How to set up screen time on Xiaomi: a detailed guide for all versions of MIUI

Monitoring screen time has become a necessity for many Xiaomi users. Overuse of gadgets affects vision, sleep and productivity — especially for children and adolescents. Fortunately, MIUI provides built-in screen time-limiting tools that work on all models from the Redmi Note 10 to the flagship Xiaomi 13 Ultra. In this article, you will find not only basic instructions, but also hidden system chips that will help make control as effective as possible.

It is important to understand that screen time settings in MIUI We'll go through both of these, including the nuances for different versions of firmware, and if you've never used these features, don't worry. The interface is intuitive, and our screenshots (path descriptions) will help to orient even beginners. ADB-commands that circumvent some system limitations.

What is screen time and why limit it

The term “screen time” refers to the total duration of active smartphone use, from watching videos to playing games and social media. Studies show that the average user spends more than 4 hours per day on the screen, and in adolescents this figure often exceeds 7 hours, the consequences of such behaviors range from chronic eye fatigue to reduced concentration.

Here are the key reasons to set limits:

• 👁️ Vision protection: reducing screen time reduces risk of dry eye syndrome and myopia.
• 😴 Sleep quality: blue screen light suppresses the production of melatonin, a hormone responsible for sleep.
• 📱 Digital Detox: Consciously Reducing Time With Your Gadget Improves Productivity and Mental Health.
• 👶 Child control: limiting access to games and social networks during school hours.

In MIUI, Screen Time is integrated into the Digital Well-being section (older versions of Time to Use) and allows:

• 📊 Track usage statistics by day/week.
• ⏱️ Set timers on individual applications.
• 🔒 Lock the device on schedule (for example, overnight).
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Set up parental controls with a password.

Where to find screen time settings in MIUI

The path to settings depends on the firmware version. In the latest versions of MIUI 13/14, the section was moved to the Digital Well-Being menu, and in MIUI 12 and below it was called Time to Use.

If you don't find the section along the specified path, try searching in the settings (the magnifying glass icon in the upper right corner). Enter the query "screen time" or "digital well-being" - the system will tell you the exact location.

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models for China (with China firmware) ROM) The partition can be hidden, and to activate it, you need to change the region to Global or EEA through ADB.

Step-by-step setting personal limitations

Personal limitations are good for self-control, and you can set timers for individual apps (like TikTok or YouTube) or a global limit for all screen time.

1. Open Settings → Digital Well-Being → Toolbar.
2. Slip on the chart "Screen time" (usually displayed at the top).
3. Click on “Set a screen time limit” and select the desired duration (15 minutes to 23 hours).
4. Activate the option “Block the device when you exceed the limit” if you want a full lock.

To limit individual applications:

1. In the Digital Well-Being section, select App Timers.
2. Slip on the hourglass icon next to the desired application.
3. Set a daily limit (e.g. 1 hour for Instagram).
4. Enable the “Hard Limit” option to block the application after the time has expired.

Select "Application Timers" section |

Set a limit for each application |

Activate a hard limit |

Check the usage statistics-->

If you want to temporarily suspend restrictions (for example, on weekends), use the “Pause” feature in the timer menu, which allows you to postpone the lock for 5/15/30 minutes or for the whole day.

⚠️ Attention: B MIUI 14, we have Focus Mode, which blocks all distracting applications for a given period of time, and it can be enabled through Digital Well-Being. → Focus mode or through the Quick Settings Panel (swipe down from the top edge of the screen).

Parental Control: How to Limit Child Screen Time

For children and adolescents, MIUI has a separate section with advanced settings, where you can not only limit time, but also block specific applications, set a schedule, and view activity history.

1. Go to Settings → Digital Well-Being → Parental Controls.
2. Click on Add Child Profile and select an account (if your child has a Mi Account) or create a local profile.
3. Set a password for parental control (required! otherwise the child will reset the settings).
4. Set up: 🕒 Total screen time (for example, 2 hours on weekdays and 3 hours on weekends). 📵 Sleep schedule (locking device from 22:00 to 7:00). 🎮 Application restrictions (banning games during school hours). 🔍 Content filter (blocking 18)+ content).

An important nuance: if a child uses a device without Mi Account, all settings will reset after hard reset. To avoid this, link the child’s profile to your Xiaomi account through Settings → Xiaomi Account → Family.

For additional security, we recommend:

• 🔐 Install PIN-code to unlock the child’s screen (so that he can not bypass the restrictions through the guest mode).
• 📱 Enable Safe Mode in Settings → Special features (limits the installation of new applications).
• 🔄 Regularly check the activity log in parental control (shows which apps were used).

Hidden functions and ADB-Teams for Advanced Users

If the standard settings MIUI Not enough can be used ADB-This method is suitable for advanced users, because it requires connecting the phone to a PC and knowing the basic commands.

Here are some useful commands:

• 📱 Set a global screen time limit (in seconds): adb shell settings put global screen_off_timeout 7200 (7200 seconds = 2 hour)
• 🔒 Block new applications: adb shell settings put global install_non_market_apps 0
• 🕒 Disable automatic time synchronization (useful to bypass some limitations): adb shell settings put global auto_time 0

To work with ADB, you will need:

1. Install Android SDK Platform-Tools on PC.
2. Enable USB Debugging on your phone (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 times tap on version → Return to Additional → For developers → Debugging by USB).
3. Connect the phone to the PC and execute the adb device command to check the connection.

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB This can cause system failures. Before experimenting, back up your data through Settings. → Additionally. → Backup and reset.

💡

If so, ADB-commands screen time resets – check the automation settings in Settings → Special facilities → Automation: Sometimes third-party applications (such as Tasker) conflict with system constraints.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even when you set it up correctly, users are confronted with bugs and unexpected behaviors, and here are the most common problems and ways to solve them:

If none of these methods worked, try resetting your digital well-being settings:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find Digital Well-Being and tap it.
3. Select “Storage” → “Delete data”.
4. Reboot your phone and set the restrictions again.

💡

If the problem persists after reset, check the MIUI version. In some beta versions of the firmware, the screen time function is unstable. Solution: roll back to the stable version via Settings → About Phone → System Update → Three Points → Select an update package.

Alternative applications for screen time control

If embedded tools MIUI You don't like it, you can use third-party apps, and they offer more flexible settings, cross-platform synchronization, and advanced analytics.-5 provenance:

• 📊 Google’s official Android integration app, Digital Wellbeing (Google), allows you to set limits, track usage and enable Do Not Disturb mode, minus: it doesn’t work on some customized Xiaomi firmware.
• 👶 Kids Place is a dedicated parental control solution that blocks access to all apps except the ones you allow, and it has a remote web dashboard management feature, plus it works even without Mi Account.
• ⏱️ AppBlock Allows you to block apps on a schedule (such as social networks during working hours), supports multiple profiles and password protection.
• 🔒 Norton Family – A comprehensive solution with location monitoring, website blocking and screen time limits, plus cross-platform (powered by iOS and Windows).
• 📈 ActionDash Alternative to Digital Wellbeing with more detailed statistics and a widget for the home screen.

Before installing third-party apps, check their compatibility with your version of MIUI. Some programs (such as Digital Wellbeing) may conflict with Xiaomi’s built-in services, leading to double counting of statistics or timer failures.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions