How to watch screen time on Xiaomi phone: a step-by-step guide

Why it’s important to monitor screen time on Xiaomi

Screen time is not just a number of hours you spend on your smartphone, it's a self-control tool that helps you understand the real distribution of attention between work, communication and entertainment. On Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO, this feature is integrated into the Digital Well-being system, but not everyone knows where to find it, and this is especially true for parents who want to limit their children's time using gadgets, or for those who want to reduce their dependence on social networks.

Unlike the iPhone, where screen usage statistics are prominent, MIUI and HyperOS may have different paths to this data depending on the firmware version. Moreover, after the upgrade to HyperOS (which replaced MIUI in 2026), some features have changed, and in this article we will look at all the current ways to check screen time, from standard settings to hidden features.

It is important to understand that screen usage data is collected automatically by the system, but its accuracy depends on several factors: whether the developer mode is turned on, whether third-party launchers are installed (for example, Nova Launcher), or whether a second space is used (dual desktop function on Xiaomi).

Method 1: Standard statistics in “Digital Well-Being”

The most obvious and universal method is to use the built-in Digital Wellbeing tool, which is available on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 10 and later, as well as on HyperOS.

1. Open the settings (cog icon on the desktop).
2. Scroll down and select Digital Well-Being and Parental Controls.
3. Click on Control Panel or Usage Statistics (the name may vary).
4. Here you will see a graph of screen usage time for today, yesterday or week, as well as app distribution.

In this section, you can also set time limits for specific apps or turn on focus mode, which blocks distracting programs. For example, if you spend too much time on TikTok or Instagram, the system will suggest setting a daily limit.

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If the Digital Well-Being section is missing, update the firmware via Settings → About Phone → System Update. Older versions of MIUI (below 10) don’t have this feature.

Note that statistics are reset when you reboot your phone or reset your settings. If you notice that the data has zeroed for no reason, check if these actions were performed, and some system applications (such as Google Play Services) may not show up in the statistics, because they work in the background.

Method 2: Using Battery Settings (alternative method)

If for some reason the Digital Well-Being section is not available (for example, after a setting reset or on custom firmware), you can look at screen time through battery usage statistics, which is less accurate, but gives a general idea of screen activity:

1. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance.
2. Select Battery Use (or Battery Statistics).
3. Click on Screen Use or Screen Activity (depending on the MIUI/HyperOS version).
4. Here you will see the total time when the screen was turned on, but without detailing the applications.

This is a quick check, but it doesn't replace the full-fledged statistics from Digital Well-Being, for example, if you've listened to music with your screen off, your listening time won't be counted, and it doesn't show background processes that consume charge but don't affect screen time.

On HyperOS, the path may be slightly different: instead of Battery and performance, look for simply Battery, then go to the Stats tab. If you have a shell installed from a third-party (for example, on global versions for Europe), menu items may not be translated accurately - look for an icon with a schedule or watch.

Method 3: Using third-party applications for detailed analytics

If Xiaomi’s built-in tools aren’t enough, you can install third-party screen time monitoring apps that offer advanced features such as:

• 📊 Weekly and monthly reports with comparative analytics.
• 🔔 Notifications of time limits exceeded.
• 📱 Tracking the use of specific applications (e.g., only social networks).
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The ability to set up profiles for different family members.

Among the popular applications:

• ActionDash – shows detailed statistics with graphs and comparisons by day.
• Digital Wellbeing (from Google) is an alternative to the built-in tool, but with more flexible settings.
• StayFree – allows you to set goals for reducing the time of use.
• App Usage is a minimalist application with a user-friendly interface.

To make these programs work properly, they will need access to special features (app usage tracking permissions).

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Special Access → Access to Use.
2. Find the installed monitoring application in the list and turn on the switch.

Built-in "Digital Well-Being"

ActionDash

StayFree

Digital Wellbeing by Google

Other/not tracking-->

Third-party applications may consume an extra battery because they run in the background. If you notice that after installing such software, the phone starts to run out faster, check the energy saving settings in Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization and add the application to the exceptions.

Features of displaying screen time on different versions of MIUI and HyperOS

Depending on the firmware version, the interface and location of the statistics may vary, and the following is a table with the current paths for different versions:

HyperOS has a feature to sync statistics between Xiaomi devices (if you use one Mi Account), which is useful if you have multiple gadgets (like a smartphone and a tablet), and you want to see the big picture.

1. Open Settings → Xiaomi account.
2. Go to Mi Cloud → Synchronization.
3. Make sure that the Digital Well-Being item is included.

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On HyperOS, screen time statistics take into account usage on all synchronized Xiaomi devices if the option is enabled in the Mi Cloud.

If you use the second space (the dual desktop feature on Xiaomi), the statistics for each space are kept separately. To see the full data, you need to switch between spaces in the top notification bar or through Settings → Second space.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Sometimes users are faced with screen time not being displayed or reset. Consideration problems and ways to fix them:

• ❌ Statistics are zeroed after the update When switching to a new version MIUI/HyperOS Solution: Wait for the system to collect new data (usually takes up a lot of time). 1–2 day-day).
• ❌ No Digital Well-Being section Possible causes: outdated firmware, custom build or regional restrictions Solution: Update the system or install Google's Digital Wellbeing app.
• ❌ Screen time shows incorrect data If the phone is rebooted frequently or the developer mode is used with statistics services disabled, the data may be inaccurate. Solution: check the developer settings (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI — tap 7 times).
• ❌ Some system processes (such as the Android System) may not be counted.Solution: use third-party monitoring apps.

Check out the MIUI/HyperOS version

Update firmware

Install Digital Wellbeing by Google

Reboot the phone

Reset the settings of Digital Well-being"-->

If none of the methods worked, try resetting your Digital Well-Being settings:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find digital well-being on the list.
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the data.
4. Restart your phone and wait for new statistics to be collected (it can take up to 24 hours).

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If you use root rights or custom recovery (such as TWRP), screen time statistics may not work properly due to modified system files.

How to limit screen time on Xiaomi

Knowing the statistics is just the first step. If you want to really reduce your smartphone usage time, Xiaomi offers a few built-in tools:

• 🔒 Application limits: Set a daily limit for specific programs (e.g. 1 hour for YouTube) when the time runs out, the app will be blocked.
• 🌙 Focus Mode: Enables a black and white interface and blocks notifications from distracting apps.
• 👶 Parental controls: Allows remote management of use time on a child's device.
• 📵 Do Not Disturb Scheduled Mode: Automatically disables notifications at predetermined hours (e.g. overnight).

To set the limits:

1. Open Settings → Digital Well-being → Control Panel.
2. Select the app you want to set a limit for (like Instagram).
3. Click on the hourglass icon (Set limit).
4. Set the desired time and save the settings.

For parental control, you will need to link your child’s device to your Mi Account:

1. On the child’s phone: Settings → Xiaomi Account → Family.
2. On your phone: Settings → Digital Well-being → Parental Controls.
3. Follow the instructions for linking devices.

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Application limits on Xiaomi are only for user programs. System applications (such as "Phone" or "Messages") cannot be restricted.

If built-in tools seem inadequate, consider third-party solutions like Forest (gamification of the distraction process from the phone) or Freedom (scheduled blocking sites and apps). MIUI.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions

If your question isn’t covered in this section, check the relevance of the firmware or contact Xiaomi through the official Mi Community app. Remember: Digital Well-Being features may vary depending on the region and phone model.

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On some POCO models (e.g. POCO F5), the path to statistics may be different. If you don't find a section, try searching by settings (the magnifying glass icon at the top).