How to find out how much internet you spend on Xiaomi

Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphone owners often face situations where mobile data packets run out faster than planned. MIUI or HyperOS has powerful analytics tools that allow you to track traffic consumption in detail with each app installed. Understanding how (check) statistics will help you not only save money, but also optimize your device.

In this article, we will take a look at all the ways you can monitor traffic, from standard system settings to hidden engineering menus, and learn how to set tight limits, block background data transmission for voracious programs, and pinpoint where your gigabyte goes, especially for those who use limited-traffic fares or who travel frequently in roaming.

The traffic management systems in Chinese smartphones are considered among the most advanced on the market. Deep integration of control tools allows users to access information in real time, without having to install third-party meters that consume battery and Internet resources themselves.

Basic verification through the standard Security application

The fastest and most reliable way to know how many megabytes or gigabytes have been spent is by using the built-in system application Security, which is pre-installed on all Xiaomi devices and has access to low-level network interfaces, which ensures the accuracy of the data. To get started, look up the green shield icon on your desktop and run it.

In the menu that opens, you need to find the partition that handles network connections, usually called Traffic or Data Transfer. The interface may vary slightly depending on the firmware version (MIUI 12, 13, 14 or the new HyperOS), but the logic remains the same. Click on the corresponding icon to get to the control center.

On the main screen of this section, you'll see a pie chart showing the total amount of traffic used for the current period, and here you'll see the mobile data and Wi-Fi statistics separately, and the system will automatically summarize the readings, but for detailed analysis, you'll better switch to the application statistics tab.

💡

Security is a central system management hub where traffic data is updated in real time and synchronized with system services.

It's important to note that the meter in the Security app can be manually reset, which is convenient to do on the day of the new plan or the first day of the month, so you will always see the current picture of consumption for the current billing period, rather than the total amount since the purchase of the phone.

Detailed analysis of applications and services

Inside the statistics section, you have a detailed list of all the programs that have access to the network, and you can see which application consumes the most traffic, and it often turns out that it's not social media, but cloud storage or analytics that eat up the lion's share of the packet.

The system divides traffic into two categories: background and active. Background traffic is consumed when you are not using the application directly (for example, downloading notifications, synchronizing mail); Active traffic is spent during your interaction with the screen.

Click on any app on the list to open up detailed statistics, you'll see a daily consumption chart and the ability to deny access to the network, which is especially useful for games or utilities that don't need constant online to run basic functions.

For users who follow each megabyte, there is a program-specific limiting feature available, so you can allow YouTube to only work through Wi-Fi, completely blocking access to the mobile network, while leaving Telegram unlimited, and this flexible setting is available on the menu of each individual application.

Setting limits and expense warnings

To avoid the unpleasant surprises of negative balance, traffic settings include limit settings, a critical tool for those who use hourly or limited-pack rates, and will alert you when you approach the set line.

To set up, go to the limit menu (often hidden behind a three-dot menu button or a gear in the corner of the screen) and enter the volume of your monthly package, the start date of the billing period and the desired warning threshold.

When the consumption reaches the set threshold (for example, 80% or 90%), a notification will appear on the screen. If you set a rigid limit of 100%, the smartphone can automatically turn off mobile Internet, preventing further consumption, which saves from spontaneous spending in roaming.

Keep in mind that the reset of statistics occurs automatically on the date you set. If your operator changes packets not from the 1st, but, for example, from the 15th, be sure to specify this in the settings. Otherwise, the statistics will be lost and you lose control of real consumption.

Using the Engineering Menu for Deep Diagnostics

For advanced users who don't have enough standard statistics, there's an option to access the engineering menu, which is a hidden part of the system that's designed to test hardware and networks, and you can access more detailed information about the state of the modem and network interfaces.

To enter the engineering menu, open the Phone app and type a special code. For most Xiaomi devices, it is ##4636##. Once you enter the last star, the menu will open automatically.

⚠️ Warning: Be extremely careful in the engineering menu. Changing unknown parameters can lead to unstable operation of the radio module or complete disappearance of the network. Use this section only to view information (Read-only), without changing the settings without understanding their purpose.

In this section, you can often see a more detailed breakdown by network type (2G, 3G, 4G, 5G) specific IP-But for the average user, the interface here may seem too complex and overloaded with technical terms.

If #4636### doesn’t work on your model (some global versions have blocked access), you can try alternative ways through the developer’s settings, but the standard Security app provides 99% of the time without the risk of damaging the system.

Cost comparison: Mobile Internet vs Wi-Fi

One of the key functions of statistics is to divide traffic by connection type. Users often confuse which network the application was running through at the time of download. In the Security app, this data is presented in two separate columns or graphs.

The analysis shows that video services and cloud galleries are most likely to use Wi-Fi when it is available, but if the connection to the router is unstable, the application can quietly switch to the mobile network, and these are the moments of traffic “leakage” and help to capture detailed monitoring.

Here's a table showing the estimated traffic consumption of different types of content, and this data will help you estimate what your package would be enough for.

As you can see from the table, watching high-resolution video is the most resource-intensive activity. One hour of 4K video can eat up a month's worth of low-end data, so it's recommended that you manually lower the video quality in your player settings when using mobile Internet.

Optimizing and saving traffic on Xiaomi

Once you know how much internet your smartphone has spent, the logical step is to optimize.The MIUI shell offers a built-in traffic saving mode that compresses data when browsing the web in the Mi Browser browser and limits background activity.

Also, pay attention to the auto-update settings of the apps: Go to Google Play or GetApps, select settings and install app updates only via Wi-Fi, which will prevent a heavy game update from downloading at the wrong time.

• 📱 Turn off autoplay video on social networks (Vkontakte, Odnoklassniki, Telegram) so that the tapes do not load video files while you flip through the text.
• 📉 Use the “Traffic Saving” mode in your Chrome browser or built-in browser, which blocks heavy ads and compresses images.
• 🚫 Disable background access for applications that you rarely use but that are constantly hanging in your memory (such as bank apps, taxis, or food delivery).

Another effective method is to use Adaptive Mode in battery and performance settings, and while it is primarily focused on energy saving, it also limits network activity in the background, which indirectly saves traffic.

💡

Tip: If you watch videos from your mobile frequently, set the default “Auto (traffic saving)” quality on YouTube or explicitly specify 480p/720p to avoid accidentally turning on 4K.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)