How to display a watch on the screen of the Xiaomi phone: all the ways from standard to hidden

Have you just bought a new Xiaomi or updated your MIUI firmware and suddenly found that your watch is missing on the home screen? Or want to move it to another corner, change the display format or add a stopwatch? In this article, we’ll look at all the possible ways to return (or adjust) the display of time on the screen of Redmi, POCO and other Xiaomi lines – from basic settings to hidden features for power users.

The problem with the missing watches on Xiaomi is more common than it seems: after updating MIUI, resetting or even accidentally pressing, and in different versions of the firmware (from MIUI 12 to MIUI 14), the solutions may differ. We tested all the methods on current models — from Redmi Note 12 to Xiaomi 13 Ultra — so you can choose the best option without unnecessary experimentation.

1. Standard method: customize the watch widget through the themes menu

The easiest method is to use the built-in watch widget, which is available in any Xiaomi smartphone based on MIUI. This method does not require superuser rights or install third-party applications, but has customization restrictions.

To add a watch to the main screen:

1. Click on the empty space on the main screen for a long time (or make a “tick” movement with two fingers).
2. At the bottom of the screen will appear menu – select the item “Widgets”.
3. Scroll down to the Clock block (usually at the top of the list).
4. Select your favorite display style (analog, digital, date, etc.) and drag it to the main screen.

If there is no block with a clock in the widget list, this could mean:

• 🔄 Update MIUI Reset your settings – try restarting your phone.
• 🎨 A third-party theme has been installed that has removed standard widgets – go back to the factory theme in Settings → Theme.
• 🔧 System widgets disabled - check the launcher settings (about them below).

2. setting the time display in the status bar

Xiaomi watches are not only displayed on the home screen, but also in the status bar (top bar with indicators).If they are missing there, the problem may be due to system or launcher settings.

To return the clock to the status bar:

1. Open the Settings → Screen.
2. Go to the Status String section (in some versions of MIUI, this item may be called the Notification Panel).
3. Make sure the "Show Clock" switch is activated.
4. Click on the Settings of the clock and select the display format (24-hour or 12-hour).

If the option to show the watch is missing or inactive:

• 🔄 Resetting the launcher settings: go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → Launcher MIUI and press Resetting Settings.
• 🛠️ Firmware error: Update MIUI until the latest version or reset through Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.

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If the clock in the status bar is not displayed correctly (e.g., showing the wrong time), try to turn off and re-enable automatic time synchronization in Settings → Additional → Date and Time.

3. Hidden settings: activation of the watch through the developer mode

For power users who want more control over displaying time, there are hidden options in developer mode, which allows you to change the position of the watch or disable its animations, for example.

To enable the developer mode and set the clock:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Find the MIUI version and click on it 7 times in a row until the notification “You became a developer!” appears.
3. Go back to the main settings menu and open a new section for developers.
4. Scroll down to the Screen block and find options: Show the watch in full screen mode (for games and videos), Force the display of time (if the watch disappears when unlocked).

Note: on some models (e.g, POCO F5 Xiaomi 13T) In Developer Mode, Options Available force_show_clock, It can force the watch to display even in immersive mode applications (such as games or YouTube), but activation can lead to time overlays on interface elements.

4.Use of third-party launchers for customization of watches

If standard Xiaomi widgets don’t suit you, you can install a third-party launcher (such as Nova Launcher, Apex Launcher or Microsoft Launcher) that offers flexible time display settings.

Advantages of third-party launchers:

• 🎨 Unlimited customization: changing the font, color, size and position of the watch.
• ⏱️ Additional widgets: stopwatch, timer, weather and clock in one block.
• 🔄 Automatic Hiding: The watch can be configured to appear only on the home screen or at a specific time.

How to install and configure Nova Launcher:

1. Download the launcher from Google Play and install it.
2. Click the Home button and select Nova Launcher as the default launcher.
3. Long click on the main screen → Widgets → select “Clock 4×1” or another suitable widget.
4. Customize the look through the launcher menu (Nova Settings → Appearance → Watch Style).

⚠️ Note: Some launchers (such as Microsoft Launcher) may conflict with proprietary features MIUI, Check compatibility on forums before installing, such as Second Space or Child Mode, 4PDA or XDA Developers).

5 Problems and Solutions: Why the Watches Are Not Displayed

If none of the above methods worked, the problem may be due to software failures or hardware limitations.

If the problem persists, try a mild reset:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Press the power button + volume button for 10 seconds.
3. After vibration, release the buttons - the phone will restart in normal mode.

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Before resetting or flashing, be sure to back up your data via Settings → About Phone → Backup. This will save your contacts, messages and app settings.

6.Alternative methods: Always on Display (AOD) and lock screen

If you need your watch to be displayed continuously (even when the screen is off), use Always On Display (AOD). It is available on most Xiaomi smartphones with AMOLED-screens (for example, Xiaomi 12 Pro, Redmi) K50, POCO F4 GT).

How to turn on the AOD:

1. Go to Settings → Screen → Always On Display
2. Choose the display style (digital or analog clock).
3. Set up a schedule or turn on the "Always" mode.
4. Activate the “Show at Notifications” option if you want the screen to light up when new messages are posted.

For devices without AMOLED (For example, the Redmi Note 11 with IPS-screen AOD Unavailable, but you can use the lock screen:

• 🔒 Go to Settings. → Lock screen.
• 🕒 Choose the style of the watch (dynamic themes with animations are available).
• 🎨 Set up additional elements: weather, steps, notifications.

⚠️ Attention: Constant use of Always On Display increases battery consumption by 5-15% depending on the model, POCO X5 4500mAh battery, this can reduce battery life by 1-2 hours.

Make sure that:

Your smartphone supports AOD (model list: Xiaomi 11/12/13 series, Redmi K40/K50, POCO F3/F4/F5)

Power saving mode for AOD is enabled in Settings → Battery → Energy saving settings

- Battery optimization apps (such as Greenify or AccuBattery) that can block are disabled AOD-->

7.A Guide to Specific Xiaomi Models

Some Xiaomi smartphones have unique time display features. Let's look at the nuances for popular models.

Xiaomi 13/13 Pro/13 Ultra

On flagships with MIUI 14 watches can be displayed even on the secondary screen (if supported).

1. Go to Settings → Special Options → Secondary Screen.
2. Activate the "Show the clock" option.
3. Select the display style (minimalistic digital watches are available).

Redmi Note 12 Series Series

In these models, the clock in the status bar may be lost due to performance optimization.

1. Open Settings → Battery and Performance.
2. Select the "Balanced" mode (not Energy Saving).
3. Reboot the phone.

POCO F5/F4 GT

On POCO devices with MIUI firmware for POCO, the watch is configured via POCO Launcher:

1. Open the launcher settings (long press on the main screen → Settings).
2. Go to the additional → Watch on the main screen.
3. Select the position (left, center, right) and style.

Xiaomi Pad 5/6

On Xiaomi tablets, the clock on the home screen is disabled by default.

1. Go to Settings. → Screen.
2. Activate the option "Show the clock on the main screen".
3. Choose the format (24-hour or 12-hour with AM/PM).

FAQ: Frequent questions about the watch on Xiaomi