How to change the color of the watch on the lock screen Xiaomi: all the ways

Xiaomi’s lock screen is the first thing you see when you turn on a smartphone, and its design directly affects the overall experience of the device. One of the key elements here is the watch: its size, font and, of course, color. Unfortunately, standard MIUI settings do not always offer enough options for personalization, especially when it comes to changing the color of the numbers. Many users experience the system clock displayed in monochrome white or gray, which does not always harmonize with wallpaper or interface style.

In this article, we will discuss all the available ways to change the color of the watch on the lock screen Xiaomi, including the official settings. MIUI, You'll learn how to adapt time to your preferences, whether it's a bright accent color, a gradient, or even animation (MIUI 12/13/14) Smartphone models, as the algorithm of actions may differ.

Why can’t you just change the color of your watch on Xiaomi’s lock screen?

At first glance, it seems strange that MIUI, one of the most customizable shells on Android, doesn't have a direct color change option, because of the architecture of the system:

• 🔹 Theme limitations: The color of the watch is tied to an active theme of the design. Even if you choose a theme with color elements, the lock watch often remains monochrome by default.
• 🔹 Security: The lock screen is the face of the system, and Xiaomi limits deep customization to avoid visual chaos or readability issues.
• 🔹 Version differences: B MIUI 12 and MIUI 13 The logic of displaying the clock is different from MIUI 14, where additional options have appeared.

In addition, on some models (such as the Redmi Note 10 Pro or POCO X3 Pro), the lock watch may depend on the Always-on Display (AOD) if this mode is active, the color and style of the watch is often fixed and cannot be changed through standard settings.

⚠️ Note: On smartphones with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T or Redmi K50 Pro) too bright watch colors AOD This can cause accelerated wear of the matrix (burn-in effect.

Method 1: Color change through theme settings (official method)

The easiest and safest way to do this is to use the built-in MIUI tools, and although there is no direct option to change the color of the watch, you can bypass this restriction by using a custom theme:

1. Open the Themes app (icon with brush).
2. Go to the section My topics → Online.
3. In the search bar, enter the query: colored lockscreen clock or colored lockscreen clock.
4. Choose your favorite theme and apply it. Pay attention to the preview — the watch should be displayed in the color you want.

If you don’t find a suitable topic, try an alternative way:

• 🎨 Download a theme with gradient or color elements (such as "Neon Glow" or "Dark Colorful"). Even if the watch is preview white, it can change color after use.
• 🔄 After applying the theme, restart your smartphone – sometimes changes take effect only after a reboot.

⚠️ Attention: Some topics from the store MIUI You can also use ads or hidden subscriptions. Check reviews and theme ratings before installing.

Method 2: Using color palette wallpaper (MIUI 13/14)

Starting with MIUI 13, Xiaomi introduced the Color Palette feature, which automatically adjusts the interface shades to fit the wallpaper, which can be used to change the color of the watch on the lock:

1. Download the wallpaper with the predominant color you want to see on the watch (e.g. blue wallpaper for blue watches).
2. Set them as a background for the lock screen: Settings → Wallpaper → Lock screen.
3. Activate the Color Palette option in the theme settings (Settings → Display → Color palette).
4. Reset the device.

The effect is not guaranteed 100%, but 60-70% In some cases, the watch is similar to the dominant color of the wallpaper. 11T, Redmi Note 11 Pro+ and other models with AMOLED-screen.

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If the color of the watch has not changed after changing the wallpaper, try to turn off the Dark Theme mode - sometimes it blocks the color palette.

For more accurate control, you can use applications to create wallpaper with accent colors, for example:

• 📱 Wallcraft (allows you to highlight individual colors)
• 🎨 Color Wallpapers (Grandient Background Generator)
• 🖌️ Backdrops (collections with accent colors)

Method 3: Manual editing of system files (for advanced users)

If standard methods don't work, you can try changing the color of the watch by editing system files, which requires root rights and is only suitable for advanced users!

