How to watch screen time on Xiaomi Redmi 9A: official and hidden ways

Why is it important to monitor screen time on Redmi 9A?

Xiaomi Redmi 9A with MIUI firmware collects detailed statistics on screen usage, from total activity time to app allocation, which not only helps control digital dependency, but also helps identify programs that drain the battery in the background. For example, if WhatsApp messenger shows 5+ hours of screen time per day, this is a signal of excessive notification or auto-start.

Unlike Xiaomi’s flagship models, where Digital Well-being is available by default, the budget Redmi 9A often has to be manually activated. Moreover, after resetting or updating MIUI, the statistics can be reset — this is something many users will learn too late. In this article, we will discuss 3 working methods for viewing screen time, including hidden settings and bypassing the limitations of MIUI.

The Redmi 9A has a feature that doesn't have a proximity sensor on some firmware versions, which distorts the call statistics in total screen time. If you notice discrepancies (like 1 hour of calls in real 10 minutes), that's the problem.

Method 1: Embedded Digital Well-Being in MIUI

Xiaomi's official activity monitoring tool is the Digital Wellbeing app, which can be hidden or disabled by default on Redmi 9A to find:

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
2. Scroll down and select Applications → Application Management.
3. In the search box, enter Digital Well-Being.
4. If the application is disabled, click Enable.

After activation:

• 📊 Move to Digital Well-Being → Toolbar – This shows the screen time graph for the day/week.
• 🔍 Click on the chart to see the distribution by application (e.g. TikTok – 3h 20m).
• ⏱️ Enable application timer to limit the time you use specific programs.
• 📵 Activate Focus Mode to block distracting notifications.

Include the Digital Well-Being appendix

Update MIUI to the latest version

Check permissions for the application in the security settings

Disable the power saving mode for accurate data-->

Method limitation: Redmi 9A with MIUI below version 12.5 can only show data for the current day. Week/month history requires firmware updates or third-party utilities.

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If there is no data in Digital Well-being, restart your phone and check the date/time settings – an incorrect time zone knocks down the statistics collection.

Method 2: Hidden MIUI settings (for power users)

MIUI stores advanced usage statistics in an engineering menu that is not available through the standard interface.

1. Open the phone app and enter the combination: ##4636##
2. In the menu that appears, select Usage Statistics (or Usage Statistics in English firmware).
3. Scroll to Screen Time - here's the data for the last 7 days, broken down by hour.

Advantages of this method:

• 📅 Story in a week (as opposed to 1 day in Digital Well-being»).
• 🔋 Shows the background time of apps (for example, how much Facebook was running in the background).
• 📱 Data is not reset after rebooting.

⚠️ Warning: Changing the settings in the engineering menu can cause malfunctions in the smartphone. Do not edit other sections (for example, Battery Information or Wi-Fi) unless you are sure of the consequences.

Method 3: Third-Party Applications for Detailed Analytics

If the built-in MIUI tools don't work, use third-party tools.

• 📈 Use schedules with day/week comparisons (e.g. ActionDash).
• 🔔 Notifications of exceeding limits (StayFree app).
• 🌍 Synchronization between devices (useful if you also have a Xiaomi tablet).
• 📱 Analysis by category (social networks, games, work).

Top.-3 Proven applications for Redmi 9A:

1. ActionDash – visualizes data in the form of diagrams, shows the “peak” hours of activity.
2. Digital Wellbeing (by Google) is an alternative to the built-in MIUI tool with advanced reports.
3. StayFree – blocks apps by timer and sends weekly reports.

Important: Applications for statistics collection require "overlay over other windows" permission and access to special features, without which they will not be able to track screen time.

⚠️ Note: Some applications (such as App Usage) may conflict with MIUI After installation, monitor the charge for 2-3 days.

Built-in “Digital Well-Being”

ActionDash

StayFree

Digital Wellbeing by Google

Other/not using-->

Why can statistics be ignored or discarded?

Redmi 9A users often face screen time display problems, common causes and solutions:

• 🔄 Reset: After returning to factory settings, the story is erased. To avoid losses, export data through the engineering menu (Usage Statistics section) → Export).
• 📵 Power saving mode: Disables background statistics collection. Check in Settings → Battery → Energy saving regime.
• 🔧 Time synchronization error: If the date/time is downed, MIUI It doesn't record activity. Update them manually or enable automatic synchronization.
• 🛠️ Update MIUI: Once you install the new firmware, the statistics may be reset. Before you update, take screenshots of the reports.

If the screen time shows zero values despite active use:

1. Reboot the phone.
2. Clear the cache of the Digital Well-Being app in Settings → Apps.
3. Check if the statistics collection is turned off in Settings → Privacy → Special access → Usage Statistics.

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On Redmi 9A with MIUI 12 and below, screen time statistics are collected only when Wi-Fi or mobile data is turned on. Offline data is not captured!

How to reduce screen time: practical tips

Knowing the statistics, you can optimize the use of the smartphone. Effective methods for the Redmi 9A:

• 📴 Black and White Mode: Enable in Settings → Screen. → Color mode → Shades of gray. Decreases the screen's appeal by 30 to 40%.
• ⏰ App Timers: In Digital Well-being, set limits for social media and gaming (e.g., 1 hour a day for Instagram).
• 🔔 Disabling Notifications: Go to Settings → Notifications and deactivate unnecessary alerts (e.g. from games).
• 🌙 Night mode: Activate dark theme and blue light filter in Settings → Screen – This reduces eye strain and reduces use time in the evening.

For parents who monitor screen time for children on Redmi 9A:

• 👶 Use the “For Kids” mode (set through Settings) → Special facilities).
• 🔒 Set up a password for Google Play purchases to limit the installation of new games.
• 📊 Install Google’s Family Link app for remote control.

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Create a Digital Wellbeing label on the home screen: Click the blank space → Widgets → Find Digital Wellbeing. This will speed up access to statistics.

Comparison of methods: which one to choose?

The choice of method depends on your goals:

For most Redmi 9A users, a built-in Digital Well-Being is enough, and if you need detailed analytics (for work or parental control, for example), you’ll want to combine an engineering menu with third-party utilities like ActionDash.

Professional advice: If you’re a productivity researcher, export your data weekly to Google Sheets through screenshots or customized apps (like Usage Time Tracker) to help track performance in the long run.

FAQ: Frequent questions about screen time on Redmi 9A