How to watch screen time on Xiaomi Redmi 9: all ways

Screen time is not just a number, it's a mirror of your digital habits. On Xiaomi Redmi 9 (and other smartphones with a MIUI shell), screen time tracking helps control your gadget addiction, optimize battery power, and even improve sleep. But where exactly do you look for these statistics? Spoiler: depending on the firmware version, paths may differ, and some features are hidden deep in the menu.

In this article, we will analyze all available methods - from standard tools. MIUI You will learn how to check data for a day, a week or a month, and why statistics are sometimes reset after a system update. 9 different versions of Android (10/11) and MIUI (12/13/14).

1. MIUI Standard Statistics: Where to Look and How to Read

Starting with MIUI 12, Xiaomi built in the basic tool for monitoring screen time — Settings → Screen time. However, on Redmi 9 with factory firmware, this section may be missing or display incomplete data. Here's how to find it:

• 📱 Open Settings (cog icon on the main screen).
• 🔍 Scroll down to System and Device and select Screen Time (on some versions – Use Time).
• 📊 Here you will see: Total screen usage time for today; App distribution (top)-3 The most "glutty"; the number of unlocks of the phone.

An important caveat: if you don't see this section, your Redmi 9 has an outdated version of MIUI (below 12) installed or the stats collection feature disabled, in which case move on to the next method.

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If the Screen Time section is missing, try updating MIUI to the latest version via Settings → About Phone → System Update. After the upgrade, the feature may appear.

The standard MIUI statistics have limitations:

Data is stored only for the last 7 days (up to 30 days on new versions).

There is no time-of-day detail (when exactly you are active).

Time in the background is not taken into account (for example, listening to music with the screen off).

2.Google Digital Wellbeing: An Alternative with Advanced Analytics

If you don’t like the built-in MIUI tools, use Google’s Digital Wellbeing, a service with deeper analytics and the ability to set application limits. On Redmi 9, it works stably but requires pre-configuration:

1. Make sure that the phone has Google Play Services installed (usually preinstalled).
2. Open the Settings. → Google → Digital Well-Being and Parental Control.
3. Click on the icon "Control Panel" (graphic with clock).
4. Confirm the activation of the function if a request appears.

Unlike MIUI, Digital Wellbeing shows:

- Timetable of activity by hour (peak use in the morning / evening).

Time in the background (for example, how many hours Spotify played music)

Notifications from each app (how many times they distracted you)

- Ability to set timers for applications and sleep mode.

Digital Wellbeing may not display data from days past if you first enabled the feature, it takes 24-48 hours to collect full statistics, and it does not take into account the time spent in some Xiaomi system applications (for example, Security or Themes).

Third-party applications: when you need advanced reports

If you want detailed reports with visualization, export to Excel or synchronization between devices, look for third-party applications. Redmi 9 will suit:

• 📊 ActionDash – shows usage time in interactive charts, compares to previous weeks, offers “digital detox".
• 🕒 StayFree – a minimalist tracker with notifications about exceeding limits and the function of blocking applications.
• 📈 QualityTime – analyzes habits, offers tips for reducing screen time and integrates with the calendar.
• 🔍 App Usage – a free solution with the ability to track the history of the year and more.

Advantages of third-party applications:

Cross-platform: Synchronize data between Android and iOS (if you have multiple devices).

Deep analytics: for example, correlation between usage time and battery level.

Export data to CSV/PDF for analysis in Excel or Google Sheets.

There are, however, downsides:

Battery consumption: Continuous monitoring increases power consumption by 5-10%.

Privacy: Some applications require access to notifications and usage history, which may not be secure.

Advertising in free versions (in paid tariffs it is usually not).

Study the reviews of the application in Google Play|Check the permissions (no access to the permissions) SMS/call)|Set up autocleaning of old data|Disable unnecessary notifications from the tracker-->

4. How to reset or reset screen time statistics

Sometimes users want to reset the meter, like after a vacation or before the start of a new month, and MIUI and Digital Wellbeing do it differently.

Reset to MIUI:

Unfortunately, the standard Screen Time tool doesn't have a reset button, and the only way to do that is to turn off the statistics and turn them on again:

1. Go to Settings. → Screen time.
2. Turn off the switch in the upper right corner.
3. Confirm the action and turn on the function again.

Reset to Digital Wellbeing:

It's easier here.

1. Open Settings → Google → Digital Well-being.

2.Slip on the icon. ⋮ (three points) in upper right corner.

3. Select Delete Use Data.

Attention: resetting statistics doesn't affect actual usage time -- it just resets the counter in the interface. If you need to limit screen time, you better set the timers or use modes like Don't Disturb.

5 Why statistics may not be shown or dropped

Redmi 9 users often face screen time problems, and here are the most common reasons and solutions:

• 🔄 Update MIUI: And when you install a new firmware version, the statistics can be reset. That's okay, the system starts collecting data again.
• 🔋 Factory reset: When the phone is completely cleaned, all usage time data is erased.
• 🛑 Disabled permissions: If you manually deny an application (e.g. Digital Wellbeing) access to your usage history, the statistics will stop updating.
• 🕵️ Energy saving mode: in Ultra-saving mode or with low battery charge, data collection may be suspended.
• 📱 Dual applications: if you use the dual applications function in MIUI, Time may be misrepresented (doubling or not fixing).

If the statistics are missing for no apparent reason, try:

1. Reboot the phone.
2. Clear the Settings app cache (Settings → Applications → Application Management → Settings → Clear the cache).
3. Update Google Play Services through the Play Market.

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On Redmi 9 with MIUI 12.5 and below, screen time statistics may not be displayed correctly due to a firmware error, so the solution is to upgrade to MIUI 13+ or use Digital Wellbeing.

6 Hidden Chips: How to Reduce Screen Time on Xiaomi

Knowing the statistics is just the first step, and to really reduce screen time, use these MIUI and Android features:

• 🌙 Sleep mode: in Digital Wellbeing, set up automatic notifications turn off and turn the screen into black and white overnight (Settings) → Digital well-being → Sleep regimen).
• ⏱️ App timers: set limits on social networks or games. If you exceed the application, the application will be blocked (unblockable only through the use of the app). PIN).
• 📵 Focus mode: in MIUI There is a built-in concentration mode (Settings) → Special facilities → Focus mode, which blocks all distracting notifications.
• 🔕 Scheduled notifications: disable notifications from unnecessary apps during off-hours (Settings) → Notifications → Schedule of notifications).

Experiment: Try black and white (Settings → Screen → Colors and Temperature → Black and White) and a monochrome display reduces the desire to spend time on your phone by 20 to 30 percent, according to research.

⚠️ Warning: If you use a mode for children (Settings) → Special facilities → Mode for children, screen time is taken into account separately and is not displayed in general statistics. MIUI Digital Wellbeing or Digital Wellbeing.

FAQ: Frequent questions about screen time on Redmi 9