How to change the view of time on the lock screen Xiaomi: 12 or 24 hours

Xiaomi's lock screen is the first thing you see when you turn on your smartphone, and time display plays a key role here. Many users face the inconvenience of having the device default to a 12-hour format (with AM/PM notation) instead of the usual 24-hour format. Or vice versa, someone prefers an American display style. Fortunately, MIUI allows you to flexibly adjust this setting, but it is not always obvious where exactly the option is located.

Complicating the problem is that the path to settings may differ across the shell versions (MIUI 12, MIUI 13, MIUI 14), and on some models (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5) the option is hidden deeper than it seems. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to change the format of time, from standard settings to hidden functions for advanced users, and you will learn why after updating the system, the settings can reset and how to avoid it.

If you’ve just bought a Xiaomi smartphone or upgraded your firmware, don’t be surprised that the lock screen time doesn’t show the same way it did before.The manufacturer often changes the layout of options in newer versions of MIUI, and in some regional firmware (for example, India or Europe), the default time format is different.

Method 1: Change the time format through basic settings

The easiest and most versatile method is to use a standard settings menu, which works on most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices with MIUI 12 and later.

1. Open the Settings app (the gear icon on the home screen or in the application menu).

2. Scroll down and select the Additional Settings section (some models may call it System and Device).

3. Find the date and time item and tap it.

Here you'll see some options, but we're interested in the format of time. Click on this line and you'll see a window that will open with a choice between:

• 🕒 24-hour format (e.g. 15:30)
• 🕘 12-hour format (e.g. 3:30) PM)

Choose the right option, and the changes will apply to the entire interface, including the lock screen, notification panel and system applications. If the option is not in this menu, move to the next method.

Method 2: Configure via the lock screen menu (MIUI 13/14)

In the latest versions of MIUI, the manufacturer has added separate settings for the lock screen, where you can change not only the format of the time, but also the style of displaying dates, widgets and animations. This method is relevant for Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi Note 12 Pro+ and other modern models.

To get on this menu:

1. Press the empty space on the lock screen (without unlocking the device!).
2. At the bottom of the screen will appear button Settings lock screen – tap it.
3. Select the Style or Watch tab (name depends on the model).
4. Scroll down to the time format item and select the desired option.

If this doesn’t work, check to see if your developer mode is disabled — sometimes it blocks access to some lock screen settings. Also make sure the device has official firmware installed, not custom (like LineageOS), where menus may differ.

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On some models (e.g. POCO F5), the option is hidden behind a long tap by the clock on the lock screen. Try holding your finger for 2-3 seconds and the context menu will appear.

Method 3: Using Developer Mode (for Power Users)

If standard methods have not helped, and the format of the lock screen time is persistently changing, you can try to activate hidden settings through the developer mode. This method is suitable for devices with MIUI 12.5 and older, but requires caution - incorrect actions can lead to system failures.

Algorithm of action:

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and tap the MIUI Version 7 times. A notification will appear about unlocking the mode.
2. Go back to the main settings menu and open a new section for developers.
3. Find the option to Enable debugging over USB and activate it (this is a must for further action!).
4. Connect your smartphone to your computer and use the adb command to force you to change the time format: adb shell settings put system time_12_24 24 (substitute 24 on 12, if necessary 12-clock-form).

Once you have completed the command, restart the device. If the lock screen still shows the time in the wrong format, check if the theme of the design overlaps the setting (for more on this in the next section).

Method 4: Checking design themes and widgets

One little-known reason why the format of the time doesn't change is because of the themes or third-party widgets that override system settings, for example, if you installed a theme from the Mi Theme Store, it might have adopted its own watch style that ignores your preferences.

To rule out this factor:

• 🎨 Go to Settings. → Themes and select a standard theme (by default or by default) MIUI).
• 🔄 Remove all third-party widgets from the lock screen (to do this, press your finger on the widget and swipe it into the basket).
• 🔍 Check if you have any apps like Always On Display or Lock Screen Widgets that may conflict with your system clock.

If the format of the time changed after the theme was reset, the design was the problem, in which case either look for a theme that supports your preferred format or abandon customization in favor of a standard interface.

The main setting of the time format is checked|Developer mode activated (if necessary)|Reset the theme of design to standard|Third-party widgets removed from the lock screen|Update checked MIUI last-minute-->

Why settings are reset after the MIUI update

Many Xiaomi users are faced with the fact that after updating the firmware format of the time on the lock screen is reset to the standard (usually 12-hour for global firmware), this is due to the peculiarities of MIUI, where some settings are tied to the version of the system and reset when major updates.

To avoid this problem:

• 📱 Before updating, back up the settings through Settings → Additionally. → Backup and reset.
• 🔄 After the upgrade, don’t configure the device as new – choose Restore from backup.
• 🔧 If the reset has occurred, check the settings manually (see Method 1 or Method 2).

Important: on some models (e.g. Xiaomi 12T with MIUI 14), the time reset is associated with updating Google services, in which case only manual reconfiguration will help.

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After updating MIUI, always check the lock screen settings – even if you have recovered data from the backup, some settings (including the time format) may reset.

Compatibility table: models and versions of MIUI

Not all Xiaomi devices support changing the time format on the lock screen the same way, below is the compatibility table for popular models and firmware versions:

If your model is not in the table, try universal methods (Method 1 or Method 3). For devices with MIUI for Russia (for example, Redmi 10C) you may need to change the region in the settings, as some options depend on the localization of the firmware.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When changing the time format on the lock screen, users often make common mistakes that lead to malfunctioning of the clock or even system failures, and these are the most common:

⚠️ Warning: Never use third-party applications to change system time (such as ClockSync or Time Tuner) on Xiaomi devices with a locked bootloader.This can lead to a bootloop ( looped reboot) and require a complete reset of settings.

Other mistakes and decisions:

• 🔄 Time resets after resetting → Check if time synchronization is disabled in Settings → Date and time → Autodetermination.
• ⏱️ The clock on the lock screen is not updated → Remove the application cache System interface MIUI application settings.
• 📱 No option "Time Format" → Update to the latest version or use it ADB-command (see Method 3).

If none of the methods worked, check if your device has modified firmware (e.g. xiaomi.eu or Pixel Experience) in which case the settings may differ and manual editing of system files will be required (which is not recommended without experience).

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI for India (firmware marked with a note) IN) The option to change the format of the time can be blocked due to regional features, the solution is to change the region to Russia or Europe in the settings (but this may affect the operation of some services, for example, Mi Pay).

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions