Xiaomi Redmi traffic control: from basic restrictions to hidden MIUI features

Xiaomi Redmi smartphones are known for their performance, but without the right settings can “eat” gigabytes of mobile traffic in the background. Especially relevant problem for users with tariffs without limit: application updates, autoload media in instant messengers and hidden synchronizations can exhaust the package in a matter of days. In this article, we will analyze not only the standard tools for limiting traffic in MIUI, but also little-known features that will help save up to 40% of monthly consumption without compromising convenience.

It is important to understand: traffic settings on Redmi depend on the firmware version (MIUI 12/13/14) And the smartphone models, like the Redmi Note. 10 Pro is available for extended monitoring by application, and in budget Redmi A1 We're going to look at the universal methods that work on all the devices on the line, and we're going to look at the specific features for the specific models. If you notice that traffic is going nowhere, first of all, check Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Using traffic to identify the main “eaters».

1. Basic traffic restriction settings in MIUI

To start with, the obvious is the built-in MIUI tools that allow you to set a limit and receive notifications when it is exceeded, which are available on all Xiaomi smartphones, including older models like the Redmi 5 (2017) and the new Redmi 12 (2023).

Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Traffic usage. Here you'll see the current month's flow chart and the list of applications sorted by the amount of data consumed:

• 📊 Set a traffic limit: click on the gear in the upper right corner → «Set a data limit. Enter your rate (e.g. 15 GB) and save. If you exceed 80% and 100% of the limit, the system will show a notification.
• 🔔 Set up warnings: activate the "Excess Warning" option on the same menu. 70-80% from the general limit to adjust the use of.
• 📱 Separate the statistics by SIM-If you have two SIMs, switch between them at the top of the screen to control the flow on each individually.

Note that these settings do not block traffic when you exceed the limit, but only notify you. To completely turn off mobile Internet after the packet is exhausted, you will need to use third-party applications (for this, see Section 5).

2.Restriction of background traffic for individual applications

Many programs continue to consume traffic even when you are not using them: social networks update the feed, messengers download media, and games load ads. MIUI has a tool to prioritize applications and block background activity.

Open Settings → Applications → Application Management, select the one you want (like TikTok or VKontakte) and go to Data Use. There are three key options available here:

• 🚫 Background data ban: disables mobile internet access when the app is down. Useful for social media and streaming services.
• 📶 Allow when connecting to Wi-Fi: leave this tick so that the application is updated only on wireless networks.
• ⚠️ Autorun: Check if Autorun is enabled in the same menu – it allows the app to start when the phone is turned on and consume traffic.

⚠️ Note: Blocking background data for messengers (WhatsApp, Telegram) can cause notifications to be delayed. If you want to receive messages quickly, leave background traffic on, but limit autoloading media in the settings of the applications themselves.

* For banking applications, it is better to leave background data turned on for security (push-notifications of transactions).

Turn off background data for social networks|Check the autoload of media in messengers|Disable Auto-Update Applications|Prohibit Auto-Run Unnecessary Programs-->

3. Hidden MIUI features to save traffic

MIUI hides some useful options that you can't see at first, and one of them is the Traffic Savings mode, which compresses data before you transmit it, and it activates this way:

1. Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Saving traffic.
2. Turn on the switch at the top of the screen.
3. In the "Applications" section, select the programs for which you want to apply compression (we recommend noting browsers and social networks).

This function works on the principle of Google Datally: data passes through a proxy server Xiaomi, where it is optimized before sending to the phone. According to user tests, savings are 10-25% depending on the type of content.

• 🔒 Compression doesn't work for HTTPS-Traffic (Secure Sites).
• 📞 Ping may increase in online games.
• 📊 Traffic usage statistics will show the initial (uncompressed) values.

Another hidden option is the download speed limit, which is useful if you want background updates to not eat up the entire channel. Find it in Settings → Special Features → Network settings → Download speed limit and set a limit, such as 500 KB/s.

4. Set up traffic in popular apps

Even with the background data turned off, some programs continue to use traffic through internal mechanisms, and let's look at the settings for the most voracious services.

