How to bring a pedometer to the lock screen Xiaomi

Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphone owners often struggle to track physical activity without having to unlock the device. The standard MIUI shell and its newer version of HyperOS offer a lot of customization, but hidden functionality sometimes requires careful scrutiny. In particular, the output of the step counter to the lock screen (Always On Display) is not just a matter of aesthetics, but also a way to motivate an active lifestyle, allowing you to instantly assess progress.

Many users mistakenly believe that to display walking data, you must install third-party apps from Google Play. In fact, Xiaomi's system functionality is powerful enough to provide basic health monitoring. However, energy saving algorithms often aggressively unload processes, which can cause the widget to disappear or show irrelevant data. Understanding the principles of background processes will allow you to adjust the stable operation of the meter.

In this article, we will take a look at all the customization methods available, from built-in themes to deep system settings MIUI. You will learn how to force the activity record service to run and avoid typical errors when the numbers on the screen go out after a few minutes.

Always on Display on Xiaomi

The feature is Always on Display (AOD) became the standard for AMOLED-screens used in many Redmi models and POCO. The technology is about highlighting only individual pixels, which allows you to display time, notifications and, importantly for us, a step counter, almost without consuming battery power.

To activate the basic function, you need to go to the Settings menu → Lock screen → Always On Display and Lock Screen. Always On Display should be activated here. It is important to note that in some regions or older versions of firmware, this item may be called Lock Screen without specifying. AOD. If the item is missing, it is possible that your device does not support this technology hardware or software.

Choosing the right style is a critical point. Not every dial has a zone to display step data. The system offers a gallery of preset styles, among which you need to look for those that have activity indicators. Often users skip the online tab in the store to those where more complex and functional dials with widgets are available.

• 🔋 Check the charge level: AOD It is often turned off automatically if the battery is below 20%.
• 🎨 Look for styles marked “Fitness” or “Health” in the theme description.
• ⏱ Set a work schedule AOD, to save energy at night.
• 📱 Make sure the proximity sensor is not covered by a case, this may interfere with work.

It is worth considering that on LCD-screen-screen AOD It doesn't work in the classical sense, because it requires the entire matrix to be illuminated. For these devices, Xiaomi offers an alternative in the form of a lock screen with a photo, but the functionality of widgets there is limited. AMOLED-The panels are luckier as they can use complex animated dials.

⚠️ Continuous operation Always on Display increases battery consumption 1-3% per hour depending on the brightness and complexity of the animation, it is recommended to use the "Schedule" mode or "10 seconds after pressing".

If standard settings don’t work, you should look for the Themes app. Sometimes updating the theme directory or changing the region in your phone settings (for example, India or Indonesia) opens up more dials with health widgets.

Setup of the pedometer widget through the Health app

At the heart of the ecosystem is the Mi Fitness app (formerly Mi Wear) or the built-in Health app, which collects data from the accelerometer and gyroscope, and in order for the widget on the lock screen to display relevant information, it is necessary to ensure that these applications work seamlessly in the background.

First, open the Health app and make sure it has all the permissions you need. Go to Settings → Permissions Management and allow access to data on physical activity, auto-start and background. Without Auto-Start permission, MIUI will kill the step counting process when you clear the memory.

Then you have to configure the widget display. In some versions of the shell, the path looks like this: Settings → Lock screen → Activity statistics. Here you can choose which data to show: steps, distance traveled or calories burned. If there is no such item, the widget integrates through the selected design theme, which takes data from the Health app.

It's important to set up syncs correctly. If you have a smartwatch or a Mi Band bracelet, the data may be late. In the Mi Fitness app settings, find "Sync with Mi Health" and turn it on, and this will create a single data center that will broadcast the information to the lock screen.

Don’t forget to update the Mi Fitness app regularly through the GetApps store or Google Play. Developers often release patches that fix bugs with widgets on new versions of Android. The old version of the app may not interact properly with the lock screen system widget.

Use of third-party themes and dials

The standard set of dials may seem boring or non-functional. Themes offers thousands of custom-designed designs, and custom themes are where the most complex pedometer widgets come in, with graphs, scale animations, and color indicators of the target.

To find the right theme, open the Topics app and search for "Steps," "Fitness," "Health" or "Activity." Notice the previews: they often show what the dial looks like on a locked screen. Only download themes from high-ranking authors to avoid errors in the widget code.

Once you have installed the theme, go to the design menu and apply the style only to the Lock Screen, which will save your main interface but change the look of the locked phone. Some themes require an additional Lock Screen plugin that will install automatically when used.

When using third-party themes, there is often a problem: the widget shows “0 steps” or does not update. This is due to the fact that the theme does not have the right to read data from the system health store. In this case, you need to go to Settings → Apps → All Applications → Themes and give the application all possible permissions, including access to files and activity data.

Problems with energy saving and background processes

The most common reason a pedometer stops working on a lock screen is aggressive battery optimization. MIUI and HyperOS are known for their strict background control. If the system decides that a Health app or Themes is consuming too much resources, it will simply stop them working and the widget will stop updating.

To prevent this, add key applications to the exclusion list. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance → Settings (cogs). Find Background Activity or Background Activity Restrictions. Here, select No Limits mode for applications: Health, Mi Fitness, Themes and System UI.

Also, turn off energy savings for these applications individually. Open Settings → Apps → All apps, find the right app, click Energy Savings and select No Limits. This is a critical step for the stable operation of widgets.

⚠️ Note: Setting "No Limits" mode for a large number of applications can lead to accelerated battery discharge in standby mode.

Another nuance is memory cleaning, so if you're used to constantly "killing" background processes through the menu of recent apps, the pedometer widget can be reset, leave the health and lock screen processes in memory, and you can pin them to your recent task list by clicking on the app icon and selecting "Lock."

Alternative widgets and apps from Google Play

If Xiaomi’s regular tools don’t meet your requirements, Google Play offers a variety of alternatives. Apps like StepsWidget, Pedometer or Health Sync can create their own widgets that are displayed on the lock screen, if they are allowed the appropriate rights.

However, on modern versions of Android (11, 12, 13, 14), the widgets on the lock screen are limited by the security system. Third-party applications often cannot directly replace the AOD system widget. They can display steps on the desktop or in the notification curtain, but not on the lock screen itself on top of the system clock.

However, there are workarounds: Some launchers and customization applications (like KLCK) allow you to create complex widgets that emulate the lock screen, but this requires you to install a separate launcher application, which can be inconvenient for everyday use.

• 📲 Use health aggregator apps to collect data from multiple sources.
• 🚫 Avoid “heavy” widgets with live animations from unknown developers.
• 🔒 Check Permissions: The app doesn’t need access to contacts to count steps.
• ⚙️ For Advanced Users: Using Tasker to Automate.

The most effective third-party solution is a bundle of Google Fit + sync app (like Health Sync), which allows you to pump data into the Xiaomi Health system app, after which the standard widget starts displaying the correct numbers, which solves the problem of sensor incompatibility.

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Tip: If the pedometer widget is stuck and shows old data, try switching the theme to standard, restarting the phone, and then returning your theme. This will restart the widget update service.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

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The stable operation of the pedometer on the lock screen Xiaomi depends not so much on the chosen theme, but on the correct settings of energy saving and permissions for the system applications "Health" and "Themes".