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

Why the time widget on the lock screen Xiaomi is not changing standard methods

Xiaomi's lock screen is not just a random click protection, it's a real business card for your smartphone. This is where you display the time, date, notifications and quick action. But what if you don't like the standard watch widget and there's no obvious way to change it in the settings? This problem is familiar to many owners of devices on MIUI, the Xiaomi branded shell.

The fact is that since MIUI 12, the company has significantly limited the ability to customize the lock screen, and while it used to be easy to replace the widget through themes or third-party launchers, many options are now locked out of the box. Moreover, on some models (for example, Redmi Note 11 or Poco X5), even after installing an alternative theme, the time widget remains standard, due to security policy and the manufacturer’s desire to maintain uniformity of the interface.

In this article, we will look at all the working methods – from official (through theme settings) to hidden (using ADB and modified APKs), you will learn how to circumvent the limitations of MIUI 13/14, which models support flexible configuration, and what to do if the widget resets to factory parameters after the update.

Method 1: Replacement with standard MIUI themes (works on 60% of models)

The easiest and safest method is to use built-in themes, which is suitable for most Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones, but there are nuances:

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 14 Global (e.g. Xiaomi 13 Lite or Redmi Note 12 Pro)+) This method may not work because of the manufacturer's limitations, so you can move to method 3 or 4.

Instructions:

1. Open the Themes app (icon with brush).
2. Go to the Lock screen section (the tab at the bottom).
3. Choose any theme you like with an alternate time widget.
4. Click Apply and confirm the changes.

If the widget hasn’t changed after applying the theme, try:

• 🔄 Reboot your smartphone (sometimes changes are applied after the reboot).
• 📥 Install theme again by pre-deleting the theme app cache in Settings → Annexes.
• 🌐 Change region to India in the theme settings (some widgets are only available there).

Make sure your smartphone is connected to Wi-Fi (themes weigh up to 50MB)

Close all background applications (especially launchers)

Disable VPN (can block the download of topics)

Check the vacant space (needs a minimum of 200 MB)-->

Important: Some themes change only the background or font, leaving the time widget as standard. Look for themes marked "Full Lockscreen" or "Custom Clock" in the description.

• 🎨 Minimal OS — Minimalist watch with stopwatch.
• 🖼️ Dark Matter – Dark Theme with Animated Time.
• 🌌 Neon Glow – Neon numbers on a transparent background.

Method 2: Use of third-party launchers (for advanced users)

If standard themes don't work, you can go around the way by installing an alternative launcher that supports lock screen customization, which works on all versions of MIUI, but requires additional steps.

The best launchers to replace the time widget:

Step-by-step instructions for Smart Launcher 6 (the easiest option):

1. Download the launcher from Google Play.
2. Set it as the default launcher (a suggestion will appear at the first start).
3. Go to Settings → Lock screen.
4. Choose Customize widgets and add alternative watches.

⚠️ Attention: On Xiaomi with MIUI 14 Some launchers may conflict with system services. If after installation, lags appear or the lock screen stops working, return the standard launcher through Settings → Annexes → By default.

Method 3: Edit system files via ADB (for experienced)

If the first two fail, you'll have to resort to a more radical approach, which is editing system files, which requires an unlocked bootloader and access to ADB, but it's 100% effective.

What you need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB Tools and Xiaomi drivers.
• 📱 Smartphone with enabled debugging USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times to tap).
• 🔓 Unlocked bootloader (instructions on the official website).

Instructions:

1. Connect your smartphone to your PC and check the connection with the command: Adb devices should appear the name of your device.
2. Download modified APK widgets (e.g. MiuiClock from the 4PDA forum).
3. Set it up through ADB: adb install miuiclock_mod.apk
4. Reboot your smartphone and select a new widget in the theme settings.

adb shell pm clear com.android.systemui

It'll force the interface to be updated.-->

On Xiaomi 12/13 models with MIUI 14 Global, this method can cause a system UI stop error, in which case, before installing the APK, follow the command:

adb shell settings put global hidden_api_policy 1

Method 4: Install custom firmware (extreme case)

If none of these things worked, the last option is custom firmware, which is a radical solution that completely changes the system software, but gives you unlimited customization options.

Popular firmware for Xiaomi with support for replacement widgets:

• 📱 Pixel Experience – pure Android with Google widget.
• 🔄 LineageOS – stable firmware with open source.
• 🎨 Havoc-OS – maximum customization (including clock animation).
• ⚡ ArrowOS – light firmware with support for Substratum themes.

Pre-installing warnings:

⚠️ Warning: 1. Castom firmware is warranty-free and may contain bugs. 2. On some models (Redmi Note 10 Pro, Poco) F3) After the firmware stops working NFC or wide-angle camera. 3. Before installation, be sure to make a backup through TWRP!

Instructions:

1. Unlock the bootloader (see method 3).
2. Install TWRP Recovery for your model.
3. Download firmware and GApps (if you need Google services).
4. You can use TWRP (Wipe → Install → Reboot).

💡

The most stable firmware to replace the time widget is the Pixel Experience and LineageOS. They support most Xiaomi models and have a minimum number of bugs.

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even after successful widget replacement, users are faced with common errors.

If after all the manipulations widget has not changed, check:

• 🔍 Are there any regional restrictions (some topics only work in India or China).
• 🛠️ Is Safe Mode enabled (disables all third-party widgets).
• 📵 Does the antivirus (e.g., Avast or 360 Security) block changes to system files.

Alternative solutions: widgets on the main screen

If you can't replace the widget on the lock screen, you can go another way, which is to add an alternate clock to the home screen, and it won't solve the problem completely, but it visually compensates for the lack of customization.

The best applications for time widgets:

• ⏰ Chronus – customizable watch with weather and calendar.
• 🌡️ Another Widget – Minimalist widgets with animation.
• 🎨 KWGT Kustom Widget Maker – widget builder (requires design skills).
• 📊 UCCW — Advanced customization (supports scripts).

How to add a widget to the main screen:

1. Hold your finger in the free space of the screen.
2. Select the widgets in the menu that appears.
3. Find the right app (like Chronus) and drag the widget to the screen.
4. Set the appearance (size, color, font).

The advantage of this method is flexibility: you can place the widget anywhere, resize it, and even add additional information (weather, battery, steps), but there is a disadvantage: when you lock the screen, the clock disappears.

💡

To make the widget on the home screen look like a lock, set a transparent background and minimalist design. For example, in KWGT, use the Minimal Clock template.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions