dial an emergency number, but it only works if the setting is active and your wireless carrier supports it. Some users disable it by accident while adjusting location permissions, which delays help in a real emergency.
Turn On or Off Bluetooth Tethering
If your laptop or tablet has no free USB port, sharing your Xiaomi phone's mobile data over a cable is not an option. Bluetooth tethering lets you pass the connection wirelessly, but it needs to be paired and switched on first, and many users miss the toggle because it sits inside the hotspot settings rather than the Bluetooth menu itself.
Turn Google Location History On or Off
If Google Maps keeps suggesting places based on where you have been, or your Timeline fills up with stops you never meant to save, Location History is still active in the background. On Xiaomi phones this tracking can run even when no Google app is currently open, which surprises a lot of users checking their data usage or battery drain.
Set the Action for When Your Data Plan Runs Out
If your mobile data suddenly stops working before the month is over, MIUI may already be cutting it off automatically once you hit your set limit. Some people only want a heads-up instead of losing their connection outright, but that only works if the right action is selected in the data usage settings. Without checking this setting, you can end up with dead mobile data at the worst possible moment.
Set Wi-Fi Hotspot Data Limit
If your mobile data plan drains fast whenever you share your Xiaomi phone's Wi-Fi hotspot with a laptop or tablet, an unlimited hotspot session is usually the cause. MIUI lets you cap the exact amount of data the hotspot can share and pick what happens once that cap is reached.
Set Up Unlock with Bluetooth Device
If your Xiaomi phone stays locked even though your paired Bluetooth accessory is nearby, the Unlock with Bluetooth device feature is probably still off. Once active, the phone unlocks automatically near that device and stays unlocked as long as the connection holds. This only works with Xiaomi's own Bluetooth accessories, not with third-party headphones or wearables.
Delete an APN Entry
A wrong or duplicate access point can block mobile data or MMS on your Xiaomi phone, even after you switch carriers or SIM cards. If an old APN profile stays behind, the device sometimes keeps trying to use it instead of the correct one. Removing the unused entry clears up the confusion without touching your other network settings.
Set a Default Calling SIM for a Contact
On a dual-SIM Xiaomi phone, calling a specific person always triggers the SIM prompt, even though you always pick the same card for that number. This happens because the contact has no fixed calling SIM assigned, so MIUI asks every time before dialing out.
Mobile Data on Secondary SIM During VoLTE Calls
When you're on a VoLTE call with your primary SIM, mobile data can stay locked to that same line instead of switching to your secondary SIM. That leaves apps stuck loading or messages stuck sending mid-call. A dedicated toggle in the network settings decides which SIM handles data traffic while a VoLTE call is active.
Connect Manually to a Hidden Wi-Fi Network
If your Xiaomi phone does not list a wireless network under available connections, the router is likely broadcasting with a hidden SSID or sitting outside the usual scan range. In that case MIUI needs the exact network name and password entered by hand instead of picking the network from a list. Typing the SSID wrong or missing the correct security type is the most common reason the manual entry still fails.
Turn Mobile Data On or Off
When your Xiaomi phone shows no internet outside Wi-Fi, mobile data is usually switched off or was toggled off by accident after a network change. This also blocks messaging apps and background sync, since they rely on the cellular connection once Wi-Fi drops. A wrong or missing APN can cause the same symptom even when mobile data itself is enabled.
Set Default SIM for Mobile Data
If your Xiaomi phone keeps using the wrong SIM for mobile data, downloads and browsing can suddenly stop working on the plan you actually pay for. With two active SIM cards, MIUI needs one clear default data connection, otherwise apps may quietly try to load data through the wrong carrier. Picking a fixed data SIM stops that back and forth.
Connect to a Wi-Fi Network
If your Xiaomi phone shows no internet access or keeps prompting for a network password, the device usually just is not linked to any Wi-Fi yet. Mobile data alone will not give you access to a home or office network, and an inactive Wi-Fi radio hides every nearby network from the list. Once Wi-Fi is switched on, both private networks with a password and open public hotspots become selectable.