How to watch the time spent in the applications on Xiaomi: all the ways

Xiaomi’s current MIUI-based smartphones collect detailed statistics on how much time you spend in each app, which can help control digital dependency, optimize workflow, or simply satisfy curiosity, but not everyone knows where that information is hidden β€” especially if it’s older versions of firmware or alternative launchers.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can view your app usage time on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, from standard MIUI tools to third-party solutions, how to enable statistics collection, where to find hidden reports, and what to do if your Suddenly data disappears after the update, and we’ll also reveal some little-known chips that the manufacturer doesn’t advertise in the official documentation.

Detailed instructions will be suitable for most models released after 2018 (starting with MIUI 10).If your smartphone is older, check the section on alternative methods.

1.Standard statistics in MIUI: where to look and how to read

The most obvious way to do this is to use the built-in "Use Time" feature that is available in any version of MIUI since the 10th.

Open Settings β†’ Screen time (some versions may call it Digital Well-Being or Parental Control) and here you will see the general statistics for the day, week or month broken down by application, updated in real time, but reset every day at midnight.

Pay attention to three key sections:

  • πŸ“Š Use schedule – shows peak hours of activity (useful for analyzing habits).
  • πŸ” Details on applications - here you can see not only the time, but also the number of launches.
  • πŸ›‘ Restrictions – allows you to set limits on specific programs (for example, for social networks).

If the Screen Time section is missing, the function is disabled. To activate it, go to Settings β†’ Accounts β†’ Mi Account β†’ Sync and enable Screen Time. After that, the data will begin to be collected in 24 hours.

πŸ’‘

In MIUI 14, the statistics are more detailed: you can now see how much time you spent on each app, broken down by day of the week, which helps to identify β€œproblem” days (e.g., weekends when activity on social networks is increasing).

2 Hidden Reports: How to Find Extended Statistics

Few people know, but MIUI has a hidden section with detailed reports that doesn't appear in the main menu.

  1. Go to Settings. β†’ The phone.
  2. Tap 5 times on the line version of MIUI (the message will appear "You became a developer").
  3. Go back to the main settings menu and open a new section for developers.
  4. Scroll down to Activity Monitor and enable the Application Use Log option.

Now in Settings β†’ Applications β†’ Application Management, each application will have a tab called Statistical Data for the past 7 days.

  • πŸ•’ Exact time of active use (including background work).
  • πŸ“₯ The amount of traffic consumed (useful for controlling the mobile Internet).
  • πŸ”‹ Effect on battery charge (as a percentage of total consumption).

This data is updated every 15 minutes and stored on the system even after the restart, but it is reset when you reset your settings or update your firmware.

What to do if the statistics are not updated?
If the data in the "Screen Time" section is frozen on one value, try: 1. Reboot your smartphone. 2. Disable and turn on the statistics collection in the Mi Account settings. 3. Clear the cache of the com.miui.analytics application through Settings β†’ Applications. If the problem remains - this is a firmware bug, only the MIUI update will help.

Alternative methods: third-party applications

If embedded tools MIUI You're not happy with it (for example, due to data reset or insufficient detail), you can use third-party utilities.-3 tested solutions:

AnnexFeaturesCons
Digital Wellbeing (Google)Android integration, family controls, time limits.It doesn’t work on Chinese firmware without Google Services.
ActionDashHome screen widgets, weekly reports, comparisons with other users.A premium version for advanced functions.
StayFreeMinimalist design, data export to CSV, no advertising.There is no Russian language in the interface.

To make these apps work properly, they'll need access to special permissions.

  1. Go to Settings β†’ Applications β†’ Permissions β†’ Special Access.
  2. Select Access to Usage Data.
  3. Turn on the switch for the desired application.

Without this permission, third-party utilities will show incomplete or inaccurate data.

πŸ“Š What app do you use to control your time?
Built-in MIUI
Digital Wellbeing
ActionDash
StayFree
Other/Not using

Problems and Solutions: Why Statistics Are Not Shown

Sometimes users find that their time-of-use data is suddenly lost or not updated, and here are the most common reasons and ways to fix it:

  • πŸ”„ Reset: After resetting to factory settings, all statistics are reset. You can't restore them, but you can back up to Mi Cloud. β†’ Mi Account. β†’ Backup).
  • πŸ“₯ Update MIUI: When you upgrade to a new firmware version, the data may be reset. Before you update, take screenshots of the reports.
  • πŸ”‹ Battery Optimization: If com.miui.analytics has Aggressive Optimization enabled, data collection is suspended. β†’ Battery β†’ Optimizing the battery.
  • πŸ›‘οΈ Antivirus/cleaners: Software like Clean Master or Security Master can block statistics collection.

