How to set up parental controls on a Xiaomi phone: the full guide 2026

Xiaomi smartphones have become an integral part of teenagers' lives, but without the right restrictions, the gadget can cause harm: from uncontrolled time playing games to accessing dangerous content. MIUI It allows you to flexibly regulate your device usage, lock apps, limit screen time, filter websites, and even track your child's location, but standard tools often go unnoticed. They are hidden in the depths of settings or masked under other functions.

In this article, you will find step-by-step instructions for all current versions. MIUI (including MIUI 14 and MIUI 15), and solutions for cases where built-in options do not work, we will examine not only the basic limitations, but also hidden features (for example, linking to a Mi Account account for remote management), as well as alternative applications for advanced control. Special attention is paid to bypassing restrictions by children - you will learn how to protect settings with a password and what to do if a child resets the phone to factory settings.

Why You Need Parental Controls on Xiaomi

According to a 2023 Kaspersky study, 68 percent of children aged 8-12 spend more than 3 hours a day on a smartphone, and 23 percent have experienced cyberbullying or unwanted content, POCO Black Shark and Black Shark don’t have hard-to-find restrictions, but their system is flexible. MIUI allows:

• 🕒 Time limits for using a device or individual applications (e.g. 1 hour per day for TikTok).
• 🔒 Blocking the installation of new programs without parental permission.
• 🌐 Filtering websites by category (violence, gambling, adult content).
• 📍 Tracking location through Mi Cloud or Google Family.
• 📵 School mode – complete blocking of entertainment functions during specified hours.

It's important to understand that parental controls are not just prohibitions, but also tools for building digital habits, such as setting time-limit notifications or asking your child to "earn" an extra 30 minutes in play for homework. MIUI 14 and later, the Family Security feature only works when the device is linked to the parent’s Mi Account – without this, some of the restrictions will not be available.

⚠️ Note: If the child is using POCO F5 Or Redmi Note 12 with custom firmware (like Pixel Experience), the built-in parental controls may not work, and you’ll need third-party software like Kaspersky Safe Kids or Google Family Link.

Preparing the phone before setting up

Before you include restrictions, follow the mandatory preparatory steps:

1. Update. MIUI in the old builds (for example, in the latest version, MIUI 12) there is no Digital Well-being feature and the settings interface is different. → The phone. → Version. MIUI.
2. Back up your child’s important data (photos, contacts) and it may be lost if you reset or misconfigure it.
3. Make sure your phone has a Mi Account, and without it, you can't synchronize or manage the restrictions between devices remotely.
4. Disable developer rights if they have been activated. Kids often use them to bypass blockages (e.g., via adb).

If the phone has already been in use, check for device administrators (such as antiviruses or antiviruses). VPN), You can do this in Settings, which may conflict with parental control. → Annexes → Special access → Device administrators, remove all unnecessary programs from this list.

Introduced parental control in MIUI

V MIUI 14/15 The parental control feature is hidden under the name "Digital Well-Being and Parental Controls." The manual is suitable for most models: Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi Note 11/12, POCO X5 And others, if you have an older version. MIUI (for example, MIUI 12.5), Use alternative methods.

Create a Mi Account for a Parent|Connect your child’s phone to Wi-Fi|Make sure there is enough charge on the device (minimum 30%)|Write down your Mi Account password to a secure location-->

Step 1: Activation of the function

1. Open Settings → Digital Well-Being and Parental Controls.
2. Click "Start" and select "I am a parent."
3. Enter your Mi Account (if not, register).
4. Create a PIN code to access settings (remember it!).

Step 2: Set up the restrictions

After activation, the following options will be available to you:

To apply the restrictions, click Sync to link the settings to your Mi Account, and you can now manage them remotely through i.mi.com (Device Management).

⚠️ Note: If your child knows the password from your Mi Account, they can disable restrictions via the web interface.Use a complex password and two-factor authentication!

