How to show the clock on the lock screen Xiaomi: all the ways and subtleties of setting

Xiaomi’s lock screen is not just a barrier to data protection, but also an information bar that can display time, date, notifications and even weather. However, many users face the problem: after updating the system or resetting the settings, the watch suddenly disappears from the locked screen, leaving only wallpaper or empty space. In this article, we will analyze all possible causes of lack of time on the lock screen and provide step-by-step instructions for their return, from basic settings to hidden MIUI settings.

The feature of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones is that the manufacturer regularly updates the MIUI shell, changing the layout of the menu and the logic of the functions. So the instructions that are relevant to MIUI 12 may not work on MIUI 14. We took these nuances into account and prepared universal solutions that will suit most models - from Xiaomi Mi 9 to Redmi Note 12 Pro + and POCO F5. You will also learn how to adjust the style of displaying time, change the font or color, and what to do if the clock disappears after a reboot.

Why did the clock disappear from the lock screen?

Before you turn on the watch, it's important to understand why it's gone, and there are many reasons, and each needs a different solution.

• 🔄 Update MIUI: After installing the new firmware version, the smartphone can reset the lock screen settings to factory ones, where the time display is disabled by default.
• 🎨 Change theme or wallpaper: Some custom themes from the Mi Theme Store redefine the standard look of the lock screen by removing the clock.
• 🔧 Settings Error: Accidentally tapping the Hide Sensitive Information option in the lock menu can hide the time.
• 🛠️ System failure: Rarely, but it happens that after a fall or a sharp power outage MIUI It starts to work incorrectly, dropping widgets.
• 🔒 Power saving mode: On some models (such as Xiaomi 13 Ultra), aggressive battery settings may limit background activity of system widgets.

If the watch is gone after a firmware update, try the simplest way to start is to restart your smartphone. In 30 percent of cases, it helps you get back the standard time display. If the problem persists, read on.

Method 1: Standard lock screen settings

The most obvious and quickest method is to check the basic display settings, which works on all Xiaomi models, regardless of the MIUI version:

1. Open the settings (cog icon on the desktop).
2. Go to the Lock Screen section (on some models it may be called Lock and Password).
3. Select Lock screen style or Lock screen settings.
4. Make sure the Show Clock (or Display Time) switch is on.
5. If there is no option, tap on Additional settings → Lock screen widgets.

On MIUI 14, the path may be slightly different: Settings → Display → Lock screen → Style → Set up → Show time.

Are the lock screen settings open?

Is the time display switch on?

Is there an active energy saving regime?

Have you tried to restart your smartphone?-->

If you don't have the option to turn on the watch, you're going to have a deeper problem, maybe you've lost your system settings or you've got an incompatible theme, and then you'll move on to the next one.

Method 2: Reset themes and lock screen styles

Custom themes from the Mi Theme Store often conflict with standard MIUI widgets. Even if you didn't set them consciously, the system could apply them automatically after the update.

1. Open Settings → Theme.
2. At the top of the screen, select the My Themes tab.
3. Find an active topic and click on it.
4. At the bottom of the screen, tap Remove or Reset to standard.
5. Confirm the action and restart the smartphone.

If the watch does not appear after resetting the theme, try to manually apply the standard MIUI theme:

• 🌙 Go to Settings. → Theme → Online.
• 🔍 In the search box, enter “Default” or “Standard».
• 🎨 Select the first topic in the results (usually called the topic «MIUI Default” or “Standard” MIUI») And apply it.

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If after resetting the theme, the watch appeared but disappeared after a few hours, check the settings for automatic theme updates in Settings. → Theme → Settings → Auto Update: Disable this option to avoid a recurrence of conflict.

Method 3: Configure through the MIUI Lab (for experienced users)

If standard methods don’t work, you can try turning on the watch through the hidden MIUI settings, which is suitable for advanced users, as it requires working with system parameters.

Note: changes to MIUI Lab can affect the stability of the smartphone, and on models with unlocked bootloader and custom firmware, this method can lead to system failure.

1. Activate Developer Mode: Go to Settings → About Phone. Tap 7 times on MIUI until the notification “You’ve become a developer” appears.

Settings

Additional → For Developers

MIUI Laboratory

Special capabilities of MIUI

Lock screen

Lock widgets

Always show the time.

