How to Reset Time on Xiaomi Phone: 5 Ways to Fix Date and Hours Error

Misrepresenting time on Xiaomi is a common problem that can cause app crashes, missed notifications, or synchronization errors. The watch can be in a hurry, lag, or even show the wrong date due to network failures, MIUI firmware errors, or after a battery change. In this article, we will discuss all the current ways of resetting time, from automatic synchronization to manual editing through the engineering menu.

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices are all about time-linking to NTP (Network Time Protocol) servers, which sometimes fail due to regional restrictions or carrier locks. If your phone is only a few hours apart, don't be quick to blame the device for maybe a wrong time zone or a disabled synchronization. We tested all the methods on 2020-2026 models and identified the most reliable ones.

Why Xiaomi is running out of time: 7 main reasons

Before you reset, it is important to understand the root of the problem, and here are typical scenarios where a Xiaomi watch starts lying:

  • 🌍 Incorrect time zone: after flight or upgrade MIUI The phone can automatically select the wrong region (for example, the phone can be used to select the wrong region, UTC+0 instead UTC+3 Moscow).
  • πŸ“Ά No network: without a mobile internet connection or Wi-Fi, time synchronization NTP impossible.
  • πŸ”„ Failure after update: firmware MIUI 14/15 Sometimes reset the date settings when upgrading.
  • πŸ”‹ Weak battery: If the battery is under 10%, the system may not correctly save time in non-volatile memory.
  • βš™οΈ Manual changes: the user could accidentally change the date in the settings (for example, to bypass restrictions in games).
  • πŸ› οΈ Hardware malfunctions: damage to the chip RTC (Real-Time Clock after falling or repairing.
  • 🚫 Lockdown NTP Operator: some providers (especially in China) restrict access to time servers.

If the problem occurs after a battery change or flashing, there is a high probability of hardware failure. In other cases, a software reset will help. On models with a Snapdragon processor (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro or POCO F5), time synchronizes more accurately than on cheap MediaTek chips, due to the more stable operation of the RTC module.

⚠️ Warning: If after a time reset, the phone again shows incorrect data after 1-2 hours, check the charge saving settings in the Battery section. NTP.

Method 1: Automatic time synchronization through MIUI settings

The easiest method is to enable automatic synchronization with NTP servers. It works on all Xiaomi models, including the Redmi Note 12, POCO X5 and Mi 11.

  1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
  2. Go to the section Additional settings β†’ Date and time.
  3. Activate the switches: πŸ”„ Autodetermining date and time 🌐 Time zone autodetermination

Wait 10-15 seconds – the phone should sync with the server.

If the time has not changed after the options are turned on:

  • πŸ“Ά Check your internet connection (mobile or Wi-Fi).
  • ✈️ Make sure you select the right country (e.g. Russia, not China) in the settings).
  • πŸ”„ Restart your phone – sometimes services NTP They are only launched after rebooting.

Internet connection (Wi-Fi/mobile)|Correct time zone (e.g, UTC+3 Moscow)|Included time autodetermination options|Absence VPN (can block NTP)-->

Note: Some MIUI firmware (especially global ones) have NTP servers set to China by default. If the time is 5-8 hours down, try manually selecting time.google.com or pool.ntp.org (instruction below).

Method 2: Manually changing date and time

If automatic synchronization doesn't work, you can set the time manually, which is suitable for devices without Internet access or with blocked NTP servers, for example, this is how Xiaomi owners often do when traveling abroad where roaming is disabled.

Instructions:

  1. Go to Settings β†’ Additional settings β†’ Date and time.
  2. Disable options: Autodetermining date and time Autodetermining time zone

Set a date

Set the time

Time zone

Moscow, UTC+3

After manual adjustment, the time will be saved until the next reboot or reset. If the clock is again strayed, the problem may be in the hardware (for example, a dead CMOS battery, responsible for storing time).

πŸ’‘

If you travel frequently, add the Clock widget to the home screen with multiple time zones, which will help you quickly switch between regions without manual adjustment.

Method 3: Resetting time through the engineering menu (for advanced)

If standard methods don't work, try resetting time through an engineering menu (MTK Engineer Mode or Qualcomm Diag), which is suitable for models on MediaTek chips (Redmi 9A, POCO M3) and Snapdragon (Xiaomi 12T, Redmi K50).

Instructions for MediaTek:

  1. Open the phone app and enter the combination: ##3646633###
  2. In the engineering menu, select Connectivity β†’ NITZ (Network Identity and Time Zone).
  3. Press Update NITZ – this will force the operator to update the time data.
  4. Reboot the phone.

For Snapdragon:

  1. Enter the phone app: ##4636##
  2. Go to Phone Information β†’ Set network time.
  3. Select the Update option.

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI The engineering menu can be blocked. If nothing happens after you enter the code, try using the app. MTK Engineering Mode from Google Play (MediaTek only).

