How to check traffic on Xiaomi: smartphone, router and hidden features

Have you noticed that the Internet on Xiaomi ends too quickly, even though nothing was downloaded? Or do you suspect that some applications secretly eat your traffic in the background? Checking the consumption of mobile data and Wi-Fi on Xiaomi devices is a task that every user faces. But not everyone knows that in addition to the standard counter, there are hidden tools in the settings, third-party utilities and even the capabilities of Mi Router routers that help calculate “vulnerable” services.

In this article, we’ll look at 5 working ways to track traffic on Redmi, POCO and Mi smartphones, including app analysis, router monitoring, and even advanced user commands. You’ll learn how different MIUI 12/13/14 traffic accounting is, why carrier and phone data may diverge, and what to do if the meter suddenly resets, and at the end, a checklist to save megabytes and answer frequent questions.

1. Built-in traffic counter in MIUI: where to look and how to set up

The most obvious way is to use the built-in MIUI tools, which are on all Xiaomi smartphones, from the Redmi 4A to the flagship Xiaomi 14. But few people know that the meter can be calibrated to your tariff, set limits and even block background traffic for individual applications.

To open up the statistics:

Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks.
Choose yours. SIM-card (if there are several).
Tap on Data Consumption (or Mobile Traffic Use in Newer MIUI Versions).

Here you'll see the consumption chart for the current month, and you'll see the list of apps sorted by consumption.

📅 Reset counter: By default, the cycle starts on the 1st, but you can change the date manually by clicking on the calendar icon in the upper right corner.
🚫 Background Limitation: Enable the option to Limit background data so that apps don’t “pull” the internet without your knowledge.
⚠️ Difference with operator: Data MIUI They may differ from mobile operator statistics by 5-15% due to different calculation methods (for example, the data is not available, MIUI Does not take into account traffic when roaming).

💡

If you have two-sim Xiaomi, traffic statistics are kept separately for each of the two-sim Xiaomis. SIM-To see the total flow rate, add the figures manually or use third-party applications.

For more detailed analysis, go to the Apps tab. Here you can:

🔍 See how much traffic each application has spent (including system services like Mi Cloud or Google Play Services).
📉 Disable mobile Internet for specific programs (useful for social networks or instant messengers that are updated too often).
🔔 Enable notifications when the limit is exceeded (for example, when less than 100 MB remains).

Why does MIUI show less traffic than the operator?

Operators take into account all traffic, including service packets (for example, to maintain a connection to the tower), while MIUI shows only “useful” data, and some applications (for example, VPNs) can encrypt traffic, making it difficult to track it.

2. Hidden MIUI functions for traffic monitoring

In addition to the standard counter, MIUI has hidden tools that most users don’t know about, such as a log of network activity or a data saving mode that automatically blocks background traffic for unnecessary applications.

How to enable extended monitoring:

Activate Developer Mode by tapping 7 times on the MIUI version in Settings → About Phone.
Go back to Settings → Additional and select for Developers.
Find Network Traffic (or Traffic Monitor) and turn it on.

The notification panel will now display the current download/return speed in real time, which will help identify applications that suddenly start to “eat” traffic (for example, when auto-update or sync).

Another useful feature is Traffic Saving:

📱 Available at Settings → Battery and productivity → Saving traffic.
🔄 Automatically restricts background activity of apps when you’re connected to mobile data.
⚡ Save up to 30% of traffic (based on the Redmi Note 12 and the Redmi Note) POCO X5).

📊 What type of traffic do you check more often?

Mobile Internet

Wi-Fi

Router traffic

Not checking.

3. Third-party apps for traffic analysis: top-3 utility

The built-in MIUI tools aren't always accurate, especially if you're using a VPN or switching between Wi-Fi and mobile Internet frequently, and third-party apps can help, and we've tested dozens of utilities and picked out the 3 most reliable ones:

Annex	Advantages	Deficiencies	Link (Google Play)
Internet Speed Meter	It shows real-time speed in the notification panel, it keeps statistics by day/week/month, free of charge, no ads.	There is no blocking of background traffic.	com.internetspeedmeter
GlassWire	Visualizes traffic as a graph, shows which servers are connecting to your phone, and there's an option to block suspicious connections.	The paid version is needed for advanced functions.	com.glasswire.android
NetGuard	It blocks the Internet for individual applications without root. It works like a firewall. It's open source.	A complex interface for beginners.	eu.faircode.netguard

To install any of these applications:

Open Google Play and enter the name of the utility.
Set and provide the necessary permissions (network access, notifications).
Start the app and follow the statistics in real time.

Enable mobile data monitoring | Activate the "Show all connections" |Add widget to the home screen |Configure notifications about the limit-->

Important: Traffic monitoring apps themselves consume a small amount of internet (about 5–10 MB per month) to synchronize data, and if you’re critical to saving every megabyte, use them only when you’re connected to Wi-Fi.

4. Check traffic through the Xiaomi router (Mi Router)

If your Xiaomi is connected to the Mi Router (or any other router with monitoring), you can track traffic not only on the phone, but also at the network level.

📶 You use Xiaomi as an access point for other devices.
🖥️ You want to see how much traffic your TV consumes. TV laptop.
🔍 You suspect someone has connected to your Wi-Fi without permission.

