How to install a watch on the screen of the smartphone Xiaomi Redmi Note: all ways

Why Xiaomi Redmi Note doesn’t have a watch and how to fix it

You just bought a Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 Pro+ or another smartphone in the series, but the lock screen or desktop doesn't display a watch? Or maybe it does, but doesn't look the way you'd like it to? This problem is familiar to many users of Xiaomi's MIUI, the company's shell. The fact is that the manufacturer often hides the time display settings behind several menu layers or disables them altogether in standard themes.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to return a watch to the Redmi Note screen (relevant to 2019-2026 models): from basic MIUI settings to installing third-party widgets. You will learn how to change the size, style and position of the watch, and why it sometimes disappears after a system update.

Before you start settings, make sure your Redmi Note has the latest version of MIUI installed. Old firmware (below MIUI 12.5) may not have some features. Check the version in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.

Method 1: Set up the clock on the lock screen using standard MIUI settings

The easiest method is to use the built-in shell options, which is suitable for all Redmi Note models (from Note 8 to Note 13) and does not require the installation of additional applications.

Open the settings (cog icon on the desktop).
Go to Lock Screen (or Lock and Protect in older versions of MIUI).
Select the lock screen style.
Scroll down to the Clock block and tap it.
Turn on the Switch to Show the clock (if it is turned off).
Select the display style: Digital, Analog or Text.

You can also change the color of the watch, the size and the position of the watch on the screen, for example, MIUI 14 has a Dynamic Watch option that changes color depending on the wallpaper, and if you have a Redmi Note 11 or newer, try turning it on, and it looks very stylish.

Make sure the screen is unlocked

Update MIUI to the latest version

Check if the watch is hidden by the theme of the design

Reboot your smartphone (sometimes helps with glitches)

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⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI 12.0.3 for Redmi Note 9 Pro, the "Show the Watch" option may not be available, due to Xiaomi's regional restrictions.

Method 2: Adding clock widgets to the desktop

If you want to display time not only on the lock screen but also on the home screen, use standard MIUI widgets. They are available on all Redmi Note models and allow you to choose from 10+ display styles.

Instructions:

📱 Press and hold your finger in the free space of the desktop.
🔧 In the menu that appears, select Widgets.
⏰ Scroll through the list to the Watch section (usually at the beginning).
🎨 Choose your preferred style (e.g. digital watches) 4×2 or analog clock 3×3).
🖱️ Drag the widget to the desktop and adjust its position.

The MIUI watch widgets support dynamic color change under the wallpaper, as well as displaying date, weather and battery level. The Redmi Note 12 and later has a Weather Watch widget that shows the temperature and humidity of the air.

Digital (classical)

Analog (with arrows)

Textual (e.g., "It's 14:30")

Minimalistic (hours and minutes only)

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Redmi Note model	Max. the size of the watch widget	Support for dynamic wallpaper	Weather widget
Redmi Note 8/8 Pro	4×2	❌ No.	❌ No.
Redmi Note 9/9 Pro	4×3	✅ Yes. MIUI 12.5)	❌ No.
Redmi Note 10/10 Pro	5×2	✅ Yes.	✅ Yes. MIUI 13)
Redmi Note 11/12/13	5×3	✅ Yes.	✅ Yes.

If you don't like standard widgets, you can install third-party widgets from Google Play.

🌈 KWGT Kustom Widget Maker – widget builder with thousands of templates.
⏳ Chronus – watch with support for themes and additional data (calendar, weather).
🖼️ UCCW — Create a unique clock from scratch.

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If the widget doesn’t update after you install it, check the permissions for the app in Settings → Apps → Permissions → Auto Run. Many widgets require this option to work properly.

Method 3: Install custom themes with clocks

One of the most effective ways to change the look of a watch is to use MIUI themes, which change not only the style of displaying time, but also the entire interface of a smartphone, which is especially useful if your firmware does not have the option to customize the watch.

How to set the topic:

Open the Themes app (brush icon on your desktop).
Go to the Online section (you will need an Internet connection).
In the search bar, enter the query: the clock on the lock screen or the clock lockscreen.
Choose your favorite theme (pay attention to the rating and number of downloads).
Click Apply and wait for the installation to be completed.

