How to change the clock on the lock screen Xiaomi: all the ways and subtleties of setting up

Xiaomi's lock screen is not just a protection against random clicks, but also an important interface element that you see dozens of times a day. One of the key elements here is a watch that shows not only the time, but also the style of your device, POCO Xiaomi flagship models are not even aware that the appearance of the watch can be flexibly adjusted: from changing the font to completely hiding time or adding a stopwatch.

In this article, we will discuss all available ways to change the clock on the lock screen, including standard settings. MIUI, Hidden features for advanced users and solving typical problems (for example, when time is confused or not displayed at all). MIUI 12/13/14 and nuances for specific models – from budget Redmi Note to premium Xiaomi 13 Ultra.

If you want your smartphone to look unique or just tired of the standard display of time, this guide is for you. MIUI, which are not written in the official documentation, but which can radically change the appearance of the lock screen.

Why it is important to set the clock correctly on the lock screen

At first glance, a clock on a lock screen is a small thing, but it actually has a few key functions:

• 🕒 Quick time access – you can see the current time without unlocking your phone, which saves battery power (especially for the mobile phone). AMOLED-Screens with Always On Display).
• 🎨 Personalization – the style of the watch (font, color, animation) affects the overall perception of the interface, for example, minimalist watches are suitable for business style, and bright numbers are suitable for creative ones.
• ⚙️ Functionality – in some firmware, the watch can display additional information: date, weather, notifications or even pulse (on models with appropriate sensors).
• 🔋 Energy efficiency – improper settings (such as too bright or animated watches) can increase battery consumption by 5-15% in standby mode.

In addition, clock settings are closely related to system services, for example, if the time on the lock screen does not match the real one, this may indicate synchronization problems. NTP (network time protocol) or module failures GPS. In such cases, the clock adjustment becomes not so much a design issue as a diagnosis of a problem.

Method 1: Standard settings through the “lock screen” menu

The easiest way to change your watch is to use the built-in settings. MIUI. This method works on all modern smartphones Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO shelled MIUI 12 and later: The instructions are universal, but there may be minor differences in the layout of menu items on different models.

To open the lock screen settings:

1. Go to Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
2. Select the Lock Screen section (in some versions) MIUI It can be called Blocking and Password or Protection and Locking).
3. Slip on the item "Style of watches" (or "Setting up hours").

The following options will be available to you here:

Once you have selected the style, the changes will apply automatically (AOD), Some styles may not be available - this is a shell limitation MIUI, energy-saving.

Check the version of MIUI in Settings → About the phone

Make sure your phone is at least 20% charged.

Close the background applications for stable menu operation

Take a screenshot of the current settings (in case of rollbacks)-->

Method 2: Using design themes to change hours

If you don't like standard styles, you can drastically change the look of a watch with themes, which allows you to install custom fonts, animations, and even completely replace the design of the lock screen. Themes are downloaded from the official Xiaomi Themes store, but some require root rights or third-party launchers.

How to Set Up a Theme With a New Watch:

1. Open the Themes app (brush icon on the home screen).
2. In the Lock Screen section, select the Watch or Minimalism category.
3. Look at the available themes and tap on the ones you like. Pay attention to the rating and the number of downloads, this will help to avoid low-quality themes.
4. Click Apply and confirm the changes.

Some topics may contain additional elements:

• 🌡️ Weather (temperature, weather icon)
• 📅 Extended date (day of week, week number)
• 🔔 Notification icons (unread messages, missed calls)
• 🎨 Animated background elements (e.g. falling snow or moving clouds)

If the hours haven’t changed after applying the theme, try restarting your phone or clearing the theme app cache in the settings (Settings) → Annexes → Application management → Topics → Warehouse → Clear the cache).

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If you like the theme but don't like the watch, try using only the Lock Screen element from it without changing the rest of the interface.

Method 3: Hidden settings for advanced users (without root)

V MIUI There are a few hidden settings that allow you to fine-tune the watch, but they are not available through the standard menu. ADB (Android Debug Bridge, or special applications like Activity Launcher, which don't require root rights, but require caution.

One of the most useful hidden parameters is the ability to turn off seconds in the clock or change the format of time to the clock. 12/24-It's a time-based system, even if you have a different format in the system settings:

1. Install it on a PC. ADB-tools and connect the phone in debugging mode (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI (tap 7 times) → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
2. Execute in command line: adb shell settings put global lock_screen_clock_style 2 where 2 — it ID Style (you can experiment with the meaning of the 0 before 5).
3. For compulsory 24-Adb shell settings put global settings time_12_24 24
4. Reboot your phone to make the changes take effect.

