Why Xiaomi’s alarm clock might not work and how to avoid it
Xiaomi smartphones (including the Redmi, POCO and Mi line) offer several ways to set the alarm, from the standard Watch app to Google’s alternative solutions. However, many users face a situation where the alarm does not work at the appointed time, the reasons may lie in energy saving settings, incorrect time configuration, or even in the features of the MIUI firmware.
In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to set an alarm on any Xiaomi phone, including the models of 2020-2026.We will focus on settings that guarantee the alarm to work even when the energy saving mode is active.
If you use Xiaomi with custom firmware (like LineageOS or Pixel Experience), some menu items may be different, in which case we recommend you refer to the section about third-party applications.
Method 1: Standard Watch (MIUI Clock)
The most obvious and reliable way to do this is to use the built-in Watch app, which is pre-installed on all Xiaomi smartphones, and supports multiple alarm clocks, day-of-week replays, and even integration with the Mi Band (if connected).
To set the alarm:
- Open the Clock app (icon with dial).
- Go to the Alarming Signal tab (bell icon in the bottom menu).
- Press + in the lower right corner.
- Set the time with the dial or enter manually.
- Click Ready and select the Repeat Days (if necessary).
Important: If you have MIUI 14 or newer, the alarm settings have the option to skip if your phone is turned off, turn it off so that the alarm goes off even after the device has restarted.
The correct time is indicated|Selected day of the week (if necessary)|Disabled option "Pass off when switched off"|Volume level is not in "No sound" mode"-->
Method 2: Google Clock is an alternative to reliability
If Xiaomi’s standard alarm clock lets you down, try the Google Clock app, which is pre-installed on most models (except some low-end Redmis for the Chinese market), and the main advantage is that it works consistently even when it’s aggressively energy efficient.
Instructions:
- 🔍 Find Clock Apps (from Google) or install from Play Market.
- 🔔 Go to the Alarm tab and click +.
- ⏰ Set a time, choose repetition days and a melody.
- 🔧 In additional settings, turn on Adaptive Volume (the alarm clock will become louder gradually).
The advantage of Google Clock is sync with your Google account, so if you log in to the same account on a different device, the alarm clocks will automatically be moved.
Standard Watch (MIUI)|Google Clock|Sleep as Android, etc. |Do not use an alarm clock on your phone-->
Method 3: Voice Assistant (Google Assistant or XiaoAI)
If you're too lazy to dig through the menu, you can set the alarm clock with your voice, either Google Assistant (on global firmware) or XiaoAI (on Chinese versions of MIUI) will do that.
Teams for Google Assistant:
- 🎤 «Okay, Google, set the alarm for 7:30»
- 🎤 «Okay, Google, wake me up tomorrow at 6:00 a.m»
- 🎤 «OK, Google, add the alarm for Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 8:00»
For XiaoAI (Chinese firmware):
- 🎤 «» (Xiǎo’ài tóngxué, shèdìng yīgè nàozhōng) + time
- 🎤 «» (Míngtiān qī diǎn jiào wǒ qǐchuáng) — «Wake me up tomorrow at 7:00»
Voice alarms are automatically saved in the standard Watch app, but they can be edited there.
How to change the voice of the alarm clock in XiaoAI?
Method 4: An alarm clock with Mi Band or smartwatch
If you use a fitness bracelet Mi Band (any version) or a smart watch Xiaomi Watch, you can set the alarm right on them.This is convenient if the phone is far from the bed - the vibration on the hand will wake you up more reliably.
How to set up:
- Open the Mi Fitness app (or Zepp Life for new models).
- Go to Profile. → My devices. → [your bracelet].
- Select an alarm clock and press Add.
- Set time and days of repetition.
- Activate the Vibration option (you can select the intensity).
The synchronization with the phone is automatic, and if the alarm is set on both the phone and the bracelet, both devices will go off.
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To make sure the alarm on the Mi Band is on time, make sure that the bracelet settings are set to autosynchronize time, without which the alarm clock can be delayed by several minutes.
Method 5: Third-party applications for advanced functions
If you need additional features — like smooth awakening, sleep phase tracking, or math tasks to turn off your alarm clock — look for third-party apps.
| Annex | Features | Compatibility with MIUI |
|---|---|---|
| Sleep as Android | Sleep tracking, smart wake-up in light sleep, integration with Mi Band | Works on all versions, but requires autorun permission |
| Alarmy | A hard awakening (must be scanned) QR-code or problem solving, sleep statistics | It works well, but can be blocked by energy saving. |
| Timely | Cloud synchronization, beautiful animations, smooth volume increase | Requires to manually disable battery optimization |
To ensure that the third-party alarm clock works without failure:
- After installation, open Settings. → Annexes → Application management → [alarm-sign].
- Enable AutoRun and Allow background activity.
- Add the app to No restrictions in battery settings.
💡
Side alarms are often blocked by MIUI energy saving. Always check autostart and background settings after installation.
Frequent problems and solutions
Even a properly tuned alarm clock may not work, so let's look at the typical causes and ways to address them.
⚠️ Warning: If the alarm doesn't work when the screen is off, check the Lock and Protection settings. MIUI There is an option to turn off the alarm when blocking - it must be deactivated.
Problem 1: The alarm clock doesn't ring, even though the time has come.
- 🔋 Check the battery level (if less than 5%, the phone may shut down).
- 🔈 Make sure the phone is not in Do Not Disturb or No Sound mode.
- 🔄 Restart the device – sometimes helps to reset the hanging processes.
Problem 2: The alarm clock is triggered, but very quietly.
- 🎵 In alarm settings, select another tune (some system sounds are quieter by default).
- 📢 Check if Adaptive Sound is enabled in the settings MIUI — It can automatically turn down the volume.
- 🔊 Set the maximum volume for the alarm separately (in the sound settings).
Problem 3: The alarm clock doesn’t work in time (earlier or later).
- ⏱️ Check the time and date settings: go to Settings → Additionally. → Date and time and enable Autodetermination.
- 🌍 If you are traveling, make sure that the correct time zone is chosen.
- 🔄 Reset the settings of the Watch application (there is a Reset option in the application settings).
⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi Note 10 Pro and X-rays) POCO X3 Pro) has an alarm clock bug when using two SIM-If the phone switches between networks, time can get lost. The solution is to turn off automatic network selection in the settings. SIM-map.