Xiaomi’s lock screen is not just a protection against random clicks, but also a convenient panel for quick access to important information. One of the most popular features among active users of the brand’s smartphones is displaying pedometer data directly on a locked screen, which allows you to monitor daily activity without having to unlock the device or open special applications.
In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can bring a pedometer to the lock screen for Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices, from standard MIUI settings to workarounds for models where the feature is hidden or disabled by default. We’ll focus on the nuances for different firmware versions (from MIUI 12 to MIUI 15) and popular problems that users face. If you want the step counter to always be at hand, read on.
Why the pedometer doesn't appear on the default lock screen
Many Xiaomi users wonder why such a useful feature is not activated out of the box. The reasons are several, and they depend on the device model, firmware version and regional settings:
- 📱 Smartphone model: on budget devices (for example, Redmi) 9A or POCO M3) The function can be disabled to save resources.
- 🔄 Version. MIUI: firmware MIUI 12.5 pedometer on lock is often hidden in deep settings.
- 🌍 Regional restrictions: In global firmware versions (e.g. Europe), some lock widgets are disabled due to legal regulations.
- 🔋 Battery Optimization: Xiaomi can automatically turn off background sensor activity if detects system is low charge.
In addition, on some devices, the pedometer is simply not calibrated, which means that the smartphone has not yet “learned” to correctly count your steps, and without pre-setting, even after activation, the widget may show incorrect data or not update at all.
Method 1: Standard settings via Lock Screen (MIUI 12.5 and later)
If your smartphone is running MIUI 12.5 or more, the easiest way to display a pedometer is to use the widget settings built in, a method that works for most modern models, including the Xiaomi 13, Redmi Note 12, and POCO F5.
Instructions:
- Open the Settings → Lock screen.
- Select Lock screen style (or Widgets in some firmware).
- Scroll down to the Additional Widgets section and find Stepmer (may be called Fitness or Health).
- Activate the switch and select the position of the widgets (the options are usually available: top, bottom or center).
- Click Ready and check the result on the locked screen.
Update MIUI to the latest version
Make sure that motion sensors are included in the settings
Turn off the power saving modes
Check that the Health app (or "Mi Fit") is installed-->
If there is no pedometer in the list of widgets, this may mean that:
- 🔍 Your model does not support the feature (relevant for devices up to Redmi Note 8).
- 🔄 You need to update the firmware (check in Settings). → The phone. → Updating the system).
- 🛠️ You need to manually activate hidden settings (more about this in the next section).
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If after activation, the pedometer does not update the data, restart the smartphone or calibrate the sensors in the Health app (section "Settings → Pedometer Calibration").
Method 2: Activate via hidden settings (for older versions of MIUI)
On MIUI 11-12 firmware or some custom builds (e.g. Xiaomi.EU), the pedometer output option may be hidden, in which case you will have to use a workaround through the developer settings or special commands.
Option 1: Through Developer Settings
- Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone and click on MIUI Version 7 times.
- Go back to the basic settings and open a new section for developers.
- Find the option to Enable Lockscreen widgets (or Force enable lockscreen widgets in English) and activate it.
- Restart the device and check for a pedometer in the standard lock screen settings.
Option 2: Through ADB-Teams (for experienced users)
If the previous method did not work, you can force the widget to be enabled via the computer:
adb shell settings put global lock_screen_widgets_enabled 1
adb shell settings put secure lock_screen_show_step_counter 1Once you've done the commands, restart your smartphone. This method works on most devices, but requires an ADB connection.
What if the ADB does not recognize the device?
Method 3: Using Third-Party Applications
If the built-in methods don't work, you can display the step counter on the lock screen using third-party utilities, which is universal, but requires additional software.
The best applications for this task:
- 🏆 Pedometer (Leap Fitness Group) – supports lock widgets and has a minimalist design.
- 📊 Google Fit – syncs with Mi Fitness and allows you to display data on the lock screen through the widget At a Glance.
- 🔧 Lock Screen Widgets – a special utility for customization of locking (requires root on some devices).
Instructions for Pedometer:
- Install the app from Google Play.
- Open it and allow access to motion sensors.
- Go to the application settings and select the Lock Widget.
- Follow the on-screen prompts for activation (may require permission to display over other windows).
⚠️ Note: Some lock widget applications request permission from Display over other apps and Accessibility Service.Be careful - only give access to proven high-rated utilities.
Problem Solving: Pedometer not updated or shows 0 steps
A common complaint of users is that the pedometer on the lock screen "freezes" or resets.
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Stepper shows 0 steps | Sensors are disabled or not calibrated | Go to Settings → Apps → Health → Permissions and enable sensor access. Calibrate in the Mi Fitness app. |
| Data not updated | Battery optimization blocks background activity | Add the Health app to exceptions: Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization → All Apps → Health → No Limits. |
| The widget disappears after the reboot | Resetting lock settings | Reactivate the widget in Settings → Lock screen. If the problem recurs, reset the lock settings to standard. |
| Shows overstated/understated data | Incorrect calibration of sensors | In the Mi Fitness app, go to Profile → Pedometer Settings → Calibration and go through the process again. |
On devices with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor (such as the Xiaomi 13 Ultra), the pedometer may conflict with the Adaptive Screen Update feature. To fix this, turn off the adaptive frequency in the display settings or set a fixed 60 Hz value.
Features for different Xiaomi models
Not all Xiaomi devices are equally supportive of pedometer display on the lock screen, here are the key nuances for the popular series:
- 📱 Xiaomi 12/13 Series: Pedometer integrated into Mi Fitness widget and activated via Settings → Lock screen → Widgets → Health.
- 📱 Redmi Note 10/11/12: Pre-configuration is required in the Mi Fitness application (Device section) → Phone. → Synchronization settings).
- 📱 POCO F3/F4/F5: The function may be disabled by default due to optimizations for game mode. → Special facilities → Lock widgets.
- 📱 Redmi 9/9A/9C: On these models, the pedometer on lock only works with third-party applications (such as Pedometer).
For devices with AMOLED-screens (for example, Xiaomi 12 Pro or Redmi) K50) It is recommended to use dark widget themes to reduce battery consumption. → Screen. → Dark mode. → Always on.
Security: How to protect pedometer data on the lock screen
Displaying a pedometer on a locked screen is convenient, but can pose a privacy risk — especially if you use a smartphone for corporate tasks or store sensitive information.
- 🔒 Hide details: In the widget settings, turn off the display of additional information (for example, distance traveled or burned calories).
- 👤 Use the second profile: set up a separate user profile to work with (in Settings) → System system → Multiple users) and disable widgets on lock for it.
- 🛡️ Set up application lock: in Settings → Confidentiality → Block applications add Mi Fitness so that without a password it is impossible to change the pedometer settings.
⚠️ Note: On some devices (e.g. Xiaomi Mi 11 Lite), lock widgets may conflict with Hidden Notifications. If notifications stop showing after activation of the pedometer, check settings in Settings → Notifications → Confidentiality.
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For maximum security, combine pedometer display with Smart Lock (Face Recognition + PIN) to quickly unlock your phone to view detailed statistics without sacrificing protection.