How to see traffic consumption on Android Xiaomi Redmi: a detailed guide

Why it is important to control traffic on Xiaomi Redmi

Modern Xiaomi Redmi smartphones consume mobile Internet not only when used actively, but also in the background. Social networks, messengers, cloud services and even system applications can stealthily "eat" gigabytes of traffic, especially if you have an unlimited rate with a speed limit after the pack is exhausted. MIUI (branded shell Xiaomi) has built-in monitoring tools, but they are not always accurate or convenient.

To make matters worse, many users are unaware of the hidden cost, such as auto-updating apps via Google Play, syncing Mi Cloud, or TikTok/Instagram background activity, which can cost up to 300-500MB a day, and if you notice that the Internet is ending too quickly, it’s time to figure out where it’s going.

Method 1: Integrated traffic monitoring in MIUI

The easiest way is to use the standard MIUI settings, which are available on all Redmi models (from Redmi 9A to Redmi Note 12 Pro+) and do not require additional apps to be installed.

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
2. Go to Connections and Sharing → Data Use.
3. Select the Mobile Data tab (for the SIM-Cards or Wi-Fi (for home network).

Here you'll see a graph of traffic consumption for the month, and a list of apps that are sorted by the amount of data you consume, and look at the Background column, which shows how much Internet applications are spending without you knowing.

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If the graph shows an abnormally high consumption (for example, 1-2 GB per night), check the MIUI auto-update settings in the About Phone → System Update section. Often the system downloads firmware in the background.

Method 2: Detailing by application

To understand which app is the main traffic eater, you need to look at the expanded statistics.

1. In the Data Use section (see Method 1), tap on any application from the list.
2. A window with detail will open: 📱 Front data – traffic when using the application actively. 🔄 Background data – consumption in a folded state (most often the fault of messengers and social networks). 🚫 Limit background data – a useful option for saving.

For example, YouTube can spend up to 1 GB per hour watching high-resolution videos, and WhatsApp can spend up to 50-100 MB per day just on background synchronization of messages, and if you see suspiciously high numbers on a underutilized application (for example, Mi Video or GetApps), it should be disconnected from the mobile Internet.

Method 3: Set up limit warnings

MIUI allows you to set automatic notifications when traffic is approaching a set limit, which is especially useful for fixed-bundle rates (e.g. 10 or 20 GB per month).

1. Go to Settings → Connections and Sharing → Data Use.
2. Select the Data Warning Setting.
3. Activate the Set a warning switch and specify a threshold value (for example, 80% of your tariff).
4. Turn on the option Automatically disable mobile data if you want to completely block the Internet after the limit is exhausted.

The advantage of third-party apps is that they take into account all types of traffic (including Wi-Fi), whereas MIUI separates statistics by type of connection. For example, GlassWire can show that Facebook spends 200 MB a day even when you are not using it, due to background synchronization.

Method 5: Resetting statistics and calibrating the counter

Sometimes built-in counter MIUI Begins to show incorrect data – for example, after updating the firmware or changing SIM-In this case, the statistics must be manually reset:

1. Open Settings → Connections and Sharing → Data Use.
2. Slip on three dots in the top right corner and select Reset Statistics.
3. Specify the date of the beginning of the new settlement period (usually this number coincides with the date of activation of the tariff for the operator).

If the data is still displayed incorrectly after reset, try calibrating:

1. Turn off the mobile Internet for 10-15 minutes.
2. Turn it back on and check if the meter has zeroed. If it hasn't, repeat the reset.

⚠️ Warning: after resetting the statistics, all previous data will be lost. If you need a flow history, take screenshots of the screen with the graph before resetting.

Hidden Causes of High Traffic Consumption

Even if you turn off all the apps’ background activity, traffic can continue to leak. Here are the most common reasons that Xiaomi Redmi users often forget:

Especially insidious system services that can not be removed. For example, Mi Push Service (responsible for notifications) can spend up to 100 MB per day if the phone has many applications from Xiaomi. To reduce its appetite, turn off notifications for unnecessary services in Settings → Notifications.

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If after all the manipulations, the traffic continues to disappear, check the phone for viruses using Google Play Protect or Malwarebytes. Some malware masquerades as system processes and steals the Internet for mining or spam.

FAQ: Frequent questions about traffic on Xiaomi Redmi