Have you ever caught yourself spending more time on your phone than you planned? Xiaomi’s MIUI-powered smartphones offer several ways to track how many hours it takes to use social media, games, or instant messengers, but not everyone knows where to look for these statistics — especially when it comes to hidden features or alternative methods.
In this article, we’ll discuss 5 working ways to check Xiaomi’s usage times (including Redmi, POCO, and Black Shark models), explain how to interpret data, and give tips on how to reduce screen time, and explain why embedded tools sometimes show inaccurate numbers and how to fix it.
1. MIUI Built-in Statistics: Where to Look and How to Read Data
The easiest way to do this is to use the standard Digital Wellbeing tool that is in MIUI 12 and later, and you can find it by:
- 🔍 Search by Settings: Type “Digital Well-Being” in the Search Bar.
- ⚙️ Manual path: Settings → Digital Well-Being and Parental Control.
- 📊 Widget on the desktop: add it through a long press on the screen → «Widgets».
In the section you will see:
- 📱 Total use time per day/week.
- 📈 Timetable of activity by the hour (peaks usually fall in the evening).
- 🎮 Top applications with time and number of launches.
- 🔔 Number of screen unlocks (indirectly shows dependence).
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If the statistics are not updated, restart your phone or check if data sync is enabled in Settings → Google Accounts → Sync.
An important caveat: MIUI may not take time into account in some system applications (for example, Security or Themes), and data is reset after resetting settings or updating the firmware.
2. Hidden statistics in Battery Settings: an alternative method
If Digital Wellbeing is disabled or not working properly, try to watch the time through the battery partition, which is suitable for all versions of MIUI, including older ones (for example, MIUI 11 on the Redmi Note 8).
Instructions:
- Open Settings → Battery and Performance.
- Slip on “Battery Use” (or “Battery Statistics”).
- Select the period (usually available options: 6/12/24 hours).
- Scroll down to the list of applications – next to each will be indicated the activity time and percentage of charge consumption.
Look at the top-3 «time-hungry applications|Compare Activity Time and Background Use|Pay attention to applications with abnormally high time (possible bugs)|Check system processes (e.g. Android System)
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This method only shows the time when the app was actively using the processor, not the total time on the screen. For example, if you listened to music on Spotify with the screen off, it may not be included in the statistics.
⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI Global POCO X3) The time in the battery section is shown in milliseconds. To translate into hours, divide the number by 3.6 million.
3.Screen Time app from Xiaomi: Advanced Analysis
Starting with MIUI 13, Xiaomi has added a separate Screen Time app that offers more detailed analytics than Digital Wellbeing.
- 📅 Weekly reports with comparisons by day.
- 🎯 Time reduction goals (you can set limits on application categories).
- 👨👩👧👦 Family Control for Parents (requires Mi Account Account Linking).
- 🛌 Sleep mode with notification blocking.
How to turn on:
- Open the Settings. → Screen time.
- Click “Start” and follow the instructions (you will need to confirm with a password or fingerprint).
- Enable the option to “Trace usage”.
Once a day.|Once a week.|Only when the battery is down.|Never checked.-->
The app isn't available on all models. If it's not on the menu, try installing it through the Mi App Store (Screen Time search).
4 Third-party applications: why they are needed and which ones to choose
Xiaomi’s built-in tools aren’t always accurate — especially if you’re using multiple accounts or rebooting your phone frequently.
| Annex | Features | Cons | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| ActionDash | Detailed statistics by day, week, month, and by peak usage hours. | Paid version for extended reports. It doesn't work on MIUI below version 12. | Google Play |
| Digital Wellbeing (from Google) | Integration with Google services, limits on applications, Do not disturb mode. | Xiaomi is in conflict with Screen Time. | Pre-installed on Android 9+ |
| StayFree | Free, shows the time in real time, notifies about the excess of limits. | Advertising is free. There is no support for Russian. | Google Play |
Important: Check the permissions of the application before installing. Some utilities (such as App Usage) require access to special features (Settings → Special Options → Special Opportunities → Special Opportunities Services), which may not be secure.
Why do third-party apps show data other than MIUI?
5.How to reduce time on the phone: practical tips
Knowing the statistics is just the first step. To really reduce your dependence on the gadget, try:
- 📵 Black and White Mode: Translate the screen to shades of gray through Settings → Special opportunities → Color correction. It reduces the appeal of content.
- ⏰ App Timer: In Digital Wellbeing or Screen Time, set limits on social media/games.
- 🔔 Disabling Notifications: Go to Settings → Notifications and disable unnecessary alerts.
- 🌙 Sleep mode: Activate it in Screen Time at night (for example, 23:00 to 7:00).
Expert life hack: create a folder on your desktop "Work" and move all the important applications (mail, calendar, banking), hide the rest of the games and social networks on the second screen - this psychologically reduces the desire to open them.
⚠️ Warning: If you notice that you spend more than 5-6 hours a day on your phone (excluding work), this is an occasion to think about digital detox. WHO, the norm for an adult - no more than 3-4 hours of screen time per day (excluding professional activity).
Frequent problems and their solutions
Xiaomi users often face the following problems when checking their usage times:
- 🔄 Statistics are reset after update MIUI. Solution: Before the update, take a screenshot of the report or export the data to Google Sheets.
- ❌ Some apps don't show up in the statistics. Solution: Check if they're not being turned off from Settings. → Annexes → Permits.
- ⏳ Time in Digital Wellbeing and Screen Time is different.Solution: Use one monitoring app to avoid confusion.
- 🔒 No Screen Time access on your work phone.Solution: ask administrator IT-This feature is enabled through Mi Enterprise Management.
If none of the methods work, try resetting the Digital Wellbeing app settings:
Settings → Applications → Application Management → Digital Well-Being → Storage → Clean up data💡
On Xiaomi models with MIUI for Russia (for example, Redmi Note 12 Pro+), Screen Time may be limited due to local regulations.