The lock screen on Xiaomi smartphones is not just a protection against accidental clicks, but also an important information hub. This displays notifications, weather, fast actions and, of course, current time. However, not all users like the standard design of the watch: someone wants to change their style, someone wants to change their size or position, and some are faced with the fact that time is confused or displayed in an uncomfortable format. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to adjust the clock on the lock screen for Xiaomi, Redmi, POCO and Black Shark devices on different versions of the MIUI shell (from 12 to 14).
It’s important to understand that customization options depend on the firmware version and device model. For example, flagships like the Xiaomi 13 Ultra or POCO F5 Pro have more options than the budget Redmi 10A or Redmi Note 11. Some features may be hidden in regional firmware (global, Chinese, European), we take all these nuances into account and offer solutions even when standard settings do not help.
Why the clock on the lock screen may not be displayed correctly
Before you change your settings, you should understand the causes of possible problems with time display.
- ⏰ Time is lost after rebooting - most often associated with disabled network synchronization or incorrect time zone settings.
- 🔄 The clock shows the wrong format (12/24 hourly) – this is configured separately in system parameters.
- 📱 No display of time - may be caused by a failure in the launcher or theme design.
- 🎨 Do not like the style of the watch (font, color, size) – here will help change the theme or manual adjustment.
If your problem doesn't make it to this list, it might be custom firmware or application conflict, so you should first check the device's safe mode (press the power button → Safe Mode), and if it displays the clock correctly, one of the installed apps is to blame.
Method 1: Change the time format (12/24 hours) in system settings
The most basic setup is the choice between 12-hourym and 24-hourym, and it affects not only the lock screen, but the entire system clock, to change the format:
- Open the Settings app (cog icon).
- Go to the section Additional settings → Date and time.
- Activate the switch Use 24-hour format (or turn off for 12-hour).
- If the option is inactive, first enable Date and Time Zone Autodetermination.
On some firmware (e.g. MIUI 14 for the global version), the path may be slightly different: Settings → System → Date and time. If the lock screen clock hasn’t updated after changing the format, restart the device or apply any other theme from the Theme app, this will reset the display cache.
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If the lock screen time hasn’t changed after changing the format, try temporarily disabling the “Always-on Display” feature (if you have one on your device).
Method 2: Customize the style of the watch through the app “Themes”
The MIUI shell allows you to change the look of the watch on the lock screen with the help of the themes, which is the easiest way to customize, without requiring root rights or third-party applications.
- Open the Topic app (Brush icon).
- Go to Lock Screen (or Lockscreen in English).
- Choose your favorite theme from the one you like. Pay attention to the preview, and you can see what the watch will look like.
- Click Apply and confirm the changes.
Note that not all themes support changing watch styles. If you want a specific watch (such as an analog or stopwatch), look for a watch marked with Custom Clock or Dynamic Clock. In some themes, the watch can automatically change color depending on wallpaper or time of day.
| Type of watch | Description | Example of topics |
|---|---|---|
| Digital | Classic time display in ChCh:MM format. It can be with or without seconds. | Minimalist Digital, Neo Clock, Modern Time |
| Analog | A watch with hands, often with animations, can mimic mechanical or electronic dials. | Vintage Clock, Mechanical Watch, Retro Time |
| Dynamic | A watch that changes style depending on the time of day, weather or activity. | Dynamic Weather, Mood Clock, Adaptive Time |
| Textual | Time is displayed by words (e.g., "five minutes of the sixth"). | Word Clock, Text Time, Literal Hours |
If you don’t find a suitable theme in the standard directory, you can download third-party themes from MIUI Theme Store (not available in all regions) or from sites like miuithemes.com. However, beware: topics from unverified sources may contain malicious code.
Make sure the theme supports your version MIUI|Check the reviews of other users|Download themes only from official sources|After application, restart the device-->
Method 3: Manually changing the position and size of the watch (for MIUI 13/14)
Starting with MIUI 13, some firmware has the ability to manually adjust the position and size of the clock on the lock screen, a feature that is not available on all devices, but if it is available, here's how to use it:
- Press the area with the clock on the lock screen (without unlocking the device).
