Many Xiaomi smartphone users are eager to maximize the personalization of the interface, wanting to see the exact time up to a second right on the lock screen or in the status bar. Standard settings of the MIUI shell or the new HyperOS often hide this feature, considering it redundant for the mass consumer, but for those who are used to controlling every minute, the lack of seconds becomes a noticeable inconvenience. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the available ways to activate the display of seconds, from simple settings in the menu to more advanced methods.
It should be noted that the interface of the system is constantly changing, and the location of items can vary depending on the firmware version and region. If you are looking for a way to turn on seconds on Xiaomi, you should be prepared for the fact that some options may be called differently or require activation through special codes. We will look at current algorithms of actions that will help you adjust the display of time according to your preferences without the need to obtain superuser rights.
It should be understood that the constant burning of the screen or frequent updating of the time indicator may be insignificant, but affect the power consumption of the device. AMOLED-screens and optimization of Xiaomi system minimize this effect, allowing you to enjoy the exact time without significant damage to autonomy.
Standard time settings in MIUI and HyperOS
The first and most obvious step is to check the basic settings of the system, as in the latest versions of the shells the functionality is constantly expanding. You need to go to the settings menu where the main parameters of the device are located.
Follow the Settings → Lock screen to see the available design options. In some versions of the firmware, there is a switch that allows you to add seconds to the main time on the locked screen. If such a switch is not explicitly available, the system can offer a choice of lock theme, where seconds are already embedded by the designer.
It’s more difficult to change the time format in the status bar, because Android doesn’t provide this option in the standard menu by default. However, HyperOS has expanded the customization of widgets. Try adding a watch widget to the home screen by choosing a style that displays seconds, which will be an alternative to the status bar.
- 📱 Go to the Settings section through the gear in the app menu.
- ⏰ Select Lock Screen or Always On Screen.
- 🎨 Check the available watch styles and availability of the "Secunda" option".
- 🔄 If you do not have an option, try changing the subject in the "Themes" app".
⚠️ Note: In stock versions MIUI Global Market (Global) ROM) Some features available in Chinese versions may be hidden or missing entirely due to regional restrictions.
If standard methods fail, don't despair, because the system provides tools for deeper customization. Often manufacturers leave Easter eggs or hidden menus for developers to activate desired functions. Next, we'll look at how to access these hidden features.
Activate hidden settings through the engineering menu
Access to advanced features, including fine-tuning the interface, often requires activating developer mode, which is a dedicated partition in the system that's designed for testing, but also available to ordinary users, and this is where many of the switches that affect operating system behavior are hidden.
To enter this mode, open the Settings app and find About Phone. You need to find the "MIUI Version" or "OS Version" string and quickly press it 7-10 times in a row. After a few clicks, the system will warn you how many times you have to press, and then tell you that the developer mode is activated.
Once activated, a new option will appear in the settings menu, Additional or Advanced Settings, where you can log in to the developer menu, and you can find a lot of options that affect animation, networking and debugging. Look for items related to displaying time or debugging the interface, although there may not be a direct "seconds" option here, which will prepare the basis for further action.
☑️ Activation of the developer mode
Be careful when changing the settings in this section, as incorrect settings can cause the device to function unstable. If you are not sure about the purpose of a particular option, it is better to leave it unchanged. Our goal is to find specific flags that affect the watch.
Use of codes to activate functions
One of the most effective ways to include hidden features on Xiaomi is to use special features. USSD-These commands allow you to instantly activate test modes that are not displayed in the GUI. The status bar seconds often use code that opens the test menu.
Enter the Phone app, ##64663##. This code opens the hardware engineering test menu, although it was possible to activate additional indicators through it for the most verified versions of MIUI. More relevant to interface settings is the code ##86569726##, which includes a Hidden Menu.
Once you have entered the code, the hidden menu is activated automatically, and you may not see any visual confirmation other than a brief notification. Then you need to go to Settings → About phone and repeatedly click on the kernel version or MIUI version to see new items that were previously hidden. In the list that opens, look for the option Time seconds in status bar or similar.
| Code. | Function | Probability of success |
|---|---|---|
| ##64663## | Equipment Test (CIT) | High (works for everyone) |
| ##86569726## | Hidden settings menu | Medium (depending on version) |
| ##4636## | Phone information | High (Android standard) |
If the code entry does not produce the desired result, it means that your firmware version has blocked the method from the manufacturer, in which case it is worth considering alternative options, such as third-party applications or changing the region.
Changing the region to unlock functions
It often happens that certain features of the interface are only available for specific countries, for example, the Indian or Indonesian versions of firmware may differ from the global ones, and changing the region in the phone settings is a safe way to try to access additional options without flashing the device.
Go to Settings → Settings → Region. The default is Russia or Global. Try changing the region to India, Indonesia or the United States. After changing the region, the phone may reboot some services, and new items may appear in the menu or available topics may change.
This method is especially effective if you want to change not only the format of the time, but also access exclusive themes in the GetApps store. Sometimes, after changing the region, additional formats that include seconds appear in the date and time settings.
⚠️ Warning: Changes in region may affect some local services, weather widgets and news feeds, and once the time settings are checked, the region can be reverted back, but the new settings may be saved.
Remember, changing your region is not a guaranteed way, as companies change policies and the functionality is leveled across regions, but it is one of the easiest steps that doesn’t require installing additional software.
Third-party applications for displaying seconds
If you don't get the second state bar enabled by system methods, Google Play apps will come to the rescue. There are many utilities that create a layer over the system interface with a clock that displays time to the right second, and this is the most flexible way to choose any typeface and color.
One popular solution is to use widgets or applications like "Seconds Widget" or "Digital Clock." Once you install this application, you'll need to allow it to be displayed over other windows, which allows you to display the panel with seconds to any part of the screen, including the top row.
The main advantage of these apps is that they are independent of either MIUI or HyperOS. They will work equally well on both old and new smartphone models. You can also set the app’s autostart to show seconds immediately after the phone is turned on.
- ⬇️ Download the time display app from Google Play.
- ⚙️ Give permission to “Display on top of other applications".
- 🎨 Customize the size, font and transparency of the widget.
- 🔋 Check the battery settings so that the system does not close the application.
💡
When using third-party widgets, be sure to add the app to the battery exception list (“No Limits”), otherwise Xiaomi will close it for energy savings and seconds will be lost.
It is worth considering that using third-party overlays can consume slightly more battery power than a native function, but for modern batteries, this effect is almost imperceptible in everyday use.
Problems and solutions
Users may face various difficulties in setting up, such as missing menu items or widgets that are unstable, and often the problem is that the system is forced to close the background processes, and to solve this, you need to set up the right energy management for the chosen application or system service.
Go to Settings → Battery → Application Search (or “Battery Consumption”). Find an application that should display seconds, or System Interface process. Set the energy saving mode to No Limits. This will prevent the system from “sleeping” the process responsible for time.
Another common problem is the conflict of topics: If you use a third-party theme, it can overlap system time settings. Try switching to a standard Classic or Default theme to see if the option you want comes up.
What if after all the settings seconds are gone?
In rare cases, a complete reset may be required, but this is an extreme measure.Before any drastic action, make sure you have tried all the mild adjustment methods.
💡
The most reliable way to get seconds on the lock screen is to use themes with built-in seconds, and for a status bar, third-party widgets with resolution to display over windows.