Have you ever caught yourself spending too much time on TikTok or Instagram but don’t know how much? Xiaomi’s MIUI-powered smartphones offer several ways to track app usage statistics, from embedded tools to third-party utilities, which will not only help control digital addiction, but also optimize battery power, as background activity of some programs can stealthily eat away at precious interest.
In this article, we’ll look at all the available methods, from the standard time manager in MIUI to hidden Google Digital Wellbeing features and alternative applications like ActionDash or StayFree. We’ll focus on the nuances for different firmware versions (from MIUI 12 to HyperOS) and smartphone models – for example, the Redmi Note 12 or Xiaomi 13 Pro may have interface differences.
MIUI Standard Report: Where to Look and How to Read Data
The easiest way is to use the built-in Time of Use tool (or Screen Time in English versions) and it is available on all Xiaomi devices with MIUI 10 and later, including HyperOS.
- Open the settings (cog icon).
- Go to the Time of Use section (in some firmware it is hidden in Digital Well-being → Time of Use).
- Slip the chart at the top of the screen to see detailed statistics by day.
Here you'll see:
- 📊 Total time of use of the smartphone per day / week.
- 🎮 Top applications by time (with a breakdown into games, social networks, instant messengers).
- 🔄 Number of screen unlocks – an indirect indicator of dependence.
- 📉 Dynamics compared to previous days (increase or decrease in activity).
Important: If you don't see the Time of Use section, it may have been disabled in the Mi Account settings to activate it:
- Go to Settings → Xiaomi account.
- Select Sync → Use Time and turn on the switch.
💡
If the statistics are reset after the reboot, check if the background mode for the Digital Wellbeing app is turned off in the battery settings.
Google Digital Wellbeing: An Alternative to MIUI
Xiaomi smartphones with Google pre-installed services (most global versions) have a Digital Wellbeing tool that is more detailed than the standard MIUI report, and allows you to:
- 🕒 Setting time limits on applications (with notice of exceeding).
- 🌙 Set up sleep mode (limit use at night).
- 📱 View the number of notifications from each application.
How to open it:
- Go to Settings → Google → Digital Well-Being and Parental Controls.
- Slip on the Control Panel (or Dashboard).
- Choose a day in the calendar for detailed statistics.
Unlike MIUI: Digital Wellbeing shows the time of active screen usage (when you interact with the app), whereas Xiaomi’s built-in tool can also take into account background activity (for example, playing music in Spotify with the screen off).
3. Hidden features: how to watch time in games separately
If you're interested in game time, MIUI has a separate section for gamers called Game Turbo, and is available on most devices starting with the Redmi Note 8 and Xiaomi Mi 9.
- 🎮 Total time spent in games per day/week/month.
- 🔋 Battery consumption per game (useful for optimizing autonomy).
- 📈 Activity schedule (peak hours of gaming sessions).
How to find it:
- Open Settings → Special features → Game Turbo
- Go to the Statistics tab.
- Select a period (day/week/month).
What if the Game Turbo doesn’t show statistics?
Please note that some games (such as Genshin Impact or PUBG Mobile) may block the collection of statistics due to privacy policies.
4. Third-party apps: top-3 Utility for detailed analytics
If built-in tools aren't enough, try specialized apps that offer advanced reports, data export, and even comparisons to other users, and we tested three of the most popular ones:
| Annex | Features | Cons | Link (Google Play) |
|---|---|---|---|
| ActionDash | 📊 Main screen widgets. 🔍 Details by the hour (when exactly you are active). 📤 Export of data to CSV. | A premium version for some functions. | Download |
| StayFree | 🎯 Limits on categories of applications (social networks, games). 📅 6-month story. 🔄 Synchronization between devices. | The commercial is free. | Download |
| Digital Wellbeing (by Google) | 🛡️ Built-in blocking of distracting applications. 📱 Support for family control. | It is less detailed than ActionDash. | Preinstalled on most smartphones |
Warning: Third-party applications require permission to access usage statistics (Settings → Applications → Special Access → Usage Statistics) without which they will not be able to collect data.
☑️ Set up a third-party time tracker
5 How to keep statistics before resetting or updating
If you plan to reset or update your firmware, your usage time may be lost.
- Export reports: In ActionDash: Settings → Data Export → CSV. In Digital Wellbeing: take screenshots of graphs (no export).
Sync with your account
- StayFree supports cloud storage via Google Drive.
- In MIUI, enable synchronization of Use Time with your Mi Account.
💡
Backups in Mi Cloud only store usage time statistics if the synchronization function was enabled before the reset.
Frequent problems and their solutions
Sometimes statistics can be left out, dropped, or incorrect.
⚠️ Note: If after the update MIUI The use time has disappeared, check if it is disabled in Settings → All settings → System system → Additionally. → Time of use. Some firmwares have it hidden by default.
Problem 1: Statistics are being reset every day.
- 🔹 Check if the background mode for the Digital Wellbeing or Security app is disabled (in the MIUI The statistics are provided by the system application Security).
- 🔹 Make sure the device has the correct date and time (automatic determination).
Problem 2: Some applications are not displayed in statistics.
- 🔹 It could be permissions. Go to Settings. → Annexes → Permits → Special access → Usage statistics and enable access for all applications.
- 🔹 Some system processes (e.g. com.android.systemui) are hidden by default.
Problem 3: The data is not updated in real time.
- 🔹 Reboot your smartphone – sometimes statistics are cached.
- 🔹 Check if battery saving mode is enabled for system applications.