Personalization of the watch on the lock screen Redmi Note 8 Pro: a complete guide with secrets MIUI

The lock screen of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro is not just a protection against random clicks, but the business card of your smartphone. This is where the watch becomes a key element of the design that you see dozens of times a day. But what if the standard look of the dial is boring and you want something fresh — minimalistic, futuristic or even with animation? In this article, we will discuss all the ways to change the style of the clock on the locked screen, including hidden settings MIUI, third-party themes and even manual editing of system files for advanced users.

Many Redmi Note 8 Pro owners don’t even realize that their device supports dynamic watches with changing designs depending on the time of day or weather. And some styles allow you to display not only the time, but also the date, battery charge or notifications — all in one elegant widget. But before you dive into the settings, it’s important to understand that not all methods are equally safe. For example, installing custom themes through informal sources can lead to blocking system updates, and editing the framework-res.apk files without a backup is fraught with the “brick” of the device. So we start with the simplest and then move on to the advanced ones.

MIUI Standard Settings: What You Can Change Without Risk

Xiaomi has provided basic customization options right in the settings menu, and to get to them, follow a simple sequence:

1. Open the Settings → Lock screen.
2. Select the watch style option (in some versions of MIUI it may be called the dial).
3. Scroll through the list of available options – their number depends on the firmware version (usually from 5 to 12 styles).

Among the standard options you will find:

• 🕒 Classic analog dial with second hand (suitable for fans of retro style).
• 📱 Digital minimalism – time in large print without unnecessary details.
• ☀️ Dynamic clock with color change depending on the time of day (morning / day / night).
• 🎨 Art style – abstract forms where numbers are inscribed in geometric shapes.

Please note: in MIUI 12.5 and later, the option Adaptive style, which automatically adjusts the color of the watch to the wallpaper of the lock screen, but this feature does not work stable on models with a high-performance screen. AMOLED-You can use screens, sometimes causing the dial to flicker when you change the wallpaper. If you're having this problem, try manually fixing the color in your style settings.

MIUI Topics: How to Download and Use Custom Watches

If built-in options are scarce, it’s time to turn to themes. Xiaomi offers an official shop of themes where you can find hundreds of designs for the lock screen, including a unique watch.

1. Launch the Themes app (an icon with a brush on your desktop).
2. Go to the Lock screen section → The clock.
3. Search for keywords such as neon, minimal, 3D or animated.
4. Click on your favorite topic. → Apply.

Among the popular themes for the Redmi Note 8 Pro stand out:

• 🌌 Neon Glow – glowing numbers on a dark background (ideal for the AMOLED).
• ⚡ Digital Bold – ultra-grand font with an emphasis on hours and minutes.
• 🌀 Spiral Clock – Time is displayed as a spiral (unusually, but not always convenient for quick reading).
• 🖼️ Transparent – a translucent watch that merges with wallpaper.

Important: Not all themes are optimized for the Redmi Note 8 Pro. For example, some designs may crop the numbers on the cutout screens (like this model) or incorrectly display the second hand.

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If the watch is gone after applying the theme, return the standard style in the lock screen settings and restart the phone.

Hidden Opportunities: How to Enable Clock Animation

Few people know, but MIUI has an animated clock feature that is activated through the settings lab, which works on MIUI 11-14 firmware, but may not be available in regional versions (e.g. Europe) to enable animations:

1. Open the Settings. → The phone.
2. Click 5-7 times in a row on the MIUI version until you become a developer!
3. Return to the main settings menu and open Additional → for developers.
4. Find the Clock Animation option on the lock screen and activate it.

Once activated, the watch will begin to change color or move smoothly (depending on the style you choose). For example, in the Digital Wave theme, the numbers will float around the screen, and in Analog Classic the hands will move more smoothly.

⚠️ Attention: Watch animation increases battery consumption by 3-5% per day. If you notice that the smartphone has become discharged faster, turn off this feature or reduce animation time in the developer settings (option Duration of animation).

For models with MediaTek Helio G90T (as in Redmi Note 8 Pro), animation can slow down if other visuals (such as live wallpaper) are active at the same time, in which case it is recommended to disable transition animation in the same settings for developers.

Manual editing of system files: for experienced users

If you don't have enough standard methods, you can go further and edit the system files that display the watch, which requires root rights and backups, because doing something wrong can cause the lock screen to fail.

1. Replace the clock fonts through the system/fonts/Clockopia.ttf file.
2. Change the location and size of the dial through the editing of framework-res.apk.

For the first method, you will need:

• 📱 Root access (can be obtained through Magisk or TWRP).
• 🖥️ File Manager with superuser rights (e.g. Root Explorer).
• 🔤 Font in.ttf format (you can download from sites like dafont.com).

Instructions for font replacement:

1 Copy the selected font (e.g., DS-Digital.ttf) into the folder /system/fonts/.


2. Rename the original Clockopia.ttf file to Clockopia.ttf.bak (this is a backup).




3. Rename your font to Clockopia.ttf.




Change the access rights to 644 (r-w r--- r----).




5. Reset the device.

For the second method (modification) framework-res.apk) Decompilation of the file using APKTool, editing XML-This process is more complex and risky, so we recommend using it only if you are confident in your skills.

⚠️ Warning: After manual editing of system files, digital signature verification may break MIUI. This will result in the inability to install OTA-To get it back, restore the original files from the backup or re-sweeten the firmware.

Third-party applications: alternative launchers and widgets

If you don't want to go through the system files, but you don't like the standard settings, third-party apps will come to the rescue, and they don't replace the lock screen clock directly, but they allow you to create an alternative lock screen with a unique design.-3 decision:

When using third-party applications, consider:

• 🔋 They can significantly increase battery consumption, especially if you use Always-On mode.
• 🛡️ Some applications require the standard lock screen to be turned off in security settings, which reduces device protection.
• 🔄 After updating MIUI Third-party locker settings may be reset.

For the Redmi Note 8 Pro, we recommend Always On Edge — it’s best optimized for the MediaTek Helio G90T processor and doesn’t cause heavy lags. And if you want complete creative freedom, try KLCK, but be prepared to take the time to set up.

Disable Standard Lock in Settings → Lock and Protection → Lock Type → No

Download the app only from the official store (Google Play or Mi App Store)

Check for compatibility with MIUI 12/13/14

Create a backup of data (in case of failure)

Set up auto-run applications in Settings → Applications → Auto-run-->

Problems and Solutions: Why the clock doesn't change or disappear

Sometimes, after changing the style of the watch, users encounter bugs: the dial disappears, the time is displayed incorrectly or the settings are not saved.

If none of the methods worked, try resetting the lock screen settings:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the System Interface (or System UI).
3. Press Warehouse. → Clear the data.
4. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

This method will return all lock screen settings to factory settings, but will not affect your data in other applications.

Design Tips: How to Choose a Watch Style for Your Character

Choosing a watch’s style is not just a matter of convenience, but also an opportunity to express your personality. Here are some tips on how to design for different scenarios:

• 💼 For work: Minimalistic digital watches (like Digital Bold) with large print, read quickly and do not distract from business.
• 🎮 For gamers, futuristic styles with neon colors (Neon Glow or Cyberpunk Clock) go well with dark wallpaper.
• 🌿 For nature and relaxation: analog watches with wooden or stone texture. Look for topics with the keywords wood or nature.
• 👨‍💻 For techies, watches with more information — battery charge, date, steps. Info Clock or Smart Digital style is fine.

Don't be afraid to experiment! In MIUI, you can save a few of your favorite styles and switch between them depending on your mood, for example, in the daytime, use a strict digital design, and in the evening, use a relaxing analog one.

And look at the color scheme. AMOLED-In the Redmi Note 8 Pro, you’ll be better off choosing dark themes with bright accent colors, which will save you battery power.

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On the Redmi Note 8 Pro, it is best to avoid all-white watches on a light background – they are poorly read in bright light and increase eye strain.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions