Xiaomi’s default smartphone screens display seconds-free time — just hours and minutes — to save battery life and reduce CPU load, but many users lack the usual ticking of the second hand, especially for those who follow time to the right second: athletes, traders or perfectionists.
In this article, we’ll look at all the possible ways to enable second display on Xiaomi, from standard MIUI settings to hidden features and third-party apps. The instructions are relevant for models on MIUI 14/15 (including Redmi Note 12/13, Poco X5, Xiaomi 13/14) and run on Android 12-14. If you don’t find your smartphone on the list, check the firmware version in Settings → About phone.
Spoiler: on some devices, the second hand can automatically disappear when the power saving mode is activated - few people know about this nuance, but we will tell you how to get around it.
1. Standard method through MIUI settings
The easiest method is to use the system’s built-in options, which works on most modern Xiaomi smartphones, but there are exceptions (more on this below).
Open Settings → Lock screen and find the item “Clock Style”. Depending on the version of MIUI, it can be called Time Format or Additional Settings of the watch. If there is no such item, your model does not support the function natively (go to method 2 or 3).
- ⏰ Select a style with seconds: in the list of available formats, look for options marked with C second hand or Full Clock.
- 🔄 Apply the changes: After choosing a style, return to the home screen – the second hand should appear within 10 seconds.
- ⚡ Check the power saving: if the second hand disappears, turn off the Battery mode → Energy saving (it limits the time of renewal).
On some firmware (e.g. MIUI Global for the European market), the option is hidden. In this case, try changing the system region to India or China via Settings → Additional → Region – sometimes this reveals additional settings.
⚠️ Attention: On devices with AMOLED-screens (for example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Redmi) K60 Pro) a constant display of the second hand can accelerate the burnout of pixels in the area of the clock. If you notice a “shadow” from the dial, use dynamic wallpaper or change the style of displaying time more often.
2. Hidden customization through Developer Options
If the standard method didn’t work, try activating the developer mode and turning on the second hand through hidden settings.This method works on 80% of Xiaomi devices, but requires caution – incorrect changes can lead to crashes.
First, turn on the Developer Settings:
- Go to Settings. → The phone.
- Click 7 times in a row on the MIUI version (you will be notified of becoming a developer!).
- Return to the main settings menu – there will be a new section for developers.
Now, find the second hand option, which you can use depending on the model, and it can be called:
- Force show seconds in status bar (forced to show seconds in status bar)
- Status bar clock seconds (seconds on the clock in the status line)
- Lock screen clock seconds (seconds on the lock screen)
If you don’t have this option, try adding it manually through ADB (method 3).
Developer mode activated
Backup of important data is made
Battery charge > 50%
Power saving mode is off.-->
3.Use of ADB to force the inclusion of seconds
This is the most reliable, but also the most technically sophisticated way, and it's suitable for power users, and it requires connecting a smartphone to a computer, and the advantage of this method is that it works even on devices where Xiaomi has artificially blocked the display of seconds.
You'll need:
- 💻 Computer with Windows/Mac/Linux and installed drivers ADB.
- 📱 USB-cable (preferably original).
- ⚙️ Included Debugging by USB In Settings → For developers.
Steps:
- Connect your smartphone to your PC and open the terminal (Command Prompt or PowerShell).
- Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices must appear serial number of your device.
- Execute the command to turn on the lock screen seconds: adb shell settings put system lock_screen_clock_seconds 1
- For second in the status bar, use: adb shell settings put system status_bar_clock_seconds 1
- Reboot your smartphone (adb reboot).
If the second hand doesn't appear after the reboot, check if the settings are reset. Some MIUI firmware automatically rolls back changes after the reboot, in which case, try an alternative command:
adb shell am broadcast -a com.android.systemui.demo -e command clock -e hhmmss true⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB This can cause data loss or soft-brick. Do not edit other settings unless you are sure of their purpose. status_bar_clock 0 It completely hides the clock in the status line!
What if the ADB does not recognize the device?