Instructions for Mi Router 4/4A/4C/5:

Connect to the router network.
Open your browser and type 192.168.31.1 (or miwifi.com).
Log in (login and password from the sticker on the router).
Go to the Devices. → Traffic statistics.

Here you'll see:

📊 Total expenditure per day/week/month.
📱 Breakdown by device (including Xiaomi, Redmi and other gadgets).
🔄 Active connections in real time.

💡

If unknown devices appear in the router statistics, immediately change the Wi-Fi password and enable filtering by MAC-address.

For Xiaomi routers with MiWiFi ROM firmware, additional features are available:

🛡️ Device locking: You can limit traffic to specific gadgets (e.g. children's tablets).
⏰ Access Schedule: Automatic Internet Shutdown at Night.
📈 Export statistics: Data can be stored in CSV for analysis in Excel.

⚠️ Note: If you use Xiaomi as a modem (you share the Internet from your phone), the router statistics will only show the traffic of devices connected to your access point.

5. ADB commands for advanced users

If you’re not afraid of command-line, you can use ADB (Android Debug Bridge) for deep traffic analysis, a technique that works for Xiaomi with unlocked bootloader or root rights, but some commands work on standard devices as well.

What can be done through ADB:

📊 Get detailed statistics on all network interfaces (Wi-Fi, mobile data, VPN).
🔧 Reset the traffic meters manually (useful if you are not using them) MIUI shows incorrect data).
🚫 Block Internet access for system applications (for example, for Mi Browser or Cleaner).

Examples of teams:

View the current consumption of mobile traffic (in bytes)


adb shell cat /proc/net/xt_qtaguid/stats




Reset the traffic counters



adb shell pm clear com.android.providers.telephony




View active network connections



adb shell netstat -tuln

To work with ADB:

Install Platform Tools on your PC.
Enable USB debugging on Xiaomi (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 taps → For developers → USB debugging).
Connect the phone to your computer and execute commands in the terminal.

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB It can cause network failures or even data loss.Before experimenting, back up your settings. MIUI (Settings → The phone. → Backup).

6.How to reduce traffic consumption Xiaomi: 7 working ways

Checking traffic is only half the battle, and the key is to reduce your traffic, especially if you have a limited rate. Here are 7 proven methods for Xiaomi:

📵 Turn off auto-update apps: Go to Google Play → Settings → Auto Update Apps and Select Only via Wi-Fi.
🌐 Use lightweight versions of sites: In Mi Browser or Chrome, turn on Traffic Saving or Lite mode.
📥 Limit background synchronization: In Settings → Accounts and syncs: Disable unnecessary services (e.g., sync Mi Cloud if you don’t use it).
🎵 Download music/video in advance: On YouTube Music or Spotify, download tracks over Wi-Fi rather than streaming them on the mobile network.
📸 Disable autoload media in instant messengers: WhatsApp, Telegram and Viber prohibit downloading photos / videos in mobile data.
🔄 Use data compression: In Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Save data enable the option Data compression (works on the MIUI 12+).
🛡️ Block Ads: Install AdGuard or Blokada – they save up to 20% of traffic by blocking banners.

Another life hack is setting up APN, and sometimes operators use suboptimal parameters to get traffic to the point where they're going to use it faster, to check:

Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Access points (APN).
Compare your current settings with your operator’s recommendations (usually they are on the official website).
If the settings are different, create a new APN manually.

FAQ: Frequent questions about traffic on Xiaomi

🔹 Why? MIUI The operator says the limit is not exhausted?

MIUI The operator only counts traffic through the phone, while the operator counts all the costs, including: Service packets (for example, to maintain a connection to the tower); Roaming traffic (if you traveled outside the home region); Data consumed SIM-The difference is usually 5-15%. If the discrepancy is greater, check the settings. APN or contact the operator support.

🔹 Can I drop the traffic counter in the MIUI non-reset?

Yes, there are two ways: Manual: Go to Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Data consumption and click on the calendar icon in the upper right corner. Select the current date as the beginning of a new cycle. ADB: Follow the command adb shell pm clear com.android.providers.telephony (PC connection required). Both methods do not affect other phone settings.

🔹 How to know which app is consuming traffic in the background?

The most reliable way is to use GlassWire or NetGuard (see Section 3. IP-The server addresses that the app connects to. Traffic by the hour (you can find "glutty" periods). If you want to do without third-party utilities, check Settings. → Annexes → Permits → Data usage. This is all the software that's been using the Internet recently.

🔹 Why After Updating MIUI traffic meter?

This is standard system behavior. Large updates (e.g., MIUI 13 to MIUI 14) reset: Traffic Flow Statistics, Data Savings settings, Excess Notification Limits. To avoid data loss, before updating: Take a screenshot of current statistics. Export settings through Settings → About Phone → Backup.

🔹 How to check traffic on Xiaomi without the Internet (offline)?

If you do not have access to the network, but you need to know the traffic consumption for past periods: Open Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Data consumption. This is where the history of the past is stored. 3 Use the Internet Speed Meter app, which stores statistics locally. /data/system/netstats Please note that without an internet connection, you will not be able to update your flow data (they are only recorded when you are actively connected).