Algorithm of action:

1. Install a file manager with root access (such as Root Explorer or Solid Explorer).
2. Go to /system/media/theme/default/.
3. Find the files. lockscreen_clock_style.xml or miui_lockscreen_clock.xml (The name may vary depending on the version. MIUI).
4. Open the file in the text editor and find lines with color parameters (e.g. textColor="#FFFFFFFF").
5. Replace the hex color code with the desired one (e.g. #FF00FF00 for green).
6. Save the changes, restart the device.

In MIUI 14, the path to the watch configuration files may be different: they are moved to /product/overlay/ or /vendor/overlay/.

⚠️ Warning: Incorrect editing of system files can lead to interface crash or cyclic reboot. Before making changes, back up the file! If the clock has disappeared after editing, return the original version of the file.

Method 4: Third-party applications for customization

If you don't want to mess with system files, you can use third-party apps that offer flexible settings, but require additional permissions:

• ⏰ Always On Display (AOD) Mi — allows you to customize the color, font and even animation of the watch. Works on most Xiaomi models with a different set of models. AMOLED.
• 🎨 Lock Screen Customizer is an advanced tool for changing all elements of the lock screen, including the clock.
• 🔧 Hex Installer – utility for installing custom modules, including patches for watches.

The following is a customization with Always On Display (AOD) Mi:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Provide all necessary permissions (access to notifications, overlay of windows).
3. Go to the section “Clock → Color” and choose the shade you like.
4. Activate the option to Show on the lock.

Please note: some applications may conflict with MIUI Optimization (optimization) MIUI). If the watch does not appear after installation, turn off optimization in the developer settings (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times to tap → For developers → Shut down. MIUI Optimization).

Turn off optimization MIUI|Make a backup copy of the data|Provide all requested permits|Check compatibility with your Xiaomi model-->

Method 5: Use ADB-commands without root)

If you don't have root rights, but you want to experiment, you can try changing the color of your watch through the ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which doesn't work on all models, but sometimes it works.

Instructions:

1. Install ADB on your computer (download Platform Tools from Google).
2. Activate USB Debugging on your smartphone (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version → 7 taps → For developers → Debugging by USB).
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command to check the connection: Adb devices
4. Enter the command to change the color of the watch (example for red): adb shell settings put global lock_screen_clock_color ff0000ff Here. ff0000ff — It's a hex color code in a format. ARGB.
5. Reset the device.

List of popular colors in ARGB format:

• 🔴 Red: ffff0000
• 🔵 Blue: ff0000ff
• 🟢 Green: ff00ff00
• 🟡 Yellow: ffffff00
• 🟣 Purple: ffff00ff

⚠️ Attention: Teams ADB You can reset the lock screen settings to factory settings. Before experimenting, save the current configuration (take a picture of the settings or write down the settings used).

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ADB-commands are the safest method among the "advanced" methods, since they do not require root rights and are easily canceled by rebooting or resetting settings.

Problem Solving: The watch doesn't change color

If none of these methods worked, check the following points:

• 🔄 Reboot: Sometimes changes only apply after reboot.
• 📱 Smartphone model: On budget models (e.g. Redmi) 9A or POCO M3) Customization of locks is limited.
• 🔒 Power Saving Mode: Turn it off in battery settings – it can block third-party apps.
• 🔄 Reset lock settings: Try to return lock screen settings to factory settings (Settings) → Passwords and security → Resetting lock settings).

If you're using MIUI 12 and no method has worked, chances are your model doesn't support the software-level color change, and there are two options left:

1. Upgrade to MIUI 13/14 (if available for your model)
2. Install custom firmware (e.g. Pixel Experience or LineageOS) where lock settings are more flexible.

Remember that custom firmware is warranty-free and may contain bugs. Before installing, check the feedback on the forums (4PDA, XDA) specifically for your model.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the color of the watch on Xiaomi