Xiaomi Poco X2 common issues and how to solve them

After 2 years, Xiaomi’s subsidiary, Poco, introduced the successor to the groundbreaking Pocophone F1. Now, we can’t say with certainty whether this is a direct successor, since the Poco X2, seemingly, focuses on the screen refresh rate more than super-affordable hardware. But it’s far from being a one-trick pony. Today, we invested some time in learning about the Poco X2 and brought you the list of common issues.

If you have experienced any issues on the Poco X2, make sure to check our list because we have some recommended solutions, as well.

Note: All the issues mentioned in this article are individually reported cases, which doesn’t mean any of the problems will occur on other devices. If you’re looking to buy this phone, DO NOT consider these problems.

Table of contents:

1. Missing Refresh rate and NFC options
2. Google Play in-app purchases don’t work
3. How to download and install Gcam on Poco X2
4. Battery drain issue
5. Missing notifications
6. The Dialer app and keyboard are hanging
7. Wi-Fi issues
8. Mobile data not working during calls
9. Poor cell reception
10. Face unlock not working
11. Screen flickers after unlocking and UI animations lag
12. Common troubleshooting steps for Xiaomi Poco X2

1. Missing Refresh rate and NFC options

The Poco X2 and the Redmi K30 (4G version) are the same devices. The only differences are print on the back and MIUI ROMs, as the Redmi K30 uses China ROM and the Poco X2 comes with the Poco version of Global MIUI 11 version. That’s it.

That is possibly the reason why some Poco X2 users are unable to locate NFC and Screen Refresh rate settings. To utilize Google’s services, you’ll need to flash the Global ROM on your device. We recommend unlocking the bootloader and flashing the Global ROM or, you might choose, Xiaomi EU ROM which is toned-down MIUI without ads.

2. Google Play in-app purchases don’t work

Another problem related to the ROM you are running. Google Play purchases probably won’t work on Chinese ROM so make sure to run the official Global ROM before trying to purchase anything from the Store.

If you are certain that your ROM is Global and your device is not rooted, make sure to clear cache and data from the Play Store, check your credentials or, eventually, reset your device to factory settings.

3. How to download and install Gcam on Poco X2

The camera setup on the Poco X2 is quite amazing, considering the pricing of the device. The good thing about being the twin brother of the Redmi K30 lies in the bigger support from independent developers. So, any Gcam port that works on the Redmi K30, should work on the Poco X2. And vice versa. As they are the same device.

But should you get the Gcam and use it over the stock Camera app? Based on reports: definitely. The white balance and overall color science are not strong sides of Xiaomi (and its subsidiaries, Poco and Redmi). That’s all avoided with the Gcam which brings better image processing and more realistic photography.

If you are not sure how to install Gcam on your Poco X2, follow these instructions:

1. In Google Chrome on your handset, navigate to the Gcam Hub and download one of the versions by tapping on it.
2. Allow installation of apps from third-party sources when prompted.
3. You can download the configuration files and add them by following the provided instructions. The configuration for this device can be found in the Redmi K30 section.
4. Install Gcam and that’s it. You can tweak some options in Settings to your liking. Enjoy.

4. Battery drain issue

The 120Hz refresh rate and the 6.6 inches LCD are massive reasons why this device takes a lot of juice. However, that’s covered with the large 4500 mAh battery that supports 27W fast charging. On the other hand, it doesn’t come as a surprise that some users noticed a significant battery drain. This Poco X2 issue is especially prominent after updates.

Now, there are a few things you can do to reduce the battery drain, and we made sure to list them below:

• Disable Automatic brightness and set the brightness manually.
• Open Developer options and disable Mobile Data always on.
• Prevent some secondary apps from working in the background.
• Disable Wi-Fi and Bluetooth overnight.
• Use Greenify or any other third-party application to limit the background processes.
• Update your device or reset the device to factory settings.
• Check our tips for saving battery life on Android.

5. Missing notifications

The notifications as a whole were and still are one of the biggest Xiaomi’s omissions on MIUI. The system kills off the apps in the background on its own, notifications disappear from the status bar, vibration doesn’t work with incoming calls, etc. So many problems and we are not sure why Xiaomi keeps adding new features and completely neglects the essentials.

On the Poco X2 running MIUI 11 (based on Android 10), Xiaomi fixed some of those issues. However, the problem with calls still stands, as the users are not hearing the ringing sound but there’s no prompt for an incoming call on the lock screen.

There are some things you should check to ensure that the issue is not on your side. Here’s what you should do:

• Navigate to Settings > Display > Notch & status bar. Toggle ON the “Show icons for incoming notifications” option.
• Open Settings > Sound & Vibration. Select any default Ringtone. Stick with the system sounds.
• Open Settings > Apps > Manage apps > Dialer and clear cache and data. While there, open Notifications and ensure that all notifications are enabled. If you are using a 3rd-party dialer (Google’s Phone or something else), make sure to set do the same.
• Get back to Settings > Apps > Manage apps. Tap the 3-dot menu and select Default Apps. Once there, select your default Dial app.
• Reset the device to factory settings.
• Check our article about missing notifications on Android for more solutions.

6. The Dialer app and keyboard are hanging

Other Poco X2 users reported issues with two stock apps, the Dialer app, and the keyboard. Both are, based on reports, hanging and glitching. Those two apps also tend to crash from time to time, although that’s not as common.

The problem is probably related to the latest MIUI release and updating the firmware should address it. On the other hand, you can tackle issues within the app (system or 3rd-party apps) by clearing cache and data.

Follow these instructions to troubleshoot issues with Dialer and Keyboard on the Poco X2:

• Navigate to Settings > Apps > Manage apps and open Dialer. Clear cache and data from it. Do the same for the Keyboard app.
• Get back to Manage Apps and tap on the 3-dot menu. Tap Reset app preferences.
• Switch to a third-party dialer and keyboard until the problem is fixed with updates.

7. Wi-Fi issues

Wi-Fi issues are not exactly common but an occasional bug that comes with an update might ruin the user experience. For some users, there’s no internet connection even though they are connected to a network.

Now, in many cases, this might be an MIUI bug, but it’s worth checking everything on your side before casting blame on the performance of the device or the performance of its ROM.

Follow these steps to troubleshoot Wi-Fi issues on the Poco X2:

• Reboot your device and router/modem.
• Delete the SSID from the list of networks and connect again.
• Update the firmware.
• Reset Network Settings.

If none of these solutions resolved the problem, check our article about Wi-Fi issues on Android for more applicable fixes.

8. Mobile data not working during calls

This highly depends on your carrier and service provider. Namely, maybe the service is not available on some carriers or there is a problem with the APN configuration. You can tackle the latter by resetting APN settings and making sure that GSM/WCDMA/LTE is your preferred network type.

Follow these steps to troubleshoot the problem:

• Reboot your device.
• Disable Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and NFC.
• Reset APN.
• Reset Network Settings.

If the issue persists, contact your carrier or service provider and ask for help. Additionally, you can find more solutions in our article about data issues on Android.

9. Poor cell reception

On a similar note, some users have a hard time with the cell reception, claiming that the signal is really bad even in the highly-populated areas where it shouldn’t be as half as bad. Not only does this make the call quality much worse, but it also depletes the battery faster. Which isn’t great, considering how much battery drops when the 120Hz refresh rate is enabled.

On the other hand, this device is built for one market so make sure to check the supported bands before acquiring it.

Now, regarding bad network coverage, we can recommend taking these steps:

• Ensure that your SIM card is properly placed. If possible, stick to one SIM card for the time being.
• Remove the protective casing.
• Disable Bluetooth and NFC when you are not using them.
• Reset APN.
• Reset Network Settings.

10. Face unlock not working

All Xiaomi-made devices running MIUI 10 and later, including Redmi and Poco series, have face unlock. Some ROMs will limit them to certain regions but, by switching the region in Settings > Additional settings, you should be able to utilize it.

Now, Face Unlock should work on the Poco X2 from the get-go but, being a novel device, the lack of optimization or a temporary bug might prevent this.

If you are unable to utilize face unlock on the Poco X2, check these steps:

• Open Additional settings. Select Region and choose Hong Kong.
• Navigate to Settings > Passwords & security > Face unlock. Enter your PIN or password. Tap Delete face data and enroll your face again. Make sure that the Unlock using face data is toggled on.
• Reset your device to factory settings.

11. Screen flickers after unlocking and UI animations lag

To be perfectly honest, the majority of issues we listed here, and issues in general, stem from the lack of ROM optimization. Although the Poco X2 comes with a 120Hz refresh rate and 240Hz touchscreen response, some tweaking is necessary to avoid those minor but visible initial omissions.

Some users have experienced a screen flicker when the device is unlocked, during that short transition from the lock screen (or idle state) to Home Screen. Others have that small but noticeable lag when scrolling, switching between apps, etc. We can agree that this doesn’t go well with the aforementioned enhancements this device has.

Now, we are sure Poco will deal with these issues eventually through updates. But, for the time being, check these steps to reduce flickers and lags on your Poco X2:

• Update the firmware.
• Lower animations in Developer options.
• Disable live wallpapers on the Home and Lock screens.
• Stick to the stock launcher.
• Reset the device to factory settings.

12. Common troubleshooting steps for Xiaomi Poco X2

Enter Developer options

1. Open Settings
2. Select My device
3. Tap All specs and tap 7 times on the Build number.
4. Then navigate to Additional Settings > Developer options.

Boot the device into Safe Mode

1. Turn the device off.
2. Press and hold the Power button and then, once the Xiaomi logo appears, release the Power button and press and hold the Volume Down button.
3. To exit Safe mode, just reboot your device again.

Wipe cache partition

1. Power off your device.
2. Press and hold the Power button + Volume Up until the MI welcome screen appears. Let go of the Power button and keep holding the Volume Up button.
3. Once you get into Recovery mode, use the Volume buttons to get to the Wipe Cache Partition option. Press the Power button to confirm the selection.

Reset the device to Factory Settings

Quick note: If you’re not entirely sure what you’re doing, check our article about resetting an Android phone to factory settings.

1. Backup all important data to Google Drive, your PC, or external storage.
2. Open Settings.
3. Choose My Device.
4. Open Backup & reset.
5. Choose to Erase all data (factory reset).
6. Tap Erase all data and confirm the selection when prompted.

Side note: If you find MIUI too much bloated (too many unnecessary system apps), learn how to debloat it and make it both faster and cleaner while significantly improving battery life.

That’s it. Thank you for reading and we hope this article shed some light on emerging issues that bother Poco X2 users. In case you are aware of some alternative solutions or have additional issues to share, make sure to do so in the comments section below. We look forward to hearing from you.

Editor’s note: This article was initially published in March 2021. We made sure to revamp it for freshness and accuracy.