What to do if the engineering menu is not opened?
On the new versions MIUI (14+) The engineering menu can be restricted. The alternative is to use the menu. ADB-team: 1. Connect the phone to the PC with debugging enabled USB. 2. Enter the command: adb shell settings put global auto_time 1 This will force automatic time synchronization.

Method 4: Reset network settings (if time is lost due to operator)

Sometimes, time errors are associated with incorrect mobile network settings, such as when an operator sends incorrect NITZ (Network Identity and Time Zone) data, and resetting network settings will help.

How to reset your network settings:

  1. Open the Settings. β†’ SIM-maps and mobile networks.
  2. Choose yours. SIM-map and click Reset Network Settings (or Reset) APN).
  3. Confirm the action and restart the phone.
  4. After turning on, check if the time has been updated.
Operator.APN nameAPNType APN
MTSmtsinternet.mts.rudefault,supl
Beelinebeelineinternet.beeline.rudefault,supl,mms
MegaFonMegafoninternetdefault,supl
Tele2.tele2internet.tele2.rudefault,supl

MTS|Beeline|MegaFon|Tele2.|Yota|Other-->

Method 5: Time Correction through ADB (for power users)

If none of these methods worked, you can force time to set up via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires a computer with Xiaomi drivers installed and USB debugging enabled.

Step-by-step:

  1. Turn on Developer Mode: Go to Settings β†’ About Phone. Click 7 times on MIUI until the notification β€œYou are a developer” appears.

USB debugging

Settings β†’ Additional settings β†’ For developers

Connect your phone to your PC and open the command line (Windows) or terminal (macOS/Linux).

adb shell


su




date -s "YYYYMMDD.HHMMSS"

Replace. YYYYMMDD.HHMMSS current date and time (e.g. 20260515.143000 for May 15, 2026, 14:30:00).

reboot

Important: Su commands require root rights. Most Xiaomi smartphones have them disabled by default. If you don't have root rights, use an alternative command without su:

adb shell settings put global auto_time 1

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB Do not change other settings through settings put unless you are sure of their purpose.

πŸ’‘

ADB is the most reliable way to reset your time, but it requires technical skills. If you're not confident in commands, you'd better use the standard MIUI settings.

What to do if nothing helps: hardware causes

If all the software methods have been tried and time on Xiaomi is still being lost, the problem may be in the hardware.

  • πŸ”‹ Battery wear and tear CMOS: on older models (Redmi) 4X, Mi A1) The chip responsible for storing time loses charge and is reset when the phone is turned off.
  • πŸ’₯ Damage after falling: impact could damage the quartz resonator on the motherboard.
  • πŸ”§ Poor repair: after replacing the display or battery could damage the plume going to the module RTC.
  • 🌑️ Overheating: If the phone overheats frequently, it can affect the accuracy of the internal clock.

How to diagnose a hardware malfunction:

  1. Turn off the phone and remove it. SIM-memory-card.
  2. Leave it off for 10-12 hours.
  3. Turn on and check the time. If it's a few hours off, the problem is CMOS-battery RTC.

Decision:

  • πŸ”§ Contact Xiaomi Service Center for Motherboard Diagnostics.
  • πŸ”‹ If your phone is older than 3-4 years, consider replacing the device – repairs may cost more than a new Redmi.

FAQ: Frequent questions about time-resetting on Xiaomi

Why is it that Xiaomi’s battery is replaced?
Replacing the battery may have damaged the plume going to the RTC (Real-Time Clock) module, or disabled the CMOS backup battery, which keeps the time off when the phone is off. Also, the problem may be a non-original low-quality battery. Try resetting the time settings through Settings β†’ Date and time or contact the service to check contacts on the board.
Can you fix time on Xiaomi without the internet?
Yes, you can manually set time through Settings β†’ Additional settings β†’ Date and time by disabling automatic timing options. However, without the Internet, time will not sync with NTP servers, so you will have to adjust it yourself after each reboot.
What is NTP and why does Xiaomi not sync time?
NTP (Network Time Protocol) is a protocol for synchronizing network time. On Xiaomi, it may not work due to: Server locking by an operator (especially in China or when using a VPN); incorrect time zone settings (for example, UTC+0 is selected instead of UTC+3); com.android.server.timezone (rebooted). Try manually specifying the time server through the ClockSync application from Google Play.
How to Spend Time on Xiaomi through Recovery
Recovery Mode is not possible, it's a menu that's only designed to install firmware and reset to factory settings. However, if you do a hard reset, the time will be set by default, but all data from your phone will be deleted. To avoid data loss, use the methods in this article.
How long does Xiaomi show you exactly?
Time accuracy on Xiaomi depends on: CPU models: Snapdragon (e.g. Xiaomi 13) synchronizes time more accurately than MediaTek (e.g. Redmi 10A). Communication quality: when the network signal is weak, NTP data can come with a delay. MIUI versions: on MIUI 14+ firmware, synchronization algorithms are improved. Under ideal conditions, the error is no more than 1-2 seconds. If the difference is more than 5 minutes, this indicates a software or hardware failure.