How to Change the Color of Time on Xiaomi: A Complete Guide

Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often want to personalize their device’s interface as much as possible. One of the most visible elements of the lock screen is a watch that displays even on a display that is turned off. However, the standard settings for the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS do not always allow you to change the shade of the numbers in the usual way through the menu.

Many users find that after installing wallpaper, the color of the time remains white or black, ignoring the overall color gamut of the image, due to the peculiarities of the contrast algorithms. Changing the color of the time on Xiaomi is a process that requires understanding the differences between the lock screen, Always On Display and desktop widgets.

In this article, we’ll look at all the customization methods available, from built-in theme features to third-party apps, and learn why the system sometimes blocks color change and how to circumvent these limitations to achieve the perfect visual style.

Features of displaying the clock in MIUI and HyperOS

Xiaomi shells have a strict hierarchy of interface elements. The color of the time on the lock screen often depends on the chosen theme of the design, not on the system settings of the fonts. Contrast algorithms automatically determine which color (black or white) will be better read on the current wallpaper, and enforce it.

This means that the standard menu may not have a slider to choose the color of the numbers, in which case the system relies on the metadata of the theme. If you have set a standard wallpaper and a basic theme, the color of the time will be fixed.

It’s worth noting that on different models, such as the Xiaomi 13, Redmi Note 12 or Poco F5, the behavior of the system may differ. New versions of Android and HyperOS introduce more flexible settings, but the basic principle of depending on the theme often persists.

⚠️ Warning: Trying to modify theme system files without backing up can result in a cyclical device reboot (bootloop).

Change color through the app “Themes”

The safest and most formal way to change the look of a watch is to use the built-in Theme app, which is where the design profiles are stored, which dictate how the system displays the time, and you don't have to be a designer to find the right style.

Open the Themes app and go to Profile (the human icon at the bottom right) where you will see the current theme. Click on Change Theme or Setting Theme. In the menu that opens, select Lock Screen. This module is responsible for the look of the watch when the screen is off.

There's a huge selection of styles available inside the lock screens, some of which allow you to change the color of the numbers, others allow you to change the shape of the numbers completely. After you choose a new style, click Apply. The color of the time will change according to the graphical shell you choose.

• 🎨 Open the Themes app on the main screen.
• 👤 Go to the user profile and select Change the subject.
• ⏰ Find the Lock Screen section and select a new watch style.
• ✅ Click Apply to activate changes.

If a standard theme gallery doesn't offer the right shade, you can download third-party themes from the directory. Search for keywords like "neon clock," "minimal time," or "color lockscreen." Thousands of designers create themes specifically for users to customize time.

Always on Display (AOD)

Always On Display allows you to see time without fully activating the display, which is the best way to do it on AMOLED devices, but color settings are often limited.

To access the settings, go to Settings → Always On and Lock → Always On Display. Here you can choose the display style. Some styles marked as "Custom" or "Drawing" allow you to change color. Click on the palette icon or pencil if it is available in the selected style.

Unfortunately, on many Redmi and Xiaomi models, AOD’s time color is tightly tied to white or gray to save energy and prevent pixel burnout, and in such cases, the only way to change color is to change style to a more complex color palette that supports the color palette.

Use of widgets on the desktop

If changing the color of the time on the lock screen is impossible due to the limitations of the theme, a great solution is to install the watch widget on the desktop. Widgets in MIUI have much more flexible color and style settings.

To add a widget, press the empty area on your desktop and select Widgets. Find the Watch category. The system will offer several options: analog, digital, with date and weather. Choose the one that supports color change.

Once you have the widget on the screen, tap it or hold it to call the settings menu. There's often a color slider or a selection of presets available. You can pick up a shade that fits perfectly with your wallpaper.

• 📱 Hold your finger in the free space of the desktop.
• 🔍 Select the widgets item in the lower menu.
• ⏲️ Find the Watch section and choose your favorite design.
• 🎨 Customize the color through the widget editing menu.

⚠️ Warning: Widgets with a second hand or frequent updates can prevent the smartphone from going into deep sleep mode, increasing power consumption.

Third-party customization applications

When built-in tools are scarce, Google Play Store apps come to the rescue, allowing Xiaomi to completely ignore system limitations, popular solutions including Lock Screen & Notifications, Hi Locker or customized Clock Widgets.

These apps create their own layer on top of the system. You can choose any typeface, color, gradient, and even animation for time. For example, the Widgetsmith app (or its Android counterparts) lets you create a widget over time of any color and place it on top of the wallpaper.

However, using third-party screen blockers has its own risks, which can conflict with the system's facial or fingerprint recognition function, and they require permanent permissions to display over other windows, which can be annoying when using other applications.

For advanced users familiar with ADB, there are Magisk modules that change the system time font files, but that requires an unlocked bootloader and superuser rights.

Solving contrast and reset problems

Often you choose a color, but it doesn't apply or it looks faded, and it's due to adaptive brightness and contrast, and it can dim light elements against a dark background to avoid blinding the user's eyes in the dark.

Try turning off the automatic brightness or changing the wallpaper to a more contrasting one. Sometimes the color of the time depends on the dominant color of the wallpaper. If the wallpaper is black, the time will turn white, and vice versa. Changing the wallpaper to a gradient one can trick the algorithm into choosing the desired shade.

If the settings get lost after the reboot, check the permissions for the Themes application. It must be allowed to auto-start and run in the background. Without this, the system will roll back the changes to standard values for stability.

• 🔄 Reboot the device after applying a new theme.
• 🔋 Check the energy saving settings for the Themes app.
• 🖼️ Try changing the wallpaper to an image with a different color profile.
• 🛠️ Make sure the screen settings turn off the Read or Vision Protection modes".

⚠️ Warning: Vision Protection (blue filter) can distort the selected color of time, making it yellow or dull, which is not a system error.

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Before you change the topic globally, take a screenshot of your current lock screen settings, which will help you quickly return to your original state if the new time style is not easy to read.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

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The flexibility of setting the color of time on Xiaomi directly depends on the chosen theme and the type of display of the device.