How to change the clock on Xiaomi: format, belt, widget and system settings

Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face the need to change the display of time — whether it is changing the time zone after moving, adjusting the format (12/24 hours) or adjusting the widget on the home screen. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to change the clock on devices with MIUI 14/15 firmware and Android 13/14, including hidden features and solutions to typical problems.

Incorrectly configured time can cause alarm clocks, notifications and sync to Google or Mi Account services to malfunction. For example, if your Xiaomi 13 Ultra shows time 3 hours late, the problem is not with the hardware, but with the Auto Belt Setting settings. We will show you how to fix it in 2 minutes - without resetting to factory settings.

We will focus on models with dual clocks (for example, Xiaomi 12T Pro or POCO F5), where you can display time in two time zones at once – useful for travelers or those who work with international partners, and also reveal the secret of how to return the old display of the clock in the status bar (like in MIUI 12), which many users find more convenient.

If after updating the firmware, the watch on your Redmi Note 12 began to “get lost” or the widget stopped updating, there is a separate section with solutions in the article. And for customization fans, we have prepared instructions for installing third-party watch widgets through Google Play or APK.

1. How to change the time format (12/24 hours) on Xiaomi

Xiaomi smartphones use a 24-hour format by default, but it is easy to change to a 12-hour (AM/PM) or vice versa.This setting affects the display of time in the status bar, on the lock screen and in system notifications.

To change the format:

1. Open Settings (the gear icon on the main screen).
2. Go to the section Additional settings → Date and time.
3. Slip on the item Time format.
4. Choose 24 hours or 12 hours (AM/PM).

Important! On some models (e.g. POCO X5 Pro), the path may be different: Settings → System → Date and time → Time format. If you don't have a point, upgrade to the latest version of MIUI 15.

After changing the format, check if the time has been updated in:

• 📱 Status bar (top right corner of the screen).
• 🔒 Lock screen (may need to unlock and lock the device again).
• 🔔 Notifications (e.g., WhatsApp or Telegram).

⚠️ Warning: On devices with MIUI for the global market (Global ROM), changing the time format may reset alarm settings. Before changing, check the alarm list in the Watch app!

2. time zone setting manually and automatically

If your Xiaomi is showing the wrong time, the problem is often in the wrong time zone.The system may misidentify your location, especially if you:

• 🌍 You travel between countries.
• 📡 Use VPN or a proxy.
• 🔄 Automatic belt determination turned off.

To fix this:

1. Go to Settings → Additional settings → Date and time.
2. Activate the switch automatically (network time).
3. If the time is still incorrect, turn off automatic determination and select the belt manually from the list.

Turn it off. VPN|Check the connection to the mobile network/Wi-Fi|Update location data|Reboot your smartphone-->

For models with dual SIM (for example, Xiaomi 13 Lite), the time zone can be lost when changing the main SIM- card.

1. Go to Settings. → SIM-maps and mobile networks.
2. Select the SIM- card that is used for data transfer.
3. Return to the time settings and update your belt.

3.How to add a watch widget to the main screen

Xiaomi Watch Widgets allow you to quickly view the time, date and weather without unlocking the screen.

1. Press and hold the empty space on the main screen.
2. Slip the widgets on the bottom menu.
3. Scroll the list to the Clock section.
4. Choose your favorite style (analog, digital, weather) and drag it to the screen.

The following types of widgets are available on MIUI 15:

• ⏰ Digital watches (minimalist design)
• ⏱️ Analog clock (second hand).
• 🌤️ Hours + Weather (indicates temperature).
• ⏳ World time (for multiple time zones)

💡

If the watch widget is not updated, remove it from the screen and add it again. Also check if time synchronization is enabled in the Date and Time settings.

For POCO models (e.g., POCO X6 Pro), you may need to pre-include widgets in the launcher settings:

1. Open the Settings. → Main screen screen.
2. Activate the option to show widgets.
3. Reset the device.

4 Dual Clock for two time zones

Dual Clock is useful for those who often communicate with people from other countries or travel, it allows you to display time in two time zones at once - for example, local and Moscow.

To activate the double clock:

1. Go to Settings → Lock screen.
2. Slap it on the double clock.
3. Turn on the switch and select the second time zone from the list.
4. Configure the display (can only be shown on the lock screen or in the status bar).

On Xiaomi 14 and Redmi K60, double watches support additional settings:

• 🔄 Automatic switching when changing SIM- cards.
• 📍 Binding to the second belt according to GPS.
• 🔕 Hiding the second time at certain hours.

Note that on some firmware (e.g. Xiaomi.EU), the dual watch function may not work properly, in which case it is recommended to install a third-party widget, such as Clock Widget or World Clock from Google Play.

5. Solving the problems with the clock going down

If your Xiaomi time is getting lost despite the right settings, the reasons may be:

1. synchronization failure with Google or Mi Account servers.

To correct:

1. Open Settings → Accounts and Synchronization.
2. Delete your Google account (temporary measure)
3. Reset the device.
4. Add the account again and enable time synchronization.

2. conflict with applications to save battery.

Applications like Greenify or Battery Saver can block background time synchronization to check:

• 🔋 Go to Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization.
• 🔍 Search for Google Play Services and turn off optimization.
• 🔄 Reboot your smartphone.

⚠️ Warning: On devices with unlocked bootloader and custom firmware (such as LineageOS), time may be lost due to the lack of proprietary Qualcomm drivers. In this case, only installing the official firmware MIUI will help.

3. Hardware failure (rarely).

If none of these things worked, and the clock is going down for a few minutes every day, the problem might be an RTC chip, which requires repairs at a service center.

• ⏱️ Time is straying even in Flight Mode?
• 🔋 Is the battery not swollen (can push the board)?
• 📱 Has the device fallen or been in contact with water?

6. Third-party widgets and alternative watches

If you don't like the standard Xiaomi watch, you can install third-party widgets with more flexible settings.

1. Clock Widget (by Maize)

2. Chrono Widget

3. World Clock Widget

• 📱 Optimized for MIUI.

To install a third-party widget:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Press and hold the empty space on the main screen.
3. Select Widgets → find the widget of the installed application.
4. Drag it to the screen and adjust the settings.

💡

Third-party widgets may consume extra battery due to background synchronization. Turn off auto-update if you notice an increased consumption.

For Xiaomi users with root rights, deeper settings are available through Magisk modules, for example:

7. Resetting time settings to factory

If all attempts to set up the watch fail, you can reset the time and date settings, and this doesn't affect personal data, but it will return all settings to default values.

To reset the settings:

1. Open Settings → System → Resetting settings.
2. Select Reset Date and Time Settings.
3. Confirm the action (a password may be required).
4. Reset the device.

⚠️ Warning: Some models (e.g. Redmi 10C) may not have this option, in which case complete reset, but pre-back up the data via Settings → About Phone → Backup.

After discharge:

• 🔄 Enable Automatic Date and Time Determination.
• 📡 Connect to a mobile network or Wi-Fi for synchronization.
• 🔋 Check to see if battery-saving applications block background processes.

If the problem persists, it may indicate a software failure, in which case it will help to flash the device through Fastboot or Mi Flash Tool. Firmware instructions for your model can be found in the official Xiaomi database or on forums like 4PDA.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)