How to put a restriction on the application on shaomi: access management

Xiaomi smartphones today have powerful features that allow users to not only enjoy content, but also manage the digital space effectively. Users often face the need to restrict access to certain programs, whether it is protecting children from unwanted content or trying to improve their own productivity. MIUI offers built-in tools to solve these problems without installing third-party software. Device owners want to know how to put a restriction on the app on shaomi to control screen time or mobile traffic consumption.

There are several levels of lockdown, from simply hiding an icon to completely banning a launch without a password. Built-in digital well-being mechanisms allow for flexible time limits for social media and gaming. This is especially true for parents who want to keep their child safe, or for those who struggle with procrastination. Properly configuring these settings helps to keep the balance between the virtual and real world without requiring deep technical knowledge.

In this article, we will take a look at all the control methods available, learn about standard system functions, set up parental controls and manage network access, and look at the nuances of how children work and explain how to prevent in-app purchases from happening, and use these tools wisely turns a smartphone into a safe and controlled device for the whole family.

Using Digital Well-Being to Limit Time

The main tool for controlling smartphone usage is the built-in Digital Well-Being feature, which allows you to set time limits for launching specific applications. When the time is up, the app icon turns gray, and you can't run it until the next day without changing your settings or ignoring the warning, which is a gentle but effective way to combat addiction.

To activate the feature, go to Settings → Digital Well-Being and Parental Controls. This shows the daily or weekly usage statistics of the device. When you click on a particular app in the list, you will see a schedule of activity and the ability to set a timer. The system will suggest limiting the time of use if you notice excessive infatuation.

• 📱 Open the settings and find the Digital Wellbeing section.
• ⏱ Select the app from the list and set the desired time limit.
• 🔒 If necessary, set a PIN code to protect settings from changes.

⚠️ Warning: Resetting your phone to factory settings will remove all set time limits, so it’s important to remember the password from the Google account tied to the device.

MIUI is designed to integrate with Google Family Link for more control if standard tools are not enough, but for personal use, the built-in functionality is enough, and it is important to understand that system constraints work even without an Internet connection, since the timer starts from the moment the application is first opened after the screen is turned on.

Adjusting parental control and child regime

For parents who want to keep their child safe from unwanted content, MIUI has a Child Mode, which creates an isolated environment where only the apps you choose are available, where the child cannot go outside, delete programs, or make a purchase without your permission, and is the perfect solution for temporarily transferring the gadget to children.

Activation occurs through the Settings menu → Special features → Children’s mode. After activation, you will need to set a profile, select allowed applications and set time limits. The interface in this mode is simplified, large icons and the absence of unnecessary elements make navigation understandable even for children.

You can also look at the settings of the GetApps store or Google Play, where you can request a password for each purchase or installation of a new app, which will prevent random subscriptions to paid services or installation of games with high age ratings, and authorization at every action gives you full control over what appears on your child's device.

If your child is using their own Android device, the best solution is to bundle with the Family Link app, which allows you to remotely lock the device, track location and see search history. Local mode of children on Xiaomi is more suitable for situations where you give your phone to your child to play for a while.

Blocking applications with a password and fingerprint

The most reliable way to hide the contents of the application from prying eyes is to use the built-in Application Protection feature, which requires entering a password, a pattern lock or a fingerprint scan every time you run a selected program, and this is true for instant messengers, gallery, banking applications or any other data that you want to keep secret.

You can find this option by Settings → Applications → Application Protection. When you first turn on, the system will prompt you to create a separate password (other than the screen unlock password) and link the Mi Account. Once you activate the protection next to the protected program icons, a small lock will appear. When you try to open such an application, the screen will go out for a split second, and you will receive an authentication request.

It is important to note that Application Protection does not hide the icon from the desktop. The application remains visible but inaccessible without authorization. If you need to completely hide the fact that the program is available, you should use the Second Space or Hidden Applications function in the theme settings. However, a standard lock is enough for quick everyday protection.

Using biometrics greatly speeds up the access process, and if your Xiaomi is equipped with a fingerprint scanner in the button or under the screen, unlocking is instantaneous, eliminating the annoyance of constantly entering numbers, while maintaining a high level of data security.

Limiting Internet access to save traffic

Sometimes, the restriction is a ban on access to the network, which is useful when you need to save traffic or prevent background data transfers from certain applications, and MIUI has a powerful controller that allows you to manage the access rights to Wi-Fi and mobile network for each installed program.

To set up, go to Security → Traffic → Settings → Connection. Here you will see a list of all programs with two switches: for mobile data and for Wi-Fi. By disabling both sliders for a particular application, you completely isolate it from the Internet. It will continue to work offline, but it will not be able to download ads or update content.

• 🚫 Disable network access for heavy gaming so they don't swing updates in the background.
• 📉 Ban access to mobile Internet for video services, so as not to spend a package of GB.
• 🛡 Block access to questionable apps to increase privacy.

⚠️ Warning: Blocking Internet access for Google or Mi Cloud system services may disrupt synchronization of contacts, photos and push notifications.

This feature also helps to extend battery life: applications that can’t get online don’t wake up the processor or use a radio module, which reduces power consumption, and this is especially true on trips when it comes to battery life minutes.

It's worth remembering that some apps may require a constant connection to work properly, such as navigation devices that can't map routes and news feeds that can't be updated. Before applying global restrictions, check if the application is critical to your current tasks.

Creating a Second Space for Total Isolation

The most radical method of constraint is to create a Second Space, a feature that actually creates a second independent phone inside your smartphone, with its own desktop, its own apps, its own accounts and its own settings, and switching between spaces is done by fingerprint or password.

The second space is perfect for separating work and personal life, or for handing over a phone to a child, so you can install only children's games and YouTube Kids in the second space, and in the first space, you can leave all your work and personal data, and for a child or colleague, the phone will look like a normal device with a limited set of functions.

The settings are done through the Settings menu → Second space, and the system will suggest you create a separate password or attach another finger to log in, and once activated, you will be in a clean interface where you need to reconfigure the necessary applications, and the data between the spaces does not overlap, which guarantees complete isolation of information.

The advantage of this method is that you can't switch to the main space without authorization, and even if a child does unlock the phone, it will stay within the sandbox environment, which is a more reliable way than simply locking apps, because it changes the very structure of access to the system.

However, it is worth considering that the presence of two spaces takes up additional space in the memory of the device, photos taken in the second space are stored separately, and installed applications are duplicated. On models with a small amount of internal memory (64 GB or less), this can be a critical factor.

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