WhatsApp and Telegram

In both messengers, turn off autoload media:

• 📷 WhatsApp: Settings → Warehouse and data → Autoboot media → Select “Wi-Fi Only” for photos, videos and documents.
• 🎵 Telegram: Settings → Data and memory → Autoboot media → Set up a “Never” for the mobile network.

YouTube and streaming services

By default, YouTube plays video at maximum quality, which consumes up to 3 GB per hour when viewed at 1080p. To limit this:

1. Open the YouTube app and tap the avatar in the upper right corner.
2. Go to Settings → Video quality on the mobile network.
3. Select “Traffic Saving” (480p) or “Average” (720p).

For Netflix and Kinion, similar settings are in the Playback Quality section of the user profile. Please note that some services (such as TikTok) do not allow you to manually limit video quality, in which case only MIUI traffic saving mode will help.

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If you often watch videos on the go, download videos in advance over Wi-Fi. YouTube Premium has an offline viewing feature, and in Telegram you can save videos to Favorites and watch without the Internet.

5 Third-party applications for strict traffic control

If built-in MIUI tools aren't enough, use specialized utilities that allow you to:

• 🚧 Block the Internet for individual applications on a schedule.
• 📈 Maintain detailed statistics by hour and day.
• 🔄 Automatically disable mobile data when the limit is exceeded.

The best options for Xiaomi Redmi:

To use NetGuard without root rights, you will need to include VPN-It doesn't affect the speed of the Internet, but it can conflict with other things. VPN-If you need to block the mobile Internet completely after the limit is exhausted, NetGuard has a "Hard Limit" option that will turn off data transmission even for system processes.

⚠️ Attention: Applications for traffic control with rights VPN (NetGuard, Datally are incompatible with banking programs that require exclusive access to the network.

6 Hardware methods: dual-band Wi-Fi and eSIM

If you move frequently between Wi-Fi and mobile coverage areas, consider hardware solutions to save traffic:

• 📶 Automatic Wi-Fi Connection: In Settings → Wi-Fi → Additionally, enable the option “Automatic Open Network Connection.” The smartphone will connect to trusted access points (such as in a cafe or shopping center), reducing the burden on mobile traffic.
• 🔄 Switching to eSIM: if your Redmi supports eSIM (e.g. Redmi Note 11 Pro)+ 5G), You can get a second data-only, unlimited Internet. SIM leave it to the phone.
• 🌐 Mesh Networks: If you have multiple Xiaomi routers at home, set up Mesh to seamlessly transition between access points without breaking the connection.

For owners of Redmi with Wi-Fi 6 support (e.g. Redmi) K50) It is useful to enable smart switching between 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz. This reduces delays when switching between bands and reduces the risk of "leakage" of traffic to the mobile network. → Wi-Fi → Additionally. → Frequency range.

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The combination of hardware and software methods (e.g. eSIM + NetGuard) allows you to reduce traffic consumption by 50-70% without losing the functionality of the smartphone.

7.Diagnostics of unexpected traffic consumption

If traffic continues to leave despite all settings, the problem may lie in:

• 🤖 Hidden updates MIUI: Check the settings. → The phone. → Update the system and disable “Autoboot over the mobile network».
• 📡 Problems with SIM-card: sometimes the operator charges traffic even when connecting to Wi-Fi. Make sure that the status bar shows the Wi-Fi icon, not the Wi-Fi icon. 4G/5G.
• 🕵️ Malware: scan your Google Play phone with Security or Malwarebytes. Some Trojans masquerade as system processes (e.g. com.android.providers).

To identify the culprit, use the traffic log:

1. Install GlassWire or Network Monitor from Google Play.
2. Start monitoring and leave your phone alone for 10-15 minutes.
3. Check which processes consumed data in the background.

If there are unknowns in the logs IP-Addresses or domains (e.g. adservice.google.com when ads are disabled), this may indicate a data breach. → System system → Resetting settings → Resetting network settings.

FAQ: Frequent questions about traffic consumption on Xiaomi Redmi