How to change the style of the watch on the lock screen Xiaomi: all the ways from standard to hidden

Xiaomi’s lock screen is the first thing you see when you turn on your smartphone, and the watch plays a key role in how you perceive the design. Many users do not even realize that the standard dial can be replaced with one of dozens of built-in styles or even install a custom widget with animations, weather and additional information. In this article, we will analyze all the available methods, from basic MIUI settings to hidden functions and third-party applications.

It’s important to understand that customization options depend on the firmware version (MIUI 12, 13, 14 or HyperOS) and the device model. For example, the flagships of the Xiaomi 13/14 or Redmi Note 12 series support more styles than the budget Poco M5. We take these nuances into account and show universal solutions that work on most devices, and you will learn how to circumvent the system limitations if the desired style is not available in your version of MIUI.

Standard settings: how to change the style of the watch without third-party applications

The easiest way to change the look of a watch is to use the built-in MIUI tools. This method does not require super-user rights (root) and works on all devices, including Redmi, Poco and Black Shark.

1. Unlock your smartphone and go to Settings → Lock screen (or Settings → Display → Lock screen in new versions of MIUI).

2. Slip on the section "Style of watches" (in some firmware it may be called "Dial" or "Clock design").

3. Scroll down the list of available styles. Here you will find both classic analog watches and digital variants with animation, weather effects or minimalist design.

• 🔄 Dynamic styles: automatically change color depending on the wallpaper (available on the wallpaper) MIUI 14+).
• 🌦️ Weather Clocks: Displays Temperature, Precipitation and UV-index (requires the weather widget included).
• ⚡ Animated: dial with smooth transitions or interactive elements (e.g., clock-"sand").
• 🎨 Minimalistic: only time without unnecessary details (suitable for AMOLED-screen).

Once you select the style, the changes will be applied automatically, and if the new design does not appear immediately, try rebooting the device or changing the wallpaper on the lock screen — sometimes this resets the display cache.

💡

On some models (such as the Xiaomi 12T), watch styles are tied to the theme of the design. To unlock all options, set a standard MIUI theme in the theme settings.

Hidden watch styles: how to activate hidden options in MIUI

Xiaomi often hides some of the designs of the watches so as not to overload the interface, and these styles can be unlocked using code for the engineering menu or special actions.

1. Open the Phone app and enter the combination:

##6484##

(Some devices may have ##64663##.)

2. Once you enter, the MIUI Hidden Settings menu will open. Select the Lockscreen Clocks section.

3. Here you will see a complete list of styles, including those that do not appear in the standard settings. Activate your favorite option and restart your smartphone.

If the code doesn’t work, try an alternative method:

• 📱 Set the minimum brightness of the screen and turn on the Read in the notification curtain mode.
• 🔍 Go to the lock screen settings and quickly tap 5 times on the current watch style.
• 🔓 If a pop-up appears asking you to enter a password, use 123456 (standard code for hidden features). MIUI).

Watch widgets: how to install custom design through third-party apps

If built-in styles are not enough, you can use widgets from third-party developers. This method is suitable for users who want a unique design with additional features (for example, display steps, battery or currency rates).

To install the widget on the lock screen:

1. Download and install one of the apps above.
2. Create or select a ready-made watch template.
3. In the lock screen settings, activate the option Widgets or Additional Information.
4. Select the installed widget from the list.

Make sure you have enough free RAM (minimum 1.5GB)

Turn off battery optimization for the selected application

Enable the permission to “Show on top of other windows” in the application settings

Reboot your smartphone after installing the widget

-->

Important: MIUI 14 and HyperOS require developers to activate the debugging option over USB to display widgets on the lock screen (even if you don’t connect the device to a PC), due to Xiaomi’s security policy restricting third-party applications from accessing system partitions.

Problems and Solutions: Why the clock on the lock screen doesn't change

Sometimes users find that the style of the watch is not updated or resets after a reboot. Let's consider the typical reasons and ways to eliminate them:

⚠️ Note: If you are using a third-party theme from MIUI Theme Store, it can redefine the style of the watch. To fix this, return the standard theme or edit the theme manually through the Theme Editor app (available only on Chinese firmware).

• 🔋 Reset after update: MIUI Sometimes resets the lock screen settings after the update. To avoid this, make a backup through Settings before updating. → The phone. → Backup.
• 🔒 Corporate policy restrictions: If your smartphone is linked to a work account (e.g., via Microsoft Intune), the administrator can block the change in watch style. → Accounts. → Working profile.
• 🛠️ Damaged cache: Clear the System app cache UI through settings → Annexes → Application management → Show system-based → System UI. Then restart the device.

If none of the methods worked, try resetting the lock screen settings to the standard:

1. Go to Settings → System and device → Additional → Resetting.
2. Select Reset Lock Settings (not to be confused with a full reset!).
3. After resetting, re-apply the desired style of the watch.

Classical analogue

Digital with minimalist design

Animated with effects

With weather data

Castom widget from a third-party developer

-->

Customization for Advanced: Changing Clocks Through ADB and Root

Extended customization methods are available for users with unlocked bootloaders or root rights, one of which is editing the system files responsible for displaying the clock, caution: these actions can lead to unstable system operation if performed incorrectly.

To change the style of the watch through ADB:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC and activate Debugging over USB in the developer settings.
2. Open the command line on PC and type: adb shell settings put global lock_screen_clock_style [ID_style [ID_style] - numerical identifier (e.g, 12 For minimalist watches, full list ID can be found in the file /system/media/theme/default/lockscreen/clocks.xml.
3. Reset the device.

A more flexible method is available for root users:

• 📁 Use Root Explorer or Mixplorer to go to the folder /system/media/theme/default/lockscreen/.
• 🖼️ Replace style files (.apk or.png) with your custom ones by backing up the originals.
• 🔄 Change the access rights to 644 (r-w-r)--r--).

⚠️ Attention: MIUI 14+ and HyperOS file system /system It's mounted in read-only mode. To make changes, first, run the command: adb shell mount. -o rw,remount /system But keep in mind that this could cause SafetyNet issues (Google Pay, Netflix won't work) HD Other services that check the integrity of the system).

Alternative methods: Always on Display and live wallpaper

If you don’t like the standard clock on the lock screen, you can go another way – use Always On Display (AOD) Or live wallpaper with integrated time, and this is particularly relevant for devices with AMOLED-screens (Xiaomi 13 Pro, Redmi) K60), where AOD consumes minimal energy.

To set up Always On Display:

1. Go to Settings → Lock screen → Always On Display.
2. Turn on the option and select the display style. Both standard watches and custom options with date, notifications and battery are available here.
3. Activate Show Always or set your schedule (for example, only at night).

For live clock wallpaper:

• 🌌 Install the Live Wallpapers app (like WallpapersCraft or Kappboom).
• 🕒 Choose wallpaper with integrated watch (the description usually indicates Clock Widget).
• 📱 Apply wallpaper to the lock screen through Settings → Wallpaper. → Lock screen.

The advantage of this method is that you get a dynamic design that changes depending on the time of day or the weather, for example, the Earth Clock wallpaper shows the current time against the background of the rotating Earth, and the Neon Clock simulates neon signs.

💡

Using Always On Display instead of the standard clock on the lock screen saves battery power on the screen. AMOLED-displays, as only the pixels of the watch are illuminated, not the entire screen.

Comparison of methods: what way to choose

To help you determine the best customization method, we have compiled a comparative table:

For most users, the best solution is a combination of standard settings and widgets. If you want uniqueness but don't want to deal with ADB, try Always On Display or live wallpaper. Advanced users can experiment with editing system files, but only if they're prepared for the potential risks.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions