Xiaomi smartphone owners often face the need to track time in two different time zones at the same time, especially for those who travel frequently, work with foreign partners or have relatives in other countries. The standard dual-watch feature in the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS allows you to display the current time of your location and selected city on the lock screen or in desktop widgets without the need to install third-party software.
Activating this option does not require deep technical knowledge, but the location of the desired switches can vary depending on the Android version and regional firmware. In some cases, users do not find the desired menu item, because it is hidden inside the settings of additional functions or lock screen settings. Understanding the logic of the Xiaomi system will help you quickly find the tool you want and customize it for your needs.
In this article, we will discuss in detail all possible ways to activate the second dial, consider the nuances of widgets and answer frequent questions that arise when synchronizing time. You will learn how to avoid common errors and make time display as informative and convenient for everyday use.
Where to find time settings in MIUI and HyperOS
The first step to setup is to go to the system menu. The MIUI and HyperOS shells have similar structure, but the names of some partitions may differ. You need to open the Settings app and find the partition that deals with system parameters. Usually this is the option or System applications, where the settings of the clock are hidden.
In most modern firmware versions, the path is as follows: go to Settings, select Additional Features (or Advanced Settings), and then find Date and Time. This is where the key switches that control the display of time zones are located. If you use the global version of firmware, the menu can be called Settings → Additional settings → Date & time.
Importantly, for automatic timing to work properly, AutoTune Time must be enabled. If your smartphone receives time from a cellular operator or via the Internet, the system will be able to accurately calculate the difference with the selected second city. Without this basic setting, the dual time display may not work correctly or completely absent.
⚠️ WARNING: If you have reflashed the device for custom build or changed the region in the settings, the standard path to the menu can be changed or hidden by developers.
For users who can't find the right partition through search, it's a good idea to check the shell version. In the new HyperOS updates, some items have been moved to the lock screen widget section, which changes the usual algorithm of actions. Always check the relevance of the interface after a major system update.
Activate the second clock through the settings menu
Once you've reached the Date and Time section, scroll down. There you'll find a block dedicated to time mapping. You'll need to find a switch called Show the Second City Time (or Double Clock), and activating this slider is the main action that triggers the mechanism of synchronizing two time zones.
Once you turn on the switch, the system will ask you to select a city for the second time zone, you can search by the name of the village or select it from the list of regions, and the smartphone will automatically calculate the time difference relative to your current location, determined through GPS or the operator's network.
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It's worth noting that choosing a city affects not only the numbers, but also the format of the date if it differs in the region you choose. Some users prefer to choose the capital of the country with which they interact most often, so that they always see the current time for calls. Once you select, confirm the action, and the lock screen will appear a second line over time.
What if the city is not in search?
Setting up the display on the lock screen
Turning on the feature in the system settings is only half the battle. To make the double clock visible when the phone is in sleep mode, you need to adjust the lock screen. Depending on the theme, the style of the watch may change. Go to Settings → Lock screen (or “Always on screen”) to make sure that the selected style supports the display of two time zones.
Some MIUI Themes themes may hide the second watch or display it incorrectly. If you don't see any changes on the locked screen after you turn on the feature in the settings, try changing the theme to a standard one or another that is compatible with system time widgets. Xiaomi's standard themes ensure that all system indicators work correctly.
Pay attention to the function as well. AOD (Always on Display. AMOLED-In the case of the screens, double clocks can also be displayed in the mode of permanent faint glow. AOD, It's a device that supports second-time zone information output, and it's particularly convenient because it allows you to see time without unlocking your phone completely.
| Parameter | Standard regimen | AOD mode | Tablet mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Visibility | When the screen wakes up | Constantly (on AMOLED) | Depends on orientation. |
| Battery consumption | Minimum | Medium. | High-pitched |
| Format | Digital/analogue | Simplified digital | Large print |
| Setting up | Automatically. | Lock screen on the menu | In the menu Special Opportunities |
Experiment with different watch styles to find the best visualization option for you, and remember that low-light readability also plays a role.
Use of widgets on the desktop
An alternative to the system clock on the lock screen is widgets on the home screen, which gives you more freedom in choosing the design and location. To add a widget, make a long press on an empty section of the desktop and select Widgets (or "Add widgets"). In the list, find the category "Clock".
Among the available widgets, there is often a separate element called Double Clock or "Clock (2 cities)" Drag it to the desktop. Unlike system settings, the widget can require a separate configuration. Press it or hold your finger to call the edit menu to specify a second city.
The advantage of widgets is that they can zoom in, and by stretching out the widget, you can make the numbers bigger or smaller, and third-party widgets from GetApps or Google Play can offer richer features, like displaying the moon phase or the weather in both cities at the same time.
⚠️ Warning: Widgets consume more RAM than system clocks. If you have a smartphone model with a small amount of RAM (3-4 GB), the use of heavy animated widgets can lead to more frequent closure of background applications.
Use widgets if you need to constantly monitor time elsewhere in the world without having to unlock your device, which is especially useful for event organizers or traders.
Solving problems with time synchronization
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the enabled double clock shows the wrong time or does not update. Most often the problem lies in the desynchronization of system time. Make sure that the date and time settings activate the Use Network Time. If this item is disabled, the phone relies on the internal clock, which may be lagging.
Another common reason is flight mode or lack of a stable Internet connection. To initially set up a second time zone and calculate the difference, the phone needs access to time servers. Try briefly turning on Wi-Fi or mobile data to allow the device to sync.
If the problem persists, try resetting the date and time settings.
- 📱 Turn off the option "Auto-Time Adjustment».
- 📱 Manually change the date to any other.
- 📱 Turn on "Time Auto-Tunes again».
- 📱 Reset the device.
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Before resetting your time settings, make sure you have internet access, as the phone will request up-to-date data from the phone. NTP-server.
In rare cases, a bug can be caused by a particular firmware version. Check for system updates in the About Phone section. Developers regularly release patches that fix system applications, including clocks and calendars.
Additional opportunities and subtleties of work
The double clock feature is integrated not only into the lock screen, but also into other system applications, for example, when you set an alarm clock, you can see how long the call will take in the selected second city, if this option is supported by the alarm interface, which helps to avoid waking colleagues or relatives at the wrong time.
Also worth mentioning is the effect of daylight/winter time switching: Xiaomi smartphones automatically count hand-to-hand translations in most countries of the world if automatic mode is chosen. However, in some regions, time laws change and the phone database may not be updated in time, in which case the time difference may be temporarily not 1 hour, but, for example, 0 or 2 hours.
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Automatic network synchronization is key to accurate time, and manually setting the second city without network time often leads to seasonal errors.
For business users, it is possible to display the time of more than two cities through the installation of special world-time widgets, but the system function is sharpened specifically for the home-work/travel pair, which simplifies the interface and makes it less congested.