How to put the watch on the screen on Xiaomi TV: all ways

Do you want your Xiaomi TV to display your current time all the time? This is useful for monitoring time while watching movies, exercising or working from home. Unfortunately, the manufacturer doesn't always turn on this feature by default, but there are several ways to activate it, both through standard settings and through third-party apps.

In this article, we will look at all the available methods for different Xiaomi TV models (including Mi TV 4/5, Redmi Smart TV and others) based on MIUI TV and Android TV. You will learn how to display the watch in the upper right corner, at the bottom of the screen or even as a transparent widget on top of the content, and also how to adjust the time format (12/24 hours) and sync with the Internet.

1. Standard method: settings MIUI TV

On most Xiaomi TVs with MIUI TV firmware (e.g. Mi TV 4S, Mi TV 5 Pro), the watch can be turned on via the system menu. This method does not require the installation of additional applications and works on all current versions of the software.

Instructions:

  1. Take the remote and press the Settings button.
  2. Go to Settings → System and Updates → Date and time.
  3. Make sure that Auto-Date and Time is enabled (if not, turn it on and wait for sync).
  4. Return to the main settings menu and select Screen and Sound → Additional screen settings.
  5. Find the item Display the clock on the screen (or Show the time) and activate it.

If you don't have one, your model doesn't support the display of the watch through the standard settings, so move on to the following methods.

⚠️ Warning: Some firmware may require a restart of the TV after the watch is turned on. If the time does not come right away, turn the TV off the socket for 30 seconds and turn it on again.

📊 What kind of Xiaomi TV is you?
Mi TV 4/4S/4X
Mi TV 5/5 Pro
Redmi Smart TV
Another Xiaomi
Not Xiaomi.

2.Use of Screen Screen Screensaver mode (for Android TV)

Xiaomi Android TVs (such as Mi TV Stick or Mi Box) allow you to display your watch through the screensaver feature, which is suitable if you want to see the time only in standby mode (when the TV is not in use).

How to set up:

  • 📺 Open the Settings. → The device → Screensaver.
  • 🕒 Choose the style of the screensaver Digital watch or Analog watch.
  • ⚙️ Set the time format (24-hour or 12-hour) in the Date and Time section.
  • ⏳ Set a screensaver activation timer (for example, after 5 minutes of inactivity).

The downside of this is that the watch will only be visible when you're not watching the content. To permanently display time on top of movies or games, use the following method.

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If there is no watch on the screensavers list, upgrade your TV firmware to the latest version. On older versions of Android TV (below 9.0), this feature may not be available.

3. Installation of a third-party watch widget

If the standard methods don’t work, you can install a special application from Google Play (available on Android TV models).

  • ⏰ Digital Clock Widget – a simple widget with customizable size and color.
  • 🕐 Floating Clock – a transparent watch that can be moved around the screen.
  • 📱 Always on Clock – Imitates the Always on Display feature of smartphones.

Installation instructions:

  1. Open Google Play on your TV.
  2. Find one of the listed applications and install it.
  3. Launch the app and follow the instructions on the screen (usually allow overlay over other windows).
  4. Customize the position, size and style of the watch in the app menu.

Important: Some widgets may conflict with DRM-Protecting streaming services (Netflix, Disney)+). If the watch disappears when watching movies, try another widget or turn it off while watching.

Make sure the TV is connected to the internet

Update Google Play to the latest version

Allow installation of applications from unknown sources (if necessary)

Check the vacant space (minimum 50 MB)-->

4. Configure via ADB (for advanced users)

If you're familiar with command line, you can turn on the system clock via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), a method that works on most Xiaomi TVs but requires a connection to a computer.

