You try to track your workout time, cook eggs softly, or check your speed, but you can't find a stopwatch on your Xiaomi? This problem is familiar to many owners of Redmi, POCO or Mi smartphones — despite its apparent simplicity, the standard Watch app in MIUI hides some of the features in an unobvious way. In this article, we'll not only show you where the stopwatch is in different versions of the firmware, but also reveal hidden timer features that you might not know about.
The MIUI interface is very specific, because the manufacturer often moves menu items between updates. What MIUI 12 was on the first screen, MIUI 14 can hide in the submenu. We analyzed the stopwatch location on all current versions of the firmware (2020-2026) and collected universal ways to run it, from the obvious to the little-known, and you will learn how to add a stopwatch widget to the main screen, run it with a voice through Alice or Google Assistant, and why sometimes the Watch app disappears from the menu.
1. Standard method: where to look for a stopwatch in the Clock app
The most obvious way is through the company’s Clock app, but even here, users face difficulties: in some versions, the company’s Clock app is the most obvious. MIUI The stopwatch icon is not immediately visible. Here are the step-by-step instructions for all Xiaomi, Redmi and other models. POCO:
1. Open the Watch app (the dial icon is usually on the home screen or in the Tools folder).
2. In the bottom menu, select the Stopwatch tab. If it's not available, tap three horizontal lines (☰) top-left.
3. In the drop-down list, select the Stopwatch or Timer (depending on the desired function).
- 🔍 MIUI 12/13: The stopwatch is displayed immediately on the home screen of the Clock app along with alarm clocks and a timer.
- 🔄 MIUI 14+: You may need to click on the icon “More” first» (⋮) Swipe the screen to the left to see all the features.
- ⚠️ POCO Launcher: On some devices POCO The Watch app may be called Clock by Google, which is a standard Google app where the stopwatch is in the Timer tab.
If you don't have the Stopwatch tab displayed, check if it's hidden in the app settings.
- Open the clock. → press three points (⋮) top-right.
- Select Settings → Displayed tabs.
- Make sure there's a tick next to the Stopwatcher.
Open the watch app
Check the bottom menu on the tab "Secondomeric"
If not, press ☰ or ⋮ listing
Make sure the function is not hidden in the settings-->
2. Alternative ways to start the stopwatch
If the standard method didn’t work or you want to speed up access to the stopwatch, use one of these methods:
Method 1: Voice assistant
You can start the stopwatch by voice through Alice (for Russian firmware) or Google Assistant:
- 🎤 For Alice: Say “OK, Alice, start the stopwatch” or “Alice, turn on the stopwatch».
- 🤖 For Google Assistant: "OK Google, stopwatch start" (English: "Hey Google, start stopwatch»).
Note: Some Xiaomi models with Chinese firmware may not have voice commands working – you need to install Google Play Services.
Method 2: Widget to the main screen
To avoid looking for a stopwatch every time, add a widget:
- Press and hold the empty space on the main screen.
- Select Widgets → Find the Watch widget (usually 4×1 or 2×2).
- Drag it to the screen and select the display type – Stopwatch or Timer.
Method 3: Quick settings (notification panel)
Some firmware (e.g. MIUI 13 Global) has quick access to the stopwatch in the notification panel:
- Swipe down from the top edge of the screen to open the notification bar.
- Click on the icon «⚙️» (gear «✏️» (pencil) for tile editing.
- Find the Stopwatch tiles and drag them to the active area.
Through the Clock app
Voice (Alice/Google)
Widget on the main screen
Quick settings panel
Another way.-->
3.Why the stopwatch may not be on the menu
If you don’t find a stopwatch even after checking all the tabs, the reasons may be as follows:
| Reason. | How to fix it |
|---|---|
| The Clock app is removed or disabled | Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management, find the Watch and turn it on. |
| Third-party firmware is installed (for example, LineageOS) | Install the Google Clock app from the Play Market. |
| Regional restrictions (Chinese firmware) | Change the region in the settings to "Russia" or "Global" (Settings → Additional → Region). |
| System failure after update | Clear the Cache of the Clock app in Settings → Apps → Watches → Storage → Clear the Cache. |
⚠️ Attention: On devices POCO firmware POCO Launcher sometimes misses the standard Watch app. In this case, download Google Clock from the Play Market - it is fully compatible and has advanced stopwatch features (for example, saving the history of measurements).
4. Hidden stopwatch functions in MIUI
Few people know, but the stopwatch in MIUI can do more than just keep track of time, and here are some useful tips that will make it easier to use:
- 📊 Save the Circles: Click on the icon «⏸» (pause) → «Save time is a record of history, useful for sports training, where you need to record several measurements in a row.
- 🔄 Countdown: In Timer mode, you can set a repeat signal (for example, for interval training «⋮» → «Repeat».
- 🎵 Audible signals: In timer settings (Clock) → Timer. → ⋮ → Sound) can be selected to tune the alert or turn off the vibration.
- 🌙 Dark Mode: The stopwatch automatically adjusts to the system theme, but in some versions MIUI It can be switched manually (long press on the stopwatch screen).
On devices with AMOLED-screens (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi) K60) The stopwatch supports Always-on Display:
- Run the stopwatch.
- Return to the main screen – time will be displayed on the locked screen.
- To turn off, swipe the stopwatch notification in the notification panel.
How to export the history of measurements?
5.Stopwatch in Sports Modes and Fitness Trackers
If you use a Xiaomi smartphone for training, the stopwatch can be run directly from the Mi Fitness app (formerly Zepp Life), which is convenient for running, cycling or swimming, as it allows you to sync data with the Mi Band or Xiaomi Watch:
1. Open Mi Fitness → select a sport (e.g., “Running” or “Bicycle”).
2.Click "Start Training" - the stopwatch will start automatically.
3. Upon completion, the data will be stored in the activity history.
On Xiaomi smartwatches (such as the Watch 2 Pro or Mi Band 8), the stopwatch starts as follows:
- 🏃 On Mi Band: Swipe up on the home screen → Choose "Second Timer».
- ⌚ On Xiaomi Watch: Click on the menu button → «Tools» → «Stopwatcher».
⚠️ Note: When synchronizing the stopwatch between your smartphone and Xiaomi smartwatch, there may be a delay of 1-2 seconds. For accurate measurements (for example, in competitions), use only one device.
Third-party applications: when a standard stopwatch is not enough
If you need advanced features — such as running multiple stopwatches at the same time, exporting data, or an interval timer — install one of these apps:
| Annex | Features | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Stopwatch & Timer | Multisecond, history of measurements, export to CSV, widgets | Play Market |
| Runtastic Stopwatch | Integration with fitness trackers, voice alerts | Play Market |
| Timer+ | Multiple timers at the same time, customizing sounds | Play Market |
The advantage of third-party apps is advanced customization, for example, Stopwatch & Timer allows you to:
- 🔊 Set up voice prompts every time 5/10/30 seconds.
- 📈 Build progress graphs to analyze training.
- 🌐 Sync data with Google Fit or Strava.
💡
If you need to keep track of time to milliseconds, use Precision Stopwatch, which supports up to 1/1000th of a second and is suitable for professional measurements (e.g. in motorsports or scientific experiments).
7. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them
When using a stopwatch on Xiaomi, users face typical problems. Here's how to solve them:
- ⏱️ Stopwatch resets itself: Check if the power saving mode for the Watch app is activated (Settings) → Battery → Energy consumption of applications. Add "Clock" to the list of exceptions.
- 🔇 No sound when the timer is triggered: Make sure in the timer settings (Clock) → Timer. → ⋮ → Sound, you're choosing the melody, not the "no sound" mode, and you're also going to check the overall volume of the media.
- 📱 Stopwatch does not appear on the lock screen: Enable the option in Settings → Lock screen → Notifications → Show timer notifications.
- 🔄 No laps saved: Clear the data of the Clock app (Settings) → Annexes → The clock → Warehouse → Clear the data, but note that it will remove all alarm clocks.
⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI For example, the Redmi Note 12 Pro+) After upgrading to HyperOS, the stopwatch location may change. If you don't see it in the Watch app, try searching through the system (swipe down on the home screen). → enter the second-timer»).
💡
The most reliable way to find a stopwatch on any Xiaomi is to search the system. Swipe down on the home screen and type in a stopwatch or a stopwatch, and the system will show a direct link to the app, even if it is hidden in the menu.