Xiaomi Wi-Fi Not Connecting — Causes & Fixes (2026)
Fix Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO phones that won't connect to Wi-Fi, drop connections, or get stuck obtaining an IP address.
Problem overview
Wi-Fi problems on Xiaomi devices tend to fall into a small number of recognisable patterns: the phone can't see the network at all, it connects but shows no internet access, it authenticates and then drops repeatedly, or it gets permanently stuck on "Obtaining IP address". MIUI and HyperOS include several Xiaomi-specific Wi-Fi features — Wi-Fi assistant, dual-Wi-Fi acceleration (sometimes called Wi-Fi+ or Wi-Fi Boost on older MIUI builds), and aggressive background network restrictions — that are worth checking specifically, since stock Android troubleshooting guides won't mention them.
Wi-Fi assistant/dual-Wi-Fi acceleration is designed to intelligently switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data, or use both simultaneously, to maintain a stable connection, but on some routers and in areas with weak mobile signal it can cause the phone to bounce between networks or appear to drop Wi-Fi when it has actually deliberately failed over to mobile data. This is one of the more distinctly Xiaomi-specific causes and is often missed because the setting is buried under Settings > Wi-Fi > Wi-Fi assistant or within Mobile network settings depending on the MIUI/HyperOS version.
Saved network corruption is a common straightforward cause: a network profile with an outdated password, an old static IP configuration, or a corrupted DHCP lease can cause a phone to sit indefinitely at "Obtaining IP address" even though the same router works fine for other devices. This is especially common after a router firmware update or a router replacement where the new device broadcasts under the same network name (SSID) but with different underlying settings.
MIUI's background data and battery restrictions can also interfere with Wi-Fi in a less obvious way: if an app or, in rarer cases, a system service responsible for network management is restricted too aggressively via Settings > Battery > App battery saver, the phone can experience delayed or dropped connections particularly after the screen turns off. Router-side issues — MAC address filtering, a 5GHz-only band that an older or budget Redmi model doesn't support well, or the router simply being overloaded with connected devices — account for a further sizeable share of cases and are confirmed quickly by testing another device on the same network.
Less commonly, a MIUI/HyperOS update can introduce a genuine Wi-Fi driver regression affecting a specific chipset, which tends to be reported en masse by other owners of the same model shortly after the update rolls out, and is resolved by a follow-up patch rather than anything changeable in Settings. A full network settings reset remains the most reliable software-level fix when the specific cause isn't obvious, since it clears all saved networks, VPN configurations and cellular settings back to defaults in one step.
Possible causes
Wi-Fi assistant/dual-Wi-Fi acceleration switching networks
MIUI's Wi-Fi assistant can automatically fail over to mobile data or bounce between networks to maintain connection quality, which can look like a dropped or unreliable Wi-Fi connection when it's actually working as designed.
Corrupted saved network profile
An outdated password, stale static IP configuration, or corrupted DHCP lease saved against a specific network name can cause the phone to hang indefinitely at 'Obtaining IP address' even when the router itself is functioning normally.
Router firmware update or replacement with the same SSID
A new or updated router broadcasting the same network name as before can carry different underlying security or channel settings that conflict with the phone's saved profile, requiring the old profile to be forgotten and re-added.
Aggressive MIUI battery restrictions on network-related processes
Overly strict background restrictions applied via Settings > Battery > App battery saver can delay or interrupt Wi-Fi reconnection after the screen turns off, particularly on older MIUI builds with more aggressive default restrictions.
5GHz-only band incompatibility on budget models
Some entry-level Redmi models have weaker 5GHz radio range or lack support for certain 5GHz channels used by newer routers, causing connection failures or drops that don't affect 2.4GHz on the same router.
Router overloaded or using MAC address filtering
A router at its connected-device limit, or one with MAC filtering enabled that hasn't been updated with the phone's address, will refuse or silently drop the connection regardless of the phone's own settings.
Wi-Fi driver regression after a MIUI/HyperOS update
A specific system update can occasionally introduce a genuine bug affecting the Wi-Fi chipset driver for a particular model, typically reported widely by other owners of the same device shortly after rollout.
VPN or proxy configuration conflicting with the network
An active VPN profile or a manually configured proxy under the network's advanced settings can silently block internet access even while the phone shows as connected to Wi-Fi.
Quick checks
- Confirm other devices can connect to the same network normally.
- Toggle Wi-Fi off and on, then toggle Aeroplane mode on and off.
- Forget the network and reconnect with the password entered fresh.
- Check Settings > Wi-Fi > Wi-Fi assistant/Wi-Fi+ for automatic switching behaviour.
- Restart the router and the phone.
- Check whether the issue is specific to 5GHz by trying the 2.4GHz band if available.
- Check for a VPN or proxy active under the network's advanced settings.