Step-by-step:

  1. Download and install ADB Tools on PC.
  2. On your TV, enable USB Debugging in the developer settings (Settings → About TV → Build Number – press 7 times, then go back to Settings → Additional → For Developers).
  3. Connect the TV to your computer through USB-cable.
  4. Open the command line (Windows) or terminal (Mac/Linux) and type: Adb devices Make sure the device is defined.
  5. Enter the command to turn on the watch: adb shell settings put global status_bar_clock 1 For 24-Adb shell settings put global settings status_bar_clock_24 1
  6. Reboot TV: Adb shell reboot

If the clock doesn’t appear after the reboot, try an alternative command:

adb shell am start -n com.android.tv.settings/.display.ClockSettingsActivity

It will open a hidden menu of watch settings (does not work on all models).

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB If you don't know what the purpose of the command is, if the change stops working, reset to factory settings.

Alternative solutions: external devices

If the software methods are not suitable, you can use external gadgets to display the time:

The deviceHow to connectPlusesCons
Xiaomi Mi LED Desk LampConnect to Bluetooth and sync time through the Mi Home app.The brightness and color of the lights are adjusted, can be used as a night light.It takes up a seat on the table, requires separate food.
Smartwatches (Mi Band, Amazfit)Connect to the TV via Bluetooth and use it as an external display.They show the time even when the TV is off.You need to constantly wear on your hand or put it next to you.
Google Nest HubPlace next to the TV and configure the display of time in the "Night screen" mode.Large display, additional functions (weather, calendar).Expensive, requires a separate outlet.

These solutions are good if you want to see time not only on the TV screen, but also the rest of the time, for example, the Mi LED Desk Lamp can be placed behind the TV, and its backlight will reflect on the wall, creating the effect of a projection of the clock.

How to sync time on all Xiaomi devices?
To ensure that your watches on your TV, smartphone and other gadgets show the same time, use Mi Cloud Sync: 1. Sign in to one Xiaomi account on all devices. 2. Enable time synchronization in your account settings. 3. Make sure all devices are connected to the Internet. This will help avoid time discrepancies when switching between gadgets.

Frequent problems and their solutions

If the watch doesn’t appear or doesn’t work properly, check the following points:

  • ❌ Watch blinks or disappears: turn off energy saving mode in screen settings.
  • ⏰ Wrong time: Check time zone settings (Settings) → Date and time → Time zone).
  • 🔄 Watch resets after reboot: Update your TV firmware to the latest version.
  • 📵 Widget not installed: clear the Google Play cache and try again.

If the problem persists, try resetting your TV to factory settings (Settings → Additional → Reset and Recovery). Before resetting, remember to save important data (for example, a list of installed apps).

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On Xiaomi TVs with MIUI TV 3.0 and later, the watch can only be displayed via widgets or ADB. The standard time display feature has been removed by the manufacturer in the new firmware.

Can I put my watch on the screen while watching Netflix?
Yes, but not all widgets run on top of DRM-protected content. Try Floating Clock or turn off the display of the watch while watching movies. You can also use external devices (such as smartwatches) to see time off the TV screen.
Why does the clock show the wrong time after the update?
This is due to a synchronization failure with Xiaomi servers. To fix: Turn off automatic timing in settings. Manually set the correct date and time. Restart the TV. Turn on automatic sync again. If the problem repeats, check your Internet connection or contact Xiaomi support.
Is there a way to display a watch on Xiaomi Mi TV Stick?
There is no standard way to use the Mi TV Stick, but you can use the Digital Clock Widget from Google Play. Alternatively, connect an external display with a watch via HDMI (for example, a second monitor or tablet in screen duplication mode).
How to change the size and color of the watch?
If you use a widget, the appearance settings are usually available in the app menu. For system clocks (if supported by your model), the font and color settings change to Settings → Screen → Watch Style. On some firmware, only standard themes (light / dark) are available.
Can you add seconds to the clock?
Xiaomi doesn't have this option in its standard settings, but widgets like Always On Clock allow you to adjust the display of seconds. ADB-command for Forced Seconds (root access required): Adb shell settings put global status_bar_clock_seconds 1 Note that this command does not work on all models and may cause conflicts with system processes.