How to watch the time spent in the applications on Xiaomi Redmi 9: all ways

Monitoring time spent in mobile apps has become an integral part of digital hygiene. Xiaomi Redmi 9 owners often wonder how to track how many hours are spent on social networks, games or instant messengers — especially if the phone is used for work, study or just for entertainment. Fortunately, MIUI firmware offers several built-in tools for this task, and also supports solutions from Google and third-party developers.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways we can check the usage statistics on Redmi 9, from standard features to hidden features to alternative services, how to enable screen time monitoring, where detailed reports are stored, and how to interpret the data, and why the numbers can sometimes diverge across services, and what to do about it.

1. MIUI Built-in Statistics: Where to Look for Data

The easiest way to know when to use an app on Xiaomi Redmi 9 is to use the built-in MIUI feature called “Use Time,” which automatically collects user activity data and generates daily, weekly and monthly reports to find it:

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
2. Go to the Appendix section.
3. Select Time of Use (may be called "Use Statistics" depending on the version of MIUI).

Here you'll see:

• 📊 Screen time schedule for today, week or month.
• 🎯 Top Apps by Time of Use (with hours and minutes).
• 🔔 Number of screen unlocks.
• 📱 Total device operating time.

Note that if you have never visited this section before, the system may request permission to collect statistics. Without your consent, data will not accumulate. Also, it is worth considering that MIUI resets statistics when you completely reset your settings or flash your phone - keep this in mind if you plan to do this.

Google’s Digital Wellbeing: Alternative Monitoring

If the MIUI statistics you have are not detailed enough, you can use Google’s Digital Wellbeing service, which is available on all Android 9.0 and up devices, including Redmi 9, and its main advantage is more visual reports and the ability to set limits on the use of applications.

To activate Digital Wellbeing:

1. Open the Settings. → Google → Digital Well-Being and Parental Control.
2. Click on the Control Panel (or Dashboard) icon.
3. Confirm the activation of the function if required.

Unlike standard MIUI statistics, here you will find:

• 📈 Detailed schedules of use by hour.
• ⏰ Application timers (you can set a daily limit).
• 🌙 Sleep Time Mode to Limit Notifications at Night.
• 👁️ Statistics by category (social networks, games, productivity, etc.).

Important: Digital Wellbeing can show data that is slightly different from MIUI statistics, which is due to different counting algorithms, for example, Google takes into account the time when an application is active in the background (for example, playing music), and MIUI only when the screen is on.

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If Digital Wellbeing doesn’t display data, check if sync with your Google account is enabled in your phone settings. Without it, the service won’t be able to save history.

3. Hidden functions of MIUI: advanced statistics

Few people know, but MIUI has a hidden section with more detailed statistics on app usage, including background time and traffic consumption, to open it:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Click 5-7 times in a row on the MIUI version until the message “You are a developer!” appears.
3. Return to the main Settings menu and open a new section for developers.
4. Find the Application Usage Statistics (could be called “Activity Monitoring”).

Here you'll see:

This data is useful if you want to understand which apps are using up battery or internet in the background, even when you're not using it, for example, messengers or social networks can consume traffic to sync, which affects battery life.

4. Third-party applications for screen time analysis

If you don't have enough built-in tools from Xiaomi and Google, you can install specialized tools from Google Play, which offer advanced reports, widgets, and even tips for time optimization.-3 tested applications:

• 📊 ActionDash – visualizes data in the form of graphs and diagrams, shows “peak” hours of activity.
• ⏳ StayFree – allows you to set goals for reducing time in applications and track progress.
• 🔍 App Usage – a minimalist tracker with the ability to export data to the Internet CSV.

Before installing, check the permissions the application requests. Reliable utilities only require access to usage statistics (android.permission.PACKAGE_USAGE_STATS), But not personal data, if the software asks for access to contacts, SMS Geolocation or geolocation is a reason to be wary.

An example of setting up ActionDash:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. When you first start, click “Start” and give access to usage statistics.
3. In the main menu, select the “Applications” tab for a detailed report.

5. Why the data may not match: understand the discrepancies

Many Redmi 9 users experience a situation where MIUI and Digital Wellbeing are 10 to 30 percent different.

• ⏱️ Different methods of calculation: MIUI It only takes into account the time with the screen on, and Google takes into account any activity of the application (including background processes).
• 🔄 Data rounding: Some services round up minutes to the nearest 5 or 10, which affects the total amount of data.
• 📱 Sync errors: If the phone reboots or discharges, some statistics may be lost.

To get the most accurate data, we recommend:

1. Use one monitoring tool (e.g., Digital Wellbeing only).
2. Do not turn off the phone for a long time (this resets some meters).
3. Compare data for the same period (e.g., "today" in both services).

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If the difference between MIUI and Digital Wellbeing is more than 50%, check if the battery settings have been turned off (Optimization).

6. How to Reset or Disable Statistics Collection

If you want to start tracking time from scratch or disable it altogether (for example, for privacy reasons), do the following:

For data resetting to MIUI:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Use Time.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Reset Data.

To disable Digital Wellbeing:

1. Go to Settings → Google → Digital Well-being.
2. Click on the gear icon → “Delete usage data.”
3. To fully deactivate the service, turn off the “Trace Use” switch.

⚠️ Note: Disabling statistics collection may affect some features, such as adaptive brightness or battery optimization, that use user activity data.

7 Data Analysis: How to Know If You're Spending Too Much Time on Your Phone

Just knowing the numbers isn't enough -- it's important to be able to interpret them. Here are some signs that it's time to cut down on screen time:

• 😴 You spend more than 5-6 hours a day on your phone (the average user is 3-4 hours).
• 📉 More than 30% of the time is spent on entertainment (games, social networks, videos), rather than work / study.
• ⏰ Check your phone more than 100 times a day (40-60 unlocks).
• 🌙 Use a gadget after 23:00, which disturbs sleep.

If you have at least one of these things about you, try:

• 📵 Set limits on applications through Digital Wellbeing.
• 🕒 Use the "Do Not Disturb" mode in the evening hours.
• 📱 Replace social media shortcuts on the home screen with useful utilities (calendar, books).

Remember, the purpose of time control is not to completely abandon your smartphone, but to consciously use it. For example, if you spend 2 hours a day learning through apps, it's productive. But 3 hours on TikTok is a reason to think.

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The optimal ratio of time in the phone: 40% work / study, 30% communication, 20% entertainment, 10% other.

Frequently asked questions