How to find out time spent in applications on Xiaomi: everything from built-in tools to third-party services

Have you ever caught yourself thinking that you’ve spent more time on TikTok or Instagram than you planned? MIUI They offer several ways to track activity in applications, from standard tools to hidden features that few people know about. This article will help you understand how to monitor the time of use of programs, what data the system collects, and what to do if embedded reports seem inaccurate.

Xiaomi’s feature is that the manufacturer regularly updates the interface. MIUI, And some of the features may vary depending on the firmware version. MIUI 12, 13 and 14, and alternative solutions for users who have lost statistics or custom firmware. Important: some methods require permission to access the use of applications, which must be activated manually.

If you want to not only see the numbers but also limit time on social media or gaming, there’s a section at the end of the article about setting up parental controls and digital well-being – these features are useful not only for children, but also for those who want to discipline themselves.

1.Inline statistics of the use of the MIUI: Where to look and how to read reports

The easiest way is to use the built-in Time of Use feature, which is found in most Xiaomi, Redmi and other smartphones. POCO. It collects data about the apps it's running, the time it's on the active screen, even the number of unlocks it's unlocking, to find it:

1. Open the settings (cog icon).
2. Go to the Appendix section → Time of use (in some versions) MIUI The way may be settings → Digital Well-Being and Parental Control).
3. Click on the Control Panel or Usage Statistics.

Here you'll see:

• 📊 Total time of use of the device per day / week.
• 🎯 Top of applications by time (with hours and minutes).
• 🔄 Number of launches of each application.
• 📱 Time of inactivity (when the phone was unlocked but not used).

Note that the statistics are reset at 00:00 local time, and if you want to save data from the past day, take a screenshot or export the report (not all versions support this feature). MIUI).

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To manually reset the statistics, click the three dots in the upper right corner of the Time of Use screen and select Reset, which is useful if you want to start counting again, like Monday.

Hidden functions of MIUI: Advanced statistics and data export

Few people know, but in MIUI There are hidden tools for more detailed analysis of activity, such as looking at usage times by the hour or exporting data to the Internet. CSV-file for further analysis in Excel.

To enable extended mode:

1. Go to Settings. → Annexes → Time of use.
2. Slap the icon. ⚙️ (Settings) in upper right corner.
3. Activate the switch Show usage by the hour.

Now, the main statistics will have a timeline by hour, which helps to identify peak periods of activity, such as when you most often go on social networks (morning, lunch or late at night).

For export of data:

• 📤 Click on three dots in the upper right corner.
• 📥 Select Data Export.
• 📄 The file will be saved in the Download folder under the name app_usage_stats.csv.

Important: Exported data contains accurate startup and closing timestamps, allowing you to build a detailed picture of your digital behavior, which can be useful for introspection or even for work (for example, if you need to report on the time spent in working messengers).

3. Use of Google’s Digital Wellbeing (for devices with Google services)

If your Xiaomi has Google services installed (which is relevant for global firmware versions), you can use the Digital Wellbeing tool, which offers more visual reports and time-limiting features.

To activate it:

1. Open the Settings.
2. Go to Google. → Digital Well-Being and Parental Control.
3. Press the Control Panel.

The advantages of Digital Wellbeing over standard MIUI statistics are:

• 📈 Timetables of use by day of the week.
• ⏱️ App timers (you can set a limit, for example, 1 hour per day for YouTube).
• 🌙 Sleep Time (automatic switching to black and white and blocking notifications).
• 📵 Do not disturb function with flexible settings.

However, there is a caveat: Digital Wellbeing may conflict with embedded statistics. MIUI, It shows different data. It's because systems collect information in different ways: MIUI It takes into account screen time and Google takes into account active usage time (for example, listening to music in the background may not be taken into account).

4. Third-party monitoring apps: top-5 solutions for Xiaomi

If built-in tools aren't enough, you can install specialized applications that offer advanced analytics, cross-platform synchronization, and even time optimization tips. Here are the best options for Xiaomi:

Before installing, check the permissions the app requests. To work properly, it will need access to:

• 📱 Application usage statistics (mandatory!).
• 🔔 Notifications (for blocking or reminders).
• 📊 Warehouse (for data export).