4. Third-party applications for displaying seconds
If none of these methods worked, use third-party apps that not only add a second hand, but also offer customization of the style of the watch, and the disadvantage of the method is the additional battery consumption (up to 5-7% per day).
The best apps for Xiaomi:
| Annex | Features | Battery consumption | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clock Widget | Widget with second hand, support for AMOLED-themes, font setting | Low (2-3%) | Google Play |
| Digital Clock 4 | Minimalist watch with seconds, integration with Always On Display | Average (4-5%) | Google Play |
| Seconds Clock | Specialized application for displaying seconds, support for MIUI | High (6-7%) | Google Play |
| KWGT Kustom Widget | Full customization of the watch (requires widget skills) | Depends on the complexity of the widget. | Google Play |
How to install the widget:
- Download the application from the table.
- Add the widget to the main screen (clasp your finger in the free space → Widgets → choose the right one).
- Set the style of the watch (most apps have the option of Show seconds).
- To save battery, turn off the widget update more than once per minute.
💡
If the widget doesn’t update the time, check the app’s permissions in Settings → Apps → Permissions. Often, access to the Exact Location (to sync GPS time) and AutoRun (to keep the widget running after the reboot) is required.
5.Always on Display (AOD) with seconds
On devices with AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi) 13 Pro, Redmi K60) You can play Always on Display (AOD) This mode shows time even on the screen off, but greatly reduces autonomy (up to the time limit). 10-15% day-time).
How to set up:
- Go to Settings → Lock screen → Always On Display.
- Select a watch style marked with C seconds (e.g. Analog watch or Digital watch with stopwatch).
- Activate Show Always or set your schedule (for example, only at night).
If your firmware doesn’t have any styles with seconds, install the theme from the Mi Theme Store:
- Open Topics → Lock screen.
- In the search, enter seconds or AOD clock.
- Download your favorite topic (many free ones).
⚠️ Warning: On some devices, Always On Display turns off when the battery is low (less than 15%).To avoid this, turn off the Automatic Shutdown option. AOD However, this can cause the phone to suddenly turn off if the charge is critically low.
💡
Always On Display with seconds is the most beautiful, but also the most voracious way. If autonomy is more important than design, use standard settings or ADB.
6.Problems and solutions
Even after a successful setup, the second hand may disappear or not work properly. Let's look at typical problems and their solutions.
| Problem. | Possible cause | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| Seconds are shown only on the lock screen, but not in the status bar. | Restriction of firmware or regional settings | Use ADB (Mode 3) or a third-party application |
| Seconds disappear after reboot | Resetting system settings | Repeat the ADB command or install auto-run for the watch app |
| Seconds “hang” for 1-2 seconds | Energy saving or background optimization | Turn off optimization for the watch application in Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization |
| No “Clock Style” option in the settings | Outdated firmware or custom assembly | Update MIUI to the latest version or use ADB |
If no solution worked, check if your device has custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience) that may have different settings. Check Settings → About Phone → MIUI – if it says anything other than the official firmware, see your build documentation.
Also, the second hand may not work on devices with an unlocked bootloader if the system files have been changed, in which case only the firmware will help.
7. Alternative ways to track seconds
If you can not turn on the second hand on the main dial - use alternative methods:
- ⏱️ Stopwatch in the notification curtain: scroll down from the top of the screen and find the Stopwatch widget. It shows the time to within milliseconds.
- 🌐 Web watches: add time.is to the home screen, showing seconds and milliseconds.
- 📱 Watch in "Do Not Disturb" mode: activate Do Not Disturb → On the lock screen will appear increased time with seconds (on some models).
- 🎵 Music player: during music playback in the status line, a track timer with seconds is displayed.
For athletes and traders, it will be useful to install specialized applications:
- Stopwatch & Timer is a stopwatch with a large display.
- Atomic Clock – synchronization of time on atomic clocks with the display of seconds.
- Forex Clock is a watch for traders with a second hand and time zones of exchanges.
💡
If you only need seconds for specific tasks (like time-measuring in a workout), it’s easier to use specialized applications than to set up a system clock.