Save traffic on Xiaomi Redmi 9: how to turn on and configure

Xiaomi Redmi 9 is a popular device with a balance of price and functionality, but many users face the problem of fast consumption of mobile traffic, especially for those who use limited rates or are often roaming. Turning on traffic saving mode allows you to reduce background data consumption, limit application updates and optimize MIUI for more efficient use of the Internet.

In this article, you will find not only standard ways to activate savings through system settings, but also hidden features MIUI 12/13, which help to further reduce traffic consumption. We will discuss how to set restrictions for individual applications, turn off autoplay of video on social networks, and even use the Data Saver modes from Google.

Why is Redmi 9 a big deal?

Before you start saving, it’s important to understand the main Internet eaters on Redmi 9. Even in the background, a smartphone can consume up to 500-700 MB per day without active use.

• 🔄 Auto-update apps via Google Play and MIUI App Store (especially games and social networks).
• 📤 Background synchronization of Google accounts, Mi Account, mail and instant messengers.
• 🎥 Autoplay videos on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube (even when scrolling through the feed).
• 📡 Poor network coverage – with a weak signal, the smartphone constantly reconnects, spending data on the “handshake” with the tower.
• 🤖 System services MIUI, Mi Push Service (responsible for notifications) or Analytics (collecting statistics).

For example, tests show that Instagram in the background can spend up to 150 MB per hour just syncing stories and updating the feed, and YouTube when watching a video as 480p “eats” about 260 MB in 10 minutes.

⚠️ Note: If you notice a sharp jump in traffic consumption (for example, +2GB per night, check your smartphone for viruses, some malicious apps disguise themselves as system services and steal data.

Method 1: Enabling traffic savings in MIUI settings

The easiest method is to activate the built-in Traffic Savings mode in MIUI, which limits the background activity of applications and reduces the quality of multimedia downloads.

1. Open the settings (cog icon on the desktop).
2. Go to Connections and Sharing → Data Use.
3. Slip on Traffic Saving (or Data Saver in Global Firmware).
4. Activate the switch at the top of the screen.
5. In the Unlimited Data Access section, select apps that can use traffic without restrictions (e.g., instant messengers).

After activation, you will notice the following changes:

• 📵 Applications will not be updated in the background.
• 📶 Image upload quality in the browser and social networks will decrease (for example, in Chrome will turn on Lite mode).
• 🔕 Some push notifications may be delayed.

Important: In some MIUI firmware, traffic savings work only for mobile internet, but not for Wi-Fi. To limit data consumption in wireless networks, use Method 3 (below).

Method 2: Limiting traffic for individual applications

If you need to reduce your internet usage for specific programs (like TikTok or Netflix), use the built-in MIUI tools:

1. Go to Settings → Connections and Sharing → Data Use.
2. Select the Use of Mobile Data tab.
3. Tap the app you want to set a limit for (such as Instagram).
4. Activate the option to limit background data.
5. If necessary, set a mobile data limit (e.g. 500MB per month).

Hidden Life Hack: MIUI has an undocumented traffic blocking feature for system applications to activate:

1. Enable the developer mode (7 times tap on "version MIUI" in "About phone").


2. Go back to Data Use and tap the three dots in the upper right corner.




3. Select "Show system processes".




4.You can now limit traffic to MiuiDaemon, DownloadProvider and other services.

Method 3: Using Google’s Data Saver (for Android 9+)

If the built-in MIUI tools seem inadequate, use Google's Data Saver system, which restricts background activity more aggressively and even works on Wi-Fi:

1. Open Settings → Networks and Internet → Data transfer.
2. Select Traffic Saving (or Data Saver).
3. Activate the switch.
4. In the Unlimited Data Access section, add critical applications (e.g. banking or navigation).

The difference between savings in MIUI:

• ✅ It works for both Wi-Fi and mobile internet.
• ✅ Blocks background synchronization of Google Drive and Gmail.
• ❌ May break push notifications in some applications (e.g., in VK).

⚠️ Attention: Redmi 9 with firmware MIUI 12.5 or lower Google’s Data Saver may be in conflict with proprietary traffic savings.If you notice a disruption in the Internet, turn off one of the modes.

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To check which application is using traffic right now, use the command in ADB: adb shell dumpsys netstats detail.

Method 4: Optimize traffic in the browser and social networks

Even with the savings included, some apps continue to eat the Internet, and let's look at how to reduce the cost of the most popular services:

1. Google Chrome

• 🌐 Enable Lite mode: Settings → Saving traffic → Turn on.
• 🚫 Turn off page preloading: Settings → Confidentiality → Pre-loading of pages → Never.

2. Instagram

• 🎞️ Turn off autoplay video: Profile → Settings → Account. → Use of mobile data → Auto-reproduction → Never.
• 📸 Set low quality photo upload: Settings → Account. → Use of data → Low quality loading.

3. YouTube

• 📺 Reduce the video quality by default: Profile → Settings → Reproduction quality → Saving traffic.
• 🔄 Turn off autoplay: Settings → Auto-reproduction → Shut down.

Interesting fact: TikTok doesn't have a built-in setting to save traffic, but you can trick the system. If you turn on Mode for the Visually Impaired in the Android special features settings, the app will download videos in lower quality.

Method 5: Set up an APN to reduce traffic

Sometimes high data consumption is not due to applications, but to the wrong settings of APN (access points). Operators often use different profiles for tariffs with unlimited Internet and limited packages. To optimize APN on Redmi 9:

1. Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → [Yours. SIM] → Access points (APN).
2. Select your current profile (usually referred to as an operator, such as MTS Internet).
3. Check the following parameters: APN protocol: should be IPv4 (not IPv4/IPv6). Type APN: to save traffic, specify default,supl,mms (without hipri). MCC/MNC: should correspond to your operator (for example, for MTS - 25001).

Save the changes and restart the smartphone.

If you are not sure about the parameters, contact the operator with a request to send the current settings APN SMS. For example, Beeline for this you need to send a message with the text of the Internet to the number 06503.

Additional tips for saving traffic

Besides the basic ways, there are a few non-obvious tricks that will help reduce your internet consumption on Redmi 9:

• 📱 Turn off automatic download of updates MIUI: Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → Settings (⚙️) → Auto-update → Turn it off.
• 🌍 Use data compression through VPN: Install the Opera Max app (available in the app) APK) or 1.1.1.1: Faster Internet by Cloudflare. They compress traffic at a level VPN.
• 📡 Set up the speed limit: In some firmware MIUI There's a hidden speed limit function activated via the engineering menu (#4636## → Phone information → Set speed limits).
• 🔋 Turn off the diagnostics. MIUI: Settings → Additionally. → Laboratory → Send an error report → Turn it off.

For advanced users: If you have root access, install NetGuard or AFWall+. These allow you to block Internet access for individual applications at the firewall level, which is much more effective than standard tools.

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The most effective way to save - a combination of built-in savings MIUI + Data Saver by Google + manual restrictions for top-5 «gluttonous.

FAQ: Frequent questions about traffic savings on Redmi 9