Recommended themes for the watch:

🌌 Dark Clock – Minimalist dark color watch with animation.
💎 Crystal Clear – a transparent watch that merges with wallpaper.
🔥 Fire Clock – dynamic watch with fire effect MIUI 13+).
📱 iOS Style – iPhone-style watch (suitable for Redmi Note) 10/11).

How to return a standard theme if you don’t like the new one?

Open the Themes app → Go to My Themes → Select Standard and click Apply. All changes will be canceled, including the style of the watch.

⚠️ Attention: Some topics from the store MIUI They're advertising or collecting data. Before you install, check the reviews and the rating of the theme. If after you use the theme, your smartphone starts to slow down, delete it in Settings. → Annexes → Topics → Clear the data.

Method 4: Enabling seconds on the clock (hidden MIUI function)

By default, the MIUI clock on the lock screen only shows hours and minutes, but the system has a hidden option to display seconds, which can be activated through the developer mode or special commands.

Instructions for Redmi Note with MIUI 12.5 and later:

Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI Version. Enter the Mi Account password (if required).

Settings → Additional → For Developers

Local time with seconds

Show seconds on lockscreen

Turn on the switch and restart the smartphone.

If this option is not in the developer menu, use the alternative method with ADB:

adb shell settings put global lock_screen_show_seconds 1

For this:

Install. ADB-Drivers on PC and connect Redmi Note USB.
Enable USB debugging in the developer settings.
Execute the command above in the terminal (or via Platform Tools).
Reboot the phone.

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Displaying seconds can slightly increase battery consumption (by 1-2%), as the screen will be updated more often. If autonomy is critical, you should leave the standard time format.

Method 5: Correct problems if the clock doesn't appear

Sometimes the Redmi Note clock disappears after you upgrade, reset or install third-party launchers. Here are 4 reasons and solutions:

Problem.	Reason.	Decision
Watch disappears after MIUI update	Resetting the lock screen settings	Return settings through Settings → Lock screen → Style
The clock is not updated	Time synchronization error	Enable Auto-Time in Date and Time Settings
The clock is displayed incorrectly (greased, cropped)	Conflict with wallpaper or theme	Change the wallpaper or return the standard theme
The clock is there, but no numbers are visible.	The color of the clock blends in with the background	Change the color in the style settings of the watch or change the wallpaper

If none of the methods helped, reset the lock screen settings:

Go to Settings → System and device → Resetting.
Select Reset the lock screen settings.
Confirm the action and restart the smartphone.

⚠️ Note: Installing Magisk modules requires an unlocked bootloader and may result in a loss of warranty. MIUI 14 Some modules may not work due to Xiaomi's tightened security policy.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the watch on Xiaomi Redmi Note

Can the watch be made transparent so that it does not interfere with the wallpaper?

Yes, you can set a theme with a transparent watch (like the Transparent Clock from the MIUI store) or use the KWGT widget with a transparency setting. Redmi Note 12 and later also has the Adaptive Transparency feature in the watch style settings.

Why is the clock on the lock screen showing the wrong time?

This involves time synchronization disabled. To fix: Go to Settings → Date and Time. Enable Date and Time Zone Auto Detection options. If the problem persists, set the time manually. Also check if you have time change apps installed (like games) that may conflict with system settings.

How to remove the clock from the lock screen if it interferes?

To hide the watch: Open Settings → Lock screen → Lock screen style. Slip on the Watch block. Turn off the Show Watch switch. On some firmware (e.g. Redmi Note 9 with MIUI 12), this option can only be disabled by installing an empty theme without a watch.

Can I make a clock on the lock screen bigger?

Yes, the size of the watch is adjustable in the lock screen style settings. If the slider is not, try: Set theme with a large watch (like Big Clock). Use a KWGT widget with a customizable size. On Redmi Note 11/12, press your finger on the clock on the lock screen and the size change menu will appear.

Why did the MIUI update change the clock?

Xiaomi often changes the design of the system clock in new versions of MIUI. To return the previous look: Try to apply the old theme (if it is saved in My Themes). Install custom firmware (for example, xiaomi.eu), which has advanced watch settings. Use the Chronus widget or UCCW to create the watch manually. If the update came recently, wait 1-2 weeks - Xiaomi sometimes returns old options after user requests.