How to Turn Off Traffic Savings on Xiaomi Phone: The Complete Guide

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face a situation where messages in instant messengers arrive late and images on social networks simply do not load, the reason for this behavior of the device is often an aggressive optimization system built into the shell of MIUI or HyperOS. This feature is designed to protect the user’s budget by limiting the background data transfer, but in practice it often creates more problems than benefits.

Understanding how to turn off traffic savings on your shaomi phone is a key skill for comfortable use of the gadget. Without the right setup, you can skip an important call via Viber or WhatsApp, as the system will “strangle” background processes. In this article, we will detail all the ways to manage traffic, from global network settings to individual permission for each application.

It's worth noting that the menu interface may vary slightly depending on the firmware version. However, the logic of the system has remained unchanged over the years. We'll look at universal methods that will suit most modern models, including the Redmi Note series, Poco and the flagship Mi lineup.

Why the system limits data consumption

Xiaomi originally designed its devices for emerging markets where mobile internet costs are high and network coverage is unstable, which is why the Android operating system with the MIUI shell has a powerful security module that activates saving mode by default, which automatically blocks the background activity of applications when the screen is off or when you are not using Wi-Fi.

Users often don't realize that the problem lies in the settings of the network, they start reinstalling apps or resetting the phone, even though the solution is on the surface, the prioritization system is built so that without your direct permission, many programs simply can't access the network in the background, and this is especially true for email clients and navigators.

It is important to distinguish between two types of constraints: global traffic savings and individual constraints for a particular application. The first affects the operation of the entire device, the second affects the behavior of an individual program. Aggressive battery optimization is also closely related to network settings, since a radio module is one of the main consumers of energy, so you often have to adjust both parameters simultaneously to achieve results.

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If you use unlimited rates, it makes sense to completely disable all kinds of savings so that applications work in real time without delay.

Global Disabling Traffic Savings in Settings

The first step is to check the general mobile traffic settings, and that's where the master switch for the system-level Internet is located, and if it's turned off, no applications can transmit data, no matter what their internal settings are, and this is a basic method that needs to be checked first.

To access the menu, open the standard Security app (shield icon) that is preinstalled on each Xiaomi smartphone. In the tool list, look for Traffic Savings. Here you will see the overall status of the feature and detail by day. You need to find a switch called Traffic Savings and put it in an inactive position.

Once you do this, the system will stop blocking background connections. However, some versions of MIUI firmware have an additional nuance: sometimes you need to go to advanced settings by clicking on a gear or three dots in the corner of the screen, there may be a "Limit traffic" or "Warn about exceeding" item, make sure that there is no hard limit that forces the Internet to be turned off when a certain volume is reached.

⚠️ Warning: After global traffic savings are turned off, keep an eye on gigabyte consumption. Some applications may start updating high-quality content even over the mobile network, leading to a rapid packet depletion.

Set up network access for individual applications

Even if global savings are turned off, specific apps can remain blocked.This is a common situation where Telegram or Instagram only work with an open screen, but are silent in the background. In the Xiaomi shell, there is detailed control for each program. You can allow the use of Wi-Fi and mobile data separately.

To set this up, go back to the Traffic Savings menu and find the list of installed apps. It's usually sorted by data or alphabetically. Select the right program, like the messenger. You'll see two switches: Mobile Data and Wi-Fi. Make sure both switches are active (blue or green), and there may be a Background Connection or Background Activity Restriction option, which you also need to turn off.

The table below shows the main parameters to check for mission-critical applications:

This allows for flexible resource management, for example, you can ban heavy games from using mobile traffic, leaving this privilege only for working tools, it creates a balance between productivity and resource consumption. Remember that changes take effect instantly, no reboot is required.

Management through the “Traffic Cost” menu

With the newer versions of the HyperOS shell and the newer MIUI, Google is implementing its own network management standards that can duplicate or replace Xiaomi tools. If you don’t find the settings described above in the Security app, it’s worth looking at the standard Android menu.The path may differ: Settings → Connection and Sharing → Data Use.