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To make the restrictions work POCO with global firmware, before setting up, switch the region of the phone to "India" or "Russia" in Settings → Additionally. → Region: In some regions (e.g. EU), parental controls are disabled due to the GDPR.

Additional Safety Measures: What to Do When Your Child Bypasses Restrictions

Children quickly learn to bypass standard blockages, and here are common ways to bypass and prevent them:

• 🔄 Reset to factory settings. Solution: Enable in Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset → Protecting Reset Password Request Before Resetting.
• 📥 Installation APK-Solution: disable installation from unknown sources in Settings → Annexes → Special access → Installation of unknown applications.
• 🔧 Use Developer Mode. Solution: Disable it in Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Press 7 times, then return and deactivate the switchboard).
• 🌐 VPN Solution: block the installation VPN-Applications through parental control.

If your child is technically savvy, consider alternative solutions:

• 🛡️ Google Family Link – lets you manage apps and time even on phones without any need for a phone MIUI.
• 🔍 Kaspersky Safe Kids filters content at the network level, works even when resetting your phone.
• 📱 Xiaomi children’s smartphones (such as Mi Bunny Phone) – have hardware limitations.

Remote management and monitoring through Mi Cloud

One of Xiaomi’s key advantages is the ability to remotely manage parental control over the cloud.

1. Sign in to i.mi.com under your Mi Account.
2. Go to the Device Management section and select your child's phone.
3. You'll see here: 📊 Application usage statistics. 📍 Last known location (if included) GPS). ⚙️ Options to change restrictions (for example, add a new blocked application).

To track your location in real time, activate the “Find Device” function in your phone settings (Settings) → Mi Account → Find the device. This will allow you to see the movements of the child on the map with an accuracy of 5-10 meters (when on). GPS).

⚠️ Warning: Remote control only works when your phone is connected to the Internet, if your child turns off mobile data or Wi-Fi, you won't be able to track their activity, and to prevent that, block access to network settings through parental controls.

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Linking your child’s phone to your Mi Account allows you to restore restrictions even after resetting the settings – it is enough to re-authenticate on the device.

Features of setting up on different Xiaomi models

Although most of the Xiaomi phones work MIUI, Some models have unique nuances:

For models with MIUI for Russia (e.g. Redmi) 10C or POCO M5) Family Time Control is a simplified version of parental control integrated with Yandex.Search, which allows you to block unwanted requests in the browser.

Alternative ways of parental control

If embedded tools MIUI You are not satisfied, consider these options:

1. Google Family Link

Google App Works on All Android 7.0 Phones+, including Xiaomi:

• 📱 Remote locking of the device.
• 🕒 Flexible time limits (e.g. 2 hours on weekdays and 3 hours on weekends).
• 🔍 Viewing search history and activity on YouTube.

Disadvantage: Your child can delete the app if it is not password protected. To avoid this, block the deletion via Settings. → Annexes → Family Link → Prohibit removal.

2. Kaspersky Safe Kids

More advanced solution with:

• 🌍 Geozones – notifications if the child has left a permitted area (e.g. school).
• 📵 Blocking. SMS from unknown numbers.
• 🔄 Change log – tracks which settings you tried to change.

Cost: Free for basic features, premium version – 399 ₽/year.

Hardware solutions

For full control, you can use:

• 📶 A router with parental control (e.g. Xiaomi Mi Router) 4A). Blocks access to websites at the network level.
• 📱 Children's smartphones (Xiaomi Mi Bunny Phone or Redmi) A1+ childish").

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Apps like Kaspersky Safe Kids or Google Family Link are often more reliable than built-in features. MIUI, Especially on custom firmware or older versions of the system.

Frequent mistakes and their solution

When setting up parental controls, users face typical problems:

If the restrictions don’t work after all the manipulations, try resetting your digital well-being settings:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find “Digital Well-Being” and click “Clear Data”.
3. Reboot the phone and set up control again.