How to set up a watch on Android Xiaomi: the complete guide

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face a situation where, after turning on the device or moving to a different time zone, the time on the screen is not true. This may seem like a trifle, but an incorrect date leads to errors in the work of messengers, the inability to log into some applications and problems with displaying notifications. MIUI and HyperOS usually take data automatically, but in rare cases manual intervention is required.

In this article, we will discuss all the ways to set the right time on Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices. You will learn how to activate sync over the Internet, how to set the time zone manually and what to do if time is constantly reset after turning off the phone.

Before we get to the tricky part, we need to check the basics of the network. Often the problem is not a firmware failure, but a lack of access to a time server or a mischosen region. Let's take a look at the standard algorithm of actions that is suitable for most modern models, such as the Redmi Note 12, Xiaomi 13 or Poco F5.

Automatic time synchronization through the network

The easiest and most reliable way to get an accurate time is to use automatic synchronization. The smartphone contacts the operator's server or Google and receives relevant data, including daylight saving time, if applicable to your region.

Open the Settings menu on your device. Scroll down and find the Additional Settings section (in some versions of MIUI it may be simply called System Applications and Settings). Select Date and time. Here you will see the "Use Network Time" switch. If it is turned off, activate it.

Once this option is enabled, the phone should immediately pull up the correct data. If the time has not changed, try to turn on the flight mode for a short time, and then turn it off to restart the communication module. SIM-card, as some operators transmit time information through the cellular network, and not through Wi-Fi.

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If automatic sync doesn’t work, try switching the internet from Wi-Fi to mobile data and click the time update button again if it’s available on the menu.

It is important to note that when you turn on automatic settings, manual clock change will be blocked.The system will ignore your attempts to shift the arrows, as priority is given to the NTP network protocol.This protects against random user errors and out-of-synchronization with Google servers.

Manual date and time setting

In situations where automatic configuration is not possible (for example, you are in an area without network coverage or using a device without network coverage). SIM-This is also true for those who want to set the time from science fiction movies or just like full control of the gadget.

To manually revert to Settings → Additional Settings → Date and Time. Turn off the Network Time Toggle. Immediately thereafter, the fields for entering hours, minutes, year, month and day will be active. Press current time and set the desired values using the scroll wheel or digital keyboard.

Don't forget to check the time zone, too. Even if you set the right time manually, you'll have to change it again when you travel to another city or country, and you'll have to set the right time zone once, and then manually translate the hands (for example, when you switch to winter time in countries where it's still there), the system will suggest the adjustment.

When manually adjusting, be careful with the time format. In Russia and many CIS countries, it is used 24-hourly format, but in default settings can stand 12-clock-signature AM/PM. If you don’t know about these signs, it’s easy to make a mistake. 12 This will lead to chaos in notifications.

Time zone setting and time format

Choosing the right time zone is critical to alarm clocks, calendars and reminders. If you're traveling or moving, your smartphone needs to know what time zone it's in, even if you don't manually change time. There's a separate time zone on the Date and Time menu.

Clicking on it will show a list of cities or offset relative to Greenwich (UTC). It is recommended to choose a large city located in your zone, for example, Moscow, Yekaterinburg or Vladivostok, which ensures that all system events are tied to local time correctly, regardless of where the server is physically located, through which the synchronization is going.

You can also customize the display format in this section, you can have 12-hour and 24-hour cycles available, and you can choose the date format (day/month/year or month/day/year) for users in the Russian Federation, and you prefer the DD.MM.GYYG format, which is the standard.

It's worth mentioning that some applications, especially banking and government services, may require a precise timing of the server, so if you set the time manually and it's even a few minutes different from the real time, the application may fail to work, giving a connection error, in which case it's better to temporarily return the automatic setting.

Problems with resetting time after switching off

One common problem with older or refurbished Xiaomi smartphones is resetting the time and date when the battery is completely drained or after flashing, which is manifested in the fact that after turning on the phone shows a date, for example, January 1, 2015, and the time is 00:00.

The reason is a dead RTC (Real Time Clock) battery, a tiny battery on the motherboard that powers the clock when the main battery is removed or completely discharged. In modern smartphones, this function is often taken over by the main battery, but if it has gone into deep discharge, the time settings are lost.

⚠️ Note: If time is reset constantly even when the phone is charged, this may indicate a malfunction of the motherboard or the need to replace the plume connecting the power button to the board, where the hourly quartz is often soldered.

To solve the problem at home, try leaving the phone to charge for several hours in the off state. If the time is again incorrect after turning on, you will either need to flash the device with data clearing (Wipe All Data) or contact the service center for diagnosis.

Calibrating the battery through the engineering menu sometimes helps, but this method requires caution: enter the code ##6485## in the dialer and see the status of the battery. However, if the problem is hardware, the software methods will not help. The table below shows the main symptoms and possible causes.

Use of widgets and third-party applications

The built-in clock on Xiaomi’s lock screen and desktop look stylish, but sometimes users need more functionality, such as displaying time in multiple time zones at once or having a stopwatch with milliseconds right on the desktop.

You can use widgets to do this. You can press your finger on the free desktop space, select Widgets and find the "Clock" list. The system will offer you several options: analog, digital, date and weather. By choosing a widget, you can customize its appearance, font and color to match it with your MIUI theme.

If standard functionality is not enough, there are many app-hours on the Google Play or GetApps store. Popular options include World Clock Widget or Flip Clock, which allow you to display time in the form of an effect, add moon phases or Pomodoro timers to work with.

When installing third-party widgets, keep energy consumption in mind. Animated watches can drain the battery faster, especially if the screen is AMOLED and always on (Always On Display). Optimize use by choosing static dials to save charge.

Additional functions: timers, alarm clocks and stopwatch

System time setting is just the tip of the iceberg. The Watch app, which is pre-installed on every Xiaomi, has powerful functionality, and it's not just alarm clocks, but countdown timers, stopwatches and world time.

The special feature that you're looking at is World Time, which allows you to add cities where your friends or colleagues live, you can always see what time they have, and you can't call in the middle of the night, and you can add a city by clicking on the plus tab in the app.

The alarm clocks in MIUI have their own features: they work even when the phone is turned off (if the alarm is turned off in the settings), and there is also a Smart alarm function that can turn off automatically when the phone "understands" that you are awake thanks to the accelerometer.

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Xiaomi’s Watch app is deeply integrated with the system, so third-party alarms may not have access to start the phone from the off state.

For those who like to cook or exercise, a voice-alert timer is convenient, and you can run it through Google Assistant or Xiao AI, just by saying, "Put the timer on 15 minutes," which is much more convenient than going into settings every time.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)