How to put a limit on the Internet in the phone Xiaomi

Xiaomi’s modern smartphones consume a huge amount of traffic, often without the owner’s knowledge. Background synchronization, automatic app updates, or navigator can exhaust the mobile data package in minutes, a problem that is especially acute for those who have limited gigabyte rates.

MIUI and its successor HyperOS provide powerful built-in tools to monitor network activity. You don't have to install third-party programs to restrict your phone's Internet, but the system's tools allow you to flexibly customize access for each application separately or set a total traffic limit.

In this article, we will look at all the available ways to block and restrict traffic, learn how to deny access to the network to specific programs, configure flow warnings and use hidden features to save traffic in roaming.

Use of the built-in "Security" application

The main control tool in Xiaomi smartphones is the system application Security. This is where the main network traffic settings are concentrated. To get to the desired section, launch the application and find the Data Transfer. This shows the general statistics of Internet usage.

At the top of the screen, you'll see the current traffic flow, and if you click on the gear icon or the menu button, you can go to the detailed setting, and you can set a monthly limit, when the phone automatically turns off the mobile Internet, which is the most effective way to avoid unnecessary charges by the operator.

It's important to choose the right date for resetting the statistics, which usually coincides with the date your plan is connected to, and if you don't specify this, the statistics will be incorrect, and the restriction may work too soon or, on the contrary, it may not work at all.

When you set the limit, the system will ask you to enter the maximum number of megabytes or gigabytes. Once you fill in the fields, you will be able to activate the automatic shutdown function. When the flow reaches the specified mark, the data transmission over the cellular network will be completely blocked before the start of the new period.

Blocking Internet access for individual applications

Often, the overall traffic limit is fine, but a particular application spends it too much, for example, the messenger can download heavy video files in the background, and the game can download updates without demand.

In the Security app, go to Data Transfer and select Limit Traffic. You will see a list of all installed programs. To the right of each name, there are two switches: one for mobile network (antenna icon), the other for Wi-Fi (fan icon).

By coloring your mobile network icon in gray, you completely block the app from accessing the Internet via the SIM card. The program will continue to work, but it will not be able to send or receive data until you connect to Wi-Fi or return the permission, which is the perfect way for games that do not require constant online, or for applications that you rarely use.

⚠️ Blocking access to Google system services or components MIUI This can cause notifications to work incorrectly, contact sync and geolocation. Only disable access to third-party applications that you are confident in.

There is also the option to configure access for two SIM cards independently if your smartphone supports Dual SIM. In the app list, switches will be marked with the numbers 1 and 2, which allows, for example, to allow the messenger to work only through the main SIM card with a large Internet package.

Set up alerts and traffic limits

For those who don't want to shut down the Internet completely, but want to control the Internet, there's a notification system that doesn't block the connection rigidly, but it signals that it's approaching the limit, and it gives them time to make a decision whether to buy more or limit their use.

In the Security menu -> Data Transfer -> Settings (cogwheel) you can set two thresholds. The first is a warning when a certain amount of traffic has been consumed (for example, 80% of the limit), the phone will make a sound and show a notification. The second threshold is the complete restriction, which we discussed earlier.

You can set it up through sliders or manually enter numbers. You can choose the units of measurement: KB, MB or GB. For precise control, it is recommended to set a limit slightly less than the real one provided by the operator to have a margin for system processes.

Traffic saving mode and background activity

Newer versions of the HyperOS shell and newer MIUI have introduced Traffic Saving Mode, which allows you to limit the background activity of applications when the screen is off, and helps prevent the phone from eating gigabytes while lying in your pocket.

You can activate this mode in network settings or through the control center. When it is enabled, the aggressively system restricts the network activity of all programs except those on the exception list. Usually, messengers and telephony fall into the default exceptions, but this list is worth checking.

In addition, in the settings of each application, there is a "Background Connection" option in the Battery section, where you can choose "No Limits", "Limit in the background" or "No background activity", and choosing the last item is effectively equivalent to manually blocking the Internet when the screen is off.

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For maximum savings, enable Ultra-Energy Saving in critical situations, which only allows calls, SMS and basic applications to be accessed, completely shutting down the background Internet for all other programs.

It's worth noting that aggressive traffic savings can delay incoming messages in your email or social media, and you'll only see them when you unlock the screen and open the app, a trade-off between autonomy and responsiveness.

Restrictions on the Internet for Children (Parental Control)

If a smartphone is owned by a child, Internet restrictions are not just a matter of cost savings, but also security, and Xiaomi’s ecosystem uses Google’s Family Link or embedded MIUI solutions to do so.

Through your parent account, you can remotely set Internet time limits, block access to certain categories of sites, and prevent new apps from being installed, a deeper level of control than simply blocking traffic in your phone’s settings.

To set up, go to Settings -> Screen time (or through the Family Link app). This creates a child profile. You can set a schedule, for example, to ban Internet from 22:00 to 07:00, or limit the time you use YouTube to 1 hour per day.

⚠️ Note: For parental controls to work, the child and parent must have family-related Google accounts on their device, without which system restrictions can be bypassed by resetting settings or switching time.

There is also the possibility to restrict purchases in app stores, which indirectly affects traffic consumption, as the child will not be able to accidentally download heavy games or subscribe to the service.

Hidden settings and engineering menu

For advanced users, there are deeper settings available through an engineering menu or special codes, but using these methods requires caution.

One way is to use code ##4636##. The phone information menu that opens up will find the network type you prefer, and by switching your phone to 2G Only, you artificially limit Internet speed to a minimum, which is useful if you want to leave only voice communication, but keep the ability to receive SMS while eliminating background app traffic.

Settings -> About Phone -> MIUI Version (7 times) -> Advanced Settings -> Access to Developer Settings

You can find the "Limit of Background Processes" menu on the "Developers" menu, which, while it doesn't cut the Internet directly, limits the number of apps running in the background, which indirectly reduces traffic consumption, and setting the "No Background Processes" value will cause the system to kill applications immediately after they're folded.

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The use of engineering codes and 2G mode is a radical measure, and it is suitable for emergency situations where you need to completely eliminate data transmission, but keep the possibility of calls.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)