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

Xiaomi’s MIUI-based smartphones collect detailed statistics on app usage, from social media to gaming, which help control digital addiction, optimize time, and even save battery life, but where exactly is this information stored and how do you read it?

Many users don't realize that the built-in MIUI tools show not only total screen time, but also the distribution of each application, with an accuracy of a minute. If standard features are not enough, Google Digital Wellbeing and third-party utilities like ActionDash or StayFree come to the rescue. In this article, we will analyze all available methods, from obvious to hidden.

Important: statistics are collected only when you use your smartphone actively, and if you listen to music in the background through Spotify or Yandex Music, this time may not be taken into account, depending on the settings of the particular application.

1. Standard statistics in MIUI: where to look

The easiest way is to use the built-in MIUI tools. These are available on all Xiaomi smartphones, starting with the MIUI 10 version (including Redmi, POCO and Black Shark).

Go to:

Settings → Screen time → Statistics of use

Here you'll see:

• 📊 Total screen time per day/week
• 🎯 Top Apps with hours and minutes
• 📅 Timetable of activity by hour
• 🔄 Comparison with past periods

Note: If you use dual apps (the Dual Apps feature in MIUI), the stats for each clone will be displayed separately. For example, WhatsApp and WhatsApp (2) will be counted as two different apps.

💡

To reset the stats, click the three dots in the top right corner of the screen and select "Reset data." This is useful if you want to start tracking again, for example, from Monday.

On some models (such as Xiaomi 13 Pro or POCO F5), statistics can be hidden behind an additional menu.

Settings → Xiaomi accounts → Screen time

Google Digital Wellbeing: An Alternative Data Source

If you use Google services (such as Gmail, YouTube, or Google Play Games), the system automatically collects data through Digital Wellbeing, a tool often more accurate than the one built into MIUI, especially for Google apps.

How to open it:

Settings → Google → Services on the device → Digital Wellbeing

Or search through the search in the settings on the request "Wellbeing".

The benefits of Digital Wellbeing:

• 🔍 More detailed statistics on YouTube, Chrome and other Google services
• ⏱️ Application timers (you can set limits)
• 🌙 Sleep Time Mode to Reduce Use Before Bedtime
• 📱 Monitoring screen unlocks and notifications

The disadvantage is that if you have disabled Google account activity sync, the data may not be complete.

Settings → Google → Google Account Management → Data and Personalization → Activity in Apps and Devices

3. Third-party applications for advanced analysis

If built-in tools aren't enough, installing specialized utilities will help you get advanced analytics.-3 tested applications:

Before installing, check the permissions of the application. For example, ActionDash requires access to:

• 📱 Use statistics (mandatory)
• 📊 Notifications (to analyze distractions)
• 🔒 Special features (to block applications)

Turn off battery optimization for the app |Provide all permissions requested |Sync data with the cloud (if necessary) |Configure limit-excess notifications-->

On some firmware (e.g. MIUI EU or custom builds), third-party trackers may not work properly due to system limitations, in which case try disabling MIUI Optimization in the developer settings:

Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (shap 7 times) → For developers → MIUI Optimization (disable)

4. Hidden functions: log of use through ADB

For advanced users, there is a way to get a full log of app activity with an accuracy of a second – through Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which works even if the application is removed or data is reset.

Instructions:

1. Install ADB Tools on your PC.
2. Turn on USB debugging on your smartphone: Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (7 taps) → For developers → USB debugging
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: adb shell dumpsys usagestats
4. For date filtering, use: adb shell cmd usage list -a -d 2026-01-01 2026-01-31 (replace dates with the desired ones)

The result will be in JSON format with fields:

• PackageName is the name of the application package (e.g. com.whatsapp)
• TotalTimeInForeground – Time on the screen in milliseconds
• "lasttimeused" - the last use

💡

ADB-It shows all the applications, including system applications, that are usually hidden in standard statistics. It's the only way to know how much time is spent on com.android.settings or com.miui.securitycenter.

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB Incorrect commands can disrupt the system. Always check the syntax before executing, especially if you use an adb shell with superuser rights).

5. Features on different Xiaomi models

The functionality of the statistics may vary depending on the model of the smartphone and the version of MIUI. Here are the key differences:

On devices with Global ROM (e.g. Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite), statistics can be duplicated in the Security → App lock → Usage access menu.

On POCO and Black Shark, there is sometimes a bug when the stats are zeroed out after the reboot.

Settings → Applications → Application Management → Three Points → Reset App Settings

6. How to Reset or Disable Statistics Collection

If you don’t want the system to track your activity, there are several ways to disable or limit data collection:

• 🔄 Resetting statistics: Settings → Screen time. → Three points. → Reset the data
• 🚫 Disabling the collection: Settings → Confidentiality → Special permits → Access to usage statistics (disable for all applications)
• 🛡️ Restriction for individual applications: In Digital Wellbeing, click on the app → "App timer" → set the limit.

On some firmware (e.g. MIUI China), it is impossible to disable the collection of statistics without superuser rights, in which case the XPrivacyLua module for Magisk, which blocks access to usage data, will help.

⚠️ Note: Disabling statistics collection may disrupt some functions, for example: Automatic battery optimization for frequently used applications Recommendations in Mi Video or Mi Music Data Synchronization with Mi Cloud If after disconnecting noticed problems, return settings back.

7 Data analysis: how to use statistics to the benefit of

Just knowing how much time you've spent on TikTok or PUBG Mobile isn't enough, and it's important to analyze that data and make adjustments.

Identification of time eaters

Make a list of apps that spend more than 2 hours a day, and divide them into categories:

• 🎮 Games (Genshin Impact, Free Fire, etc)
• 📱 Social media (Instagram, VK, Telegram)
• 💼 Working instruments (Slack, Trello)
• 🎥 Entertainment (YouTube, Netflix)

Setting limits

Use built-in timers in Digital Wellbeing or ActionDash to limit your time:

• 🕒 For social media: 1 hour a day
• 🎮 For games: 1.5 hours (with breaks every 30 minutes)
• 📺 For video: 2 hours

3. Replacement of bad habits

If you spend too much time playing games, try:

• 📚 Replace part of the game time with reading (Moon apps)+ Reader or Libby)
• 🏃‍♂️ Use Mi Fitness for short workouts instead of scrolling the tape
• 🎧 Listen to podcasts instead of watching short videos

💡

Research shows that interrupting sessions every 25-30 minutes increases productivity by 20%.Use timers in Focus Mode (available in Digital Wellbeing) to automatically block distracting apps.

FAQ: Frequent questions