How to change the color of the watch on the lock screen Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro: 3 proven ways

The lock screen of the Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro is the first thing you see when you turn on your smartphone, and its design largely forms the overall impression of the device. Many users want to personalize the look of the watch, but not everyone knows that the color of the numbers can be changed without root rights and complex manipulations. In this article, we will analyze all the available methods, from standard MIUI settings to using themes and third-party applications.

It's important to understand that customization options vary depending on the firmware version. On the Redmi Note 8 Pro with MIUI 12/13/14, the algorithm may differ slightly, but the general logic remains the same. If you upgrade your smartphone to HyperOS, some menu items may be renamed — we've taken this into account in the instructions. Also note that not all themes support changing the color of the watch: some simply overlay their style on top of the system elements.

Method 1: Color change with standard MIUI settings

The easiest method is to use built-in personalization tools, which don't require any additional apps to be installed, and works on most versions of MIUI.

1. Open Settings and go to Lock Screen (or Lock and Password → Lock screen settings in new versions).
2. Select the watch style or dial (the name may vary).
3. In the menu that opens, tap the Color icon (usually a palette or circle with a color gradient).
4. Choose one of the suggested shades or create your own with RGB sliders.
5. Save the changes with the Ready or Apply button.

If your MIUI version doesn’t have a separate color change item, try another way: Settings → Theme → My Theme → Lock screen. Sometimes, it hides additional customization options, including a color palette for the watch.

⚠️ Attention: Some firmwares may be affected by the automatic theme change setting (day/night) after changing the color of the watch. Check the function manually through Settings → Display. → Dark mode.

Method 2: Using themes from the MIUI store

If the standard settings don't offer enough options, you can use themes from the official store, many of which change not only the background, but also the style of display of time, including color.

• 🎨 Open the Theme app (icon with brush on desktop).
• 🔍 In the search bar, type in a search for “Color Watch” or “Clockscreen Clock Color».
• 📥 Choose your favorite theme and click Download, then Apply.
• 🔄 After applying the theme, return to Settings → Lock screen and check if new options for the watch have appeared.

Some themes (like Minimal Clock or Neon Digital) offer dynamic color changes based on time of day or battery power, one of the few ways to get a truly unique design without root rights.

⚠️ Note: When installing themes from third-party sources (not from the official store) MIUI) There is a risk of getting viruses or spyware. Always check the reviews and rating of the topic before downloading.

Method 3: Third-party applications for customization

If you don't have the right settings or theme, you can turn to third-party apps, which offer advanced features but require additional permissions, and the most popular options are:

• 📱 Always On Display (AOD) — It allows you to customize the color, font and even animation of the watch. MIUI 12+.
• ⏰ Lock Screen Clock Widget – Adds a customizable color widget to the lock screen.
• 🎨 KWGT Kustom Widget Maker – an advanced tool for creating custom watches (requires skills to work with widgets).

To install any of these applications:

1. Download APK from a trusted source (such as APKMirror) or from Google Play (if available).
2. Allow installation from unknown sources in Settings → Applications → Special Access Rights → Install unknown applications.
3. Run the application and follow the configuration instructions. You usually need to grant permission to Overlay over other applications.

Check the version of MIUI (Settings → About the phone)

Download APK only from official sources

Backup data (Settings → Additional → Backup)

Disable the ad blocker (may interfere with the widgets)-->

When using KWGT, you will need to:

1. Install KWGT Pro Key to unlock all features.
2. Download a watch template (for example, on the Kustom Rocks website).
3. Import the template into the app and customize the colors in the editor.
4. Add the widget to the lock screen via Long Press → Widgets → KWGT.

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If the clock on the lock screen has disappeared after installing a third-party app, try disabling the "Show notifications on the lock screen" function in the security settings. Sometimes widgets conflict with system elements.

Problems and solutions: why the color of the watch does not change

Even if you follow the instructions, you may find that the color of the watch remains the same, and the reasons and ways to eliminate it are:

If none of these things worked, you may have power saving mode activated on your device, which limits the background processes. Try turning it off in Settings → Battery → Power saving mode and reset.

Additional settings: font, size and position of the clock

In addition to color, on the Redmi Note 8 Pro, you can change other time display parameters:

• 📏 Watch size: There is a slider in lock screen settings to scale (not available in all firmware).
• 🔤 Font: Replace the system font through Settings → Additionally. → Font (affects the clock only in certain topics).
• 📍 Position: In topics with support for customization, you can shift the clock left / right.
• 🌙 Night mode: automatically changes the color of the clock to dark in the evening (Settings) → Display. → Night mode).

For advanced users, there is a way to manually edit system files via ADB, but it requires an unlocked bootloader and can cause the device to run unstable.If you're willing to take a chance, here's the basic command to change the color of the watch (requires root):

adb shell settings put global lock_screen_clock_color ff0000

Where ff0000 is a hex color code (in this case red), this method only works on MIUI 11 and below, newer versions of Xiaomi have blocked such a change.

Comparison of methods: what way to choose

To help determine, we have compiled a comparative table of all the methods considered:

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For most users, the best solution is a combination of standard settings and official themes, which is safe, requires no additional permissions, and gives enough freedom to customize.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions