Modern smartphones, especially the popular Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO models, have become an integral part of our lives, providing access to work, entertainment and communication. However, often users notice that they spend much more time behind the screen than they planned, and begin to think about digital well-being. MIUI and the new HyperOS have a powerful tool for monitoring activity that allows not only to track usage hours, but also to set strict restrictions.
Screen Time (or Digital Well-Being) is deeply integrated into the shell, but not everyone is able to find it the first time because of localization and firmware versions. Statistics are updated in real time and stored locally on the device without being sent to the company's servers without your consent. In this article, we will discuss in detail where to look for these settings, how to interpret data correctly, and how to effectively limit dependence on the gadget for yourself or your children.
Understanding how your smartphone is spending your time is the first step to increasing productivity. Xiaomi’s built-in tools offer flexible scenarios that can block access to social media after a certain threshold or put your device into sleep mode. Let’s take a closer look at the functionality so you can take control of your gadget.
Where to find usage statistics for MIUI and HyperOS
Finding the coveted menu can vary depending on the version of the operating system installed. With newer versions of the HyperOS shell and the latest MIUI 14 updates, the path to settings has become more standardized, following the logic of pure Android.
The standard path is to go to Settings → Digital Well-Being and Parental Control. This is where all the basic analytics are. If you use an older firmware version, like MIUI 11 or MIUI 12, this section can be simply called “Screen Time” and placed in the Special Features category or put into a separate system application.
To quickly access basic information, you can search by settings. Click on the magnifying glass at the top of the settings screen and type in the "screen time" or "digital" request. The system will prompt you to go to the desired section, which is especially convenient if you have updated the phone and the menu has changed. After logging in, you will see a pie chart showing the distribution of time for the current day.
- 📊 Daytime statistics: displays total time spent in front of the screen since unlocking.
- 📱 List of applications: Ranks programs by time of use, showing which ones take the most attention.
- 🔔 Notifications: A separate block shows how many times you’ve been distracted by incoming messages and alerts.
📊 How many hours a day do you spend on your smartphone?
Less than 2 hours
2-4 hours
4-6 hours
More than 6 hours.
It is important to note that statistics are reset daily at midnight in your local time. If you see zero values, check if the tracking feature is enabled, as in some builds to save resources, it can be deactivated by default. Activation takes a few seconds, after which the system will begin to collect data about your actions.
Detailed analysis of application activity
One of the most useful features is that you can see in detail how you use each particular app, and if you click on the icon of any program in the statistics list, you can see a breakdown by day of the week, even by hour, and it can reveal behavior patterns, such as the habit of flipping through the news feed immediately after waking up or before going to bed.
Xiaomi’s Digital Wellbeing system also tracks app launches, and you might be surprised to learn that you open a messenger or social network dozens of times an hour without even realizing it, a message that is often a revelation to users who think they use their phone in moderation.
Why can statistics be inaccurate?
In rare cases, when system services fail or third-party launchers are used, statistics may not be collected correctly. Data may also be reset when the system application cache is cleared or when settings are hard reset.> For those who want to delve into the analysis, the function of viewing the number of notifications received from each application is available. Often it is the constant notifications from games or news aggregators that force us to take our hands. Understanding the source of the triggers helps to better configure the alert filtering. The table below gives examples of how to interpret statistics to optimize your time: Application type Normal time (min/day) Anxiety signal Recommendation Messengers 30-60 Over 120 Disable notifications Social networks 20-40 Over 90 Set a limit of 30 minutes Navigation Depends on travel Actively in the background Check GPS resolutions Games 0-30 Over 60 Use a focus timer Analyzing this data, you can make an informed decision about which applications require restrictions. When you run out of time, the app icon will turn grey, and you won’t be able to run it again until the next day (or until the restriction is lifted) without your password. To set up, go to App Timers inside the digital well-being menu. Here you'll see a list of all the programs installed. Click on the desired application and select the desired time from the 5 minute 23 hours 55 The system will offer standard intervals, but you can set the exact value through the user setting. ☑️ Timer setting Open Digital Well-being: Select Application Timers: Click on the App icon: Set time: Save Completed: 0 / 1 If you run a video in your browser or click on a link from the messenger, time may not be counted in the limit