- If the function is supported, a selection frame will appear with size change markers.
- Drag the watch to the right place or change its size by pulling the corners of the frame.
- Click Ready or simply unlock the device to save.
If nothing happens when you hold it, your firmware doesn't support it, so you can try to get around the restriction by using the help of a computer. ADB-commands (developer mode enabled) For example, a command to resize the clock:
adb shell settings put system lock_screen_clock_scale 1.5Where 1.5 is the zoom factor (1.0 is the standard size, 2.0 is twice as large). However, this method does not work on all devices and can lead to display failures. On some Xiaomi models (for example, the POCO F4 GT), changing the clock scale through the ADB leads to the disappearance of weather widgets on the lock screen.
How to Enable Developer Mode on Xiaomi
Method 4: Using third-party customization apps
If you don't like standard MIUI, you can use third-party apps that not only change the style of the watch, but also add additional information (date, weather, battery) or even animations.
- 🎨 Always On Edge – Allows you to create custom watches for Always-on Display (AOD) animation-enabled.
- ⏱️ Lock Screen Clock Widget is a simple tool to change the style of watches without root rights.
- 🔧 KLWP Live Wallpaper Maker – Advanced Constructor for Unique Lock Screens (Requires customization skills).
- 🖼️ AcDisplay – an alternative to the standard lock screen with flexible time display settings.
Before installing third-party applications, consider a few nuances:
⚠️ Note: Some lock screen customization apps require the standard Xiaomi blocker to be disabled.This can result in loss of functionality (e.g., a fingerprint will stop working) or security issues (notifications may not be displayed correctly). Always back up your data before experimenting.
Most of these applications require permission to display over other windows (in the special features settings) and the Device Administrator, and may need to disable battery optimization for the application, otherwise the clock will reset after sleep.
Method 5: Correction of time-related problems (network synchronization)
If the clock on the lock screen periodically gets knocked down, the problem is most likely to be the sync settings.
- Go to Settings → Additional settings → Date and time.
- Make sure options are enabled: Auto-determining date and time Autonomy Time Zone
Moscow, GMT+3
Restart the device and check if the settings are still in place.
On some devices (especially custom firmware) it may help to change the sync server.
- Enable the developer mode (see spoiler above).
- Go to Settings. → For developers.
- Find the NTP Server and enter the address of an alternative server, for example: time.google.com pool.ntp.org en.pool.ntp.org (for Russia)
Save the changes and restart the device.
⚠️ Note: If the server is changed NTP The device started to slow down or discharge faster, return the standard server (ntp.aliyun.com for Xiaomi).Some alternative servers may be overloaded or blocked in your region.
Problem Solving: The watch doesn’t show up or shows an error
If the clock on the lock screen is missing or is not displayed correctly (for example, instead of square numbers or characters), try the following steps:
- Reset your lock screen settings: Go to Settings → Passwords and Security → Lock screen settings. Select Settings Reset (not to be confused with phone reset!).
- Clean the system application cache: Open Settings → Applications → Application Management. Find the MIUI (or MIUI System) system interface and clear the cache. Repeat for applications Themes and Lock Screen.
- Font check: If the watch is displayed in characters, reset the fonts to Settings → Screen → Font. Turn off third-party fonts if they are installed.
Firmware update:
- Go to Settings → About Phone → Update the system and check for updates.
If none of these things worked, maybe the launcher malfunctioned, and then you can reset the launcher to the factory settings.
adb shell pm clear com.miui.homeThis command will delete all desktop and widget settings, but return the standard display of the watch. On devices with MIUI 14, after performing this command, you may need to re-assign your Xiaomi account to restore cloud services.
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If the watch is lost after installing custom firmware, most likely, there is no system file framework-miui-res.apk. It can only be restored by flashing the device.