How to set up traffic control on Xiaomi: limiting, monitoring and saving data

Xiaomi’s MIUI-based smartphones offer flexible tools to manage mobile traffic, but many users don’t know how to use them properly. Meanwhile, uncontrolled data consumption can lead to unexpected costs — especially if you have an unlimited tariff with a “soft” speed limit or a package with a pay for ultra-limited traffic. In this article, we will discuss all the ways to control traffic on Xiaomi, from basic settings to hidden features that will help save megabytes without compromising comfort.

Even with no-limit, it’s important to keep track of which apps are eating traffic in the background, affecting internet speed and device autonomy. We’ll show you how to set up automatic mobile data shutdowns when you reach a limit, block background activity of unnecessary apps, and even limit traffic for individual programs. All instructions are checked on current versions of MIUI 14/15 and are suitable for most models, from the Redmi Note to the flagship Xiaomi 14.

Why Xiaomi is spending a lot of traffic: the main reasons

Before you set up control, it's important to understand what's eating your traffic, and 80 percent of the time, the problem isn't with the firmware itself, but with the wrong settings or third-party apps, and here are the most common megabyte eaters:

• 📱 Background activity of applications: messengers (Telegram, WhatsApp), social networks (TikTok, Instagram) and even system services (Mi Cloud, Google Play Services) constantly synchronize data.
• 🔄 Auto-update applications and systems: by default MIUI Download updates via mobile Internet if there is no Wi-Fi connection.
• 🎵 Media streams: music (Spotify, Yandex Music) and video (YouTube, TikTok) are often played in high quality even on mobile data.
• 📊 Ads and Trackers: Many free apps download banner ads and analytics over the mobile network.
• 🌐 VPN and proxy: if you are using VPN-applications (e.g. 1.1.1.1 or ProtonVPN) can consume traffic even in the background.

Hidden updates to system applications are particularly insidious, such as Mi Video or Mi Browser can automatically download content for offline viewing, and Google Play Store can update games with a few gigabytes of content. To check which programs are consuming traffic, go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Using traffic.

How to enable traffic control in MIUI: step-by-step instructions

MIUI has a built-in tool to monitor and limit data consumption, which allows you to set a traffic limit, after which the mobile Internet will automatically turn off.

1. Open Settings and go to the section SIM-maps and mobile networks.
2. Choose yours. SIM-card (if there are several).
3. Tap on Traffic Use (in some versions of MIUI it may be called Traffic Control).
4. Activate the switch Set a traffic limit.
5. Specify the calculation period (usually coincides with the date of the packet reset by the operator, for example, from 1 to 30).
6. Enter a traffic limit in megabytes or gigabytes (e.g. 15GB).
7. Press Save.

Now that the data consumption reaches this limit, the mobile Internet will automatically shut down, and to activate it again, you will need to manually go to the settings and reset the counter or increase the limit. Note: this method only works for mobile traffic (3G/4G/5G), but does not limit the consumption through Wi-Fi.

Make sure that SIM-map active in settings|

Select the correct calculation period (corresponding to the tariff)|

Specify the limit 5-10% Less than the actual package (in case of errors)|

Check that the Auto-Switch function is enabled |

Save settings and restart the smartphone (recommended)-->

🔹 The important point is that if you use two SIM-You have to adjust the limit for each card, and also note that some system processes (such as Mi Push for notifications) can bypass this restriction.

How to limit traffic to individual applications

In MIUI, you can not only set a general limit, but also prohibit or restrict access to mobile Internet for specific applications, which is useful if you notice that a particular application is consuming too much data (for example, TikTok or Google Photos).

Method 1: Through traffic settings

1. Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Using traffic.
2. Slip on the data flow schedule (at the top of the screen).
3. Select the application from the list (sorting by decreasing flow).
4. Activate the Background Data Limit or Prohibit Mobile Data Use Switch (depending on the MIUI version).

