Digital safety for children is becoming a priority for millions of parents around the world. Xiaomi smartphones, powered by MIUI or HyperOS shells, offer powerful tools to manage access to content. However, standard settings are often hidden deep in the menu or require installing third-party software to work properly.
In this article, we will take a look at how to turn your child’s phone into a secure device, Google’s official methods, built-in features, and the specifics of working with Chinese firmware versions. A comprehensive approach to setup will provide maximum protection without requiring deep knowledge of programming or system administration.
Before you start blocking, it’s important to understand that no system offers 100% warranty without active parental involvement. Technical restrictions are just a tool that should work in conjunction with trust and explaining how to behave online. However, a properly configured Android can prevent many random or intentional purchases, as well as protect against malicious content.
Built-in restrictions on MIUI and HyperOS
Xiaomi’s shells have a basic access restriction feature, often referred to as “Child Mode” or “Children’s Space,” which creates an isolated environment on the device where only the apps you select are available, and requires separate authorization or password entry to run the mode, preventing the child from accidentally entering the main interface of the system.
To activate, you need to go to Settings → Special Features → Children’s Space, where the system will offer you to set a profile, select applications to access and set time limits. It is important to note that in some regions or firmware versions, this item may be called Second Space, which is essentially an analogue of guest mode with extended administrator rights.
- 🔒 Creating a separate desktop with a limited set of icons.
- ⏱️ Set a timer for using a device or specific games.
- 🚫 Blocking access to system settings and application store.
- 📞 Calling only to selected numbers from the phone book.
⚠️ Note: In Chinese versions of the firmware (CN) The interface may be different and some system applications may not work properly in the constraint mode.
However, Xiaomi’s built-in tools are often inferior in functionality to specialized solutions, which may not display detailed statistics of visited sites or allow you to bypass blocking through safe mode, so for reliable protection, experts recommend combining these settings with more powerful tools.
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Use guest mode for temporary phone transfer, and for permanent use by a child, it is better to set up a separate Google account with a family group.
Google Family Link: The Gold Standard
The most effective way to organize parental control on Xiaomi is to use the official Google Family Link app, a free Android solution that allows you to fully control your child’s device from the parent’s phone, and the system works at the operating system level, making it difficult for the average user to lock it.
The setup process starts with installing the Family Link for Parents app on your smartphone and creating a separate Google account for your child, and if your child is under 13, the system will require them to link their account to yours as a family group, and once they log in to this account on a Xiaomi phone, the device will automatically be remanded.
☑️ Set up Family Link
The Family Link functionality is extensive and includes:
- 📍 Tracking the location of the device in real time.
- 📱 Remote lock of the smartphone screen at any time.
- 📉 Detailed statistics of application use by day and hour.
- 🔞 Filtering content in Google Play and Chrome.
The peculiarity of working on Xiaomi is the aggressive optimization of the battery, which can "kill" the background processes of the control service. To avoid this, you need to manually prevent the system from closing the application. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications → Family Link → Battery and select No restrictions mode.
Set up digital well-being
Modern versions of Android, which underpin MIUI 12-14 and HyperOS, have a built-in Digital Well-Being tool that allows you to set time limits for specific applications without installing third-party software, which is handy if you just want to limit game time, but are not ready to create a full-fledged family group Google.
To set up, go to Settings → Digital Well-Being and Parental Controls, where you can set a timer for YouTube, games or social media, and when the time goes out, the app icon will turn grey and you can't run it until the next day or until the parent's restriction is lifted, which makes the child a habit of controlling his time.
Table of comparison of control methods:
| Function | Google Family Link | Xiaomi's built-in mode | Digital well-being |
|---|---|---|---|
| Screen locking | Remotely. | Only locally. | No. |
| Filtering sites | Yes (SafeSearch) | Limitedly. | No. |
| GPS tracking | There is. | No. | No. |
| Blocking purchases | Requires confirmation. | Password to the store | Password to the store |
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Digital well-being is a great tool for teen self-control, but for young children it’s best to use a remote-controlled Family Link.
This method is therefore more suitable for disciplined users who need only a reminder of the time.
Blocking purchases and content on Google Play
One of the most painful problems for parents is random or intentional in-app purchases. On Xiaomi, as on any Android device, setting up authentication in the Google Play Store solves this problem. Without this step, a child can easily spend money from a linked card.
Open the Play Store app, click on your profile avatar, and select Settings → Authentication. You need to enable password requirements for all purchases. You should select the option “For all purchases through Google Play on this device.” Now, even for free apps that require age verification, you will have to enter a password.
You can also set a content filter in the Play Store settings. In Settings → Family Control, activate the function and set a PIN. After that, you can limit the installation of applications by age rating (for example, only 3+ or 12+). Apps with higher ratings will simply not appear in the search or will be blocked when you try to install.
⚠️ Note: Do not save your card in Google Pay or Chrome if your child is using your phone.Even with passwords, the risk of accidentally debiting your subscriptions remains high.
Also, you should disable auto-update apps or require a password for updates. Sometimes developers change the terms of free access to a paid one in new versions, and automatic updates can unexpectedly lead to a paid subscription.
Specifics of working on different versions of Android
Xiaomi’s ecosystem is diverse: devices can run on older versions of Android 9-10 or the latest Android 13-14 with a HyperOS shell. The interface of parental controls settings can vary significantly. On older versions of MIUI, security features are often scattered on different menus, while in newer versions they are centralized.
HyperOS devices have improved integration with Google services, but also added Xiaomi’s own security features, such as stricter app permission controls. If you set up control on a budget Redmi with a simplified shell, some Family Link features may not work well due to a lack of RAM.
Owners of Chinese versions of smartphones (without global firmware) should be especially careful, because such devices may not have Google Play services by default, making Family Link installation impossible without complex manipulation, in which case you have to rely solely on built-in Chinese counterparts or install third-party launchers.
What happens if the Family Link is not installed?
The universal solution for any version of the software is the use of third-party specialized applications that do not depend on the manufacturer’s system limitations as much as native tools.
Alternative control applications
If standard methods don't work or need more in-depth monitoring, we can turn to third-party developers. The market offers a variety of solutions, from free utilities to powerful paid packages, and they often have more flexible Internet filtering settings and hidden modes.
Popular alternatives include Kaspersky Safe Kids, Norton Family and Qustodio.These apps provide detailed reports on search queries, can read the content of social media posts (with certain Android restrictions), and have an SOS button for emergencies.
- 🛡️ Kaspersky Safe Kids: Great Web Content Filtering and Device Charging Control.
- 🌐 Norton Family: Powerful tools for time control and school routine.
- 📊 Qustodio: Deep Activity Analytics and YouTube Monitoring.
When installing such programs on Xiaomi, you must give them all the permissions you request, including access to “Usage Access” and “device administrator.” Without this, the system will forcibly close the application and control will cease to work. Also, remember to add the program to the battery exceptions.