Monitoring mobile traffic on Xiaomi smartphones is a key skill for every user, especially if you have a limited fare or travel frequently roaming. Unlike the iPhone, where traffic statistics are hidden in the depths of settings, MIUI offers several ways to monitor it, from built-in tools to carrier apps, but not everyone knows where to look for this data and how to interpret it correctly.
In this article, we will look at all the current methods of checking traffic on Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO and Black Shark devices, from basic to advanced. You will learn how different the display of statistics in different versions of MIUI (including MIUI 14 and HyperOS), how to reset the meters before a new billing period, and what to do if the data does not match the information from the operator, and also a unique life hack to set up automatic disconnection of mobile Internet when you exceed the limit, which is not in standard guides.
1. Check traffic through MIUI settings (the most reliable way)
The built-in MIUI tool shows traffic consumption across all applications with the ability to filter over mobile network and Wi-Fi. This method works on all Xiaomi models, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and even older devices on MIUI 12.
To open up the statistics:
- Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks.
- Choose yours. SIM-card (if there are several).
- Tap on the item Traffic consumption (in some versions - Data use).
- The screen will display a flow chart for the current period and a list of applications sorted by the amount of data consumed.
Important nuances:
- 📅 Accounting period: Default MIUI It resets the statistics on the 1st of each month, but you can change the date manually by clicking on the calendar icon in the upper right corner.
- 🔄 Reset meter: If you change the tariff or operator, do not forget to reset the data, otherwise the statistics will be incorrect.
- 📊 Details by application: Tap on any application in the list to see the consumption of mobile network and Wi-Fi separately.
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If you see an unknown process with a high traffic consumption (e.g. com.android.vending) in the app list, it could be Google Play background activity.
2. Quickly view traffic through the notification panel
Not everyone knows, but MIUI has a hidden feature to display current traffic flow directly in the notification bar, which is convenient when you need to quickly check how many megabytes are left for the rest of the day.
How to turn on:
- Turn the notification bar (swipe down from the top edge of the screen).
- Click on the gear icon (⚙️) top-right.
- Turn on the switch to show traffic usage.
- Choose. SIM-map, if there are several.
The notification panel will now show:
- 📶 Current Mobile Traffic Consumption for Today.
- 📉 Consumption schedule for the last 7 days (clicking on the indicator).
- ⚠️ Warning if the consumption is approaching the established limit.
⚠️ Note: This feature works unstable on some custom firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.EU).If the indicator doesn't appear, try resetting the notification bar settings in Settings → Annexes → Application management → System applications → Notification panel.
3. Traffic check through the operator’s application
The MIUI statistics may differ from the mobile operator data due to the specifics of traffic accounting (for example, MIUI does not take into account the cost of roaming or when connecting to a VPN). To get accurate figures, it is better to use the official application of your operator.
List of applications for popular operators:
- 📱 MTS: My MTS (Internet section» → «Details»).
- 📱 Beeline: My Beeline (Services tab» → «Internet traffic»).
- 📱 MegaFon: MegaFon-Personal Cabinet (section "Tariff» → «Residues»).
- 📱 Tele2: My Tele2 (Balance tab» → «Detailed traffic»).
- 📱 Yota: Yota (Section "Statistics» → «Traffic»).
Advantages of this method:
- 🔍 Accurate tariff data, including bonus traffic.
- 📅 A few months' history of expenditure.
- 🛡️ Traffic accounting in roaming and when using additional options.
4. Third-party applications for traffic monitoring
If you want advanced statistics with notifications of exceeding the limit, it is worth considering third-party applications, which offer flexible settings, export data and even block background traffic for individual applications.
Top.-3 apps:
| Annex | Features | Link to Google Play |
|---|---|---|
| NetGuard | Block traffic for individual applications without root, widget on the home screen, activity log. | Download |
| My Data Manager | Smart notifications, support for several SIM-maps, history by day/week/month. | Download |
| GlassWire | Real-time traffic visualization, suspicious activity detection, firewall. | Download |
How to set up NetGuard (Step-by-step):
☑️ Set up NetGuard on Xiaomi
⚠️ Note: Some apps (like GlassWire) require root rights to run on Xiaomi, and without them, they will only show partial statistics%.
5.Reset and adjust traffic limits in MIUI
If you change your tariff or want to start tracking traffic from scratch, you need to reset the meters to MIUI, which is also useful if the statistics show inflated values due to a failure.
How to reset data:
- Open the Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Traffic consumption.
- Tap on the three-point icon (⋮) top-right.
- Choose Reset Statistics.
- Confirm the action.
How to set up warnings about exceeding the limit:
- 🔔 In the same section (Traffic Consumption) turn on the switch Warning of exceeding the limit.
- 📏 Set a threshold value (for example, 10 GB out of 15 GB at the tariff).
- 🔕 Choose whether to automatically turn off mobile Internet when you exceed the limit (the feature is not available on all models).
What if MIUI doesn't reset statistics?
6. Checking traffic in roaming and abroad
One of the most painful moments for travelers is the uncontrolled traffic consumption in roaming. MIUI does not always correctly account for roaming traffic, so it is better to use a combination of built-in tools and operator data.
How to avoid unexpected expenses:
- ✈️ Turn off automatic updates to roaming apps: Settings → Annexes → Auto-update of applications → Only through Wi-Fi.
- 🌍 Use locally. SIM-Cards (e.g. Airalo or Holafly for eSIM).
- 📵 Set up background traffic restriction: Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Traffic consumption → Limit background traffic.
If you are already roaming and want to check the cost:
- Open your operator’s application (for example, MTS Roaming or Beeline.Travel).
- Check the Roaming or Abroad section, and there will be separate statistics.
- Compare data with indicators in Settings → SIM-cards and mobile networks → Traffic consumption (select the desired SIM-card).
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In roaming, MIUI can lower real traffic consumption by 10 to 30 percent, always focus on operator data and set up notifications of exceeding the limit in advance.
7.Why are the MIUI and the operator data not the same?
The difference in performance is a common problem, and here are the main reasons and ways to address it:
| Reason for discrepancy | How to fix it |
|---|---|
| MIUI does not take traffic into account when connecting to a VPN | Check the flow through the VPN or operator app. |
| The operator rounds the traffic to megabytes (e.g. 100 KB = 1 MB) | Clarify the rules of accounting with the operator (usually prescribed in the contract). |
| Background activity of system applications (e.g. Google Play Services) | Limit background traffic in application settings. |
| Resetting statistics in MIUI does not coincide with the date of change of tariff | Manually set the date of reset in Settings → Traffic consumption. |
If the difference is critical (more than 20%), follow the following steps:
- Reset the statistics to MIUI and the operator at the same time.
- Turn off all VPNs and proxy.
- Check the flow in 2-3 days – if the difference persists, contact the operator with traffic logs.