Watch on the lock screen Xiaomi: how to enable, configure and fix errors

Xiaomi’s lock screen is not just a protection against random clicks, but also a source of useful information. Time and date play a key role here: they allow you to quickly navigate without unlocking the device. However, many users are faced with the fact that the watch suddenly disappears, displays incorrectly or their font is too small. In this article, we will discuss all the ways to adjust the time on the locked screen, from basic parameters to hidden MIUI functions, and also solve typical problems.

The feature of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones is that the manufacturer regularly updates the MIUI interface, changing the location of the settings. So the instructions that are relevant to MIUI 12 may not work on MIUI 14. We took these nuances into account and prepared universal solutions that will suit most models, from the Redmi Note 8 Pro to the flagship Xiaomi 13 Ultra.

If you just updated your firmware and your watch is missing from the lock screen, don't panic. 90% of the time, it's solved in 2 minutes through standard settings. And for customizers, we'll reveal the secrets to changing the watch's style, position, and even adding a second hand (yes, it's possible!).

1. Basic clock setting on the lock screen

To start with, it’s easy to turn on the time display through the standard menu, which works on all Xiaomi smartphones regardless of the model and version of MIUI (except for the very outdated firmware).

Open Settings → Lock screen. Depending on the version of the interface, the path may be slightly different:

• 📱 MIUI 12/13: Settings → Lock screen → Lock style
• 🔄 MIUI 14: Settings → Always on screen and lock → Lock screen settings
• ⚙️ For POCO: Settings → Screen Lock → Additional settings

In the menu that opens, find the option "Clock" or "Make time"; activate the slider if it's off. Here you can choose the display style (digital or analog) and position (center, top, bottom).

⚠️ Warning: On some models (e.g. Redmi 9A or POCO M3), the display option of the watch may be hidden behind the option Additional lock screen settings. If you don't find the setting, check this section.

After activation, the watch will appear on the lock screen within 1-2 seconds. If this does not happen, restart the device or check if a third-party launcher (for example, Nova Launcher or Apex Launcher) conflicts with the settings.

Make sure the option is enabled in the lock screen settings|

Reboot your smartphone |

Check if the watch is hidden by the theme of the design |

Disable third-party launchers (if you use)|

Update the firmware to the latest version-->

2. Changes in the style and size of the watch

MIUI offers several built-in time display styles, but not all users know how to change them.

1. Go to Settings → Lock screen → Lock style.
2. Select one of the suggested templates (e.g., Digital, Analog, or Minimalist).
3. Click "Apply" and confirm the changes.

If you don't like the built-in styles, you can set custom watches through themes.

• 🎨 Go to the Themes app (Brush icon).
• 🔍 In the search, type in the search for "lockscreen clock" or "lockscreen clock".
• 📲 Select your favorite theme and click "Apply".

Note that some themes only change the style of the watch, while others change the entire lock screen, including wallpaper and fonts. If after applying the theme, the watch becomes unreadable (for example, white text on a light background), return the standard style through the settings.

On smartphones with AMOLED- screens (e.g. Xiaomi 12 Pro or POCO F4 GT), the lock screen watch can automatically change color depending on the wallpaper. If you don't like it, turn off the option Adaptive Colors in the lock style settings.

3.Chronicle problems and their solutions

Sometimes the clock on the lock screen behaves strangely: disappear, show the wrong time or appear on top of other elements.

If none of these methods worked, try resetting the lock screen settings.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Lock Screen (or System UI) application.
3. Press "Storage" → "Clear the data".

⚠️ Warning: Clearing the lock screen data will reset all settings, including fingerprints and pattern lock. Before doing so, make sure to remember the Mi Account password - it may be required to unlock!

4.The secret watch features on Xiaomi

Few people know, but MIUI has some useful things to do with the time display on the lock screen, and here are the most interesting ones:

• 🕒 Second hand: On an analog watch, you can turn on the display of seconds. To do this, select the Analog with seconds style in the lock screen settings. It does not work on all models.
• 🌙 Night Mode: If you turn on Dark Mode (Settings → Screen → Dark Mode), the lock watch will automatically turn white on a black background, saving battery power on the AMOLED- displays.
• 📱 Double time: Some firmware (MIUI 13+) can display time in two time zones. To do this, activate the option Double clock in the date and time settings.
• 🔋 Watch on Always On Display (AOD): If your Xiaomi supports Always On Display, the watch will show up even when the screen is off. Enables in Settings → Always on screen.

