Modern smartphones consume huge amounts of data, and Xiaomi Redmi 9 is no exception. High screen resolution and background synchronization of applications can stealthily "eat" the entire package of gigabytes provided by the operator. Users often face a situation where Internet speeds are low or money on the balance sheet runs out in the middle of the month, and understanding the reasons comes too late.
Controlling data consumption is not just a way to save money, it’s also a necessary security measure. Understanding which apps consume the most traffic helps optimize your device. In this article, we’ll take a closer look at the built-in MIUI tools for monitoring traffic, learn how to set limits, and identify the hidden processes that your megabytes can use.
Redmi 9 owners have powerful network connectivity management tools at their disposal. Android’s MIUI-enabled system provides real-time statistics that are easy to interpret. We’ll look at both basic settings and advanced control techniques so you can fully manage your internet connection.
Where to find basic statistics on data usage
First, you have to go to the network connection control center. In the MIUI shell installed on Redmi 9, the path to these settings is standardized, but it may vary slightly depending on the firmware version. The main data set is accumulated in the section responsible for SIM cards and mobile networks.
Go to the main settings menu and find SIM cards and mobile networks, and that's where all the key information about your connection is located. Click on this section to reveal additional options for managing connections and rates.
Next, you will need to select a specific SIM-If you have two cards installed in the device, the statistics are kept separately for each slot, which is extremely convenient for those who use different tariff plans.
⚠️ Note: If you reset your statistical counters, the previous flow data will be lost without recovery.
In the window that opens, you'll see a consumption chart for the current period, which shows the total amount of data transmitted and received, and automatically calculates the average daily consumption, which helps predict the end of the package.
Notice the Reset button at the bottom of the screen, which allows you to reset the counters manually, which is useful to do on the day of the new tariff or at the beginning of the calendar month for easy monitoring.
Detailed analysis of the annexes
Knowing the total amount of gigabytes spent is good, but knowing who spent it is even better. The data usage section on Xiaomi Redmi 9 has a detailed list of all installed applications, sorted by consumption.
Scroll down after you log in to the statistics menu, and you'll see a list of programs that are usually led by a browser, a social network, or a streaming service, and click on a particular app and you'll see the details of how much traffic has gone through the mobile network and how much has gone through Wi-Fi.
You should pay special attention to background activity. Some programs continue to download updates or sync data even when you're not using them. In the detailed settings of each application, you can find a Background Connection Switch that limits this process.
- 📱 Social Media: Often consumes the most traffic due to automatic video playback in the feed.
- 🎵 Streaming services: music and podcasts can quietly consume megabytes in high quality.
- 📧 Email clients: downloading attachments and synchronizing large emails require attention.
- 🗺️ Navigators: maps and satellite images loaded in real time.
If you find an application that is consuming a suspiciously large amount of data, it is worth checking its settings inside the program itself, often there you can reduce the quality of the transmitted content or turn off autoloading media files.
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Set video services (YouTube, TikTok) a limit to play only over Wi-Fi in the settings of the application itself, so as not to accidentally spend mobile traffic.
Setting limits and warnings
To avoid being dependent on manually checking statistics, it’s smarter to set up automatic controls. Redmi 9 allows you to set a hard traffic limit when you reach which mobile internet will automatically shut down.
In the Data Use menu, find the Limit settings. Activate the switch to start the Settings wizard. You will need to specify the start date of the billing period (usually the 1st day of the month) and the total volume of your plan.
The system will suggest two types of restrictions: One is a warning that will appear as a notification when you spend a certain percentage (e.g. 80%) of a packet; the other is a complete shutdown of data transmission over the mobile network.
Settings → SIM cards and mobile networks → Data usage → Limit settingYou can also adjust the frequency of the reset, so if you select Monthly and specify the date, the system will reset the counters on the right day, keeping the data up to date for the next cycle.
⚠️ Attention: Automatic Internet shutdowns can interrupt important background processes, such as receiving instant messaging or navigation.
☑️ Set up traffic control
Comparison of traffic saving regimes
MIUI has several levels of savings that affect traffic consumption, and understanding the difference between them will help you choose the best scenario for your situation.
The first level is standard mode, where applications have full access to the network; the second level is a saving mode that limits background activity; the third is an extreme mode that virtually freezes all processes except system processes.
To activate the saving mode, go to Settings → Battery → Traffic Savings. Here you can choose which applications can work without restrictions and which will be blocked when the screen is off.
| Mode of work | Background synchronization | Auto-update of applications | Impact on notifications |
|---|---|---|---|
| No restrictions. | Permitted. | Permitted. | Instantly. |
| Saving traffic | Limited. | Only through Wi-Fi. | Possible delay |
| Extremely extreme. | Forbidden. | Forbidden. | Only for the elect. |
| Sleeping mode. | Forbidden. | Forbidden. | They don't come. |
The use of saving mode is especially important in roaming or in case of poor signal, when the connection speed is low and the battery is consumed faster.
Hidden Consumers and System Processes
Sometimes users notice that traffic is being consumed even when the phone is idle, often by Xiaomi system services and Google services, and Redmi 9 is heavily powered by analytics and cloud photo sync services.
Google Photos is the default setup for backup of the library. If you haven't restricted this process, it can upload high-quality videos using the mobile internet. Check the app's settings and select "Only via Wi-Fi."
And you also have to look at the Weather and Safety system app, which regularly updates virus databases and meteorological information.
Another hidden consumer could be the Device Search function or Mi Account sync. Turn off sync in Accounts and Sync.
Why is traffic consumed in flight mode?
Frequent Questions and Challenges (FAQ)
When setting up traffic control, users of Xiaomi Redmi 9 often have specific questions, and below are answers to the most popular ones that will help solve typical problems.
Why does the phone’s traffic meter not match the operator’s data?
Can the reset usage statistics be restored?
Does the enabled VPN affect traffic consumption?
How to prevent a particular application from accessing the Internet?
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Regular monitoring of statistics and competent setting of limits on Redmi 9 allow you to save up to 30% of traffic, preventing unexpected expenses.