Why to track time in a smartphone and what does this statistic give
Xiaomi has become an integral part of life: work, communication, entertainment, all concentrated in one device, but few people think about how many hours a day it takes to scrolle tape, messengers or games. According to research, the average user spends 4-6 hours on the phone daily, and a third of that time is spent on aimless surfing.
Tracking your phone’s time helps you not only understand your digital habits, but also:
- 📉 Reduce eye strain – prolonged screen use leads to dry eye syndrome and headaches.
- 🧠 Increase productivity – Knowing time eaters makes it easier to redistribute tasks.
- 🔋 Save battery power – background apps and games drain the battery 20–30% faster.
- 👨👩👧👦 Controlling children – Parents may limit screen time for teens.
MIUI (Xiaomi's branded shell) has built-in monitoring tools, but they're hidden in non-obvious sections. Next, we'll look at all the ways, from standard to alternative.
Method 1: Built-in statistics "Screen time" in MIUI
The easiest method is to use the Screen Time feature available on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 10 and up (including Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13, etc.).
- 📱 Total time of use of the device per day / week.
- 📊 App statistics (how many minutes it took to TikTok, WhatsApp, games).
- 🔔 Number of screen unlocks.
To open up the statistics:
- Go to Settings. → Screen time.
- Click on the chart at the top of the screen.
- Choose a period: Today, Week or Month.
Update. MIUI last-minute|Check for a function in Settings → Special opportunities → Digital well-being|Install the Google Digital Wellbeing app|Reset the settings to factory (extreme case)-->
Limitation: On some models (e.g. Redmi 9A with MIUI 12.5), the section may be called Digital Well-Being or hidden in Additional Settings. If it is not, go to Method 2.
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In MIUI 14+, you can set up time-limit notifications. To do this, select Reminders → Add limit and specify the app (such as Instagram) and maximum usage time.
Method 2: Google Digital Wellbeing (for phones with Google services)
If your Xiaomi has Google services installed (and most global versions do), use the Digital Wellbeing app, which provides more detailed analytics than standard MIUI statistics:
- 📈 Hours of activity schedules.
- 🛌 Sleep time (if the phone was still motionless).
- 📵 Number of notifications from each application.
How to turn on:
- Open Settings → Applications → Digital Wellbeing
- Click Show Data (Password confirmation may be required).
- At the top of the screen, select a day or date range.
| Function | Screen time (MIUI) | Digital Wellbeing (Google) |
|---|---|---|
| Clock-by-clock detailing | ❌ No. | ✅ There is. |
| Limits on applications | ✅ Available (basic) | ✅ Available (flexible) |
| Notification statistics | ❌ No. | ✅ There is. |
| Sleep time. | ❌ No. | ✅ There is. |
| It works without Google. | ✅ Yes. | ❌ No. |
Importantly, on phones without Google services (like the Chinese version of MIUI), this will not work.
What if Digital Wellbeing does not display data?
Method 3: Hidden MIUI settings (for advanced users)
If the standard methods do not work (for example, POCO F3 with custom firmware, you can get data through the hidden menu of the developer or ADB-This is a way for tech-savvy users.
Instructions for ADB:
- Enable USB Debugging in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times, then go back to Additional Settings → For Developers).
- Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: adb shell dumpsys usagestats
- In the conclusion, find the lines with total_time_in_foreground — This is the time of application activity in milliseconds.
To simplify, you can use utilities like App Usage (available on Google Play), which parse this data and display it in a convenient way.
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ADB-The method shows the most accurate time, including the background activity of applications, but requires command line skills.
⚠️ Attention: Use ADB It can cause system failures if you type commands at random. Don't change settings through adb shell settings without understanding the consequences.
How to reduce time on the phone: 5 working tips
Knowing the statistics is just the first step. To really reduce screen time, use these techniques:
- Set limits on apps: Screen time → App limits, select the most voracious programs (like YouTube or TikTok) and set a daily limit. If you exceed it, the phone will block access.
- Turn on black and white: Go to Settings → Special. features → Color filter and activate shades of gray. Monochrome screen reduces the desire to flip the tape.
- Configure Focus Mode: MIUI 13+ has Focus Mode (Settings → Screen Time → Focus Mode) that disables notifications and restricts access to distracting apps.
- Use the timer widget: Add the Screen Time widget to the home screen (long-press on the screen → Widgets) and it will show current statistics in real time.
- For example, instead of checking social media in the morning, set your alarm 10 minutes early and devote that time to charging or reading a book.
Bonus: If you pick up your phone a lot, try putting it in another pocket or bag, and studies show that even a small obstacle like this reduces unlocks by 30 percent.
Frequent problems and their solutions
Sometimes the time statistics don't work properly. Let's look at the typical situations.
- 🔄 Data resets after rebooting: This is a bug of some versions MIUI 12.Solution: Update firmware or use Digital Wellbeing.
- ⏳ Time is not considered correct: Check if the screen time function is disabled in the Mi Account settings (Settings) → Xiaomi account → Synchronization).
- 📵 No Screen Time section: On some models (e.g. Redmi) 8A) Install a third-party application, such as ActionDash or StayFree.
- 🔒 Cannot set limits: If the option is blocked, check if the Developer Mode with the restrictions disabled is enabled (Settings) → Additionally. → For developers → Disable use control).
⚠️ Warning: On root-enabled phones, time statistics may not be collected due to changes in system files. To restore function, disable Magisk or re-flash the device.
Comparison with other brands: which is better?
All manufacturers have time tracking features, but they're implemented differently.
- 🍎 iPhone (Screen Time): More detailed analytics, including time in categories ("Social Media", "Games"), but no integration with Google services.
- 🤖 Samsung (Digital Wellbeing): Similar to Xiaomi, but with the ability to sync between Samsung devices (e.g. phone) + tablet).
- 📱 Huawei (Digital Balance): Minimalist interface, but no data export.
Xiaomi is a good choice:
- ✅ It works without Google services (relevant to Chinese models).
- ✅ There is a widget for quick access to statistics.
- ✅ Support for system-level limits (not just through third-party apps).
However, MIUI has its downsides: for example, there is no family control feature (like iOS) that allows parents to remotely adjust limits for children.