Another hidden possibility is changing the font of the watch.

1. Set the custom font through Settings → Screen → Font.
2. Select a style that supports changing system labels (e.g., "San Francisco" or "Google Sans").
3. Restart the device – the clock on the lock will take a new font.

On smartphones with MIUI 14, a feature called Dynamic Clock has been introduced, which changes style depending on the time of day (for example, dark backgrounds at night and light during the day) to activate it:

1. Go to Settings → Lock screen → Dynamic wallpaper.
2. Select the "Dynamic Clock" option.
3. Set up a schedule for changing style.

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If you don’t like the standard time format (12/24 hours), you can change it to Settings → Additional → Date and Time → Time format. This will affect the clock on the lock screen.

5.Clock on the lock screen via ADB (for advanced)

If the standard settings don't offer the flexibility you need, you can use the ADB- commands to fine-tune it, which is suitable for users who are willing to work with a computer.

First, make sure your Xiaomi has USB debugging enabled:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Click on the MIUI version 7 times to activate the developer mode.
3. Back to Settings → Additionally. → For developers.
4. Turn on "USB Debugging."

Now connect your smartphone to your computer and execute the following commands in the ADB terminal:

adb shell settings put global lock_screen_clock_style 1 # Digital Style


adb shell settings put global lock_screen_clock_style 2 # Analog style




adb shell settings put global lock_screen_clock_position 0 # Clock in the center




adb shell settings put global lock_screen_clock_position 1 # Watch at the top




adb shell settings put global lock_screen_clock_position 2 # Watch at the bottom

Once each command is entered, the clock on the lock screen will change position or style. To return the standard settings, use:

adb shell settings delete global lock_screen_clock_style


adb shell settings delete global lock_screen_clock_position

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB This can cause system failures. Before experimenting, back up your data through Settings. → The phone. → Backup.

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ADB- commands allow you to adjust the clock on the lock screen even on firmware where standard options are limited, but this method requires caution and is only suitable for advanced users.

6. Locking watches in custom firmware (TWRP, LineageOS)

If you use informal firmware (like LineageOS, Pixel Experience or crDroid), the settings of the watch may be different. In most custom builds, the lock screen settings are placed in a separate menu.

For firmware based on Android 12+, the path is usually: Settings → Screen Lock → Watch Style.

In LineageOS and similar firmware, additional options are available:

• 🎨 Clock Color: You can choose any shade from the palette.
• 📏 Font size: Adjustable by a slider from 10% to 200%.
• 🔄 Animation: The watch can appear smoothly when the screen wakes up.

If after installing custom firmware, the watch is missing, check:

1. Compatible with your Xiaomi model.
2. The LockClock module in Magisk (if the root is used)
3. Correct installation of GApps (if the firmware without Google services, the watch may not work correctly).

You can use the /system partition backup to restore the standard time display in TWRP, but this is an extreme measure. It is much easier to reinstall the firmware from scratch.

7. Battery optimization when displaying the clock

Many users fear that constantly displaying the clock on the lock screen (especially with Always On Display) will drain the battery quickly.This is partly true, but there are ways to minimize energy consumption.

Tips for saving charge:

• 🔋 On AMOLED- screens, use dark themes — black pixels don't consume power.
• ⏱️ Set a sleep timer for AOD (e.g., turn off Always On Display at night).
• 📉 Turn off the clock animations if you don't need them.
• 🔄 Reduce the refresh rate of the screen (in Settings → Screen → Update Frequency).

To check how much power the locking clock consumes:

1. Go to Settings → Battery → Battery Use.
2. Find the process "System UI" or "Shield Lock".
3. Check the percentage of the last day.

If the consumption is too high (more than 5-7%), try:

• Turn off Always On Display.
• Set a simpler theme without animations.
• Reset the lock screen settings (as described in Section 3).

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On smartphones with AMOLED- displays (e.g., Xiaomi 13 or POCO F5), watches on a black background consume little or no battery. On LCD- screens (Redmi 9C, POCO M4), constant display of time can reduce autonomy by 10-15%.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions