How to set the time on Xiaomi watches: all ways and life hacks

Why Xiaomi Watches Are Stuck and How to Fix It

Xiaomi smartwatches are some of the most popular wearables on the market, but even they sometimes fail users with basic features such as timekeeping. If your Mi Band 7, Watch S3 or other model started to lag or rush, the problem lies either in sync settings or in a software failure. 90% of the time, you can fix this in 2-3 minutes without going to the service center.

In this article, we will look at all possible ways to adjust time, from automatic synchronization via the Mi Fitness/Zepp Life app to manually entering when there is no Internet. Particular attention will be paid to the typical errors that cause the watch to stop updating time after updating the firmware or changing the time zone. And for owners of older models (Mi Band 3/4) we will give current solutions that work even without official support from Xiaomi.

Before you get to the instructions, check two key points: 1 Make sure your smartphone is Bluetooth enabled and your watch is connected to your phone. 2 Update the Mi Fitness or Zepp Life app to the latest version – older versions often have synchronization bugs.

Method 1: Automatic time synchronization through the application

This is the basic and recommended method that works on all Xiaomi models (except the very first versions of the Mi Band 1).The algorithm is simple: the watch gets the exact time from your smartphone, which in turn syncs with NTP servers (Network Time Protocol).

1. Open the Mi Fitness app (or Zepp Life for new models).
2. Go to the Profile section → My devices and choose your watch.
3. Press the icon. ⚙️ Settings (or additionally in older versions).
4. Find the synchronization of time and activate it.

After that, the clock should automatically update the time for 1-2 minutes.

• 🔄 Reset the clock: Press the button (or touch zone) on the 10-15 Seconds before the Xiaomi logo appears.
• 📱 Reconnect the device in the app: remove the watch from the list and add again.
• 🌐 Check your phone settings: go to Settings → Date and time and make sure Auto-Date and Time is enabled.

Important! On some models (such as the Xiaomi Watch S1), automatic synchronization only works when you are actively connected to the Internet on your smartphone. If you are roaming or using a VPN, time can get lost.

Method 2: Manual time setting (if automatic does not work)

If the watch doesn't sync automatically or you're in a zone without internet, you can set the time manually, which is suitable for most models except the Mi Band 1/2 (they don't have this feature).

1. On the clock, scroll through the menu to the Settings item (or More in English firmware).
2. Select the date and time (could be called Time Settings).
3. Turn off the autosynchronization option (if any).
4. Enter the current time, date and time zone manually.

On some models (such as the Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro), the path will be different:

Settings → System → Date and time → Set manually

A critical nuance for Mi Band 5/6 owners: when manually timed, the clock will be knocked off each time it is disconnected from the phone for longer than 12 hours, a feature of the firmware that Xiaomi has not fixed in these models.

⚠️ Note: On Xiaomi Mi Band 7 and later, manual time setting is blocked if the device search function in the app is enabled.

Solving the problems with time lost

If the time on Xiaomi watches is knocked down regularly (e.g. every day or after a reboot), the reasons may be as follows:

For the Xiaomi Watch S2 and later, there is another common problem: the watch can “hang” in time after prolonged inactivity (for example, at night).

• 🔋 Updating the firmware to the latest version.
• 📴 Disabling the function "Saving charge" in the settings of the clock.
• 🔄 Resetting settings (but it will delete all data from the clock!).

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If the clock only knocks down time in a certain place (for example, at work), check whether sources of strong electromagnetic interference (microwaves, powerful routers) interfere with it.

Features of setting time on popular models

Despite the general logic of the work, each model of Xiaomi watches has its own nuances.

Xiaomi Mi Band 7/8

These fitness bracelets only sync time through the app. There is no manual setting, so if the sync doesn't work:

• 📲 Remove the Mi Fitness app cache in your phone settings.
• 🔄 Reboot your phone and bracelet.
• 🌍 Check that the phone is enabled geolocation (sometimes it is needed to determine the time zone).

Xiaomi Watch 2 Pro

This watch has its own Wear OS operating system, so the time setting is different:

1. Scroll down the screen and click on the icon. ⚙️ Settings.
2. Select the System → Date and time.
3. Activate Automatic Date and Time or manually set up.

Xiaomi Watch S3

This model often has a conflict between the time set by Zepp Life and the time the watch receives from GPS.

⚠️ Note: Turn off the clock settings option Synchronization by GPS, If you don't use the tracking function, it will prevent accidental time disruptions.

How to Reset Time Settings to Factory

If all the methods have been tried, but the clock is still showing the wrong time, the last option is a complete reset, which will delete all the data from the device (steps, pulse, alarm clocks), but return the clock to its original state.

1. On the clock go to Settings → System → Reset.
2. Select Reset All Settings (or Factory Reset).
3. Confirm the action (it may be necessary to enter) PIN-code, if it is installed).
4. After restarting, connect the clock to the phone again.

For Mi Band 3/4 models, the reset is performed differently:

Settings → Additional → Resetting the device

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Once reset, the watch automatically syncs time to the phone when it first connects, and if the problem recurs, it indicates a hardware defect (such as a dead battery).

If the reset didn't help, check:

• 🔋 Battery charge: at a level below 10%, the clock may not work properly.
• 📡 Bluetooth Signal Strength: A Weak Signal Leads to Synchronization Failures.
• 📱 Firmware version: on the forums Xiaomi often put out patches for old models.

Frequent questions and answers