Have you noticed that your Xiaomi, Redmi or Poco doesn't display time correctly despite the network synchronization enabled? Is your watch rushing, lagging, or showing the wrong time zone? This problem is more common than it seems, and is related not only to hardware defects, but also to the features of the MIUI firmware, carriers, and the settings of the device itself.
Unlike iOS or pure Android, where time synchronization is usually stable, Xiaomi often encounters bugs due to deep customization of the system. In some cases, it is not even the smartphone itself that is to blame, but problems on the mobile operator side - especially if you travel or use virtual operators (MTS, Beeline, Tele2, Yota, etc.). In this article, we will analyze all possible causes of time discrepancies and give step-by-step instructions for different versions of MIUI (including MIUI 14 and HyperOS).
1.Why can Xiaomi’s time not coincide with the real one?
Before you fix the problem, it’s important to understand the root of the problem, and time misalignment on Xiaomi is usually due to one of the following reasons:
- 📡 Wrong job. NTP-Network Time Protocol – the smartphone can not get the current time due to the locking of servers by the operator or Internet problems.
- 🌍 Time zone failure - especially important when moving or using two SIM-cards from different operators.
- 🔄 Automatic and manual time conflict – if you have ever manually changed date/time, the system may “forget” to return to network synchronization.
- 📲 Firmware bugs MIUI/HyperOS — Some versions have errors in the synchronization module (e.g, MIUI 12.5 on the Redmi Note 10 or POCO X3 Pro).
- 🔋 Battery savings – Aggressive optimization settings can block background processes, including time updates.
Interestingly, the problem is more common on budget models (Redmi 9A, POCO M3) and custom firmware devices (for example, after root rights or installing LineageOS), while flagships (Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Mix Fold 3) are less likely to suffer from this bug due to a more stable hardware platform.
2. Check the basic time and date settings
Start with the obvious: make sure your time settings are set correctly.
- Open Settings → Additional → Date and time.
- Activate the switches: ⏱️ Autodetermining Date and Time (must be included). 🌐 Time zone autodetermination (important for travel). 📶 Use network time (if there is such a point).
Turn them off for 10 seconds and turn them on again.
On some models (Redmi Note 8 Pro, Mi 9T), the "Use Network Time" option may not be available, in which case, check if the developer mode is disabled (more on this below).
☑️ Checking the time settings
⚠️ Note: If you use two of these SIM-You can get your hands on a card from different operators, and you can get your hands on a time zone, so try to temporarily turn off one of the cards and see if the time will improve.
3. Resetting network settings and re-registration NTP-server
If the basic settings did not help, the problem may lie in the cache of network settings or lock. NTP-Traffic. Try the next steps:
- Reset Network Settings: Go to Settings → SIM-maps and mobile networks → Reset the network settings. Confirm action. Once the reset is complete, the smartphone will reconnect to the operator and update the time.
Manual synchronization with NTP:
- Install the ClockSync app from Google Play.
- Select pool.ntp.org server or time.google.com server.
- Click "Sync Now" and wait for the update.
On devices with MIUI 14+ HyperOS may need to disable battery optimization for system applications: → Annexes → Application management → Three points (⋮) → Special access → Optimizing the battery → Find the “Clock” and disable optimization.
What is it? NTP-server?
| Xiaomi model | Typical cause of time failure | Recommended solution |
|---|---|---|
| Redmi Note 10/11 | Conflict with the firmware MIUI 13 | Update to MIUI 14 or reset your network settings |
| POCO X3/X4 | Blocking NTP by the operator (MTS, Beeline) | Use a VPN or manual synchronization |
| Xiaomi 12/13 | Energy saving blocks background processes | Disable optimization for "Clock" and "Settings" |
| Redmi 9A/9C | Hardware error RTC-chip | Replacement of the battery or motherboard |
4. Problems with the operator: what to do?
If you're on a mobile network, and Wi-Fi is fine, it's the operator's fault.
- 📵 Switch to another operator: Insert SIM-card of another provider (for example, from Tele2 to MegaFon) and check if the time will improve.
- 🔄 Forced re-registration: Turn on Flight Mode for 30 seconds. Turn it off and wait for the network to register (antenna icon should appear). Reboot your smartphone.
Manual selection of the network:
Settings → SIM-map → Choice of network
At some tariffs, operators artificially restrict access to the NTP-This is especially true for unlimited tariffs with gray terms (e.g., SberMobile or virtual operators like Tinkoff Mobile").
💡
If you travel frequently, turn off automatic time zone selection and set it manually, which will prevent time surges when roaming.
5. Software bugs: firmware update and factory reset
If the problem occurs after updating MIUI or installing custom firmware, try the following steps:
- 🔄 Update rollback: If time started to go down after the update, check if you can roll back to the previous version via Settings → The phone. → Updating the system → Three points (⋮) → Select a Service Package.
- 🧹 Cache Clearing: Go to Settings → Annexes → App management. Find "Clock" and click "Clear Cache." Repeat for "Settings" and "Phone Services"
- ⚙️ Factory reset: Extreme measure, but helps 90% of the time. Don't forget to back up! Path: Settings → The phone. → Resetting settings.