Other useful ADB-clock-team:

• 🔄 Reset the style of watches to standard: adb shell settings delete global lock_screen_clock_style
• 📏 Change the size of the clock (values from 0.5 before 2.0): adb shell settings put global lock_screen_clock_scale 1.5
• 🎨 Change the color (in format #AARRGGBB, where AA — Transparency: adb shell settings put global lock_screen_clock_color #FFFFFFFF

These settings are not documented by Xiaomi, so after major updates MIUI They may stop working. Also be careful about changing the global settings, because the wrong values can cause the interface to malfunction.

Method 4: Set up the clock through Always On Display (AOD)

If your Xiaomi smartphone supports Always On Display (AOD), You can set the clock separately for this mode. AOD displays time and notifications on the off screen, which is especially convenient for devices with AMOLED-Matrix (e.g. Xiaomi 12 Pro, Redmi) K50 or POCO F4).

To set the clock in AOD:

1. Go to Settings → Lock screen → Always On Display.
2. Activate the Always On Display switch.
3. Select the option Clock Style or Setting AOD (name depends on the version MIUI).
4. You will be able to find styles that are optimized for AOD (usually with minimalist design and low power consumption).

Features of settings AOD:

• 🔋 Energy consumption: even in AOD The clock is using up its charge. AMOLED-Black background and white numerals are the most economical.
• ⏱️ Schedule: you can set up automatic on / off AOD time (for example, only at night).
• 🔒 Security: in AOD You can hide notifications or show them only when you bring the phone to your face (a proximity sensor is used).

Some models (such as Xiaomi 13) AOD Dynamic styles are available that vary depending on the time of day or weather. To activate them, select a style marked Dynamic or Auto.

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If AOD It drains the battery quickly, try to reduce the brightness in the settings or turn off the notification display. The optimal consumption is no more than 1-2% per hour.

Problem Solving: The clock doesn’t show up or shows the wrong time

Sometimes users are faced with the fact that the clock on the lock screen disappears, does not update or shows the wrong time. MIUI Let's look at the most common cases and how to fix them.

Problem 1: The clock is not displayed at all

• 🔄 Reboot your phone – it solves 70% of temporary crashes.
• 📱 Check if the watch is hidden by the theme of the design.
• ⚙️ Reset the lock screen settings: Settings → Lock screen → Reset the settings.
• 🛠️ Clear the system launcher cache: Settings → Annexes → Application management → Launcher → Warehouse → Clear the cache.

Problem 2: The clock shows the wrong time

• 🌍 Check the date and time settings: Settings → Additionally. → Date and time: Make sure Autodetermination (uses network data) is enabled).
• 📡 If time is strayed after rebooting, turn off automatic synchronization and set the time manually.
• 📶 The problem may be with the carrier. SIM-card of another operator or use only Wi-Fi for synchronization.

Problem 3: The clock is slowing or twitching

• 🎯 It might have something to do with animation. Try to pick a static watch style.
• 🔋 If the phone is less than 15%, MIUI Can limit animations to save energy.
• 🚫 Turn it off. AOD, If it is on, it sometimes conflicts with the main clock.

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If the watch shows time 1–2 minutes late, this may be due to battery savings. → Battery → Power saving mode) disable optimization for the Watch app.

If none of these methods worked, it could be a system file corruption, and then resetting to factory settings (Settings) will help. → The phone. → Reset settings) or flash through the Mi Flash Tool. Before reset, remember to back up the data!

Additional chips: stopwatch, timer and widgets on the lock screen

In addition to the standard watch, the Xiaomi lock screen can display additional information, such as running a stopwatch or a timer directly from a locked screen without unlocking the phone, which is convenient for athletes, cooks or those who often use temporary reminders.

How to add widgets to the lock screen:

1. Open Settings → Lock screen → Widgets.
2. Activate the switch to show widgets.
3. Select the widgets you want to see: Stopwatch, Timer, Calendar or Weather.
4. Click Ready and check for changes by locking the screen.

Features of widgets on the lock screen:

• ⏱️ Stopwatch: you can start/stop directly from the locked screen (convenient for time measurements without unlocking).
• ⏰ Timer: It displays countdown. When it's done, it triggers vibration, even if the phone is locked.
• 📅 Calendar: Shows the current date and upcoming events (synchronized with Google Calendar or Mi Calendar).
• 🌤️ Weather: Temperature and weather icon (data taken from Xiaomi Weather app).

On some models (for example, Xiaomi Mi 11 or POCO F3) You can set up gestures for widgets, like swiping left on a clock and swiping right will open a stopwatch and a timer:

1. Go to Settings → Lock screen → Gestures.
2. Select the action for swipe by the hour.
3. Save the settings.

Widgets on the lock screen can increase battery consumption, especially if they are updated in the background (for example, weather).

• Turn off automatic updates of widgets in the settings of the respective applications.
• Use static widgets (such as a calendar without synchronization).
• Set up a widget display schedule (for example, only on weekdays).

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About the Watch on Xiaomi's Lock Screen