How to set the time on the smartphone Xiaomi: all the ways

Setting up time on a Xiaomi smartphone is a seemingly simple task, but many users face problems: the clock is in a hurry, lags or gets lost after an update. This is especially true for owners of Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 or Mi 11 models, where incorrect timing can disrupt alarms, reminders and even synchronization with cloud services.

In this article, we will discuss all the ways to adjust time, from automatic synchronization over the network to manually entering the date and time zone, you will learn how to fix common errors (for example, resetting time after rebooting), why MIUI Sometimes it's not the right time zone, and what to do if the phone shows you a time that's 1 to 2 hours late, and for advanced users, it's a time-setting instruction. ADB.

Why Xiaomi is losing time: the main reasons

Before you set time, it's important to understand why it might not work properly, and most of the time, you have problems with:

• 🔄 Disabled automatic synchronization – the phone does not update time through the network of the mobile operator or Wi-Fi.
• 🌍 Wrong time zone – especially relevant when moving or using VPN.
• 🔋 Failures after update MIUI — New firmware versions sometimes reset the time settings.
• 📱 Hardware problems are rare, but it happens that they get confused RTC-Module (real time) on the motherboard.

If your Xiaomi is showing a time several hours apart, check if automatic sync is enabled first.

⚠️ Note: Some models (e.g. Redmi) 9A) After resetting to factory settings, the time may be lost until January 1, 2020.

It is also important to note that when using two SIM-The phone can synchronize the time on the network of the operator that is active at the moment. If one of the operators transmits incorrect data (for example, roaming), time will be lost.

Method 1: Automatically adjusting time over a network

The easiest and most recommended way is to enable automatic synchronization.

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
2. Go to the section Additional settings → Date and time.
3. Activate the switches: 🔄 Autodetermining date and time 🌐 Time zone autodetermination

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If the time is still incorrect after turning on automatic synchronization, try:

Enable mobile internet or Wi-Fi

Reboot the phone

Make sure that SIM-The card is active (not in the "airplane" mode")

Update firmware MIUI last-minute-->

Some models (e.g., POCO F4) may require additional synchronization source adjustment.

1. Go to the Settings → About the phone → MIUI version.
2. Click 7 times on the line with the version to activate Developer Mode.
3. Return to Settings → Additional settings → For developers.
4. Find Network Time and select Auto (recommended).

Method 2: Manually adjust date and time

If automatic sync doesn’t work or you want to set the time manually (for example, to test apps), do the following:

1. Open Settings → Additional settings → Date and time.
2. Turn off the switches Autodetermining Date and Time Zone Autodetermining.
3. Click on 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. For a time zone, select your region from the list (e.g. Moscow, GMT+3).

Important: When manually set up, the time will not be automatically updated. If you travel frequently or roam frequently, it is better to return the automatic mode.

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If you are testing an app and you need to “fast forward” the time, reboot your phone after changing the date – some services (for example, Google Play) cache the current time.

On older models (Redmi 4X, Mi A1), the interface may be slightly different, but the principle remains the same. If you can't find the Date and Time section, try the path:

Settings → System and device → Additional → Date and time

Method 3: Adjusting time through ADB (for advanced)

If standard methods don’t help (for example, after a failed firmware update), you can set the time through ADB. This method is suitable for users who are familiar with the command line.

For this:

1. Install Android SDK Platform-Tools on your computer.
2. Enable USB Debugging on your phone (Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version, press 7 times; then Settings → Additional → Developers → USB Debugging).
3. Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: adb shell date -s YYYYMMDD.HHMMSS For example, to set the time 15:30 June 20, 2026: adb shell date -s 20260620.153000
4. Use adb shell setprop persist.sys.timezone Europe/Moscow to set time zone

After changing the time through ADB, be sure to restart your phone, otherwise some system services (such as Google Services) may not work properly.

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB Do not change other parameters unless you are sure of their purpose.

How to fix typical time problems on Xiaomi

Let’s look at the most common mistakes and their solutions:

If none of these methods worked, try resetting your network settings:

1. Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings.
2. Confirm the reset and restart the phone.
3. Custom core installation (power users only): Requires bootloader unlock and root rights. We recommend FrancoKernel or Perseus kernels for stable RTC operation.

Cleaning the cache through Recovery

Turn off the phone → Press down Power + Volume Up → Select Wipe Cache

If the problem occurs after the MIUI beta, wait for the official patch. Usually, the fixes are released within 1-2 weeks.

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Before rolling back the firmware, back up your data via Settings → About Phone → Backup. This will save your contacts, messages and app settings.

FAQ: Frequent questions about setting up time on Xiaomi