How to show the speed of the Internet on the screen Xiaomi: all the ways to display traffic

Have you ever wondered why Xiaomi, Redmi, or POCO don't have a built-in display of current internet speeds -- like some TVs or routers? Meanwhile, this feature is extremely useful: it helps you track real-time connection speeds, diagnose network problems, or just monitor if your mobile internet is slowing down. Fortunately, there are several ways to bring this data to the screen -- and most of them don't require root rights.

In this article, we'll look at all the current techniques, from built-in MIUI features (which many users simply don't notice) to third-party applications with advanced features, how to configure speed mapping to the notification bar, desktop or even in-game, and what pitfalls can arise with each method. Importantly, some methods only work on certain versions of the firmware - we'll show compatibility for each option.

Built-in MIUI function: indicator in the notification panel

Starting with MIUI 12, Xiaomi’s firmware has a hidden ability to display internet speed right in the status bar (near the Wi-Fi/mobile icons), but by default it is disabled – it needs to be activated through the developer’s settings.

Here's the step-by-step instruction:

• 🔧 Open the Settings. → About the phone and 7 times click on the version MIUI, to unlock the Developer Mode.
• 📱 Return to the main settings menu and select Additional settings → Developer parameters.
• 🔍 Scroll down to the Monitoring section and enable the option to Show Network Speed.
• 🔄 Restart the device – after that, a digital speed will appear in the right part of the notification panel (for example, in the right part of the notification panel, ↓12.5 Mbps).

Note that this method does not work on all models, for example, on the POCO X3 Pro or Redmi Note 10, the option may not be available even after the developer mode is turned on, in which case try alternative methods from the following sections.

⚠️ Note: On some devices after upgrading to MIUI 14 speed indicator may be lost when connected to the VPN. This is a firmware bug - a solution has not yet been found.

2. Desktop widgets: NetSpeed Indicator and analogues

If the feature is not available or does not suit the appearance, you can use third-party widgets. The most popular solution is NetSpeed Indicator (available on Google Play), which allows you to display download / rebound speed directly to the home screen or notification bar, with the ability to adjust color, font size and position.

How to set up:

1. Install NetSpeed Indicator from Play Market.
2. Open the app and provide access to overlays (necessary to be displayed over other windows).
3. Select in the settings: 📊 Position: upper left/right corner or center of screen. 🎨 Color of text: contrasting (for example, white on a dark background). 📶 Type of network: Wi-Fi only, mobile data only, or both.

Long press on the desktop → Widgets → NetSpeed

The advantage of this method is flexibility: you can move the indicator anywhere on the screen, change its transparency, or even hide it when you run certain applications (for example, in games), but keep in mind that constantly displaying overlays can increase battery consumption by 5-10%.

Install the app from Play Market|

Allow overlays in Android | settings

Select the position and color of the indicator |

Add a widget to the desktop |

Check the display on different networks (Wi-Fi/4G)

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3. Display speed in games: Game Turbo and third-party overlays

It is especially important for gamers to control internet speed during online matches (like PUBG Mobile or Call of Duty), and fortunately Xiaomi has provided this need for its proprietary Game Turbo mode.

The indicator can be activated as follows:

• 🎮 Launch the game, then swipe from the right edge of the screen inside to open the Game Turbo panel.
• 📊 Click on the icon. ⚙️ Settings → Show the speed of the network.
• 🔄 Select the display position (usually the top left corner) and save the settings.

If you have an older version of MIUI (under 12) that doesn’t have this option, use the NetSpeed Indicator app with Show in Games enabled, but beware: some anticheats (like Genshin Impact) can block overlays.

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If the indicator interferes with the game, reduce the font size in the NetSpeed Indicator settings to 10-12 pt and set transparency by 70%.

4. Hidden MIUI settings: editing system files (for advanced)

On devices with unlocked bootloader and root rights, you can manually activate the hidden speed indicator by editing the system file /system/build.prop. This method is risky (may lead to bootloop), but gives the most “native” display without third-party applications.

Instructions:

1. Get root access (for example, through Magisk).
2. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer).
3. Open the file. /system/build.prop and add a line: ro.config.show_network_speed=true
4. Save the changes, set the rights 644 and restart the device.

After that, a constant speed indicator will appear in the notification bar, similar to the one built into MIUI 12+. However, this method is not recommended for beginners - an error in editing build.prop can make the phone inoperable.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14 Android 13+ This method may not work due to changes in SELinux's security policy. /system.

5. Alternative methods: ADB-team-up

If none of the above methods work, there are two radical options: ADB-commands or custom firmware installation (e.g. LineageOS or Pixel Experience).

For activation via ADB:

1. Connect your phone to your PC and enable USB Debugging in the developer settings.
2. Adb shell settings put global settings show_network_speed 1
3. Reset the device.

This works on most Xiaomi devices with Android 10-12, but can reset after a firmware update. As for custom firmware, they often have built-in speed indicators, but their installation requires unlocking the bootloader and resetting data.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even after successfully setting up the speed indicator, users face typical problems, and here are the most common ways to fix them:

• 🔄 The indicator disappears after the reboot: check if the developer settings are reset (sometimes this happens due to optimization). MIUI). Solution – Re-enable the option or use NetSpeed Indicator.
• 📵 Does not show speed on mobile data: in the application settings (or in Developer Settings) enable the option to Show mobile network speed.
• 🔋 Strong battery consumption: Turn off constant display in games or reduce the frequency of data updates in the widget settings (for example, from 1 second to 3 seconds).
• 🚫 The indicator does not appear on MIUI 14: Update NetSpeed Indicator to the latest version or try the alternative – Internet Speed Meter Lite.

If none of these methods worked, your Xiaomi model may have hardware limitations, such as some low-end devices (like the Redmi 9A) blocking speed at the core level.

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The most reliable way for most users is a combination of built-in features. MIUI (if available) + NetSpeed Indicator widget for flexible configuration.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions