Many Xiaomi smartphone users are eager to make the most of their device’s health-control capabilities. One of the most sought-after features is the ability to see the number of steps taken without unlocking the phone. This is convenient during training, walking, or when you need to quickly check your daily activity. However, the standard MIUI or HyperOS shell does not always offer an obvious solution to place the meter directly on Lock Screen by default.
In this article, we'll look at all the ways you can display steps to the lock screen, look at both the built-in system and the capabilities of third-party applications that may be even more functional, learn how to configure widgets, work with access rights, and optimize the system for accurate counting.
Before you start setting up, it’s worth noting that the interfaces may vary slightly depending on the version of MIUI or HyperOS. Some features may only be available in Chinese versions of firmware, but we’ll focus on methods that work on global builds. Ready to experiment and follow the instructions carefully will help you achieve the desired result.
Standard widgets and their limitations in MIUI
The first thing that comes to mind when trying to personalize the screen is built-in widgets. There are many interface elements in the shell from Xiaomi, but their functionality on the lock screen is strictly regulated. The standard set is often limited to hours, dates and notifications, leaving little space for activity widgets.
In the latest versions of MIUI 14 and HyperOS, developers have begun to introduce more customization options, but the pedometer is still not the basic element of Lock Screen in global firmware.Users may find a situation where the step widget is only available on the desktop or in Always On Display (AOD), but not on the unlock screen.
- 📱 The standard lock screen supports a limited set of widgets.
- ⚙️ Always On Display often requires separate activation in settings.
- 🚫 Direct step output on Lock Screen without third-party software is often impossible.
It’s important to understand the difference between a lock screen and Always On Display. Always On Display (AOD) displays information when the screen is off, while the widget on the lock screen is only visible when the device wakes up before entering the password. If your goal is to see steps just by taking the phone in your hands, you’ll likely need to use additional settings or apps.
⚠️ Note: On some models of the budget segment, the Always On Display function may be missing hardware, which limits the ability to display information without turning on the screen.
However, it's worth checking the theme settings. Sometimes changing the theme to the official one from Themes store can add new widgets, including activity counters. This is not a guaranteed method, but it allows you to change the visual style without installing any extra software.
Using the Mi Fitness application for integration
The most reliable regular way to track activity is to bundle your smartphone with the Mi Fitness app (formerly Xiaomi Wear), although the main purpose of the program is to work with wearable electronics, it has a powerful built-in activity tracker that can synchronize with the system.
To get started, you need to install the app and register with your Mi Account account, and then you need to find the section in the app settings that handles widgets or data display, and users often miss the point when you need to manually allow the app to display over other windows.
☑️ Setup of Mi Fitness
Once you've set up the app, it'll start collecting your activity data, and to show up on the screen, you might need to activate a special widget in the Devices or Profile section. If you don't have the bracelet, the app will use the phone's sensors, which is also an effective solution.
Special attention should be paid to permissions. Android, which runs MIUI, strictly monitors the background processes. If you prevent the application from running in the background, the step data will not be updated in real time. Go to Settings → Applications → Mi Fitness → Autostart and allow all necessary actions.
Third-party applications for widgets on Lock Screen
If the regular tools don't meet your needs, third-party apps come to the rescue. There are many solutions in the Google Play Market that are specifically designed to display any information on the lock screen, and the leaders in this niche are applications like Widget Locker or specialized step counters with Lock Screen.
The principle of these programs is to create a proprietary layer on top of a standard lock screen, which allows you to display any data that is available to the phone, including steps, weather, currency rates and notifications, but this approach requires more careful setting of access rights.
- 🔒 Permission is required to “Display on top of other applications".
- 🔋 It is necessary to exclude the application from battery optimization.
- 👆 The ability to customize the appearance of the widget for yourself.
When installing third-party software, it is important to choose proven, high-rated solutions. Poor-quality applications may consume too much battery power or contain intrusive advertising. Read reviews and check the list of permissions requested before installing.
⚠️ Note: Using third-party lock screens can lead to conflicts with security features such as a fingerprint scanner or face unlock.
One of the popular solutions is widget aggregator applications, which allow you to collect a lot of useful data on a single lock screen, and you can adjust the font size, the color of the numbers, and even the transparency of the background so that it doesn't interfere with the view of the main image.
Setting Always On Display to Display Steps
The feature is Always on Display (AOD) This is probably the most elegant solution for owners. OLED-It allows you to display the time, the date and, importantly for our topic, the number of steps when the screen of the smartphone is formally turned off, which saves energy and gives instant access to information.
To activate this feature, go to Settings → Lock screen. Here you will find "Always On Display" or "Always On Screen". In the AOD settings menu, you can choose the display style. Some styles already contain a step counter, others require manual adjustment through the style editor.
Hidden AOD settings
It is important to note that permanent work AOD It's using up the battery, though. OLED-technology allows highlighting only individual pixels, during the day consumption can grow by 5-10%. You can set up a work schedule. AOD, It should only be turned on at certain times of the day, for example, during training or working hours.
| Parameter | Description | Impact on the battery |
|---|---|---|
| Always mode | The screen is always on. | High. |
| 10 sec. | Lights up when you touch it. | Low. |
| Schedule | Timer work | Average. |
| Smart mode. | Reacts to movement | Optimal. |
If standard AOD styles don’t have a pedometer, try downloading an additional style from the Themes store. Search for “AOD steps” or “AOD fitness,” and you’ll find hundreds of design options where the activity counter is brought to the fore.
Optimization of activity tracker
Even if the widget is configured, it may not display data correctly or not update, a common problem with aggressive energy saving policies in MIUI. The system can kill the process responsible for counting steps to save charge, leading to gaps in statistics.
To remedy this, go to the battery settings, find the app you're using to track (whether it's Mi Fitness, Google Fit or a third-party widget), and select "No Limits" mode, which will prevent the system from forcibly closing the app.
It's also worth checking the permissions to access the sensors. Go to Settings → Privacy Protection → Permissions Management → Physical activity. Make sure the right application has access to that data. Without that permission, the counter will show zero or old data.
- 🚀 Enable auto-start for the counter app.
- 🔋 Set energy saving mode "No restrictions".
- 📡 Allow location access to calibrate steps.
Another important thing is calibration: walk a known distance (e.g., 100 meters) and compare the phone to reality. If the error is large, try resetting the data or calibrating the sensor in the app settings.
⚠️ Note: When you reset activity data, all the accumulated statistics for the current day can be lost, so do this operation in the morning or after synchronization with the cloud.
Solving and conflict widgets
Users often experience a situation where the step widget disappears after a phone reboot or system update.This may be due to a cache conflict or launcher errors. First of all, try clearing the widget app cache through the application management menu.
If the widget has stopped responding to touch or the data is not updated, check if you have too aggressive theme. Some custom themes may not support certain types of widgets or block them from working on the lock screen.
💡
If the steps widget stopped working after the Android update, try uninstalling the Google Play Services app updates and then updating it again through the store.
If nothing works, you can use an alternative method, a widget on the home screen, and although it's not a lock screen, placing a widget on the first page of the desktop provides almost instant access to statistics immediately after unlocking.
Remember, the pedometer's accuracy depends on how you wear your phone. In a jeans pocket, the sensor works differently than in your hand or in your bag. For maximum accuracy, try to carry your phone in your pockets, where it's less susceptible to shaking, not related to walking.
💡
The stable operation of the pedometer widget depends on three factors: the correct resolutions, the absence of battery limitations and the compatibility of the theme design.
In conclusion, setting up a pedometer on the Xiaomi lock screen is a process that requires understanding permissions and widgets. Using a combination of built-in AOD features and a good application setup, you can always keep your activity under control.