How to put parental control on Xiaomi Redmi: full instructions with pictures

Controlling your child’s smartphone usage is one of the most pressing tasks for parents today. Xiaomi Redmi’s MIUI-based smartphones offer built-in tools to limit content, screen time, and app access, but many users don’t know how to set them up properly. In this article, we’ll look at all the ways to activate parental controls, from standard MIUI features to third-party apps with advanced capabilities.

It’s important to understand that parental controls on Redmi work differently depending on the firmware version, for example, in MIUI 14 and later, the settings interface has changed, and some features (such as the age limit on Google Play) require additional adjustments. We’ll look at current methods for 2026, including bypassing common bugs, such as resetting restrictions after the system update.

If you want to not only block harmful content, but also track your child’s location or get reports of their activity, we’ll also talk about the best third-party solutions compatible with Xiaomi. All the instructions are tested on the Redmi Note 12/13, Redmi 10/11 and POCO X5 models, but will also be suitable for other devices on MIUI.

Integrated Parental Controls in MIUI: Opportunities and Limitations

MIUI firmware has a built-in Parental Control feature, but its features are greatly reduced compared to specialized applications.

• 🕒 Time limiting – setting a limit on daily smartphone use.
• 🔒 Application blocking – Prohibiting the running of selected programs (e.g., games or social networks).
• 👁️ Secure Search – filtering results in the Mi Browser browser.
• 📱 Child profile mode is a simplified interface with a limited set of applications.

The main disadvantage of built-in control is that there are no detailed statistics and notifications, for example, you don't know which sites your child visited or how long they spent in each application, and it only works for one user profile, and it's easy to get around it through Developer Mode or reset.

⚠️ Warning: Built-in parental controls in MIUI resets after the phone is reset to factory settings. If you plan to sell or transfer the device, pre-disable restrictions in Settings → Special features → Parental controls.

To activate the built-in control:

1. Open Settings → Special Options → Parental Controls.
2. Click Enable and set the PIN- code (remember it!).
3. Select a child profile (if multiple users) or create a new one.
4. Set time and application limits.

2. Step-by-step setting time and application restrictions

The most popular feature is the time limit for smartphone usage, which is implemented through Use Time in MIUI, but only works for individual applications, not for the entire device.

1. Go to Settings → Time of Use → Time Limitation.
2. Select Add Restriction and specify apps (e.g. TikTok, YouTube).
3. Set a daily limit (e.g. 2 hours) and save.

To lock the device completely after the time has expired, you will need a third-party application, such as Google Family Link or Kaspersky Safe Kids.

• 📵 Set sleep time (locking the device overnight).
• 🎮 Limit play time separately from training applications.
• 📊 Get weekly activity reports.

If your child is trying to bypass restrictions through Developer Mode, turn it off: go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (click 7 times), then to Additional Settings → Developer Mode and deactivate the option.

Create a backup copy of the data|Install PIN-customization|Disable Developer Mode|Update MIUI last-minute-->

3. Blocking of Unwanted Content: Sites, Games, Purchases

Harmful content can be accessed via a browser, YouTube or games, and MIUI has basic tools to filter it:

For secure locking, we recommend using DNS- filtering. For example, replace the DNS- server in the Wi-Fi settings with 1.1.1.3 (Cloudflare Family) or 8.8.8.8 with Safe Google Search enabled, which will block access to harmful sites at the network level.

⚠️ Warning: If your child is using mobile internet (4G/5G), DNS- filtering will not work. In this case, install the AdGuard app with the Children Filtering setting.

To block the installation of new applications:

1. Open Google Play → Settings → Family Control.
2. Create a family group and add a child.
3. Set an age limit (for example, up to 12 years).

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If your child is often trying to get around the restrictions, install Kaspersky Safe Kids and turn on the Hidden Mode option. The app will work in the background and the icon will disappear from the menu.

4. Specialized Parental Control Applications

The built-in MIUI features are suitable for basic protection, but for full control it is better to use third-party solutions.

• 🛡️ Kaspersky Safe Kids — site lock, location tracking, time control. Free version with restrictions.
• 🔍 Google Family Link — App management, remote lock, activity reports. Google account required.
• Norton Family 📱 – Extended content filtering, keyword blocking, social media monitoring.
• 🕵️ Qustodio - flexible rules for different ages, blocking VPN (so that the child does not circumvent the restrictions).

When choosing an application, pay attention to:

• Compatible with MIUI 14/15 (some programs are buggy on custom firmware).
• Russian language (not all applications are fully translated)
• Remote control from another device.

Installation of Kaspersky Safe Kids:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Register an account and create a child profile.
3. Set up filtering rules in the web version (my.kaspersky.com).
4. Install the app on your child’s smartphone and activate Hidden Mode.

Important: Some applications (e.g., Norton Family) require you to disable battery optimization in Settings → Apps → Permissions → Auto-Run, otherwise they will be closed by the system.

5 How to track the location of a child through Xiaomi

If you want to not only limit content, but also know where your child is, use the built-in Device Search or third-party services:

• 📍 Mi Cloud – shows the last known location if Device Search is enabled.
• 🗺️ Google Family Location** is an accurate tracking with a history of movement.
• 🚗 Life360 – Group tracking, arrival notifications to school/home.

To enable tracking through Mi Cloud:

1. Register your Xiaomi account on your child’s phone.
2. Activate Device Search in Settings → Mi Account → Device Search
3. Log in to your i.mi.com account and check your location.

For more accurate tracking, set Google “Family Location”**:

1. Open Google Maps on your phone.
2. Go to Profile → Settings → Shared Location Access.
3. Add your child’s account to your trusted contact list.

⚠️ Warning: Location tracking only works when GPS and mobile internet are turned on. If a child turns off these features, the data will stop updating. To prevent this, block access to Settings → Location through parental control.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When setting up parental controls on Xiaomi Redmi, users encounter typical errors:

If after the MIUI update, parental controls have stopped working:

1. Check the firmware version in Settings → About the phone.
2. Update the control app to the latest version.
3. Restart your phone and re-activate the restrictions.

If your child resets the phone and removes the restrictions, you can only reset them by resetting them.

• 🔐 Presence of PIN-code for Settings and Google Play.
• 🔄 Disable Reset to factory settings without password.
• 📱 Installed applications (especially VPN or launchers).

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The most reliable protection is the combination of built-in MIUI + third-party application (for example, Kaspersky Safe Kids) + DNS- filtering, which creates several layers of lockdown that are difficult to get around.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions