How to change the color of the time on the lock screen Xiaomi: all the ways

Xiaomi’s lock screen is not just about protecting your smartphone, but also the device’s business card. The color of the watch plays a key role here: it can blend in with wallpaper, accentuate your style or just please the eye. However, not all users know that this setting can be changed, especially if it is a standard theme. MIUI. In this article, we will discuss all available ways to change the color of time, including hidden settings and bypassing system restrictions.

It is important to understand that the possibilities of customization depend on the firmware version (MIUI 12/13/14), Smartphone model (Redmi Note) 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13T Somewhere the color changes in two clicks, and somewhere you need to install a third-party theme or use it. ADB-We're going to look at the simple to the complex so you can choose the best method for your device.

If you've tried to change the color of your watch before using standard settings and you haven't found one, don't be surprised. MIUI (Starting with 14), the direct time color change feature on the lock screen has been removed from the main themes menu, but it can be returned via workarounds.

Why the color of the time on the lock screen does not change in standard ways

Many Xiaomi users are faced with what is in the themes menu (Settings) → Screen. → Themes) no option to change the color of the watch, the reasons for this are due to company policies and technical restrictions:

• 🔄 Updates MIUI: Starting with MIUI 12.5, the developers simplified theme interface by removing some customization options. The color of time is now tied to the common theme palette.
• 📱 Model range: On budget devices (Redmi) 10A, POCO M4) The functionality of the themes is reduced more than on flagships (Xiaomi 13 Ultra).
• 🌍 Regional firmware: Global (Global) and Chinese (China) versions MIUI The set of settings may differ, for example, Chinese firmware often has more customization options.
• 🔒 Manufacturer restrictions: Xiaomi deliberately blocks some settings so users download themes from the official Mi Theme Store.

Another nuance is dynamic themes that automatically adjust the color of the time to the wallpaper, in which case manual settings may not be available. To check if you have one, go to Settings. → Screen. → Topics → My themes, and look at the name of an active theme, and if it's labeled with the words "Dynamic" or "Adaptive," it means that the color of the watch changes with the background.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14 and later, trying to change the color of the time through the theme editor (Mi Theme Editor) can result in resetting all user lock screen settings.

Method 1: Color change through standard MIUI themes

The easiest method is to use built-in themes where the color of the watch is pre-set by the designers, which does not require root rights or additional programs, but the choice of colors will be limited.

Instructions:

1. Open the settings → Screen → Themes.
2. Go to the Online tab (you will need an Internet connection).
3. In the search bar, enter the query: dark clock (for dark watches) or colorful lockscreen (for color watches).
4. Select your favorite theme and click Apply.
5. After application, check the color of the time on the lock screen.

If you don’t like the overall design of the theme, but only the color of the watch suits you, you can try combining elements:

• 🎨 Apply the theme with the right color of the watch.
• 📱 Then go back to Settings. → Screen. → Topics → My subjects.
• 🔧 Click Setting (or Edit) and select other items (wallpaper, icons, fonts) from other themes.

⚠️ Note: Some of the themes in the Mi Theme Store include ads or paid items. Read reviews from other users before installing them – especially if the theme is low-rated (less than 4 stars).

Method 2: Editing a theme through Mi Theme Editor (without root)

If you don't like standard themes, you can manually edit your existing theme, and you'll need the official Mi Theme Editor app, which isn't available in all regions. If it's not in your Mi App Store, download it. APK from a trusted source (e.g. APKMirror).

Step-by-step:

1. Open Mi Theme Editor and choose Create a new theme (or Edit the current one).
2. Go to the Lockscreen section.
3. Find the Clock element and tap it.
4. In the editor that opens, select the Color tab and set the desired shade using a palette or enter HEX-code, #FF5733 orange-colored).
5. Save the changes and apply the theme.

If the option to change the color of the watch is blocked, try the following workaround:

• 🔄 Apply any third-party theme from the store first.
• 🖌️ Then open it in Mi Theme Editor – sometimes it unlocks hidden settings.
• 📲 After editing, export the theme to the.mtz file and import it back.

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If the theme editor doesn’t have the option to change the color of the watch, try first applying the Classic theme (it’s in the standard set) and then edit it. This basic template often opens up access to hidden options.