of a particular application if it opens in a system webview. This is a technical feature of Android that is worth considering when planning. ⚠️ Attention: When setting a 0-minute limit, the application is blocked completely. Be careful assigning a zero to system services or applications needed for work (such as cards or corporate mail) so as not to lose access to important functions at the right time. In addition, you can set up “Sleep Mode” or “Rest Time” during which the phone can block all notifications and calls (except for selected contacts), and the screen is converted to black and white mode to reduce the attractiveness of the device. This is a great way to improve sleep hygiene by removing the incentives to pick up your phone before you go to bed. For parents who want to protect their children from overuse of gadgets or unwanted content, Xiaomi offers integration with Google Family Link and its own family group solutions. This allows you to remotely manage screen time on the child’s device from the parent’s phone. To set up control, you need to create a family group through a Google account. Once you add a child to the group, you can see his usage statistics, set bedtime (cancel time) and block applications remotely. This works on all Android devices, including Redmi and POCO. Local settings of MIUI also allow you to create a built-in mode, where you can use pre-ins. However, it is better to use specialized tools for full parental control, as they are protected. PIN-a parent code that the child cannot easily bypass. 👨👩👧👦 Family Group: Sharing App Purchase and Cost Control Subscriptions. 📍 Geolocation: the ability to see the location of the child’s device in real time. 🚫 Content filtering: blocking adult and unwanted apps on Google Play. When setting up, it's important to explain to a child why it's needed. Technical constraints work best when there's an agreement. Suddenly blocking your favorite game can cause stress, so use the “Additional Time” feature, which can be granted on request via the parent’s app. In the toolkit for time management, there is a feature that often remains underrated, Focus Mode. Unlike timers that simply block the application after the time has expired, this mode is designed to temporarily distract from digital noise during work or study. By activating this mode, you select applications that will be blocked (usually entertainment and social networks), while working tools (calculator, notes, maps) remain available. The screen becomes monochrome, notifications are turned off, creating an environment that promotes deep concentration in the mode, for example, you can switch on the phone on the fast mode (for example, you can switch on the bar on the 900) to the operating mode. This disciplines and helps you develop a useful habit of not being distracted, so if you try to open a blocked application, the system will alert you that focus mode is active and suggest you wait. You can set up the option to “interrupt” the mode, but with a delay or a limited number of times to add awareness to your actions. 💡Focus mode is not just a blocker, but a tool to form a habit of concentrating on one task, eliminating multitasking, which reduces productivity. Despite the usefulness of digital well-being features, users may face a variety of technical challenges, and it is common to see statistics not updated or timers not working. In most cases, this is due to aggressive battery optimization, characteristic of the shell. MIUI. The system can kill the background process of collecting statistics, considering it unnecessary to save charge. To fix this, you need to go to the battery settings, find the Digital Well-being app (or the corresponding system service) and allow it to work in the background, as well as remove auto-start restrictions. ⚠️ Attention: Resetting Digital Well-being will result in the loss of all the accumulated statistics. Do data cleaning only as a last resort if the features are not working properly, and be ready to start collecting data again. Another common problem is time desynchronization: If the device is incorrectly timed or timed, the statistics may not be reset at midnight, but at other times, or not be kept at all. Make sure that the date and time settings are ticked with the "Use network time" box». Also worth mentioning is third-party launcher compatibility. If you have installed a third-party shell (Nova, Lawnchair, etc.), screen time widgets may stop showing up on the desktop, although the feature itself in the settings will continue to work. In this case, use widgets from the launcher itself or standard system widgets, if available. FAQ: Does the screen time on the smartphone affect the speed? No, the statistical collection process minimally loads the processor and has little effect on the autonomy or speed of the device. Is the background system process, can you circumvent the set time limit? However, this may require input PIN-If you're an extra security, which adds a barrier to impulsive use: Does the history of screen time persist after a system update? Usually the story is saved because it's tied to an account and a local database. However, when you switch to a major version of Android (for example, from Android 13 to 14) or reset to factory settings, the data will be lost. Why does not the locking of applications in sleep mode work? Check if applications are added to exceptions. Also make sure that the start and end times of sleep are set correctly and do not overlap with another active profile, such as Do Not Disturb mode with other settings.