Modern smartphones, including the popular Xiaomi Redmi 9, consume huge amounts of data, often unobtrusive to the user. Background processes, automatic app updates and synchronization of media files can “eat” gigabytes of traffic in a matter of hours. For tariff owners with limited Internet limits or who are on roaming, it is critical to understand exactly where traffic is going and how to effectively manage this resource.
The MIUI operating system on Redmi 9 has a powerful built-in tool to monitor network activity, not only to view general statistics, but also to analyze the behavior of each installed application in detail, and in this article we will discuss how to access this data, set up notifications about exceeding the limit and prevent unexpected charges.
Unlike pure Android, MIUI has its own navigation features that can confuse a beginner. The statistics menu here is integrated into the system application "Security", which is a unique feature of the Xiaomi ecosystem. Understanding these nuances will help you keep your communication costs under control.
Where is the statistics menu in MIUI
The first step to controlling data consumption is to find the right partition in the system. On Xiaomi smartphones, statistics are not displayed in the standard Android settings menu, like on many other devices. Instead, they are hidden inside the system utility Security, which has a green icon with a shield, which is the central place for managing permissions and network settings.
Once you run the Security app, you’ll need to scroll down to the Tools section or just look at the top of the screen where the Stats icon is often located. In some versions of MIUI 12 or MIUI 14 firmware that are relevant to Redmi 9, the path may be slightly different. If the icon isn’t on the app’s home screen, click on the three-dot menu in the corner or go to the security app settings itself.
It is important to note that access to this data requires administrator rights or confirmation of actions if change protection is enabled.The MIUI system tries to protect the user from accidental changes in critical parameters, so additional confirmations may be required.
- 📱 Launch the Security app with a green shield icon on your desktop.
- 📊 Find and click on the Traffic Use Icon).
- 🔍 If there is no icon, search within the app or go to Settings. → The phone. → Version. MIUI (validate).
- ⚙️ In the window that opens, select SIM-The card you want to check if you have two.
⚠️ Note: If you can't find the Security app, it may be hidden in the Tools folder or removed by the user, in which case the statistics are available via Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Traffic statistics.
Once you log in, you will see a detailed summary that shows the total amount of data used for the current cycle, as well as the breakdown by day. Redmi 9 allows you to flexibly customize the display of this information, choosing a period (day, week, month) for more accurate analysis.
Analysis of traffic consumption by application
The most important part of monitoring is understanding which app consumes the most Internet, and Xiaomi’s statistics menu includes a list of all programs, sorted by the amount of data transferred, which allows you to instantly identify “traffic eaters” that can be not only video services, but also social networks or instant messengers.
Click on any app on the list to see detailed information. You can see how many megabytes were spent over the mobile network and how many over Wi-Fi. It often turns out that the application actively uses background data even when you are not using it. For Redmi 9, this is especially true, since the system can aggressively synchronize data from cloud services.
Special attention should be paid to system services. Sometimes the process of Android System or Google Play Services can consume a significant amount of data when updating components. In the list they are usually at the bottom or at the top, depending on sorting. If you see abnormally high consumption by system services, it is worth checking the account sync settings.
- 📉 In the statistics list, click on the name of the app for detail.
- 📲 Pay attention to the column “Found data” – this is traffic spent in a folded state.
- 🚫 Use the “Limit background data” button to prevent the application from running in the background.
- 📈 Compare current and previous month figures to identify trends.
Background management is a powerful saving tool, and if you turn it off for heavy applications, you'll extend the life of your data plan, but remember that if you do, notifications from messengers may be delayed or only when the application is open.
Setting limits and warnings
To keep you connected at the worst possible time, the Xiaomi Redmi 9 can set up automatic traffic restriction, set a hard limit, and then completely shut down the mobile internet, which is the best protection against accidentally overloading a gigabyte packet.
In the traffic statistics menu, look for the Settings button (usually as a gear or three dots in the corner) and you can activate the Traffic Limit function here, and you will need to enter the volume of your monthly packet provided by the operator and the cycle reset date (usually the number when the subscription fee is charged).
☑️ Setting up the traffic limit
Traffic Warning is also available, and unlike a hard limit, it only notifies you with an audible beep or pop-up when a certain amount of data (e.g., 80% of a packet) is consumed, allowing you to make your own decision whether to buy a packet or switch to Wi-Fi.
| Parameter | Description | Recommended value |
|---|---|---|
| Traffic limit | Total Internet shutdown | 95-98% of your rate |
| Warning | Notification of expenditure | 70-80% of your rate |
| Period of discharge | Packet update date | Date of connection tariff |
| Units | MB or GB | GB (for convenience) |
Once these parameters are set up, MIUI will automatically track the flow, and even if you reboot your smartphone, the settings will be saved, which is especially useful for those who often forget to track the days on the calendar.
Statistics resetting and data calibration
Sometimes the built-in traffic meter on Redmi 9 can crash or show incorrect data that does not match the information in the operator’s personal account. In such situations, it is useful to reset the statistics to start counting again and check the accuracy of the system. This also helps if you change the tariff plan and the old limits are no longer relevant.
To reset the statistics, go to the traffic statistics settings (cog in the statistics menu). At the bottom of the screen or in the optional menu, often the Reset stats option is located. Click on it and confirm the action. After that, all accumulated usage data will be deleted, and the counter will start from scratch.
Why are the phone and the operator different?
It's important to understand that resetting your phone statistics doesn't affect your real balance or your gigabyte balance with the carrier, but it's just a local cleaning of the log on your device. If you want to sync your data, it's best to manually set a limit in your phone settings to your current balance, not your full monthly packet.
Hidden functions and traffic savings
In addition to basic monitoring, the Xiaomi Redmi 9 has a number of hidden or little-known features to save money, one of which is the Traffic Saving mode, which can be activated in the same stats menu, which limits background activity for all applications except those added to exceptions (for example, important messengers).
You should also pay attention to the settings for each SIM-If your Redmi 9 has two SIM cards installed, you can assign one as the primary one for data transfer, and the second one can set strict restrictions or even prohibit data transfer altogether. This will prevent accidental spending of money from the second SIM card, which can be charged at a higher rate.
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Turn on the “Traffic Compression” function in the browser and applications. In the MIUI settings, you can also activate the “Turbo” mode, which optimizes data transfer through Xiaomi servers, saving up to 30% of traffic when browsing the web.
Another useful tip is to disable auto-update apps via mobile network. Go to Google Play Store or GetApps (Xiaomi store) and select the update only via Wi-Fi in the settings. This will save you from a situation where the app weighing 2 GB will start updating in the subway.
Frequent problems and their solution
Redmi 9 users sometimes face a situation where traffic statistics are not updated in real time or stop displaying data for some applications, most often due to aggressive battery optimization, which kills the process of collecting statistics. To fix this, you need to add the Security app and system services to the list of energy saving exceptions.
Another common problem is resetting after rebooting. If the limits fly out, check if you have third-party memory cleaners or antiviruses that may conflict with the MIUI system module. Also make sure that the date and time on the phone are set correctly and synchronized over the network, as this depends on the correctness of the statistical cycles.
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For stable operation of traffic statistics, it is necessary to give the application "Security" permanent access to the network and turn off autocleaning for it in the background.
If nothing helps, clear the cache of the Security app. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Security → Memory → Clear the cache. This won’t delete your settings, but it can fix software errors in the meter.