Skip to content
TechBone
Xiaomi

Guides for Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 2021

64 guides

Network & Connectivity

Disable Wi-Fi Direct

On many Xiaomi phones the Wi-Fi Direct toggle looks greyed out or simply refuses to switch off. That happens because the feature stays active as long as at least one device remains paired to it. Disconnecting every paired device is the only way to actually shut Wi-Fi Direct down.

Open
Network & Connectivity2

Limit Connected Hotspot Devices

By default, your Xiaomi phone lets an unlimited number of devices join your mobile hotspot at once. That can slow down your connection and makes it hard to track who is actually using your data. Setting a maximum device count gives you back control over who connects.

Open
Network & Connectivity2

Send Photos and Videos via Bluetooth

Sending a photo or video from your Xiaomi phone to a paired device sometimes stalls right after you tap Share, or the target device never shows up in the list. This usually comes down to picking the wrong sharing option or Bluetooth pairing not being active. The steps below use MIUI's file sharing menu, which works the same for pictures, videos and most other file types.

Open
Network & Connectivity2

Turn Off Wi-Fi and Bluetooth Scanning for Location

Even with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth switched off, your Xiaomi phone can still scan nearby networks and devices to sharpen its location fix. Apps with location permission trigger this background scanning automatically, keeping your radios active more often than expected. If you want tighter control over when your phone searches for networks, the scanning setting needs to be adjusted separately from the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth toggles.

Open
Network & Connectivity2

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.

Open
Network & Connectivity2

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.

Open
Network & Connectivity2

Rename a Paired Bluetooth Device

When several Bluetooth accessories are paired to your Xiaomi phone, the device list can quickly fill up with cryptic model numbers or partial MAC addresses. Telling a pair of earbuds apart from a car stereo or a fitness tracker gets difficult once the default names look identical. Renaming each paired device gives you a clear label instead of guessing which entry belongs to which gadget.

Open
Network & Connectivity2

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.

Open
Network & Connectivity2

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.

Open
Network & Connectivity

Enable or Disable Simple View for Contact List

If your contact list on your Xiaomi phone feels cluttered with profile pictures and extra info, a simple list view can clean things up. This setting in the Contacts app controls whether photos and details show up next to each name, or whether you just get plain text entries. Switching it off makes scrolling through a large contact list faster and less distracting.

Open
Network & Connectivity2

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.

Open
Network & Connectivity2

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.

Open
Network & Connectivity2

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.

Open
Network & Connectivity2

Unpair a Bluetooth Device

If a Bluetooth device keeps reconnecting even though you stopped using it, or a headset refuses to pair again after a failed connection, the old saved link is usually the cause. Turning Bluetooth off does not remove that link, only the paired list in the Bluetooth settings does. Once removed, the device drops out of the paired list and needs a fresh pairing before it can connect to your Xiaomi phone again.

Open
Network & Connectivity

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.

Open
Network & Connectivity2

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.

Open