Personalizing a smartphone is the first step an owner takes after buying, turning a standard device into a unique gadget. Xiaomi device owners often face the desire to change the look of the lock screen so that it not only informs about the time, but also pleases the eye. Modern shells MIUI and HyperOS provide ample opportunities for customization, go far beyond just changing the wallpaper.
In this article, we will take a look at all the ways you can transform your interface, from built-in themes to deep widget customization, and learn how to manage Always On Display and understand why some features may not be available in your region.
Changing visual style is not just aesthetics, but also a way to improve the ergonomics of smartphone use. A properly configured lock screen allows you to instantly get the right information without unlocking the device, this is especially true for Xiaomi Redmi and Poco models, where functionality can vary depending on the firmware version.
Using the “Themes” application to change the design
The easiest and most formal way to change style is to use the Themes app, which is a centralized content store where developers from around the world publish their work. Access to full functionality often requires authorization through a Mi Account account, allowing you to synchronize settings between devices.
Inside the app, you have to go to the Profile tab or click on the person icon to find the Lock Screen section, and there's a huge selection of static and dynamic screensavers, and dynamic themes can respond to touch, weather, or time of day, creating a lively display effect.
⚠️ Note: When installing themes from third-party sources or unofficial stores, there is a risk of malware infection of the device. Use only the proven Topics app from Xiaomi.
Once you have selected your style, click Download and then Apply, and automatically prompt you to choose where the new style will work: only on the lock screen, only on the desktop, or anywhere, giving you flexibility in customization, allowing you to combine different design elements.
It's important to note that some premium themes may be paid or subscription-based, but free content is more than enough for most users. If the standard directory seems sparse to you, you can try changing the region in the app settings by choosing, for example, India or Indonesia, where the range is often wider.
Customize widgets and font style in MIUI and HyperOS
With the release of the HyperOS shell, Xiaomi has significantly redesigned its approach to widgets. Now the lock screen supports interactive elements that can be moved and scaled. To enter editing mode, you need to press the free area of the lock screen for a long time or swipe to the right if the corresponding function is enabled.
From the editing menu, you can choose from different watch styles, from classic digital to complex analog movements. Fonts are also changeable - in the "My resources" section, you can download new shapes that apply to the entire system, including the lock screen.
- 🕒 Watch: Select the format of displaying time (12/24 hour) and colour of digits.
- 📅 Date: Configure the day of the week and the day of the month.
- 🔋 Battery: Add a battery charge widget for quick control.
- 🌤️ Weather: display the current temperature and forecast on the main screen.
Some widgets require permission to access geolocation or other data. MIUI-based Android will request the necessary rights when you first activate an item. Denial of rights may lead to incorrect display of information, for example, a weather widget will show dashboards instead of degrees.
☑️ Checklist of the perfect widget customization
Remember that the abundance of active widgets can increase battery consumption slightly, especially widgets with frequent updates, such as news or currency rates, and optimize the set of widgets depending on your priorities: autonomy or information content.
Always on Display and its configuration
Always On Display (AOD) technology allows key information to be displayed on a screen that is off without the risk of a matrix burnout, which is available on devices with AMOLED displays. In older models or devices with IPS screens, this section may be missing or replaced with simplified counterparts.
To activate, go to Settings → Lock screen → Always On Display. You can choose one of the styles you have written or create your own. On devices with refresh rates of 120 Hz and higher, AOD can automatically reduce the frequency to 1 Hz to save energy.
| Parameter | Description | Impact on the battery |
|---|---|---|
| Constantly. | Image is always visible | High. |
| 10 seconds. | It's on when you touch it. | Low. |
| Scheduled. | Works at the specified time. | Average. |
| Smart mode. | Responds to views and events | Optimal. |
Scheduled mode is the most sensible trade-off: you can set the AOD on, for example, from 8:00 to 23:00, so that the screen does not light up at night and does not interfere with sleep, which is especially useful if the smartphone is lying on the nightstand next to the bed.
Why isn't AOD working?
Create your own style with Mi Pilot
For advanced users who don’t have enough standard settings, there’s the Mi Pilot tool (formerly known as Theme Editor), a desktop program for PCs that allows you to create themes from scratch. It requires a deeper dive into the MTZ file structure, but gives you full control over each pixel.
The process of creating your own theme starts with the preparation of graphic resources. You will need images for the background, icons, fonts and, of course, the layout of the lock screen. XML-code-editor.
- 🎨 Design: rendering all elements in a graphics editor (Photoshop, Figma).
- 🛠️ Build: Using Mi Pilot to Pack Resources into a Theme File.
- 📲 Test: installing the created file on a smartphone to check.
- 🚀 Posting: Uploading a theme to the store for other users.
Using third-party software to modify system files can cause the device to run in an unstable way. If you're not confident, it's best to limit yourself to editing existing themes or using official customization tools. A bug in the theme code can cause the interface to reboot cyclically.
⚠️ Warning: Before installing custom themes created by third-party developers, be sure to back up your data. In rare cases, an incorrect theme can block access to your smartphone menu.
It is worth noting that with each update MIUI theme structure may change. The theme created for MIUI 12 may not display correctly on HyperOS. Always check the compatibility of the theme version with the version of your operating system.
Resolving display problems and resetting settings
Sometimes, after updating the system or installing a new theme, there may be glitches: the picture does not change, the widgets disappear or the lock screen begins to slow down. In such cases, the first thing to do is to try to clean the cache of the Themes application. To do this, go to Settings → Apps → All Applications → Themes → Memory → Clean.
If the problem persists, you can reset your lock screen to factory settings, which will bring back Xiaomi’s standard style and remove all custom widgets. Note that this action will not affect your personal photos or contacts, but will reset the visual appearance.
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If the lock screen is unstable, try turning off the "Accelerate Animations" feature in the "Developers" menu, which often solves problems with slowing the interface on older models.
In some cases, the cause of the problems may be a conflicting application that has access to the screen overlap. Check the list of applications with permissions "Above Other Windows" and disable suspicious programs. Often the culprits are memory cleaners or third-party launchers.