Method 2: Through application settings

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the app you want (like Facebook) and tap it.
3. Select Data Use.
4. Turn off the switches Mobile data and/or Background data.

💡 Tip: for maximum savings, disable background data from all applications except messengers and mail. this will not interfere with their basic work (for example, Instagram will only be updated when opened), but significantly reduce traffic consumption.

💡

To see traffic consumption in real time, add the Data Use widget to the home screen. To do this, press and hold your finger in the free space of the screen → “Widgets” → find “Traffic Use” and drag it to the desktop.

Hidden MIUI settings to save traffic

Beyond the standard tools, MIUI has a few hidden features that help reduce data consumption, often overlooked, but can save up to 30% of traffic per month.

1. Traffic saving regime

This feature limits background activity and reduces the quality of media downloads:

1. Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Saving traffic.
2. Activate the Traffic Saving Switch.
3. Enable the option to limit background data for all applications.

2. disabling MIUI auto-renewal

By default, the system checks for updates via the mobile network.

1. Open Settings → About the phone → System update.
2. Slap the icon. ⚙️ (settings) in the upper corner.
3. Turn off the Auto Download on the mobile network.

3. Set up synchronization Mi Account

Mi Cloud can spend up to 1GB per month on background synchronization to limit this:

1. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud.
2. Select Synchronization.
3. Turn off synchronizing unnecessary data (such as Notes or Calendar).
4. Slip on Sync Settings and turn off Sync over the mobile network.

How to Track Traffic in Real Time: Widgets and Third Party Apps

The built-in MIUI tools show traffic usage with a delay of up to 1 hour, and if you need to monitor data in real time, use these methods:

1. Traffic use widget

Add it to the home screen (as described above) and it updates the data every 5-10 minutes and shows:

• 📊 Current daily/month expenditure.
• 📉 Daily consumption schedule.
• ⚠️ Warning when approaching the limit.

Third-party annexes

If standard tools aren’t enough, install one of these apps:

• 📱 GlassWire – shows the traffic consumption of applications in real time with convenient graphs.
• 🛡️ NetGuard – blocks Internet access for individual applications without root rights.
• 📈 My Data Manager – allows you to set individual limits for each application.

🔴 Warning: Some apps for traffic monitoring (e.g, 3G Watchdog, they use the data themselves for background synchronization. Once installed, check their settings and turn off automatic statistics.

💡

For accurate traffic accounting, use operator data (USSD-request or personal account as a reference. Built-in counters MIUI They can show a consumption of 5-15% less than the real one due to the peculiarities of calculating packages.

What to do if traffic is consumed by itself: diagnosis and solutions

If you notice that mobile data is going “nowhere” (for example, at night or when the phone is lying dormant), the problem may lie in:

• 🤖 System Services: Mi Push, Google Play Services, Android System.
• 🔄 Background tasks: synchronization of mail, cloud storage, instant messengers.
• 🦠 Malware: Some viruses use mobile internet to send data.
• 📡 Network errors: Constant reconnection to the base station (especially in weak signal areas).

🔍 How to diagnose the problem:

1. Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Using traffic.
2. See which applications have consumed data over the past day (sorting by descending).
3. If Android System or Mi Push comes first, turn off background data for system applications (instruction above).
4. Check your phone for viruses with Malwarebytes or Dr.Web Light.

⚠️ Warning: If traffic consumption exceeds 100MB/hour on standby, this is a clear sign of malware infection. Immediately disable mobile data and perform factory reset (Settings) → The phone. → Resetting settings).

🛠️ Emergency measures if traffic goes to unknown places:

1. Turn off mobile data at night: Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Mobile data (switch off switch).
2. Disable background data for all applications: Settings → Battery and Performance → Battery Management → Application Selection → Turn off Background Activity for Unnecessary Programs.
3. Install a rootless firewall (like NetGuard) and block Internet access for suspicious applications.

FAQ: Frequent questions about traffic control on Xiaomi