Xiaomi traffic control: from statistics to limits

Owners of Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI shell or new HyperOS often face a situation where mobile Internet ends faster than expected, this can be due to background application activity, automatic updates or hidden system processes. To effectively manage data consumption, you need to know where the detailed statistics are stored in the system.

Unlike pure Android, where settings are spread across menus, Xiaomi’s firmware has a powerful built-in monitoring tool that not only allows you to see the numbers, but also analyzes the behavior of each application in detail, and understanding these processes is the first step to saving traffic.

In this article, we will look at all the ways to check spent megabytes and gigabytes, you will learn how to set automatic restrictions to avoid going into the red, and learn how to identify “voracious” programs that are imperceptibly consuming your data packet.

The main path through the "Security" application

The fastest and most reliable way to see where your traffic has gone is to use the system app Security, which is pre-installed on all the brand devices and has access to deep system logs of network activity, and this is where the most accurate information is collected, which is not always correctly displayed by third-party meters.

To log in to the desired section, you need to do a few simple steps: Open the Security app (green icon with a shield) and find Traffic or Data Use. In some versions of MIUI, this widget can be displayed on the home screen or placed in the Tools tab.

⚠️ Note: If you reset your Security app settings or removed system updates, the menu interface may be slightly different from what you described, but the search logic remains the same.

Once you log in, you'll see a general monthly flow chart, and the system automatically aggregates all SIM cards if you have two, but for a detailed analysis, you'll need to click on Statistics or Details to see a list of apps sorted by traffic consumed.

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The Security app is the central network management hub in MIUI, and its capabilities should not be ignored, as it works at the core level of the system.

Analysis of expenditure by application and background processes

In the statistics section, you'll see a detailed list, and it's important to look not just at the top of the list, which is where YouTube, Instagram or TikTok are usually located, but also at system services. Often users are surprised to find that Google Play Services or cloud storage eats up a significant portion of traffic.

Click on any app in the list to see the details, and the system will show you the separation of two types of traffic: Mobile data and Wi-Fi, and how much traffic was used in the background, which is a critical parameter for optimization.

• 📱 Social media: usually leading in consumption due to autoloading of videos and images in the feed.
• 🔄 System Services: Can spend traffic synchronizing contacts, searching for a device, and sending telemetry.
• 🎮 Games: often require a constant connection to download advertising modules even in the menu.

If you see an abnormally high consumption of an app that you have barely used, it is worth checking its settings, perhaps autoloading updates over the mobile network or the Wi-Fi Only feature is active, which does not work correctly.

Setting limits and warnings in MIUI

To prevent a sudden end of traffic from happening again, Xiaomi offers a flexible limit system that works as a preventative measure, warning users long before the carrier shuts down the Internet, setting these parameters only takes a few minutes, but saves them from unnecessary costs.

Go back to the main Traffic menu and click on the gear icon or Settings button (usually in the upper right corner). This is the Traffic Limit. Activate it and specify the size of your tariff package. The system will automatically calculate the daily rate.

You can also configure Warning, for example, if you have a 20GB package, it makes sense to put a 15GB notification on it, which will give you time to analyze the flow and, if necessary, disable heavy applications for the rest of the billing period.

There's also a Background Limiting feature, which if you turn it on for a particular application, it can only access the Internet when you open it on the screen, which drastically reduces the cost, but can delay notifications from messengers.

Hidden settings and engineering menu

For advanced users who want to access more in-depth statistics, there is a hidden test menu that allows you to see not only the amount of data transferred, but also the quality of the connection, the frequency of switching between towers and the type of network in real time.

To get into the testing menu, open the Phone app and type ##4636##. If the code works, the Testing menu will open. Select Information about phone usage or Usage statistics. Here, the data is raw, without beautiful graphs, but it's as accurate as possible.

⚠️ Note: In the newer versions of Android (12, 13, 14), access to this menu through code may be blocked by the manufacturer or carrier. ADB-commands or third-party applications.

You can also see uptime and packet counts on this menu, and if the packet counter is growing and you're not using your phone, it means that an application is actively knocking on the server.

Comparison of statistics: Phone vs. Operator

A common problem for Xiaomi users is the discrepancy between the data in the phone and the operator’s personal account. 5 GB, and the operator has 7 GB: This is because operator-side accounting is at lock level. GGSN/PGW It includes service packet headers that the phone doesn't take into account.

In addition, on a smartphone, the meter can be reset when you flash or reset your network settings, while the operator’s history is continuous, and it is important to understand that the traffic recorded by the operator is considered true, since it is billed.

To minimize discrepancies, it is recommended to synchronize the counters. In the application Security -> Traffic -> Settings, there is a button Reset statistics. Press it on the first day of the new billing period, when the operator has already updated the data.

Automation and savings scenarios

MIUI is famous for its automation capabilities, and you can create a scenario that automatically shuts down mobile internet when you connect to your home Wi-Fi or blocks data transfers for all applications except instant messengers at night.

To do this, go to Settings -> Advanced Settings -> Battery and Performance (the path may vary). However, more flexible control is through the built-in Script (or Automation) app. Create a new script with the condition "Time" or "Connect to the network."

• 🌙 Night mode: from 01:00 to 07:00 to disable data transfer for all applications except Telegram and WhatsApp.
• 🏠 Home: when connecting to Wi-Fi "Home" forced to turn off mobile Internet, so that there are no switches when the router signal is bad.
• 📉 Savings: If less than 500MB is left, turn on Text Only or turn off background sync.

Using such scenarios allows not only to save money, but also to extend the battery life of the device, since the communication module is one of the main consumers of energy.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Use the Traffic Monitor widget on your desktop to always see the remaining megabytes without going deep into the settings. It can be added through a long tap on the empty screen space.