In the modern pace of life, the smartphone is becoming an integral part of our existence, and brand devices Xiaomi Redmi occupy a leading position in the market due to their functionality. However, frequent use of the gadget often leads to users losing control over the time spent in front of the screen. Understanding how much how many hours a day you spend on social media or gaming is the first step to a digital detox and increased productivity.
The operating system MIUIon which Redmi smartphones are based provides built-in tools for monitoring activity. These functions allow you not only to see dry numbers, but also to analyze behavior, set limits, and even block distracting applications at certain times. In this article, we will analyze in detail all the ways to obtain statistics, from standard settings to hidden engineering menus.
Using the built-in “Digital Well-being” function
Starting with certain versions of the shell MIUI, Xiaomi has integrated the service Google Digital Wellbeing directly into the system. This is the most reliable and detailed way to track activity, as it works at the operating system kernel level Android. To access this data, the user does not need to install third-party software, just go to the appropriate settings section.
The interface of this section is a visual diagram, where different categories of applications are highlighted in different colors. You will be able to see not only the total time of use, but number of unlocks devices per day. This is an important metric that often shocks users, showing how often they automatically pick up the phone without a real need.
To go to statistics, you need to open the main settings menu and find the item with the appropriate name. In some firmware it may be hidden in the “Special Features” or “Passwords and Security” subsection. The system automatically collects data in the background, so the history will be available immediately after entering the menu for the first time.
If you cannot find the “Digital Wellbeing” section in the settings, try using the search bar at the top of the settings menu and entering the name of the function.
It is important to note that the functionality may vary slightly depending on the version Android and regional firmware. In global versions of ROM, this tool is present by default, while in Chinese assemblies it can be replaced with Xiaomi’s own analogue or absent altogether.
Analysis of statistics through the “Security” application
A unique feature of smartphones Redmi is a pre-installed system application “Security” (Security). This green icon with a shield is the central hub for managing the device and contains many useful utilities, including monitoring battery and screen usage. This method is especially relevant for those versions of MIUI where Google services are limited or disabled.
Inside the “Security” application there is a section dedicated to the battery, which indirectly, but very accurately reflects the activity time. The logic is simple: the longer the screen was on and applications were running, the more charge was spent. By analyzing the energy consumption of a specific application, you can determine with high accuracy how much time you spent in it.
In addition, in new versions of the shell, a separate “Screen Usage” module has appeared in this application. It provides a breakdown by day of the week and allows you to compare current activity with previous periods. This helps to identify days when control over the use of the gadget was lost.
- 📊 Detailed statistics: displaying the operating time of each installed application in minutes and hours.
- 🔋 Correlation with battery: the ability to compare the time of use with the percentage of battery power spent.
- 🚫 Quick locking: function of limiting the operation of applications directly from the statistics interface without going into deep settings.
It is worth remembering that the data in the “Security” application may be updated with a slight delay compared to the Google system service. However, for a general assessment of the situation for a day or week, this tool is extremely convenient and informative.
Setting up restrictions and parental controls
Simply monitoring statistics is often not enough if the user's goal is to actually reduce the time spent on the phone. The system MIUI allows you not only to view the numbers, but also to actively manage them using the function Application timer. This tool makes it possible to set a hard limit on the use of specific apps.
When the set time limit expires, the application icon on the desktop darkens, and when you try to launch, the system displays a warning that the limit has been exceeded. The user can ignore this warning and continue working, but the very fact of the need for additional action creates a psychological barrier that helps to stop.
For parents, there is an advanced mode Parental Controlsthat allows you to remotely control the child’s device. Through this interface, you can not only limit gaming time, but also block access to the Internet at night or prohibit the installation of new apps without permission.
Settings → Digital Wellbeing → Dashboard → Application TimerSetting the timer is intuitive: you select the application from the list and using the slider or entering numbers, set the allowable time of use in minutes. The system will remember this limit and will apply it automatically every day, resetting the counter at midnight.
☑️ Setting an effective limit
Viewing detailed history by day and week
To deeply analyze your digital habits, it is useful to study not only current indicators, but also history over past periods. In the statistics section, it is possible to switch between viewing data for today and for all week. This allows you to see the overall picture and identify patterns, for example, an increase in usage time on weekends.
