Smartphone personalization is not just a nice option, but a way to make the device truly your own. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco smartphones often face the desire to change the appearance of the lock screen so that time is displayed in a more contrasting or simply pleasant shade. Standard system settings sometimes hide these capabilities, forcing users to look for workarounds or special themes.
In this article, we will discuss all available methods of changing the color of the dial, you will learn why standard means can not simply choose a color from the palette, and how this restriction is avoided by using the theme interface MIUI or HyperOS.
Changing the look of a watch has a direct impact on how you perceive notifications and the overall style of a gadget. The Chinese giant's graphics shell allows you to do wonders if you know where to click. Let's figure out how to turn a standard screen into a unique design element.
Features of the MIUI and HyperOS theme system
It is fundamental to understand that in Xiaomi shells, the color of the watch on the lock screen is rigidly tied to the set theme of the design. You will not find the Color of Time slider in the standard settings menu. The design of the system assumes that the user chooses a ready-made visual solution, where all elements - from icons to the font of the watch - harmoniously combine.
When you change a theme, the style of displaying time automatically changes, and this is done to ensure the integrity of the visual experience. But that doesn't mean you're limited to factory options. Themes offers millions of variations, created by both the official designers and the community.
Some users try to find hidden flags in the developer menu, but they rarely give direct access to changing the color of the watch without changing the theme. System constraints here ensure that the interface remains readable and aesthetic. So the main method of work is to find and install the right theme.
β οΈ Warning: When installing themes from third-party sources (not through the official Themes app), you risk getting unstable system work or banner ads in the interface.
Finding and installing themes with the right color of time
The most effective way to change the color of numbers is to find a topic where you like it. Themes' built-in app has powerful search, but it often works on keywords that may not be obvious. To find the perfect one, you need to use the right search strategy.
You don't have to download and apply the whole theme if you're only interested in the lock screen. Many modern themes allow you to use separate components. You can set the theme for the lock screen and then, if you want, replace the rest of the elements (icons, desktop wallpaper) with your usual ones.
- π¨ Open the Themes app and go to the search section.
- π Enter English queries such as Neon clock, Analog, Digital minimal", "RGB time".
- ποΈ Use the Preview function to see exactly what time looks like without setting the theme completely.
- π₯ Download high-rated themes as they are usually better optimized for different screen resolutions.
Note that the themes catalog has a Lock screen filter, and if you go to this section, you'll cut off themes that only change desktop icons, which will speed up the selection process, and visual style can vary dramatically depending on the region of your Mi Account.
Instructions for the use of the components of the topic
Frequently, you like a theme, but the icons are terrible, or vice versa. MIUI allows you to hybridize components. You can take a lock screen from one theme and leave the desktop as standard or take it from another theme, and this gives you the flexibility to adjust the color of the watch without completely changing the look of the smartphone.
To do this, after downloading the theme, take your time to press the "Apply" button. Instead, click on the title of the theme to open its detailed description. At the bottom of the screen, you will see a list of available components: "Wallpaper", "lock screen", "Icons", "System".
Click on Lock screen and select Apply. The system will only use this element. The color of the time will change according to the chosen theme, but the rest of the interface will remain the same. This is a key feature for customization.
βοΈ Algorithm for installing a component
If the color of the time has not changed after the application of the component, it is possible that the theme does not support your version of Android or has a conflict with the current display settings. In this case, try to restart the device.
Always on Display (AOD)
On smartphones with AMOLED screens, Always On Display mode is available, which displays the time and date when the screen is off. Here, color settings are even more important, since bright colors can burn out pixels or quickly consume the battery, although modern matrixes take this into account.
Unlike a regular lock screen, AOD often has its own style sets that can be changed regardless of the main theme. Go to Settings β Wallpaper and personalization β Always On Display. Here you can choose different dial styles.
Some AOD styles allow you to change the color of the numbers manually, and if you click on the style you've chosen, you'll see a palette of colors or a slider if you don't have a slider, you'll see the color is fixed by the author, and in such cases, it's only the change of AOD style that helps.
| Screen type | Availability of AOD | Impact on the battery | Possibility of colour change |
|---|---|---|---|
| AMOLED | Complete. | Low (about 1% per hour) | Tall (many styles) |
| IPS / LCD | Limited (imitation) | High (the screen is fully lit) | Low (depending on the topic) |
| Super AMOLED | Complete. | Optimal. | Tall. |
| OLED | Complete. | Low. | Medium |
β οΈ Note: Use color (non-black) wallpaper and fonts in Always On Display mode AMOLED The screens increase power consumption compared to monochrome black and white mode.
Creating your own lock screen
For advanced users who canβt find the perfect one in the store, there is the option of creating their own theme. MIUI Theme Editor on a computer. The program allows you to edit graphical elements, including PNG-numerical.
You can draw numbers of any color, shape, or size in a graphics editor (Photoshop, GIMP) and embed them into a theme template. The theme's graphical resources are kept in plain view, allowing you to modify them. However, this method requires technical knowledge and care.
The process of creating it is like this: you unpack an existing theme, replace the images of numbers with your color options, pack the theme back and install it on your smartphone, and it's the only way to get a completely unique color and font that no one else has.
Where to find font files in the topic?
Remember that setting up self-written themes may require a developer mode and the Verify themes option to be enabled, without which the system can block installation of unverified files.
Solving Time Display Problems
Sometimes users are faced with a situation when time becomes unreadable: white on light wallpaper or black on dark, this often happens when installing βheavyβ themes or after updating the system, when the contrast settings are confused.
The first thing to do is to check if Simplified Mode or special features for the visually impaired are on, which can force color inversion, and the problem may lie in the wallpaper itself: some dynamic wallpapers have their own algorithm for adjusting the color of the watch, which works incorrectly.
- π Try changing the wallpaper to the standard wallpaper to see if the contrast of time will change.
- π¨ Make sure that the theme settings do not tick the βMix Wallpaper Colorsβ box if such an option is present in your version. MIUI.
- ποΈ Remove the problem theme and go back to the standard Classic or Default to reset the display cache.
If time is gone, it may have been a failure in the Keyguard system process, where the Themes and Wallpaper and Personalization app cache can be cleaned through the application management menu, a system failure of this kind that is rarely critical and treated by a reboot.
π‘
If the time has become unreadable after changing the theme, quickly return the standard theme through the recovery menu (clamping the volume button when turned on if the theme has blocked the input), but more often just clicking on the lock screen three times to call the theme menu (if the function is enabled).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can you change the color of the watch without installing third-party themes?
Why did you not have the ability to change the themes after Android update?
Does the color of the watch on the lock screen affect battery consumption?
How do I get back to the standard color of the time if I donβt like the topic?
Do topics from another region (e.g. India or Russia) work on global firmware?
π‘
The color of the watch on Xiaomi is derived from the installed theme. To change the color, you need to select a theme with the appropriate lock screen design and use the component separately, keeping the rest of the interface familiar.