Note: Some applications (such as ActionDash) may show inflated numbers compared to embedded statistics, because they take background activity into account (for example, when the messenger is running in background).

5. How to enable the collection of statistics, if it is disabled (instructions for MIUI 14)

Sometimes users find that the Time of Use section is empty or shows a message "Data collection is disabled" This can happen after resetting settings, updating the firmware or manually disabling the function.

Method 1: through the MIUI settings

1. Go to Settings. → Annexes → Time of use → Settings (⚙️).
2. Make sure the app usage tracking switch is active.
3. If the option is gray, it means that it is blocked by the administrator of the device (for example, in corporate phones).

Method 2: Permissions for system applications

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Press three points. → Show all applications.
3. Find Google Play or SecurityCenter Services (depending on the model).
4. Select Permissions and include Application Usage Statistics.

Method 3: Resetting the system cache

If the statistics are still not going, try clearing the cache:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Choose SecurityCenter or Digital Wellbeing.
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.
4. Reset the device.

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If you don't get any statistics after all the manipulations, check if the system-level data collection is disabled, enter ##4636## in the dialer, go to Battery Information and see if Usage stats are active.

Alternative methods: ADB-commands and hidden menus for advanced users

For those who aren’t afraid to “dig deeper,” there are ways to get time-of-use data through the scaling up of the data. ADB (Android Debug Bridge, or hidden engineering menus, are useful if you want to use it:

• 🔧 You need raw data without processing (for example, for analysis in Python).
• 📱 Built-in tools disabled by device administrator.
• 🔍 You suspect that the statistics are being tampered with (e.g. on corporate phones).

To obtain data via ADB:

1. Install. ADB-PC drivers.
2. Turn on the debugging. USB on the phone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times tap the version number → Return to the Additional Settings → For developers → Debugging by USB).
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command:

adb shell dumpsys usagestats --help

For the export of statistics for the last day:

adb shell dumpsys usagestats --since $(($(date +%s) - 86400))000

The data will be displayed in the format JSON It's time stamps, packet names, and usage times, and you can redirect output to a file for convenience:

adb shell dumpsys usagestats > usage_stats.txt

Attention: use ADB Incorrect commands can cause resets or data loss. If you are not sure about your actions, you should use third-party applications from the previous section.

7 Parental Control and Time Limitation: How to Discipline Yourself and Children

If the goal is not only to find out the time in applications, but also to reduce it, in MIUI There are built-in tools for this, and they're useful for parents and for those who want to limit themselves to using social media or games.

To set the limits:

1. Go to Settings → Digital Well-Being and Parental Controls.
2. Select Parental Controls (may be required to create a parental control). PIN-code).
3. Add a user profile (e.g., “child” or “I”).
4. Select the apps you want to set a limit for and set a time (such as 30 minutes a day for Instagram).

Additional functions:

• 🔒 Blocking the installation of new applications without PIN-code.
• 📵 Time of day restrictions (e.g., game locks after 22:00).
• 📊 Weekly reports on usage (sent to email).

For self-discipline, you can use the Focus Mode function:

1. Open the Settings. → Digital well-being → Focus mode.
2. Select the applications that will be blocked.
3. Set a timer (for example, 1 hour to concentrate on work).

If built-in tools aren’t enough, consider apps like Forest or Freedom that block distracting sites and programs on a schedule.

8 Frequent problems and their solutions: why statistics do not show data

Sometimes users find that time in apps is not displayed or is shown incorrectly, and here are the most common reasons and ways to eliminate them:

Note: if you use dual applications (Dual Apps function in the app) MIUI), statistics for them may be counted separately or not displayed at all. To fix this, disable duplication for problem programs.

Another common problem is resetting statistics after updating. MIUI. To avoid data loss, export reports regularly or use third-party cloud-saving trackers.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions