How to reduce traffic consumption on Xiaomi: step-by-step instructions

Modern Xiaomi smartphones, with their high-end screens and powerful processors, consume a significant amount of Internet data, especially if you are using a 4G or 5G mobile network. Many users face a situation where gigabytes included in the tariff plan run out in a couple of days, and Internet speeds drop to a minimum due to the exhaustion of the limit. background traffic consumption is often the main cause of this problem, as many applications continue to update, synchronize data and send analytics even when the device screen is turned off.

In this article, we will discuss in detail all the available methods to effectively control and reduce traffic consumption on Redmi and Poco devices. You will learn to adjust system restrictions, block hidden connections and optimize the browser so that the Internet package is spent solely on your personal needs, and not on inconspicuous processes in the background.

The MIUI operating system and its successor HyperOS provide users with a wide range of tools to manage network connections, but many of the default features remain inactive. Properly configuring these parameters allows not only to save money, but also to extend the battery life of the smartphone, since the communication module is one of the most energy-consuming components.

Analysis of traffic consumption by built-in tools

The first step to saving money is to diagnose the current state of affairs, as it is impossible to control what you do not measure. Xiaomi smartphones have a built-in statistics tool that shows a detailed report on which apps have eaten the most megabytes in a selected period. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Traffic statistics, where the full picture of your device’s network activity will be revealed.

Here you will see a list of all installed programs, sorted by traffic consumed, divided into mobile network and Wi-Fi. Abnormally high consumption is often seen in social networks, video services and navigators, which can continue to download content in the background.

⚠️ Note: Android system processes such as Google Play Services or Services and Feedback may also consume traffic for sync and analytics, but shutting them down completely could disrupt your smartphone.

You can set a traffic limit on the same menu, which will automatically shut down your mobile internet or send you a notification, which is a useful financial security feature that will save you from unexpected expenses when traveling on roaming or when consumption jumps.

Setting up the data saving mode

One of the most effective features to combat unwanted expenses is the Data Saver mode, which is built directly into the shell. MIUI. Activating this option allows you to prevent all applications from using the mobile network in the background, leaving Internet access only for the application that is open on the screen right now. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Saving traffic, after which it is necessary to switch the corresponding slider to the active position.

Once the mode is enabled, the system will start blocking background connections, which can lead to delays incoming notifications from messengers or emails until the screen is unlocked. However, you can create an exception list for important applications that need constant access to the network, such as Viber, Telegram or a working email client.

• 📉 Blocking background download of application updates and photo synchronization.
• 📉 Automatically limiting the quality of streaming on YouTube and other video services.
• 📉 Disabling Preloading Content in Social Media News Feeds.
• 📉 Reduce the frequency of checking new mail in email clients.

It is important to understand that the traffic saving mode does not affect the operation of applications when connecting to a Wi-Fi network, so you can enjoy all the functions of the smartphone at home without restrictions, which makes the feature an ideal solution for those who are often on the go and use mobile Internet, but want to keep full functionality at home or in the office.

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Turn on Traffic Savings automatically when you reach 80% of your monthly limit to avoid being left out of touch at the most inopportune time.

Limiting background activity for individual applications

If global traffic saving switching on seems too radical, you can go a slimmer way and customize the restrictions individually for each application.This method takes longer to set up initially, but gives you full control over which programs are entitled to spend your money. Go to Settings → Apps → All apps, select the desired app (such as Facebook or Instagram) and find the item “Data Use” or “Mobile Data”.

In the window that opens, you'll see the Background Connection switch that's on by default. By turning it off, you'll only let the app work when it's open on the screen, and you'll be able to shut down any network activity in hidden mode, which is especially useful for voracious applications that are constantly loading banner ads, analytics, or video content, even if you're not using them.

Also worth paying attention to the “Unlimited Traffic” feature in the operator’s settings, which is often found in Xiaomi tariffs. If you have unlimited access to certain social networks, the system can mark traffic from these applications as “non-expendable packet”, but technically it still consumes network resources. Check the settings of specific applications within their own menus, as many of them (for example, YouTube or Telegram) have separate switches to save traffic when using the mobile network.

Managing Auto-Update of Applications and Synchronization

A huge part of the traffic is often quietly eaten by automatic app updates via Google Play Market or Mi GetApps. By default, app stores are set to update programs on any available connection, including mobile network, unless the user has changed these settings. To fix this, open the Play Market app, click on the profile icon in the top corner and select Settings. → Settings → Auto-update applications, then select the option “Only via Wi-Fi».

A similar procedure is needed in Xiaomi’s GetApps store, which also likes to update system components and pre-installed apps in the background. Go to the store user profile, go to settings and make sure there’s a Wi-Fi-only upgrade limit. This simple action can save up to a few gigabytes of traffic per month, especially if you have a lot of apps installed with frequent updates.

Also, check your Google account sync settings and Mi Cloud services. Often users forget that they have high-quality gallery sync or backup of large files when using mobile data. Go to Settings → Accounts and Sync and check what data is synced and turn off heavy file sync (photo, video) for the mobile network.

⚠️ Note: Disabling contact and calendar sync can cause data loss when you change your device or reset your settings, so it’s best to leave these items on.

For complete certainty, you can also disable auto-update system applications via the Settings menu → About Phone → MIUI (or HyperOS) version by clicking on three dots in the corner and selecting Update Settings. Here, you should disable the Auto Update option or configure it so that updates only load when you connect to Wi-Fi and charger.

Blocking Ads and Trackers via Private DNS

Modern advertising in apps and browsers consumes a significant amount of traffic, as banner ads, videos, and analytics trackers are loaded along with the main content. One of the most effective ways to remove this system-wide junk traffic is by using the Private Service. DNS (Private DNS), available in Android 9 and newer, which is relevant for all modern smartphones Xiaomi.

To activate, go to Settings → Connection and Sharing → Private DNS. Select the option “Host Name of the DNS provider” and enter the address of a reliable server that blocks advertising, for example: dns.adguard.com. After saving the settings, the smartphone will begin to filter all outgoing traffic, cutting off requests to known advertising servers and trackers, which will not only speed up page loading, but also significantly reduce the consumption of megabytes.

dns.adguard.com

This method works globally for all applications and browsers without requiring additional software installation, but it is worth considering that some applications tied to displaying ads for their work (for example, free versions of games or news aggregators) may stop functioning correctly or show connection errors.

Optimization of the browser and multimedia

Web browsing and video content is one of the main consumers of traffic, and here the settings of the smartphone itself play a secondary role compared to the settings of browsers. If you use the standard Mi Browser or Chrome browser, be sure to go to their settings and turn on the “Saving Traffic” or “Lite Mode” mode, if available. These modes compress the pages on the company’s servers before sending to your device, which can reduce data consumption by 30-50%.

Special attention should be paid to the settings of video services such as YouTube, Netflix or Okko. In the YouTube mobile application in the Settings → Preferences → Video quality, you can set the priority of saving traffic, which will force the player to choose a lower resolution when using the mobile network. Similar settings are in music streaming, where you can turn off high-quality playback (Hi-Fi) without Wi-Fi.

• 🎥 Setting a video quality limit in the YouTube app 480p or 720p.
• 🎵 Disable the download of album covers in high resolution in music applications.
• 🌐 Enabling Turbo mode in Opera browsers or UC Browser for data compression.
• 📸 Disabling Autoplay Videos (Autoplay) in Social Media and News Feeds.

Also, don't forget about messengers: Telegram and WhatsApp can set up automatic downloads of media files. Go to the data settings and storage of the messenger and select the option "Download photos / videos only over Wi-Fi", which will prevent you from having a heavy video sent to the chat and it automatically downloaded, using up part of the package until you even saw the message.

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The complex application of compression settings in the browser and the limitation of media quality in applications gives the greatest visual savings effect.

Additional hidden settings and tips

In an Android system based MIUI There are additional opportunities for advanced users to take even deeper control of network activity, such as through an engineering menu or through the use of a computer. ADB-You can disable certain system services that constantly knock on Xiaomi or Google servers, but using such methods requires caution, since improper intervention can lead to unstable operation of the system.

One of the safest ways is to turn off roaming data even within the country if your operator is using partner networks. → SIM-maps and mobile networks make sure that the data roaming slider is turned off if you do not plan to travel abroad, and periodically check the list of applications with permission to use background data in the Settings section. → Battery → Background constraints.

Another important aspect is updating maps in navigation apps. If you use Google Maps or Yandex.Navigator, configure map updates only over Wi-Fi. Offline maps take up space in memory, but save your traffic from downloading huge amounts of map data every time you open the navigator.