Xiaomi’s current smartphones consume a huge amount of data, especially when using video services, navigation and cloud storage. Users with tariffs that have volume limits often face a situation where the Internet ends long before the end of the billing period. The built-in shell of MIUI (or HyperOS) offers powerful tools for control, but they are hidden in the depths of the menu or work incorrectly without manual settings.
Setting a traffic limit is not just a way to save money, but also a way to protect against malware that can secretly transmit data. Many applications are set to automatically update or sync over a mobile network by default, which quickly consumes your budget.
In this article, we will discuss how to set up a traffic limit on Xiaomi devices to avoid unexpected write-offs. You will learn about standard system tools, hidden functions of the engineering menu and third-party utilities that give full control over network traffic.
Use of the built-in Security application
The first and most accessible tool is the standard Security app, which is pre-installed on all of the brand's smartphones, which combines antivirus, memory cleaner and, importantly for us, traffic controller, and you have to start the app and find the Transfer section.
In the window that opens, you'll see the current flow and the day-to-day statistics, and to set the limits, you'll click on the gear in the top right corner, or the Settings button at the bottom of the screen, and that's where you'll find the functionality that allows you to set the monthly limit and the date of the reset.
⚠️ Note: When you first set up, the system may request permission to access usage statistics. Without this right, the restriction function will not work, since the application will not be able to block the connection when you reach a threshold.
Activate the Traffic Limit switch and enter the amount of data your operator provides as part of the tariff plan. It is important to specify the units of measurement (GB or MB) correctly to prevent errors in the calculations. Once you enter the value, the system will automatically calculate the daily consumption rate.
☑️ Setting the Security Limit
Setting the period and date of the statistics reset
The critical parameter is the start date of a new billing period. Telecom operators usually reset the counters not on the first day of the month, but on a specific date of connection of the tariff. If you specify the wrong date, the statistics will be incorrect, and the warning may come too late or too early.
In the traffic settings menu, find the Statistical Period or Reset Date, and select the day of the month when your carrier updates the data packet, for example, if the tariff is updated on the 25th, that date is what you want to set in the settings.
Some versions of MIUI allow you to choose the frequency of the reset: monthly, weekly or daily. For most users with classic rates, the option is Monthly. Once the date is set, the system will start counting consumption again on that day, synchronizing your data with the operator's data.
Note that phone and carrier statistics may vary slightly due to packet delays or protocol features, so it is recommended to set a limit in the Xiaomi app to 5-10% less than the real tariff volume, which will create a buffer zone of security.
Managing application background traffic
Even with a set total limit, individual apps can continue to “eat” traffic in the background. Social media, messengers, and news aggregators often update the feed even when the smartphone screen is off, and this process is controlled through detailed permission management.
In the Data Transfer section, select Statistics or Data Use. You will see a list of all installed applications, sorted by the amount of traffic consumed. Click on any application to open its detailed settings.
Two key switches are available here: Mobile Data and Background. Disabling mobile access will completely prevent the app from accessing the Internet via the SIM card. Turning off the background will only allow you to work when you open the application on the screen.
- 📱 Social media: It is recommended to disable the background mode for VK, Telegram and Instagram, if you don't need instant notifications, this will save up to 30% of traffic.
- 📧 Email clients: Set up sync manually or increase the check interval so the app doesn't request new emails every minute.
- 🗺️ Navigators: Google Maps or Yandex can download traffic data in the background. It is better to download maps offline in advance via Wi-Fi.
Why is traffic consumed in sleep mode?
Table: Comparison of limitation methods
For ease of choice of control strategies, let’s look at the main methods in a comparative table, each of which has its advantages depending on the scenario of using a smartphone.
| Method | Efficiency | Difficulty setting up | Impact on notifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limit is secure | Medium (warning only) | Low. | It doesn't. |
| Disabling background data | Tall. | Medium | Delaying notifications |
| Traffic saving regime | Maximum | Low. | Blocking the majority |
| Third-party firewalls | Maximum (full control) | Tall. | Depends on the rules. |
As you can see from the table, the built-in limit is often just an indicator, whereas manually controlling the background data gives you a real result, but if you're afraid of missing an important message, you'd better use a combination of methods.
Traffic saving mode and its features
Xiaomi’s network settings have a separate mode, Traffic Saving, which, unlike setting a hard limit that simply shuts down the internet, optimizes data transfer, compresses graphics in the browser, prohibits autoplay of video, and limits background activity of system services.
You can activate it through Settings → Connections and Sharing → Traffic Savings. By enabling this feature, you will notice that pages in the browser can load a little longer, and the quality of images in some applications will decrease, but data consumption will decrease drastisch.
⚠️ Attention: In traffic saving mode, weather widgets, currency rates and live wallpapers that require constant connection may stop working, and there may be problems with downloading heavy files in messengers.
A handy feature is the ability to add apps to exceptions. For example, you can allow WhatsApp to work in full even with the savings enabled so as not to lose communication while other apps will be limited.
💡
Use Wi-Fi Only mode for heavy downloads. If you need to download a game or movie but traffic is low, wait for your home network connection. In the Play Market and AppStore settings, be sure to install auto-update apps only via Wi-Fi.
Hidden functions and engineering codes
For advanced users who do not have enough standard settings, there are opportunities for deep customization through the engineering menu, but be careful: changing the parameters of the radio module without understanding the consequences can lead to unstable network operation.
One of the useful diagnostic codes is ##4636##. If you type it into your dialer, you'll be taken to the testing menu, and you can see detailed statistics of how specific Android services use data that the standard interface doesn't see, which helps identify the hidden eaters of traffic.
Some firmware versions also offer Aggressive Sleep for apps, which is not code, but is often hidden in advanced battery settings, and forced shutting down processes when the screen is locked ensures that no bytes are wasted.
If standard methods fail to reason with Google system services that can spend traffic on synchronization, you can use the command via ADB (PC required):
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.syncadapters.calendarThis command will turn off calendar synchronization, which can be useful in roaming, but remember that turning off system components requires caution.
💡
The most effective way is to combine a general limit in the Security app and individual background data ban for heavy applications.