Where to see the consumption of the Internet on Xiaomi: step-by-step instructions

Monitoring mobile internet usage on Xiaomi is a key skill for those who want to avoid unexpected charges for exceeding the traffic limit. The brand’s smartphones offer several built-in monitoring tools, but many users don’t know where to look for this data or how to interpret it correctly. In this article, we will examine all the available ways to check Internet consumption, from standard MIUI functions to third-party applications and mobile operators.

Xiaomi’s interface can vary depending on the firmware version (MIUI 12/13/14) and the device model (e.g. Redmi Note 12 vs POCO X5 Pro).We’ve taken these nuances into account and prepared universal instructions that will suit most of the brand’s modern gadgets, and you’ll learn how to reset traffic counters, set up warnings about exceeding the limit, and even track Internet consumption for specific applications.

1. Standard traffic counter in Xiaomi settings

The easiest way to check internet usage is to use a built-in meter in MIUI, which automatically records the amount of megabytes consumed since the last reset (usually tied to the start of the operator's billing period) to find this data:

1. Open the Settings app** (the gear icon on the desktop).
2. Go to SIM cards and mobile networks (on some models – Mobile network).
3. Choose yours. SIM-card (if there are several).
4. Slip on the item Data consumption or Mobile Internet use.

The screen will show a graph of traffic consumption for the current period, as well as a list of applications that eat up the Internet the most.

• 📊 Set a traffic limit (if exceeded, the smartphone will automatically turn off the mobile Internet).
• 🔔 Include warnings about reaching 50%, 80% and 100% limit.
• 🔄 Reset the meter manually (useful if the date of the beginning of the calculation period does not coincide with the calendar month).

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If the settings do not include the item “Data consumption”, upgrade the firmware to the latest version of MIUI – in older versions this section may be called differently or absent.

It is important to note that the built-in Xiaomi meter only shows mobile traffic (not Wi-Fi!) and it may slightly differ from the operator’s data due to differences in counting methods (for example, some system processes may not be taken into account).

2. check traffic through the operator’s personal account

The data on Internet consumption in smartphone settings is good, but it's not always accurate. Mobile operators (MTS, Beeline, MegaFon, Tele2) keep their own traffic records, and these are the numbers used to write off money, to check the Internet consumption through the operator:

• 🌐 Go to your personal account on the official website (for example, lk.mts.ru or my.tele2.ru).
• 📱 Use the operator’s mobile application (for example, “My MTS” or “My Beeline»).
• 💬 Send. USSD-command: *100# or specific to your operator (e.g. MegaFon - *558#).

In your personal account, you will see not only the current traffic consumption, but also:

• 📅 Start and end date of the calculation period.
• 📉 Daily consumption schedule.
• 💰 The residue of packet megabytes and the cost of additional traffic.

If the data in the operator’s personal account and on the smartphone are very different (by more than 10%), the reason may be:

• Using a VPN or proxy (traffic through them is not always correctly accounted for).
• Background activity of apps (for example, TikTok or YouTube can “upload” content even in the background).
• Mistakes in MIUI (solved by restarting the device or resetting the meter).

3. Third-party applications for traffic monitoring

If Xiaomi's built-in tools aren't enough, you can install specialized apps from Google Play, which offer advanced statistics, handy widgets, and even block "gluttonous" programs.-3 tested utilities:

Advantages of third-party applications:

• 📈 More detailed statistics (for example, traffic consumption by hour or day of the week).
• 🛡️ Ability to block background activity of individual applications.
• 🔄 Synchronize data between devices (if you use one account).

Set a traffic limit |Enable notifications of exceeding |Add widget to the home screen |Check app permissions-->

There are, however, downsides:

• 🔋 Additional battery consumption (applications run in the background).
• 📱 Some features are only available in the paid version.
• 🛠️ Possible conflicts with energy-saving regimes MIUI.

4. Reset the traffic counter and set up notifications

By default, Xiaomi's Internet billboard resets automatically at the beginning of each calendar month, but if your plan has a different billing period (like the 15th), you'll have to adjust the reset manually. Here's how to do this:

1. Open Settings → SIM cards and mobile networks → Data consumption.
2. Slip on the three dots in the upper right corner and select Data Consumption Settings.
3. Turn on the option to Set a reset date and select the desired day.
4. Activate the Excess Limit Warning and specify a threshold value (e.g. 10 GB out of 15 GB).

You can also do this here:

• 📵 Disable mobile Internet when you exceed the limit (useful if you have an expensive tariff for additional traffic).
• 📊 Enable the display of traffic flow in the notification panel.
• 🔄 Export consumption data (not available on all models).

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If you travel frequently, set up separate roaming limits to avoid huge internet bills abroad.

An important nuance is that after manually resetting the meter, all previous data will be lost, so it is recommended that you take a screenshot of current statistics or write down the indicators before resetting.

5. How to reduce your internet consumption on Xiaomi

If you notice that traffic is running out too quickly, here are a few ways to save it:

• 📱 Limit background activity: Go to Settings → Annexes → App management, select a program (such as Facebook) and turn off the Background Data option.
• 🎵 Turn off autoplay of the video on social networks (the setting is in the app itself, for example, in Instagram: Settings) → Account. → Use of mobile data).
• 📡 Use data compression: in Google Chrome, enable Traffic Savings (Settings) → Saving traffic).
• 🔄 Update applications only over Wi-Fi: Settings → Annexes → Application settings → Auto-update of applications → Only through Wi-Fi.

Another effective way is to block ads that eat up to 30 percent of traffic.

1. Install a browser with a built-in blocker (such as Brave or Opera with a VPN enabled).
2. Or use the AdGuard app (requires root rights to block completely).

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Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 11) have a hidden feature called “Save Data Mode.” To activate it, type ##4636## in the Phone app, then select Phone Information → Menu (three dots) → Data Saving Mode.

If, even after all the manipulations, the traffic continues to be consumed quickly, check your smartphone for viruses – some malware can secretly use the Internet to mine or send spam.

1. Install an antivirus (such as Dr.Web or Kaspersky).
2. Check the list of installed applications for suspicious programs.
3. Open Settings → Battery & Performance → Battery usage and see which apps consume a lot of power in the background.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When monitoring the Internet consumption on Xiaomi, users face typical problems, and consider the most common and ways to eliminate them:

⚠️ Note: If the traffic counter in Xiaomi settings shows zero values, despite active use of the Internet, the reason may be a reset of the network settings. In this case, restart the device and check whether the statistics are enabled in the Settings. → SIM cards and mobile networks → Data expenditure → Settings (three points) → Collection of flow data.

Problem 1: Data in the personal account of the operator and on the smartphone are very different.

• 🔹 Make sure that the smartphone has enabled traffic accounting for the correct SIM-cards (if there are several).
• 🔹 Check if you are using dual internet (e.g. mobile data and Wi-Fi at the same time).
• 🔹 Reset the counter on your smartphone and compare the indicators in 1-2 days.

Problem 2: After the MIUI update, the data expenditure section disappeared.

• 🔹 Try to find it through a search in the settings (the magnifying glass icon at the top).
• 🔹 If a partition is not really available, install a third-party monitoring app (see Section 3).
• 🔹 Return to the previous firmware version (if the update caused more problems than benefits).

Problem 3: Notifications of exceeding the limit do not come.

• 🔹 Check if notifications are disabled for the system: Settings → Notifications and status bar → Notification of annexes → System system.
• 🔹 Make sure the limit is set correctly (e.g. not 1,000GB instead of 10GB).
• 🔹 Reboot your smartphone – sometimes it helps to restore the monitoring service.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions