The lock screen of Xiaomi Mi 9C (or Redmi 9C — depending on the region) displays not only notifications and wallpaper, but also time, which is often a key element of the interface. Many users want to personalize the appearance of the watch: change its size, font, display format (12/24 hours) or even the position on the screen. However, not everyone knows that the options for setting up depend on the version of MIUI and the launcher installed.
In this article, we’ll break down all the ways you can change the clock on the lock screen of the Xiaomi 9C, from the basic settings in the phone menu to hidden features that aren’t obvious at first glance.
- 🔹 Change the time format (12-hour or 24-hour)
- 🔹 Set up the style and size of the clock
- 🔹 Move the clock to another location on the screen (if supported)
- 🔹 Return the standard settings if something goes wrong
Important: some features may not be available in older versions of MIUI or custom firmware. If your Xiaomi 9C runs MIUI 12.5 and later, all of the methods described should work. For earlier versions (such as MIUI 11), some options may not be available.
1. How to change the time format (12/24 hours) on the lock screen
The simplest setup available on all versions of MIUI is to change the time display format. The default on Xiaomi 9C is usually a 24-hour format, but it is easy to change to a 12-hour (with AM/PM) or vice versa.
For this:
- Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
- Go to the section Additional settings → Date and time.
- Find the option Time format and select the desired option: 🕒 24-hour (e.g. 15:30) 🕘 12-hour (e.g. 3:30 a.m.) PM)
Close the settings – the changes will apply automatically.
⚠️ Warning: If the lock screen time hasn't updated after changing the format, try restarting your phone or turning the screen on/off. In rare cases, you'll need to reset your date and time settings (more on this below).
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If you have a two-sim, the time format may be lost when changing the time zone of one of the two-sim SIM-To avoid this, disable automatic timing in Settings → Date and time → Autodetermining and setting the time zone manually.
2. Customize the style and size of the watch through MIUI themes
The look of the watch on the lock screen is closely related to the installed theme. Xiaomi allows you to change fonts, colors and even animations of the watch through the built-in theme store.
Step 1. Open the Themes app (brush icon on the home screen).
Step 2. Go to the Lock Screen tab (or Lockscreen in English).
Step 3: Choose your favorite theme from the collection. Pay attention to the preview, where you can see what the watch will look like.
Step 4: Click Apply and confirm the changes.
Some themes offer dynamic watches (e.g., smooth color changes depending on the time of day) or minimalist options (numbers only without seconds).If you don't like any of the themes, you can download additional ones from MIUI Theme Store:
- 🎨 Minimalism – a watch with no extra details, only time and date.
- 🌌 Animated – Numbers change color or shape smoothly.
- 📱 Style. iOS/Android — A watch that simulates other operating systems.
Make sure the theme is compatible with MIUI 12.5+|
Check out other users' reviews |
Take a screenshot of the current settings in case of rollback |
Close all applications before application-->
⚠️ Warning: After installing a new theme, the watch may temporarily disappear from the lock screen. This is normal - wait until the application is completed (usually takes a long time). 10-30 If the watch doesn't show up after a minute, restart the phone.
Moving the clock on the lock screen: is it possible?
Many Xiaomi 9C users want to move their watch up, down or into the corner of the screen to make room for the weather widget or notifications. Unfortunately, standard MIUI firmware does not allow the watch to move, as its position is fixed and depends on the theme chosen.
There are two ways around, however:
- Use a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher or Lawnchair) Some of them allow you to configure the lock screen, but this will require you to unlock the bootloader and get root rights, which voids the warranty.
- Install custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience) where lock screen settings are more flexible, and this is only suitable for advanced users.
❌ What can't be done:
- 🚫 Install apps from Google Play that promise to “move the clock without root” is a scam.
- 🚫 Manually edit system files (e.g, framework-res.apk) Without a backup, this will lead to a bootloop (cyclical reboot).
What's a bootloop?
4. Resetting time and date settings: if the clock is lost
Sometimes after the update MIUI shift SIM-The clock on the lock screen starts to show incorrectly: show the wrong time, reset at 00:00 or disappear altogether.
Instructions:
- Open Settings → System → Date and time.
- Turn off the autodetermination option (if enabled).
- Manually set the correct date, time and time zone.
- Reboot the phone.
- After rebooting, turn on Autodetermination again (if necessary).
If the problem has not gone away, try clearing the Clock app cache:
- Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
- Find the Watch (or Clock) app.
- Click Clear the cache and Stop.
Critical information: If after the time reset, the phone stopped determining the network (no signal) SIM-maps, check the settings APN In the Settings section → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Access points (APN). The operator's parameters may have been lost.
5. Hidden lock screen settings: what else can you change
In addition to the clock, the lock screen Xiaomi 9C can configure other elements that indirectly affect the perception of time.
| Parameter | Where to set up | Effect on the clock |
|---|---|---|
| Brightness of the lock screen | Settings → Display → Brightness | When the clock is low, it can be hard to see. |
| Second mapping | Depends on the topic (not everyone supports it) | You can turn on/off seconds in hours |
| Colour of the clock | Through themes or settings → Lock screen | Changes the color of numbers (white, black, color) |
| Weather widget | Settings → Lock screen → Widgets | Can close the clock in the wrong position |
🔍 Secret Mode: If you keep your finger on the clock on the lock screen for 3 seconds, on some versions MIUI You get a quick access menu to your alarm clock and your timer, and it doesn't work on all firmware.
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The most flexible lock screen settings are available in MIUI 13+ and custom firmware. If your Xiaomi 9C runs MIUI 11-12, some features may not be available.
Frequent problems and their solutions
Even after setting the clock correctly, Xiaomi 9C users sometimes encounter bugs, and here are the most common ones and ways to fix them:
- ⏳ Watches do not update: Check if Auto-Time is enabled in the settings. If so, turn it off, set the time manually, then turn it back on.
- 🔄 Watch resets after reboot: This may be due to a battery failure (if the phone is discharged to zero) or a module malfunction RTC (Try resetting to factory settings (Settings) → The phone. → Resetting settings).
- 📱 The clock has disappeared from the lock screen: It's most likely a bug of the current theme. MIUI Default or reinstall the current.
⚠️ Note: If after the update MIUI The clock on the lock screen has become displayed in Chinese (hieroglyphics), which means that the firmware is installed incorrectly, in which case only a complete flashing through the Mi Flash Tool with the right region (Global or Global) will help. EEA).