How to see how much traffic is used on Xiaomi

Modern smartphones, especially Xiaomi devices, consume huge amounts of data even in the background. High-resolution screens and constant synchronization of cloud services create a load on mobile Internet that is not always easy to control. Users often face a situation where money in the account ends faster than the end of the month, not understanding where exactly megabytes are going.

MIUI and its modern version of HyperOS have powerful built-in connectivity monitoring tools that not only allow you to see the total number, but also analyze the behavior of each application installed in detail, and understanding these mechanisms is the first step towards managing your budget and running your device in a sustainable manner.

In this article, we’ll look at where to find hidden data consumption settings, how to set tight limits, and what system processes are most likely to eat up your traffic. We’ll look at both standard methods through the settings menu and deeper analysis through system security utilities.

Where to find general data expenditure statistics

The fastest way to know how much traffic has been spent over the current period is in the main settings menu.The interface may vary slightly depending on the shell version, but the logic of operation remains the same for all models, whether it is a budget Redmi or flagship Xiaomi.

You need to open the Settings section and select Wi-Fi and Internet (or just Connect and Share). Next, go to the Data Transfer or Data Use menu, and this is where the aggregate information divided into mobile network and Wi-Fi connections is displayed.

Pay attention to the top of the screen, where the statistical period is indicated. By default, the system often sets the reset date on the first day of the month, but this value can be changed. Correctly adjusting the reset date is critical to accurately display the statistics so that the numbers in the phone coincide with the billing period of your operator.

⚠️ Note: If you have just reset the statistics or installed a new one SIM-map, data may be displayed incorrectly until the first device restart or re-register on the network.

The same window often displays a consumption graph that visually shows peak loads. The sharp jumps on the graph usually correspond to the time you watched high-resolution videos or downloaded large files over the mobile Internet.

Analysis of consumption by application

Knowing the total amount of data you spend is useful, but real control starts with detail. Android allows you to see which app is the most loading channel, which helps you identify voracious programs that you might not even know you were using.

In the data usage menu, click on Data Use (or Traffic Consumption) to see a list of all programs sorted by consumption. Social media, video services, and navigators have traditionally been at the top of this ranking.

When you click on a particular application, you'll see the traffic split into two types: background and foreground. Background traffic is the data that an application uses when you're not using it right now, and often this is where the reason for the fast battery drain and the disappearance of megabytes is hidden.

• 📱 Social networks (Instagram, TikTok, Telegram) consume the most traffic due to automatic video playback and Stories.
• 🗺️ Navigators (Yandex.Maps, Google Maps) can waste a lot of data if offline maps are not downloaded for your region.
• 🎵 Streaming services (Spotify, YouTube Music) consume traffic in proportion to the quality of the selected audio or video stream.
• ☁️ Cloud storage (Google Photos, Mi Cloud) can unnoticed upload large volumes of photos in their original quality.

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Applications with high background traffic are better limited in settings, allowing access to the network only when actively used.

Setting limits and warnings

To avoid unexpected costs, Xiaomi smartphones can set up automatic restriction or complete shutdown of the Internet when a certain threshold is reached, a feature that is especially relevant for fixed-volume gigabyte tariffs.

To activate this function, go to Settings → Data Transfer → Traffic Limit. You need to activate the switch and set the monthly limit provided by your carrier.

It is also useful to set up a warning, for example, if your tariff includes 20 GB, it makes sense to set the notification at 15-18 GB. This will give you time to analyze the consumption and, if necessary, limit the use of heavy services until the end of the billing period.

Path to setup: Settings → SIM- Maps and Mobile Networks → Traffic Limit → Set Limit

You can also customize the behavior of the system when you reach a limit, you can choose to completely shut down mobile data or just receive a notification, and for parental control or austerity, you better choose the lock option.

Use of the Application Security

MIUI has a pre-installed Security app that duplicates and extends traffic monitoring features, and many users ignore it for the standard Android menu, but it has its own unique features.

Run the Security app and find Traffic or Data Transfer, which shows not only the current flow rate, but also the real-time connection speed, and it's easy to diagnose, because if the phone is idle and the data rate is high, then some process is actively downloading something.

Inside this module, you can have a Speed Mode or Background Limit feature that allows you to manually deny specific applications access to the Internet, for example, you can let messengers work at all times, and games and news aggregators only through Wi-Fi.

⚠️ Attention: Blocking system applications (e.g., “Google Play Services” or “System Launcher”) in the Security app may cause a smartphone to malfunction and notifications to disappear.

Another useful feature is period statistics. The Security app stores the consumption history of the past few months, which allows you to track the dynamics: whether your appetite for traffic is growing or, conversely, is declining.

Hidden functions and engineering menu

For advanced users who want to get the most accurate technical information about the connection, there are hidden menus that are not intended for everyday use, but can help diagnose network problems.

One way to access detailed statistics is to use the engineering menu codes. Type ##4636## in the dialer. If the code is supported by your model and Android version, the Testing menu will open.

Select Phone Information, where you will find the buttons Refresh Usage Statistics and Reset Usage Statistics, which compels you to update the data on the transmitted and received bytes at the modem level.

Tips for saving mobile traffic

Once you've figured out where the traffic is going, it's logical to optimize it. Modern applications are often set to maximize content quality, which isn't always justified when using a mobile network.

First of all, check the settings for autoplay video on social networks and instant messengers. Disabling this feature in the menu of each application (Settings → Media → Autorun) can save up to 40% of traffic when you actively scrolle the tape.

Also worth paying attention to streaming quality: services like YouTube or Netflix allow you to choose video quality manually, setting a traffic saving limit or choosing a 480p resolution instead of 1080p will significantly reduce the load on the network.

• 📉 Turn on Traffic Savings mode in Chrome or another browser settings to compress pages.
• 🚫 Turn off high-resolution photo sync when using mobile data.
• 📡 Use the "Only" mode. 4G» or "Only" 3G», signal 5G Unstable to avoid constant reconnection.

Remember that some apps may have their own “Unlimited Traffic” settings from operators. Make sure that the operator is correctly specified in the Xiaomi mobile network settings so that the system correctly considers these bonuses and does not count them into the overall limit.

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Use the Adaptive Connection feature in Wi-Fi settings to make your phone switch to mobile internet faster if the Wi-Fi signal becomes weak and unstable.