Xiaomi’s MIUI-based smartphones actively communicate with the company’s servers even in the background, which is necessary for account synchronization, weather updates, widgets and analytics. However, constant data transfer eats up traffic, drains the battery and can create privacy problems. In this article, we will discuss all the available ways to limit or completely disable data transfer on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices – from standard settings to hidden developer settings.
It is important to understand that a complete data shutdown will make many functions unavailable: push notifications, application updates, contact and calendar synchronization. We will show you how to find a balance between saving traffic and keeping your smartphone running. Instructions are relevant for MIUI 12, 13 and 14 (including global and Chinese versions of firmware).
1. Disconnecting mobile Internet and Wi-Fi manually
The most obvious way to stop data transfers is to physically disconnect the network, and on Xiaomi, there are several ways to do this:
- 📶 Notification Panel: Swipe down from the top edge of the screen and tap Mobile Data or Wi-Fi icons for instantaneous shutdown.
- ⚙️ Settings: Go to Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks and move the mobile data slider to the off position..
- ⏻ In-plane mode: activates it in the notification panel or through Settings → Special facilities → On the plane mode».
Note that when you shut down your mobile Internet, Xiaomi can still transmit data over Wi-Fi if it's connected. To block the transmission completely, turn off both networks.
⚠️ Attention: In some firmware MIUI Even when the Internet is off, the system can briefly connect to the network to check for updates. To avoid this, additionally disable Auto Update in Settings. → The phone. → Updating the system.
2. Restriction of background data transmission for applications
Many apps continue to transmit data in the background even when you’re not using it, including instant messengers, social media, email clients and Xiaomi system services, to limit their activity:
- Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Select the app you want (like Facebook or Mi Browser).
- Tap on Data Transfer (or Mobile Data and Wi-Fi in newer versions of MIUI).
- Turn off the options: 🚫 Background data transmission 🚫 Auto-start (if any) 🚫 Display notifications (if desired)
For mass switching off background activity, use a battery optimizer:
- Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Consumption Management.
- Select the application and set Restricted or Manual settings.
To completely disable analytics, you will need access to the developer settings:
- Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and tap the MIUI version 7 times.
- Go back to the basic settings, open Additional → for developers.
- Find the option to disable the transfer of usage data and activate it.
What happens if you turn off the analytics?
⚠️ Note: On some models (Redmi Note 12, POCO F5) After the analytics shutdown, the weather and currency widgets stop working, and to get them back, you'll have to temporarily turn on the diagnostic data transmission.
4. Blocking data transmission through the firewall (without root)
If standard methods are not enough, use third-party firewall applications that allow you to flexibly configure network access for each application.
| Annex | Functions | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| NetGuard | Blocking the Internet by application, rules for Wi-Fi/mobile | Demands. VPN-Regime (may conflict with banking applications) |
| NoRoot Firewall | Filtration of traffic without root rights, log activity | Advertising in the free version |
| MIUI Firewall Tools | Integration with MIUI system settings | It doesn't work on all models. |
Instructions for NetGuard:
- Install the app from Google Play.
- At the first launch, allow creation VPN-Connections (this is necessary for filtering traffic).
- In the main window, select the apps you want to block the internet for (such as Mi Video or GetApps).
- Activate the slider at the top to turn on the protection.
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If notifications from messengers have stopped coming after installing the firewall, add WhatsApp/Telegram as exceptions or allow them to access the network manually.
5. Network settings reset (last resort)
If previous methods didn't work, reset the network settings, which will delete all stored Wi-Fi networks, passwords, VPN and APN settings, but can solve problems with uncontrolled data transfer.
- Open the Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks.
- Go to Network Settings Reset (or Additional → Reset Wi-Fi, Mobile Network, and Bluetooth in newer versions).
- Confirm the action by entering PIN-code.
- After restarting the device, set up the network connection again.
⚠️ Note: On some models (Xiaomi) 13T, Redmi K60) Network resetting also resets settings NFC Before the procedure, save pairs of pairs of paired devices (earphones, smart watches), as they will have to be reconnected.
6. Alternative methods: Traffic saving mode and VPN
To temporarily limit data transfer, use the built-in MIUI functions:
- 📉 Traffic Saving Mode: Activated in Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Traffic savings: Limits background activity and compresses data.
- 🔒 VPN Traffic blocking: some of the VPN-Services (e.g. ProtonVPN) have a built-in firewall. VPN and block unnecessary connections.
- ⏳ Mobile Traffic Limit: Set a Monthly Limit in Settings → Mobile networks → Traffic warning and limit.
For advanced users, if your Xiaomi has a bootloader unlocked, you can install custom software like LineageOS, where data control is more flexible, but this requires technical skills and voids the warranty.
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The most reliable way to completely disable data is to manually shut down the network + firewall + deactivate analytics, but remember, this will make the smartphone an “offline device” without notifications or updates.