How to change the time on the Xiaomi smartphone: all ways + error solving

Time on Xiaomi’s smartphone can be lost after resetting, changing the battery or updating the MIUI firmware. Wrong date and time lead to failures in messengers, banking applications and even system notifications. In this article, we will discuss all the ways to change time, from automatic synchronization to manual settings through ADB.

The feature of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices is that they use their own MIUI shell, where the time settings may differ from the “pure” Android. For example, on some models (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi Note 12), the synchronization option is hidden in additional parameters, we will show where to look for these settings and how to avoid typical errors.

Why is Xiaomi running out of time?

The reasons for the wrong time display on Xiaomi fall into two categories: software and hardware. Most often the problem lies in the settings of the system, but sometimes the RTC (Real-Time Clock) module itself, which is responsible for counting the time when the device is turned off, is to blame.

Main reasons:

• 🔄 Resetting – after returning to factory settings, time may be lost if automatic synchronization was not enabled.
• 📡 No network – without a mobile internet connection or Wi-Fi, a smartphone cannot update time through servers NTP.
• 🔋 Weak battery – if the battery is discharged to 0%, the module RTC may fall off.
• 🛠️ Wrong firmware - on custom or beta versions MIUI Sometimes the synchronization of time breaks down.
• ⚡ Hardware failure - damage to the chip RTC (rare, but occurs after falls or moisture).

If time is lost regularly (for example, after each reboot), the problem is more hardware.

Method 1: Automatic time synchronization through MIUI settings

The easiest method is to enable automatic time updates via Google or Xiaomi servers, which works on all models, including the Xiaomi 14, Redmi Note 13 and POCO F5.

Instructions:

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the desktop).
2. Go to the Additional Settings section (on some firmwares - System and device → Date and time).
3. Activate the switches: ⏱️ Autodetermining date and time 🌍 Time zone autodetermination

Network

Google servers

If there is no Autodetermination option, upgrade MIUI to the latest version or use method 2.

Method 2: Manually adjust date and time

If automatic synchronization fails (for example, due to lack of network), you can set the time manually, which is suitable for devices without Internet access or with unstable connections.

Step-by-step:

1. Go to Settings → Additional settings → Date and time.
2. Turn off the switches Autodetermining Date and Time Zone Autodetermining.
3. Click on the Set a date and select the current date in the calendar.
4. Click on Set time and enter the current time (hours and minutes).
5. Select a time zone manually (e.g. Moscow, GMT+3).
6. Save the changes by the Ready or OK button.

Once manually set, the time will be displayed correctly, but will not be automatically updated when changing time zones (e.g. while traveling).

💡

If after manual settings time again lost, try to calibrate the battery: completely discharge the smartphone, then charge to 100% without interruptions.

Method 3: Time change through ADB (for power users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can force time to be set via Android Debug Bridge (ADB), which requires connecting your smartphone to your computer and enabling developer mode.

What you need:

• 🖥️ A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB.
• 📱 Initiated Debugging Mode USB (How to turn it on - see below).
• 🔌 USB-cable (preferably original).

Instructions:

1. Enable Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Press 7 times on MIUI Version. Return to Settings → Additional Settings → Developer. Activate USB Debugging.

Connect your smartphone to your computer and confirm the debugging permission.

cmd

adb shell date -s YYYYMMDD.HHMMSS

For example, to set the time on May 15, 2026, 14:30:00, the team will:

adb shell date -s 20260515.143000

Reset the device.

Warning: improper use of ADB can cause system failures. Do not change other settings through this utility without understanding the consequences.

Table: Comparison of Time Changes on Xiaomi

Frequent mistakes and their solutions

Even after setting up, Xiaomi’s time may not work properly. Consider the typical problems and ways to fix them.

Problem 1: Time is lost after rebooting.

⚠️ Attention: This is a sign of a module malfunction RTC Try calibrating the battery (discharge to 0% and charge to 100% without interruption). If it doesn't work, contact the service center.

Problem 2: There is no "Auto-Time" option.

• 🔍 Check the version. MIUI — on old firmware (below) MIUI 12) option may not be available.
• 📲 Update the system through Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 🛠️ If the update doesn’t help, use it. ADB (3-way).

Problem 3: Application time is different from system time.

Some apps (like Telegram or WhatsApp) use their own time servers to sync them to system settings:

1. Clear the app cache in Settings → Apps → [App name] → Storage → Clear the cache.
2. Restart the app.
3. If the problem remains, reinstall it.

Additional Tips for Setup of Time

To avoid future problems with time, follow these guidelines:

• 🔄 Update regularly MIUI — In new versions, synchronization errors are corrected.
• 📶 Use a stable internet connection (better Wi-Fi) to automatically update your time.
• 🔋 Watch the battery level – a deep discharge can reset the settings RTC.
• ⏱️ If you travel frequently, turn on the Auto-Determination time zone option.

Some models (such as the Xiaomi Mi 11 or Redmi K50) have a hidden GPS time sync feature to activate it:

1. Enable Developer Mode (as in Method 3).
2. Go to Settings → Additional settings → For developers.
3. Find the time sync option with GPS and turn it on.

💡

If neither method worked, the problem could be in the hardware (RTC module or motherboard), which requires a diagnosis at the service center.

FAQ: Frequent questions about time on Xiaomi