Force the display of the clock

Reboot your smartphone.

If MIUI Lab does not have the right options, try an alternative way:

Settings → Applications → Application Management → Three points (menu) → Show system → Find the “lock screen” → Storage → Clear data

This method will reset the lock screen to factory settings, which often helps to return the clock, but remember that once the data is cleaned, you will have to reconfigure your fingerprint or pattern lock.

Method 4: Change the style of displaying time

If there is a clock on the lock screen, but it is too small, unreadable or merges with the background, you can customize it to your preferences. MIUI offers several style options:

To change the style:

1. Go to Settings → Lock screen → Lock screen style.
2. Choose one of the following (left/right) templates.
3. Click Set to change the color, font, or position of the watch.
4. Save the changes with the Apply button.

MIUI 14 has the ability to adjust the transparency of the background under the clock, which is useful if time merges with wallpaper.

• 🖌️ In the style settings menu, tap on the icon More (three dots) → Transparency.
• 🎨 Move the slider to find the optimal level (recommended) 30-50%).

Method 5: Always-On Display (AOD) Watch Problem Solving

On flagship models Xiaomi (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro, Redmi K60 Ultra) has a feature Always-On Display (AOD), which shows the time even when the screen is turned off.

• 🔋 Energy conservation: AOD It turns off when the battery is low (less than 15.
• 📱 Case conflict: Some cases with a magnet or metal inserts interfere with the approach sensor, which is why AOD non-activated.
• ⚙️ Settings AOD: Go to Settings. → Display. → Always-On Display. Make sure the Show Always switch is on. Select the display style (recommended Digital Watch for better readability).
• 🕒 Schedule: In settings AOD You can set a schedule (for example, only at night.

If the AOD is unstable (the clock appears and disappears), try:

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware MIUI 14 there is a bug that causes AOD Disables after app updates via Google Play. To fix this, disable automatic updates of system applications in the Play Market settings.

Method 6: Reset the clock through resetting (last resort)

If none of these things work, the last option is to reset the lock screen settings, which is a radical method, but it almost always solves the problem. Before you start, make sure to remember or write down your pattern lock, PIN-code or password, as after reset you will have to enter them again.

Instructions:

1. Open Settings → Memory → Backup.
2. Create a backup of the data (we recommend selecting System Settings).
3. Return to the main Settings menu and go to About Phone.
4. Slip on Reset (or Reset and Reset).
5. Select Reset Lock Settings (not to be confused with a full reset!).
6. Confirm the action and wait for the reboot.

After discharge:

• 🔑 Enter yours. PIN-unlocker.
• 🖼️ Set up the lock screen again (select style, turn on the clock).
• 📲 Restore data from backup if necessary.

⚠️ Attention: On models with MIUI For the global market (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T) Resetting lock settings can cause a temporary lock on your Mi Account (up to 24 hours).To avoid this, unplug your account in Settings before resetting. → Accounts. → Mi Account → Delete the account.

Additional tips for setting up the clock on the lock screen

Now that the clock is in place, you can optimize it for your needs. Here are some useful life hacks:

• 🌓 Automatic change of style: In Settings → Lock screen → Style can be enabled with the option “Auto-Change” so that the watch changes the design depending on the time of day.
• 🎨 Font Customization: Install a third-party font through the Mi Theme Store (Fonts section) and it will automatically apply to the lock clock.
• 🔍 Hiding Date: If the date under the clock interferes, it can be removed in the style settings (option "Show only the time»).
• 🔄 Quick Style Switching: Twice tap the lock screen to cyclically change the display style (not working on all models).

For POCO and Redmi MIUI owners, there is an exclusive feature for POCO, a dynamic watch that changes color depending on the wallpaper, to activate it:

1. Set wallpaper with a predominance of one color (for example, blue or green).
2. Go to Settings → Lock screen → Style → Dynamic clock.
3. Turn on the switch and select the intensity of the effect (recommended 70-80%).

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If the clock on the lock screen appears and disappears, check the battery optimization settings for the Lock Screen system application. Turn off the power saving for it in Settings → Applications → Application Management → Lock screen → Battery → No restrictions.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the watch on the lock screen Xiaomi