How to Set Parental Controls on Xiaomi Phone: A Complete 2026 Guide

Why you need parental controls on Xiaomi smartphones and how it works

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones have become an integral part of adolescents’ lives — 87% of children aged 10-14 years are actively using mobile devices, according to Kaspersky. But along with the Internet, there are risks: uncontrolled access to social networks, online games with microtransactions or 18+ content can harm the child’s psyche. Parental control on MIUI helps to limit these threats without resorting to radical measures like a complete ban on gadgets.

Unlike third-party apps like Kids Place or Family Link, Xiaomi’s built-in tools work at the system level, meaning that a child can’t get around them by simply uninstalling the program or resetting the settings. The feature is available on all devices with MIUI 12 and later, including Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and Xiaomi 13T. The settings are flexible for age: for a 7-year-old, you can block YouTube completely, and a 15-year-old just limit TikTok time to 2 hours a day.

It's important to understand that parental control is not espionage, it's digital hygiene. According to a UNICEF study, children whose screen time is controlled by their parents are 30 percent less likely to experience cyberbullying and 40 percent less likely to suffer from insomnia, but to be effective, it needs to be not just turned on, but set up correctly, and that's what we'll talk about later.

Preparing the phone before setting up parental controls

Before you activate the restrictions, make sure the device is ready for the changes. Here are key steps that are often missed:

• 📱 Update. MIUI In the old firmware (for example, in the latest version, MIUI 11) the parental control function is unstable or non-existent. → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 🔒 Back up your data. When you reset your settings (if necessary), all the data on your child's phone will be deleted. Use Settings. → Additionally. → Backup.
• 👤 Set up a separate user profile (for multiplayer devices). This is true for Xiaomi Pad 6 tablets or smartphones that use multiple children.
• 📶 Connect your phone to stable Wi-Fi. Some features (like content filtering) require a constant internet connection.

Pay special attention to your Mi Account. If your phone is tied to your child’s account, you will need access to your child’s password, otherwise you won’t be able to set up certain restrictions (like blocking Google Play purchases). If you don’t have an account, you’d better create it in advance through Settings → Accounts → Add an account → Mi Account.

⚠️ Note: If your child’s phone has already been used by another family member, reset to factory settings (Settings) → Additionally. → Otherwise, old data (e.g. saved passwords from social networks) may remain available.

Step-by-step: how to enable parental control on Xiaomi

The configuration process depends on the version of MIUI, but the overall scheme is the same for all modern devices.

1. Open Settings and go to Special Features (on some models, Digital Well-Being and Parental Control).
2. Select Parental Controls (or Digital Wellbeing on global firmware) if this is not available, update the system and it will appear after installing MIUI 14+.
3. Click Start and follow the Settings Wizard. You will be asked to create a PIN (remember it! Without it, you can't change or disable the restrictions).
4. Select a child profile. If you don't have one, create a new one through Add User.
5. Activate the necessary restrictions (for more about each type, see the next section).

On devices with MIUI 15 (such as Xiaomi 14 or Redmi K70), the interface may be slightly different:

Settings → Digital Well-Being → Parental Controls → Select a Child → Set Limitations

If you have a global firmware (e.g., on POCO F5), the path will be:

Settings → Digital Wellbeing & parental controls → Parental controls → Get started

Make sure the PIN code is recorded in a safe place

Check the work of restrictions in safe mode

Sync with the Mi cloud (if necessary)

Explain to your child the rules of using the phone-->

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Black Shark 5) may have parental controls in conflict with Shark Space's game mode. If the game starts to slow down after activating the restrictions, turn off Settings. → Special facilities → Game mode.

Types of restrictions: what can be blocked on Xiaomi

MIUI's parental control system offers 5 main types of restrictions, which can be combined or used selectively:

The most popular features are time limiting and app blocking, for example, you can set a rule: "YouTube is only available from 16:00 to 19:00, no more than 90 minutes a day." When you try to circumvent the restriction, the system will require a PIN.

Important: Content filtering only works in the standard Mi Browser browser. If your child installs Chrome or Firefox, the restrictions will not apply. To close this loophole, block the installation of new browsers through Settings → Apps → Permissions → Install unknown applications.

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If your child complains that the phone is “slowing” after parental controls are turned on, check the background settings. Some restrictions (such as monitoring usage) can put a strain on the processor. Turn off unnecessary options in Settings → Battery → Background activity

How to bypass parental controls on Xiaomi: system weaknesses

Even the most stringent restrictions can be circumvented if you know the MIUI vulnerabilities, and here are the most common ways teens use (and how to prevent them):

• 🔄 Reset. A child can do a Hard Reset via Recovery Mode to remove all restrictions. Solution: Enable Fastboot through Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Unlocking OEM (Turn off this item).
• 📥 Install alternative launchers. Applications like Nova Launcher can bypass application locking. Solution: block installation. APK-File settings → Annexes → Special access → Installation of unknown applications.
• 🕵️ Use of the VPN. Some teenagers are setting up VPN, Solution: block the installation. VPN-Programs through parental control.
• 🔑 If the password is too simple (e.g., "1234"), you can guess it. Solution: use a complex code of 6+ letter-and-numeral.

Another popular trick is guest mode. Some models (Xiaomi 12 Pro, Redmi K50) can create a guest profile without restrictions. To avoid this, turn off multiplayer mode in Settings → System → Multiplayer mode.

Third-party parental control apps: When built-in features aren't enough

If standard MIUI tools seem too limited, third-party solutions can be used, offering advanced features such as:

• 📊 Detailed statistics (which sites the child visited, how much time he spent in each application).
• 📍 Tracking location in real time with the history of movement.
• 🔍 Monitoring of messages in messengers (with the consent of the child!).
• 🛡️ Keyword blocking (for example, banning search queries with the words “suicide” or “drugs").

Here's the top.-3 Verified applications compatible with Xiaomi:

Before installing third-party software, make sure it is compatible with your version of MIUI. For example, Google Family Link does not work on Chinese firmware without Google Play Services. To check compatibility, download the app to your phone and try to link your child's device.

⚠️ Note: Some applications (e.g. mSpy or FlexiSPY) are positioned as “spyware” and may violate privacy laws.In Russia, the use of such programs without the consent of a child over 14 years old is punishable under Art. 137 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (Infringement of privacy").

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The built-in MIUI parental controls are suitable for basic restrictions, but if you need advanced functionality (message monitoring, geolocation), it is better to use specialized applications with a license.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

Even experienced users make mistakes when setting up parental controls, and here are the most common mistakes and ways to fix them:

1. Forgot the PIN. Without it, you can't change or disable the restrictions. Solution: reset your phone to factory settings (but that will delete all the data!) To avoid the problem, write the code in the password manager (for example, Bitwarden or 1Password).
2. You didn't update your settings. After you update MIUI, some restrictions may reset. Solution: Check the up-to-date settings after each system update.
3. Ignored notifications. The system can send alerts to circumvent restrictions. Solution: Enable Settings → Parental Controls → Notifications.
4. They didn't explain the rules to the child, and if the teenager doesn't understand why the controls are in place, they'll look for ways to get around them, so they can talk about the boundaries of phone use in advance, explain the purpose of the restrictions.

Another common mistake is to limit things too much, and if you block everything, the child loses trust and finds workarounds.

• 🕒 For children. 7-10 years: 1-1.5 hour of screen time per day, blocking social networks.
• 📱 For teenagers. 11-14 years: 2-3 Time limit for games and YouTube.
• 👨‍💻 For high school students 15+: Purchase control and content filtering 18+.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions