How to display steps on the lock screen Xiaomi: 5 proven ways

The lock screen of Xiaomi smartphone is not just protection from unauthorized access, but also a convenient place to display useful information. One of the most popular elements is a step counter that allows you to monitor activity without having to open special applications. However, not all users know how to set up this feature correctly, especially given the variations between versions. MIUI and device models.

In this article, we’ll look at all the ways you can display steps on your lock screen, from standard Mi Fitness settings to third-party widgets. You’ll learn which models support this feature out of the box, how to get around the restrictions on older firmware, and why the counter sometimes stops updating. And for those who want more customization, we’ll show you how to integrate data from Google Fit or S Health.

It is important to understand that the display of steps on the lock screen depends not only on the version. MIUI, It also has a built-in pedometer sensor, for example, Redmi’s budget models may not support this feature at the hardware level, while the flagship Xiaomi 13 or Mix 4 offer enhanced monitoring capabilities. If your smartphone does not show steps even after all the settings, the problem may lie in the absence of the necessary sensor.

1. the standard method through Mi Fitness (for the MIUI 12 and newer)

Starting with MIUI 12, Xiaomi has integrated the step counter directly into the Mi Fitness (formerly Mi Health) system app, a method that works on most modern devices, including the Xiaomi series. 11/12/13, Redmi Note 10/11 and POCO F3/F4. The main condition is the presence of the latest firmware version and an updated application.

To activate the display of steps on the lock screen:

• 📱 Open the Mi Fitness app (green leaf icon).
• ⚙️ Go to Profile. → Settings → Display on the lock screen.
• 🔄 Turn on the switch Show steps.
• 🎨 Select the display style (digits, graph or icon).

If your menu doesn’t have a Display on the lock screen, it could mean:

• ❌ Mi Fitness (update via Play Market or App Gallery).
• ❌ No support on your model (check the device specifications).
• ❌ System permissions for the application are disabled (see the section "Configure permissions").

⚠️ Note: Some of the firmware for Redmi and POCO The function can be called the step widget and is located in the Lock Screen section. → Widgets. If you can't see this, try resetting the Mi Fitness app to the factory.

2. Alternative method through "Themes" (for the purpose of MIUI 11 and older)

If your device is working on MIUI 11 or earlier, the standard method may not work, and in this case you can use the built-in theme editor, which allows you to add widgets to the lock screen. This method is suitable for models Redmi 8, Redmi Note 9, Mi 9 and other devices that support customization of the themes.

Instructions:

1. Open the Themes app (icon with brush).
2. Go to the Lock Screen section.
3. Select a theme that supports widgets (such as Mi Fit or Health).
4. Click Apply and confirm the changes.
5. Return to the lock screen and swipe left/right to activate the widget.

Not all themes support step display. If the widget doesn't appear after you use the theme, try the following:

• 🔍 Manually find a topic marked with a pedometer in the title.
• 🔄 Restart the device after applying the theme.
• 📥 Install an additional widget package via Mi Community (requires a Xiaomi account).

Update the "Themes" app to the latest version

Check for free space (minimum 200 MB)

Connect to Wi-Fi to download themes

Disable energy saving for the "Themes" application"-->

If no topic is right, you can try creating your own.

1. In the Topics app, select My profile → My subjects. → Create.
2. Download the template with support for widgets.
3. Add the Shagomer element to the Lock Screen section.
4. Save and apply the new topic.

3. Use of third-party applications (Google Fit, S Health, Pedometer)

If the built-in methods don't work, you can use third-party apps, the most popular options are Google Fit, Samsung Health (S Health), and specialized pedometers like Pedometer or Accupedo, which not only count steps, but can also integrate with the lock screen via widgets or notifications.

For Google Fit:

• 📱 Install Google Fit from the Play Market.
• 🔄 Allow access to motion sensors in the application settings.
• 📊 Enable the option to Show on the lock screen in the Settings section → Notifications.
• 🔔 Allow notifications to be displayed for Google Fit in system settings.

For the Pedometer:

• 📱 Download the Pedometer app (for example, from Leap Fitness).
• ⚙️ In the settings, select the lock widget.
• 🎨 Set the look of the counter (color, font size).
• 🔄 Activate the widget through the notification menu.

Advantages of third-party applications:

⚠️ Note: Some apps (e.g. S Health) may conflict with Xiaomi’s built-in pedometer, resulting in double step counting.To avoid this, disable the meter in Mi Fitness before using third-party software.

4. Set up permits for correct operation of the counter

💡

Without the right permissions, no app will be able to display steps on the lock screen. Even if you turn on the widget, no sensor access or background activity will cause crashes.

A common reason steps are not displayed is that there are insufficient permissions for the application. MIUI There are several levels of access that need to be set up:

• 🔒 Access to motion sensors: Go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → Mi Fitness (or something else) → Permits and Enable Physical Activity.
• 🔋 Working in the background: In Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization Find the App and Select Without Limits.
• 🔔 Notifications: In the notification settings for the application, turn on Show on the lock screen.
• 📱 Autostart: In Settings → Annexes → Application management → Auto Launch Add the Application to the Allowed List.

For Android 12+ and MIUI 13+ required:

• 📍 Allow Exact Location (required for pedometer calibration).
• 🔄 Enable Activity in the background in the application settings.

If after setting the permissions, the counter still does not work:

1. Reset the device.
2. Clear the app cache (Settings) → Annexes → Mi Fitness → Clear the cache).
3. Check if the antivirus or Security App is blocking sensor access.

On devices with a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor and later (for example, Xiaomi 12 Pro, Redmi). K50) You may need additional permission to access motion sensors through the developer menu. To enable it, go to Settings. → The phone. → Version. MIUI (Press 7 times, then in Settings. → Additionally. → For developers and activate Allow sensor access for third-party applications.

5. Problem Solving: Why are steps not displayed?

Even after setting it up correctly, the step counter may not appear on the lock screen, and consider the most common causes and ways to eliminate them:

If none of these methods worked, try the following:

• 🔄 Resetting Mi Fitness: Delete application data (Settings) → Annexes → Mi Fitness → Warehouse → Delete the data) and reconfigure.
• 📥 Firmware reinstallation: In rare cases, the problem lies in corrupted system files. MIUI through settings → Updating the system.
• 🛠️ Manual addition of widget: On some devices, the widget needs to be added manually. To do this, swipe down on the lock screen and click Edit (pencil icon).

💡

After the update MIUI The steps stopped showing, try to roll back to the previous version of the theme, and in the Topic app, select My Themes, find the one you used before, and reapply it.

6. Additional settings: customization of display

If you don't have enough standard step display, you can customize the look of the meter. MIUI The following options are available for the method used:

For the built-in counter (Mi Fitness):

• 🎨 Text Color: In the theme settings, select a contrasting color (white or black).
• 📏 Font size: In some topics you can choose Big, Medium or Small.
• 📊 Additional information: Activate the display of distance traveled or calories burned.

For third-party applications (Google Fit, Pedometer):

• 🖼️ Widget background: Set up transparency or color of the substrate.
• 📈 Graphs: Add a mini-graph of day/week activity.
• 🔔 Alerts: Set up notifications to reach the daily norm.

On devices with Always-On Display (AOD) (Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Redmi K60 Pro) you can display steps even on the screen off:

1. Go to Settings → Screen → Always-On Display.
2. Choose a style with pedometer support (usually labeled Fit or Health).
3. Set up display time and brightness.

If your model does not support AOD, You can use an alternative – the application Always On AMOLED (Root rights or unlocked bootloader required).

7. Comparison of methods: which way to choose?

The choice of method depends on the model of the device, version MIUI Here's a comparison of all the ways you've looked at:

Selection recommendations:

• 📱 For new devices (MIUI 13/14, HyperOS: Use the built-in method through Mi Fitness – it’s the most stable and energy efficient method.
• 🔄 For old models (MIUI 11/12): Try the method with themes or install Google Fit.
• 🎨 For maximum customization: Third-party apps (Pedometer, Accupedo) offer more options for customizing the appearance.
• 🔋 To save battery: Turn off background activity from third-party pedometers and use a built-in meter.

FAQ: Frequent Questions About Steps on Xiaomi's Lock Screen