This shows the statistics for each application, and if you click on a specific program, you'll be taken to a menu where you can limit the background data transfer, and in the context of our task, we need to do the opposite, to allow everything, find the item "Background" or "Unlimited Data" and activate it, which will give the application priority and remove the restrictions imposed by the energy saving system.

Special attention should be paid to the "Savings mode" feature, which is located at the top of the network settings screen. If this switch is active, it forcibly compresses traffic and blocks synchronization. Android's saving mode works regardless of Xiaomi's settings, so its status needs to be checked separately. Make sure it's turned off if you want all services to work properly.

Sometimes it’s helpful to reset data usage statistics to re-track which application consumes the most traffic after making changes, to help identify “gluttonous” programs that can be causing the Internet to slow down, and to do so, there’s a reset button in the statistics menu, usually located in the menu (three dots) or at the bottom of the screen.

Flight mode and reset network settings

There are times when the software settings are downed and simple switches don't work, and in this case, the effective method is to completely reset the network settings, which will bring all the connection settings back to factory values, you have to re-enter the passwords from the Wi-Fi networks and reconfigure the Bluetooth headsets, but this often solves the problem of sticking to the economy mode.

To perform the reset, go along the path: Settings → Connection and Sharing → Reset Wi-Fi, mobile networks and Bluetooth. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot of the communication modules. Once the phone is turned on, the system will re-register in the operator's network, and the old erroneous configurations will be removed. This is especially useful after updating the firmware.

⚠️ Note: Before resetting your network settings, make sure you remember passwords from important Wi-Fi networks, as they will be deleted from your phone's memory. VPN access points APN.

Another quick way to shake up the communication module is to use flight mode. 10-15 So, you can turn it off for a second, and then you can force it to reconnect to the cell tower and update it. IP-Often, after this procedure, traffic restrictions caused by a temporary network failure are automatically removed.

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Network resets are a radical, but often the only way to fix errors when software switches stop responding to user actions.

Impact of energy saving mode on the network

The connection between the battery and the Internet cannot be ignored. When the Xiaomi phone is power-saving (usually indicated by the yellow battery icon), the system automatically restricts background activity, including network connections. Even if you allow access to traffic, the power saving mode can block it at a deeper level.

To check this, lower the notification curtain and look for the Battery or Power Saving Mode icon. Make sure you select Performance mode or Standard Mode, but not Energy Saving. The battery settings also have a Background Activity Limitation option, which should be translated into No Limits for important applications.

There's also Ultra-Energy Saving, which turns a smartphone into a simple caller, and in this mode, the Internet only works for select applications or doesn't work at all. If you accidentally activate this mode, normal operation of messengers and browsers will not be possible before it turns off.

Modern MIUI algorithms can independently enable savings if the battery charge drops below 20%. This behavior can be adjusted. Go to the battery settings and find the option to automatically enable savings, turn it off or set it to a lower percentage so that you do not lose notifications at a critical moment.

Solving problems with Wi-Fi and mobile Internet

Sometimes the problem isn't with the phone settings, but with the network. For example, Wi-Fi Assistant can automatically switch you to mobile Internet if the Wi-Fi signal is weak, and vice versa. If savings are on on the mobile Internet at this point, communication may be interrupted. Check Wi-Fi settings: Settings → Wi-Fi Assistant → Wi-Fi Assistant.

It is also worth mentioning the settings of the access point. APN. If you don't have mobile Internet, even though your traffic settings are correct, you may have lost the access point settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → SIM-card (yours) → Access points (APN). Here you can select Reset to Default to restore your operator’s correct settings.

In rare cases, manual network-type change helps. Try switching from 5G/LTE on 3G/2G This action initiates re-registration on the network and can update the operator's service profile, removing false restrictions. SIM-Cards that do not support new traffic encryption protocols.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)