How to set time on Xiaomi phone: automatic and manual setting

Setting the exact time on Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphones is a seemingly simple task, but many users face problems: clocks get lost after a reboot, do not sync with the network or show the wrong time zone. This is especially true for travelers, owners of devices with custom firmware or those who recently performed a reset. In this article, we will examine all the ways to adjust time, from basic automatic synchronization to manual settings and solving typical errors.

It’s important to understand that MIUI (even in the latest 14/15) can behave differently depending on the phone model, region and carrier. For example, on the Xiaomi 13 Pro and Redmi Note 12, the timing algorithm differs from older devices like the Mi 9 or POCO F1. We’ll look at universal methods, as well as nuances for specific scenarios, from lack of internet to conflicts with applications like Google Clock or Mi Fit.

Why Xiaomi is losing time: the main reasons

Before you set up a watch, you need to figure out why it doesn't work properly. Here are the most common reasons:

• 📶 No network: without a mobile internet connection or Wi-Fi, automatic time synchronization (NTP) impossible.
• ⚙️ Failure of system settings: often occurs after an update MIUI or reset to factory parameters.
• 🔄 Time zone conflict: the phone can determine it by SIM-map, GPS Or manually, and these data sometimes contradict each other.
• 📱 Energy saving mode: some versions MIUI limit background synchronization to save charge.
• 🛠️ Castom firmware: on devices with Xiaomi.EU or other modified builds, time servers can be disabled.

If your Xiaomi shows time with a delay of 1-2 hours or even "frozen" on the previous date, first check Settings → About Phone → MIUI version. On some firmware (especially Chinese) sync servers are set to Beijing time (GMT+8), which leads to discrepancies.

⚠️ Note: On devices with an unlocked bootloader after firmware is flashed via Fastboot or TWRP Time may be lost due to data resetting /data In this case, you need to reconfigure the time zone.

Method 1: Automatic time synchronization over the network

This is the simplest and most recommended method, and MIUI itself pulls up the actual data from NTP (Network Time Protocol) servers.

1. Open the settings (cog icon on the desktop).
2. Go to the section Additional settings → Date and time.
3. Activate the switches: 🔄 Autodetermining date and time 🌍 Time zone autodetermination

Wait 10-20 seconds – the phone syncs the data.

If the options are already on, but the time is still incorrect, try:

1. Disable and re-enable autodetermination.
2. Reboot your phone (sometimes cache resetting helps) NTP-service).
3. Connect to another Wi-Fi network or mobile internet (e.g. switch from 4G to 3G).

Autodetermining of date and time is included|Time zone corresponds to your region|Phone's connected to the Internet.|No active VPN (can block NTP)|Reboot completed after changes-->

On some models (such as Xiaomi 12T or Redmi K50), there may be no auto-identification option in the Date and Time menu, which means that the feature is managed at the firmware level – try updating MIUI to the latest version.

Method 2: Manually adjusting time and time zone

If automatic synchronization does not work (for example, in the absence of the Internet), you can set the time manually:

1. Go to Settings → Additional settings → Date and time.
2. Turn off the autodetermination switches.
3. Click on the Set a date and Set a time to set current values.
4. For a time zone, select your region from the list (e.g. Moscow, GMT+3).

Pay attention to the format of the time:

• 🕒 24-hour (e.g. 15:30)
• 🕘 12-hour (e.g. 3:30 a.m.) PM) — available in some regional firmware.

⚠️ Attention: On phones with double SIM-Time zone may be lost if operators use different NITZ-In this case, turn off belt autodetermination and set it manually.

Automatically over the network | Manual | Never configured |Using third-party apps-->

Method 3: Synchronize time through ADB (for advanced)

If standard methods don't work (e.g., custom firmware), you can force time updates through ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which requires a computer and enabled USB debugging.

Instructions:

1. Turn on Settings → About Phone → MIUI version (click 7 times on the line to activate developer mode).
2. Return to Settings → Additional → For developers and enable USB debugging.
3. Connect the phone to your PC, open the command line and execute: adb shell su date -s YYYYMMDD.HHMMSS where YYYYMMDD.HHMMSS is the current date and time (e.g. 20260515.143000 for May 15, 2026, 14:30:00).

To sync with the Google server, use the command:

adb shell settings put global auto_time 1


adb shell settings put global auto_time_zone 1

On devices with a locked bootloader, ADB commands requiring superuser (su) rights will not work, in which case only unlocking the bootloader or using Magisk will help.

Solving problems: time is lost after rebooting

If your Xiaomi watch resets every time you turn it off, the problem lies in one of the following factors:

• 🔋 Sat battery. CMOS (Older models like Mi 5 or Redmi 4X).
• 📁 Damaged files in the section /data (For example, after an incorrect update).
• 🔄 Conflict with time-management applications (e.g. AccuBattery or Greenify).

What to do:

1. Reset network settings: Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Resetting network settings.
2. Clear the system application cache: Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management. Find Settings (cog icon) and Watch. Press Storage → Clear cache.
3. Perform a factory reset (if other methods have not worked).

💡

Before resetting, check if your data is saved to Mi Cloud. Go to Settings → Xiaomi Account → Mi Cloud → Synchronization and make sure that backups of contacts, messages and applications are enabled.

Features of setting the time on smart watches and fitness bracelets Xiaomi

If you have a Mi Band 7/8, Xiaomi Watch S3 or other gadget on Wear OS/Zepp OS, the timing algorithm is different from smartphones.

• 📱 Phone binding: the clock time is automatically updated when connected to a smartphone via Mi Fit or Zepp Life.
• ⚡ Autonomous mode: if the gadget is disconnected from the phone for more than 12 hours, time can be lost (especially on the Mi Band without a phone). GPS).
• 🌍 Time zone: Configured via a companion app, not on the watch itself.

To update the time on Xiaomi Watch:

1. Open the Zepp Life app.
2. Go to Profile → My Devices → Device Settings → Date and Time.
3. Activate Synchronization with the phone.
4. If the time is not updated, restart the clock (press the power button for 10 seconds).

⚠️ Note: On the Mi Band 6 and older, you may need to reset your phone to factory settings, otherwise time synchronization will not work.

FAQ: Frequent questions about setting up time on Xiaomi

💡

If time on Xiaomi is regularly lost, check your time zone settings and autosynchronization first. 90% of the time, the problem is solved by resetting the network or manually installing the correct region.