How to Enter Seconds on Xiaomi: The Complete Guide

Xiaomi and Redmi smartphone owners often struggle to see the exact time right down to seconds on the lock screen. The default MIUI or HyperOS settings hide this setting, leaving users only hours and minutes to use for minimal interface and battery saving, but for many users, missing seconds becomes an annoying factor, especially if task timing or just the habit of seeing full time is required.

Fortunately, there are several proven ways to get around this limitation: you can take advantage of built-in shell features, which are sometimes hidden depending on the firmware region, or install third-party widgets that do not require superuser rights. In this article, we will discuss all available methods in detail, including the use of engineering menus and third-party software.

Some methods require careful consideration when choosing themes, as not all of them support the output of the second hand or digital value. It is important to understand that the constant activation of the screen or frequent updating of widgets can slightly increase energy consumption, although on modern day devices, the power consumption of the screen is not very high. AMOLED-The difference is almost invisible.

Standard time settings in MIUI and HyperOS

Before you start installing additional apps, you should carefully consider the standard features of your shell version. In the latest updates to MIUI 13, MIUI 14 and the new HyperOS, developers periodically change the location of the lock screen design settings. Often users simply do not notice the switch responsible for time detailing.

To start, you need to go to the system settings section. The path may vary slightly depending on the model of your Xiaomi Redmi Note or the flagship Mi series. Usually the algorithm of actions is as follows: go to Settings, then select Always on the screen and lock screen. Here you should look for the option associated with the time display format.

⚠️ Note: Global versions of firmware (Global) ROM) Some design features may be trimmed compared to the Chinese versions. If you didn't find the right switch, maybe your region doesn't support this style of watch.

In some cases, the activation of seconds is only possible when you choose a certain style of watch. The system offers several options for dials, and only one or two of them are in the format of Ch:MM:SS. Try to switch the available styles to check their functionality. If the standard means of including seconds fails, move to more advanced methods.

Using design themes to display seconds

The most aesthetically and secure way to get seconds on a lock screen is to use themes from the official Themes store. Xiaomi's theme store contains thousands of designs created by both the company and independent designers. Many of them include complex dials with a second hand or a digital countdown.

To find the right theme, open the Themes app on your device. In the search bar, type in queries like "Seconds," "Clock with seconds" or "Time with seconds." The results filter will find exactly the designs that change the look of the lock screen. After loading the theme, apply it by selecting the Lock Screen component.

• 🔍 Open the "Themes" app on the main screen.
• ⌨️ Type the keyword “Seconds” or “Time” into search".
• 🎨 Select your favorite design and click "Download".
• ✅ Click "Apply" and make sure the lock screen is selected.

However, there are many quality free options that completely change the interface, and when you apply a new theme, old widgets can disappear, as they are replaced by new design elements.

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Before installing a new theme, take a screenshot of the current widget layout so that it is then easy to restore the desired elements on the desktop.

Set up widgets on the desktop

If changing the lock screen seems too radical to you, or you just want to see seconds without unlocking your phone, home screen widgets are a great solution. MIUI shell allows you to place widgets of different sizes, and there are options with precise time.

To add a widget, swipe your desktop or pinch your screen with two fingers to go into edit mode. Select Widgets at the bottom menu. Scroll through the list to the Watch section. Here you'll find a few options: analog, digital and combined. Some of the digital widgets default to display seconds.

If a standard widget only shows minutes, try resizing it. Often when you stretch a widget from 2x1 to 4x2 or 2x2, you get additional information, including seconds and date. Also look at the widgets from Google that you can add through the widget menus — they often have more flexible time formatting settings.

Use of widgets on AMOLED-Allways On Display can cause pixels to burn out if a static element burns for hours. It is recommended to use widgets only on an active desktop that goes out when blocked.

Third-party applications for exact time

When built-in capabilities are not enough, apps from the Google Play Store come to the rescue. There are many tools specializing in creating watch widgets with seconds that are more stable and look more beautiful than standard ones, often called "Clock widgets" or "Digital Clock".

One of the most popular solutions is HD Clock Widget, or something like Digital Clock Widget, and once you install it, you'll have access to dozens of styles, and the main advantage of third-party widgets is that you can fine-tune it, you can choose font, color, size, and of course, you can turn on the display of seconds.

⚠️ Warning: Third-party widgets may consume more RAM.If you have a budget smartphone model with a 3-4 GB RAM, monitor system performance after installing heavy widgets.

Installation of the widget is done in a standard way: download the app, open it, select a design and click "Add to desktop." Some applications require permission to work in the background so that the time is updated correctly even when energy is saved. Don't ignore these requests, otherwise the widget may stop updating in a few minutes.

Engineering menu and hidden settings

For advanced users, you can access hidden system settings through an engineering menu or special codes. This method does not always guarantee the appearance of seconds on the lock screen, but it allows you to change the system time format in some interfaces. Be careful: changing unknown parameters can lead to unstable system operation.

To get into the testing menu, open the Phone app and dial ##6484##. This will open the CIT (Customer Information Test) menu. However, to change system fonts and time formats, the Settings -> About Phone -> Multiple taps on the MIUI version to turn on the developer mode are more often used.

In Developer Mode, you can find Inactive Apps or animation settings, but there is usually no direct "second" switch, but in some older firmware versions, there was a command in ADB (Android Debug Bridge) that activated seconds in the status bar:

adb shell settings put secure clock_seconds 1

This command requires a connected computer and an SDK Platform Tools installed. If you decide to use ADB, make sure that the phone has USB debugging enabled. Once you have entered the command, the changes can only take effect after the device is fully rebooted. It is worth noting that newer versions of Android often ignore this command with security.

Problems with Always On Display and Seconds

The Always On Display feature is one of Xiaomi’s most popular features, allowing you to see time, notifications and battery power without touching your phone. However, turning on seconds in AOD mode has its own features and limitations that are worth knowing.

First, not all AOD styles support second displays. These are usually just large-print digital styles. Second, constantly updating the second digit (every minute 60 times) can theoretically increase power consumption, although in practice the difference is less than 1% per day. The main problem arises on IPS screens, where AOD is not supported hardware, and the phone just periodically turns on the screen.

To set up AOD with seconds, go to Settings -> Always on screen and lock screen -> Always on screen. Choose a style that visually contains seconds. If there are no seconds in either style, then for your region or phone model, this option is software-locked.

• ⚙️ Go to the settings "Always on the screen".
• 👁️ Select the option of displaying "Schedule" or "Enable for 10 seconds".
• 🎨 Check out the available dial styles.
• 🔋 Turn off the function if you notice a fast battery discharge.

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The Always On Display mode with seconds is not available on all Xiaomi models and depends on the type of screen matrix (AMOLED).

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)