- Check for a pending MIUI/HyperOS update under Settings > About phone > System updates.
Diagnostic tests
Network & Signal
Inspect signal strength, cell ID and neighbouring towers.
Relevant Xiaomi codes
Testing & Usage Menu
Opens the Android testing menu: phone info, battery status, cell/Wi-Fi info and usage statistics.
Service Info
Displays service info including SIM and RF details on Xiaomi devices.
Step-by-step solutions
1. Restart the router and the phone
Power-cycle the router by unplugging it for 30 seconds, and restart the phone separately; this clears temporary DHCP lease conflicts and stuck radio states on both ends and resolves a large share of intermittent connection issues.
2. Forget the network and reconnect
Go to Settings > Wi-Fi, tap the network name, select Forget, then reconnect from scratch entering the password again. This clears any corrupted saved profile, outdated static IP configuration, or mismatched security settings left over from a router change.
3. Check and adjust Wi-Fi assistant behaviour
Open Settings > Wi-Fi > Wi-Fi assistant (or search Settings for 'Wi-Fi+' on older MIUI builds) and disable automatic switching to mobile data temporarily to confirm whether it's responsible for what looks like a dropped connection.
4. Test the 2.4GHz band separately if available
If your router broadcasts separate 2.4GHz and 5GHz networks, connect specifically to the 2.4GHz one to rule out a range or channel-compatibility issue, which is particularly common with budget Redmi models at longer distances from the router.
5. Remove restrictive battery settings from system network services
Check Settings > Battery > App battery saver and ensure no essential network-related service has been set to an overly restrictive mode; if unsure, temporarily set battery saver to 'No restrictions' for testing and revert once the cause is confirmed.
6. Check for and remove conflicting VPN or proxy settings
Under Settings > Wi-Fi, tap the connected network and expand Advanced settings to check for a manually configured proxy, and check Settings > Apps for an active VPN app; disable both temporarily to see if internet access is restored despite showing as connected.
7. Reset network settings
Go to Settings > About phone > (or Settings > Additional settings on some builds) > Backup & reset > Reset network settings, which clears all saved Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth pairings, VPN profiles and mobile network settings back to default; reconnect to Wi-Fi fresh afterwards.
8. Check for a known driver issue and update MIUI/HyperOS
Go to Settings > About phone > System updates and install any pending patch, since Xiaomi periodically fixes Wi-Fi driver regressions affecting specific chipsets; if the issue is very widely reported for your exact model after a recent update, waiting for the next patch may be the only fix available.
When to seek repair
If Wi-Fi fails to connect to any network (not just one specific router) even after a network settings reset and a factory reset, and other devices connect to the same networks without issue, the phone's Wi-Fi antenna or chipset may have a hardware fault and should be assessed by a technician. This is relatively uncommon compared with software causes but is worth ruling out with a professional diagnostic if every software step above has been exhausted.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
- Why does my Xiaomi phone keep switching from Wi-Fi to mobile data?
- This is most likely Wi-Fi assistant/dual-Wi-Fi acceleration deciding the Wi-Fi signal is too weak or unstable and deliberately failing over to mobile data to preserve connectivity; it can be disabled under Settings > Wi-Fi > Wi-Fi assistant if you'd rather it stayed on Wi-Fi regardless.
- Why is my phone stuck on 'Obtaining IP address'?
- This almost always indicates a DHCP handshake failure between the phone and router, commonly caused by a corrupted saved network profile or a stale lease; forgetting the network and reconnecting, or restarting the router, resolves the large majority of these cases.
- Does resetting network settings delete my photos or apps?
- No, resetting network settings only clears saved Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth pairings, VPN profiles and mobile/APN settings; it does not affect photos, apps, messages or any other personal data on the phone.
- Why can other phones connect to my Wi-Fi but not my Xiaomi phone?
- This points to a phone-specific cause rather than a router fault, most often a corrupted saved network profile on the Xiaomi device, a 5GHz band compatibility limitation on budget models, or MAC address filtering on the router that hasn't been updated with the phone's address.
- Can a MIUI update really break Wi-Fi for a specific model?
- Yes, this happens periodically and is usually confirmed by a spike in reports from other owners of the exact same model on Xiaomi's community forums shortly after the update, and is resolved by a subsequent patch rather than user-side settings changes.
- Why does Wi-Fi disconnect specifically when the screen turns off?
- Overly aggressive MIUI battery restrictions applied to network-related background processes can cause this; checking Settings > Battery > App battery saver and loosening restrictions on relevant services usually resolves it.
- Should I use 2.4GHz or 5GHz on my Xiaomi phone?
- 5GHz offers faster speeds at shorter range and less interference, while 2.4GHz reaches further through walls; if you experience drops specifically at distance from the router, switching to or prioritising 2.4GHz for that connection is often more stable, particularly on entry-level Redmi models.