Method 3: Use ADB-Teams for Advanced Users

If previous methods have not worked, you can try changing the color of the watch after a few hours. ADB (Android Debug Bridge. This requires connecting your smartphone to your computer and basic command line knowledge. ADB It may disrupt the system.

What you need:

• 🖥️ A computer with installed Xiaomi drivers and ADB (You can download from the official Android website).
• 📱 Included debugging by USB on a smartphone (Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times tap the version, then go back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers → Debugging by USB).
• 🔌 Cable USB (preferably original).

Instructions:

1. Connect your smartphone to your computer and allow debugging over USB.
2. Open the command prompt (CMD on Windows or Terminal on macOS/Linux) and type:

adb shell settings put secure lock_screen_clock_color FF0000

Where FF0000 — it HEX-The color code (in this case red) is replaced by the color code:

• 0000FF — blue-colored
• 00FF00 — green
• FFFFFF — white-coloured
• ,000,000 is black

Once you have entered the command, restart the device. If the color hasn't changed, try an alternative command:

adb shell settings put global lock_screen_clock_color FF5733

⚠️ Note: On some devices (POCO F4, Redmi Note 11 Pro+) team ADB To change the color of the watch, the system blocks it, in which case the color may reset after the reboot, you need to create a task in Automation (in the Security app) to re-apply the command each time you turn on the screen.

Method 4: Install a custom launcher with support for themes

If you don't want to mess with ADB Or a theme editor, you can install a third-party launcher that allows you to customize the lock screen:

• 🌈 Nova Launcher: Supports plugins for the lock screen (for example, Nova Lockscreen) Allows you to change the color of the watch, fonts and even add widgets.
• 🎭 Action Launcher: Has built-in settings for locking the screen, including color schemes.
• 🔧 Lawnchair: Lightweight open source launcher and Substratum themes support.

Instructions for Nova Launcher:

1. Install Nova Launcher from Google Play.
2. Download the Nova Lockscreen plugin (available in the same store).
3. Open the launcher settings and go to Lockscreen Settings.
4. Select Clock Style and adjust the color, font and size of the watch.
5. Apply the changes and check the result on the lock screen.

Advantages of this method:

• ✅ Doesn't require root rights.
• ✅ More customization options (including animations).
• ✅ Compatible with most Xiaomi models (even on the MIUI 14).

Disadvantages:

• ❌ Some plugin functions may be paid.
• ❌ The launchers consume additional RAM.

💡

Third-party launchers are the only way to change the color of the clock on the lock screen without risk to the system. They do not require unlocking the bootloader or root rights, but can conflict with proprietary features. MIUI (for example, with gestures).

Method 5: Manual editing of theme files (for power users)

This method is suitable for those who are ready to dive into the Xiaomi file system and edit. XML-- You'll need the files manually:

• 📁 Root access or unlocked bootloader.
• 🖥️ Code editor (e.g, VS Code or Notepad++).
• 🔍 File Manager with access to system folders (e.g. MiXplorer).

Instructions:

1. Download any theme from the Mi Theme Store and apply it.
2. Go to the file. /data/system/theme/ (or /sdcard/MIUI/theme/) and find the current theme file (usually a folder with a name like com.example.theme).
3. Open the file. lockscreen_clock.xml (or similar in a text editor.
4. Find a line with textColor and change its value: <item name="lockscreen_clock_textColor">#FF5733</item>
5. Save the file, go back to the theme settings and apply the same theme again.

If the file lockscreen_clock.xml missing, try to edit. colors.xml Look for lines that contain:

• lock_clock_color
• clock_text_color
• time_color

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Before editing system files, back them up! To do this, copy the theme folder to another place (for example, on the Internet). SD-If the lock screen stops working after the changes, just return the original files.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14 HyperOS (new firmware for Xiaomi) 13/14 Manual editing of the themes can lead to a reboot cycle, in which case only resetting or flashing the settings will help.

The answer to the problem is why the color of time does not change.

If none of these methods worked, check the following points:

If your device is running HyperOS (the new firmware for Xiaomi flagships), standard methods may not work.

• 🔄 Try to roll back on MIUI 14 (if possible) if you have a model).
• 📲 Install HyperOS Theme Mod (mod for customization, available on forums) XDA Developers).
• 🛠️ Wait for the community update – developers are already working on tools for HyperOS.

FAQ: Frequent questions about changing the color of time