Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphone owners often want to personalize their device, making it not only functional but also visually appealing. One of the most popular interface elements is a digital watch displayed on the desktop in a large format, which allows you to estimate the time at a glance without unlocking the phone or opening unnecessary applications.
The modern MIUI shell or its global version of HyperOS provides flexible tools for customizing the workspace. The user can choose a classic analog dial, minimalist numbers or even live wallpaper with an integrated timeline.
Below we will discuss in detail all available ways to display time on an increased scale, ranging from standard system tools to third-party solutions for advanced users.
Use of standard MIUI widgets
The easiest and most reliable way to bring time to the screen is to use the built-in widgets that are already preinstalled in the system. The MIUI shell offers a wide range of styles, from strict business to bright gaming, which allows you to choose the option for any design.
To activate, you need to perform a few simple steps that do not require the installation of additional software, and the system itself will offer the most suitable options, optimized for the resolution of your display.
☑️ Algorithm of installation of the widget
It's worth noting that some widgets can be dynamic, which means they can change their appearance depending on the time of day or tasks they run, making the interface more interactive and lively.
- 🕒 Press the free area of the main screen until the edit menu appears.
- 📱 At the bottom of the screen, select the Widgets (or Widgets) button).
- ⏰ Scroll through the list or use search to find the section with the clock.
- 🎨 Choose your favorite design and drag it to the desktop.
Once the widget is placed on the screen, you can resize it by pulling special markers around the edges, making the watch as large as possible by taking up half or even the entire screen of the smartphone.
Size and style setting of display time
Once the widget is on the desktop, it often requires additional customization. Standard Android tools and Xiaomi add-ons allow you to adjust not only the size, but also the color gamut, the font of numbers.
⚠️ Note: Some system widgets have a fixed set of settings. If you can't change the color or font with standard means, it's a limitation of a particular widget model, not a system error.
To change the settings, tap the widget or click on the setting button (usually a gear or slider icon) that appears when you press long, and you can turn on the date, day of the week, or even the weather in the same block.
Secrets of font customization
You should pay special attention to contrast. If you use a dark theme, make sure that the clock numbers read well against the wallpaper. In some cases, widgets have automatic color inversion.
- 🎨 Use the “Style” button to switch between light and dark dial design.
- 📏 Stretching the widget across the screen to increase the size of the numbers to the maximum.
- 🔤 In some themes, font replacement is available directly in the widget settings.
A properly configured widget becomes the centerpiece of the interface, making navigation on the smartphone more convenient and aesthetic.
Application of design themes for large dials
If standard widgets aren’t enough, the Themes store, preinstalled on all Xiaomi smartphones, is a powerful tool that allows you to completely change the visual style of the device, including the system clock and widgets.
The theme catalog has thousands of options, created by both the official designers and the user community, many of which contain unique, very large dials that cannot be obtained by standard means.
To install the theme, go to the Themes app, search for “Large Clock” or “Big Time” and select the result you like. Once you download and apply the theme, the new watch style will appear on the lock screen and on the desktop.
| Type of topic | Where to download | Impact on the battery | Features |
|---|---|---|---|
| Static (Static) | Official store | Minimum | The picture does not move, saves charge |
| Live (Live/AOD) | Theme Store / Third-Party | Medium/High | Animation, reaction to touch |
| Widget pack | Built into the theme | Depends on the widget. | Only the clock changes, not touching the icons. |
| Castomium (MTZ) | Third-party resources | Different. | Requires manual installation through theme menu |
Using themes is the fastest way to dramatically change the look of a smartphone, but it’s worth remembering that some “heavy” themes with complex animations can consume more power.
Third-party applications for customizing watches
When the system and store are scarce, users turn to third-party developers, and Google Play or GetApps (Mi Store) has a variety of widget-making apps.
One of the most popular solutions is the HD Widgets app or Overdrop. They provide a constructor in which you can assemble the watch of your dreams: choose any font, color, background, add seconds or even brand logos.
⚠️ Note: When installing third-party widgets, pay attention to the permissions requested. Watch widgets do not need access to your contacts or microphone. Excessive access rights are a sign of an unscrupulous application.
Such applications often allow time synchronization with atomic clocks over the Internet, which provides perfect accuracy, and they can display time in different time zones simultaneously, which is useful for those who often communicate with foreign partners.
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Expert advice: Before installing a heavy widget from a third-party application, back up the launcher or at least a screenshot of the current icon arrangement. This will help quickly return everything to its place if the new widget conflicts with the system.
Once you install a widget application, the process of adding to the desktop is similar to the system: long-press on the screen → Widgets → selecting the installed application. The only difference is the number of settings available within the widget itself.
Always on Display (AOD) for AMOLED screens
Owners of Xiaomi’s flagship and mid-range AMOLED-screen models have a unique feature – the Always On Display feature, which allows you to display the time and date on the black screen without consuming a lot of energy.
To activate this feature, go to Settings → Lock screen (or Wallpaper) → Always on screen. Here you can choose a display style of the clock that will be visible even when the phone is lying on the table with the screen up.
- ⚙️ Go to the lock screen settings through the main menu of parameters.
- 🌌 Activate the switch "Always on screen».
- 🖼 Select style: dial, picture or text.
- ⏲ Set up a work schedule so that the function doesn’t work at night.
This solution is ideal for those who want to see the time "close up" even without turning on their smartphone. AMOLED-Matrices bright numbers look especially contrasting and stylish.
It is important to consider that the display, even in this mode, still consumes battery power, so it is wiser to set up automatic AOD shutdown at night or at low charge.
Solving problems with widget display
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the watch widget does not appear, “flys” after a reboot or looks incorrect, most often due to battery optimization or a lack of RAM.
MIUI is known for its aggressive work with background processes, which can kill the widget process as an unnecessary resource user, and to avoid this, the widget needs to be given special permissions.
Settings → Applications → All Apps → Find a widget (or theme) → Auto Run (On) → Other permissions → Display on top of other apps (On)It’s also worth checking if the widget is installed in Sleep Mode in the battery settings. Adding an important widget to the exclusion list guarantees it to the StabWork at any time.
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The stability of the widget depends on the permissions to run and work in the background, without these settings, the system can force the widget to close to save energy.
If the widget still doesn't work properly, try removing it, restarting your smartphone and adding it again. In rare cases, cleaning the cache of the Themes or System Launcher app helps.