If the problem is not solved, try to clear the cache of system services:

adb shell pm clear com.miui.analytics


adb shell pm clear com.miui.securitycenter

These commands are executed via ADB (you need a computer and enabled debugging over USB).

πŸ’‘

On devices with global firmware (EEA), statistics are collected more accurately than on the Chinese versions of MIUI. If you want detail, consider reflashing to the European build.

5. How to export data for analysis

The built-in MIUI tools don't allow you to export statistics in a convenient format, but there are workarounds, such as using ADB to extract raw data:

Connect your smartphone to your PC, open the command line and do:

adb shell dumpsys usagestats

This command will display the full application usage log for the last 7 days in JSON format. To save it to a file, use:

adb shell dumpsys usagestats > usage_stats.txt

You can visualize data with Google Sheets or Excel, and you can import the file and create graphs in the following fields:

  • PacketName is the name of the application package (e.g. com.facebook.katana for Facebook).
  • Total TimeInForeground is the total time in milliseconds.
  • LastTimeUsed is the date of last use.

If ADB seems difficult, use App Usage (available on Google Play), which automatically exports data to CSV and plots graphics directly on your phone.

Enable debugging over USB in the developer settings

Install ADB-PC drivers

Download the Android SDK platform tools

Connect the phone in file transfer mode (MTP)

Create a folder to save reports-->

Time Control for Children: Parental Functions

If you want to track your child's activity, MIUI has built-in parental controls, which not only shows the time in the apps, but also allows you to:

  • πŸ•’ Setting strict limits on games/social networks.
  • πŸ“΅ Block applications on a schedule (for example, during studies).
  • πŸ“Š Get weekly reports by post.

To set up parental control:

  1. Open Settings β†’ Screen time β†’ Parental control.
  2. Create a profile of your child (you will need to link his Mi Account).
  3. Select applications for restriction and set limits.
  4. Activate Request Installation Permission so your child can’t download new games without your knowledge.

For additional security, set a password for settings (Settings β†’ Lock and Protect β†’ Lock settings) to prevent you from changing the restrictions without your knowledge.

πŸ’‘

MIUI 13+ has introduced a feature called Concentration Mode, which automatically blocks distracting apps while working or studying, and can be configured under Screen Time β†’ Concentration Mode.

7. Comparison with other brands: which is better?

MIUI's time control system is not the most advanced on the market, and by comparison, here's how the competition is doing:

BrandAdvantagesDeficiencies
Samsung (One UI)Integration with Digital Wellbeing, family control, export to PDF.Too aggressive battery optimization interferes with data collection.
Apple (iOS)The most detailed statistics, breakdown by category (social networks, games, etc.).There is no possibility of exporting data for third-party analysis.
Huawei (EMUI)Built-in function "Digital balance" with recommendations for reducing the load.It works unstable on devices without Google services.

Xiaomi is advantageous in that statistics are collected even on devices without Google Services (Chinese firmware), but in terms of detail and convenience of analysis, MIUI loses iOS and One UI.

If you’re critical of data export or family control, consider using third-party solutions like Qustodio or Kids Place, which offer cross-platform synchronization and advanced reports.

πŸ’‘

On POCO devices with MIUI firmware for POCO, statistics can be collected differently than on standard Xiaomi. Check the firmware version in Settings β†’ About phone – if it says β€œPOCO Launcher”, use methods for global builds.

Frequently asked questions

Can you look at the statistics from last month?
No, the built-in MIUI tools store data for a maximum of 30 days, but after updating the firmware or resetting the settings, they are reset. For long-term analysis, use third-party applications like ActionDash that export data to the cloud.
Why don’t statistics show time in games?
The game is likely running in Game Turbo, which blocks data collection. Turn off this feature in the game settings or add it to exceptions in Settings β†’ Special Features β†’ Game Mode.
How to reset the time counter for a particular application?
There is no official way, but you can: Clear the data of the com.miui.analytics app (reset all statistics). ADB-command: adb shell cmd stats delete com.package.name (replace com.package.name with the name of the application package).
Does the statistics work in Safe Mode?
No, Safe Mode disables data collection because many system services don't start. To check application activity in this mode, use third-party root-access utilities.
Can I turn on notifications of exceeding the time limit?
Yes, in Settings β†’ Screen time β†’ Application limits can be set to day limits. When the time runs out, a notification will appear and the application will be blocked (unlocking requires entering a password).

If your question is not covered in the article, check the Help section in the MIUI settings or contact Xiaomi support via the official chat. For technical problems (for example, the lack of the Screen Time section), you may need to flash the device to the latest version of MIUI.