Graphs in the interface are usually presented in the form of a bar chart, where each column corresponds to one day. The height of the bar shows the total usage time, and the color segmentation within it reflects the share of different applications. Clicking on a specific day opens a detailed list of activities for the selected day.
This retrospective analysis helps answer questions about how changes in daily routine affect digital hygiene. If you notice a sharp jump in time on your phone on a certain day, you can remember what happened during this period and draw appropriate conclusions.
| Day of week | Total time (h:m) | Number of unlocks | Most used application |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | 4:15 | 85 | Telegram |
| Tuesday | 3:40 | 72 | YouTube |
| Wednesday | 5:20 | 110 | TikTok |
| Thursday | 3:55 | 68 |
Please note that data from past weeks may be stored for a limited time depending on your privacy settings and the amount of available memory on your device. Regularly checking statistics will help you not to miss important trends in your behavior.
Why may the data not match?
Sometimes the sum of time by application is less than the total time of screen use. This is due to the fact that the system takes into account the operating time of the Android interface itself, calls or system processes that are not tied to a specific third-party application.
Third-party applications for precise monitoring
If the built-in system tools Redmi are not enough for you, or you want to get more specific data, applications from store Google Play. There are many solutions that offer advanced analytics, exporting data to spreadsheets, and even gamifying the process of quitting your smartphone.
One popular solution is an app ActionDashwhich is essentially an improved version of the standard digital wellness tool. It provides more flexible notification settings, the ability to set a blocking schedule, and detailed analysis of usage patterns.
Another option is specialized habit trackers that focus not on restriction, but on motivation. They can show how much money you saved by not purchasing content in games, or how many hours of life you saved by giving up aimlessly scrolling your news feed.
⚠️ Attention: When you install third-party monitoring applications, you give them access to the history of use of other apps. Make sure to download software only from official sources and check the permissions that the application requests.
Using third-party software may slightly increase battery consumption, since these apps need to constantly run in the background to collect statistics. However, modern optimization algorithms MIUI allow you to minimize this impact if you add the application to the list of power saving exceptions.
Third-party applications provide more flexibility in setting restrictions, but require additional permissions and can consume more battery resources.
Hidden methods and engineering menu
For advanced users who want to know absolutely everything about their device, there are ways to obtain statistics through engineering menu or special codes. These methods are not intended for the average user, but can provide access to data that is hidden in the standard interface.
One way is to use the code ##4636## in the Phone application. In the testing menu that opens, you can find the “Usage statistics” section, where the system log of application launches is stored. This displays the time of last use and the startup counter for each system component.
The data in this menu is presented in raw form and may be difficult to understand, as it contains technical names of processes and services. However, this is the only way to see statistics on system applications, which are usually ignored in the “Digital Wellbeing” section.
You should be extremely careful when changing any settings in the engineering menu, as incorrect actions can lead to unstable network operation or other failures. It is recommended to use this section only to view information without changing configuration parameters.
What to do if the code does not work?
On some new versions of MIUI, access to the engineering menu through dialing may be blocked by developers for security reasons. In this case, you can try using special launcher applications to access hidden system activities.
Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
Why is the usage time not updated in real time?
The system updates statistics with a slight delay to save processor and battery resources. Typically, the data is updated every 15-30 minutes or when the screen is unlocked. If the time does not change for a long time, try restarting the device.
Is it possible to completely disable the collection of time statistics?
Yes, you can disable access to usage data in the Digital Wellbeing settings. However, in this case, you will lose the ability to set time limits and see activity history. The “Sleep Mode” function will also stop working correctly.
Does viewing statistics affect battery consumption?
The process of viewing statistics itself consumes a minimal amount of energy. The main expense comes from the background data collection service, which is part of the Android system and is optimized for minimal impact on the device's autonomy.
How to reset usage statistics manually?
The standard MIUI interface does not have a button to manually reset statistics. The data is reset automatically every day at 00:00 local time. To completely reset the history, you will need to clear the data of the Digital Wellbeing system application through the app settings menu.
Why are unknown applications displayed in the statistics?
These could be system services, Google Play components, or processes running in the background without a user interface. This can also happen if the application was deleted, but its usage history was saved in the statistics cache.