Xiaomi widgets: why you need it and how to use it

The widget tape on Xiaomi smartphones is one of those features that is either becoming indispensable or going unnoticed. Many users are unaware of its existence, although it can greatly simplify access to important information. If you've ever swiped your finger to the right of the home screen and seen a panel with weather, calendar or fast action, this is the widget tape.

Unlike classic desktop widgets that take up space and require manual adjustment, the widget tape in the desktop is MIUI It's integrated into the system and it works out of the box. It came from the early versions of the shell and has evolved since then to become more flexible and functional. But why do you need it at all? For some, it's just another screen, for others, the control center of the smartphone. Let’s figure out how to use it correctly and why some users prefer to get rid of it.

In this article, you will find not only basic information, but also hidden features of the widget tape, which are not mentioned in the official instructions. MIUI, For example, with a smart assistant or a power-saving mode, and if you've never used this feature, it's time to find out what you've been missing out on all these years.

What is a widget tape and how it looks

A widget tape (sometimes called a left panel or a minus one screen) is an additional screen that swipes to the right of the home screen. It contains, by default, weather, calendar, quick contacts, notes, and other system tools, and looks like a separate desktop but with a fixed set of elements.

Depending on the version MIUI (12, 13 or 14) the design of the tape may be slightly different. MIUI 14 it became more minimalist, with an emphasis on informativeness, whereas in MIUI 12 there were more animations and visuals, but the functional differences are minimal.

The main elements of the widget tape:

• 🌤️ Weather - current conditions, weekly forecast, UV radiation index.
• 📅 Calendar - upcoming events, reminders, holidays.
• 📞 Quick contacts – favorite contacts for a quick call or message.
• 📝 Notes and Tasks – Integration with Xiaomi Notes.
• ⚡ Fast Actions – Switches for flashlight, mobile data, Wi-Fi.
• 📊 Usage statistics - data on screen time, battery charge.

It's important to understand that a widget feed is not just a set of icons, but a dynamic interface, for example, a weather widget updates in real time, and a calendar syncs with your Google or Mi Account accounts, which makes it more useful than static widgets on your desktop.

Why You Need a Widget Ribbon: 5 Real Benefits

Many users ask, "Why do you need another screen when you can put everything on your desktop?" In fact, widget tape has several unique advantages that make it stand out from other features. MIUI.

First, it saves space on your desktop, and instead of cluttering your home screen with weather widgets, calendars and notes, you can put them on a separate panel that doesn't interfere with normal phone use. This is especially true for owners of smartphones with small screens, such as Xiaomi Redmi Note 10 or the other. POCO X3.

Second, widget tape provides quick access to key information without having to open apps, such as swiping to the right to find the weather forecast instead of looking for the Weather icon and waiting for it to download.

Third benefits:

• 🔄 Automatic update – data in widgets (weather, currency rates, calendar) are updated in the background.
• 🔒 Protection against accidental taps – unlike desktop widgets, tape elements are not activated by accidental touch.
• 🎨 Adaptive design - the appearance of the tape is adjusted to the theme of design MIUI (dark).
• 🔌 Integration with MIUI — Some widgets (such as smart assistant) only work here.
• 📱 Gesture support – the tape opens with a standard swipe, which is more convenient than finding widgets on the desktop.

The widget tape in MIUI 14 supports dynamic wallpaper — the background of the panel can change depending on the time of day or weather conditions. This feature is not available on all models, but if your smartphone supports it, you can activate it in the theme settings.

💡

If the widget tape does not open with a swipe, check if the gesture is disabled in the settings Home screen → Additionally. → Gestures. Sometimes this parameter is reset after the update. MIUI.

How to turn on or off the widget tape on Xiaomi

By default, the widget tape is activated on all Xiaomi smartphones, but some users accidentally turn it off or simply do not know how to return it.

Instructions for tape management:

1. Open the Settings.
2. Go to the Home Screen section.
3. Find the widget tape item (in some versions) MIUI It can be called Screen minus one or Left panel).
4. Activate or deactivate the switch.

If you want not just to disable the tape, but completely remove it from the system, this can only be done with the help of the system. ADB-commands or through editing system files (root rights required), but we do not recommend this, as this can lead to unstable shell operation.

Here's what happens when you turn off the widget tape:

• ✅ One swipe movement (left/right of the main screen) will be released).
• ❌ Quick access to weather widgets, calendar and notes will disappear.
• ⚠️ Some system functions (such as a smart assistant) may not work properly.

Customization of the widget tape: add and remove widgets

One of the main things about widget tape is that it can be customized, you can add, delete or move widgets depending on your needs, for example, if you're not using a calendar, you can replace it with a Mi Fit widget to track activity or Google Keep to take notes.

How to edit the tape:

1. Open the widget tape (swipe to the right of the main screen).
2. Scroll down to the end of the widget list.
3. Click on the Edit button (icon with pencil).
4. In editing mode: To remove the widget, click on the cross in the top corner of the widget. To add the widget, select it from the list of available at the bottom of the screen. To move the widget, pinch it and drag it to the right place.

Ready.

The list of widgets you can add to your feed depends on the apps you installed. For example, if you have Google Podcasts installed, you can add a widget with the latest episodes, the same goes for Spotify, Yandex Music or Telegram.

Some widgets support additional settings, such as in the weather widget, you can choose which data to display (rainfall, wind, pressure), and in the calendar widget, which accounts to sync. To open the settings of a particular widget, click on the three dots in its top corner (if any).

Hidden features of the widget tape that you didn’t know about

Most users use the widget tape only to view the weather or calendar, but it has less obvious features, and here are a few things that will make it even more useful:

1. Quick access to settings

If you press your finger on any free place of the widget tape, a context menu with options will appear:

• Tape settings – a quick transition to editing.
• Wallpaper - changing the background of the tape (not available on all models).
• Widgets – A list of all available widgets to add.

2.Integration with a smart home

If you have Xiaomi Smart Home devices (like Yeelight light bulbs or a robot vacuum cleaner), you can add a Mi Home widget to the tape, which allows you to control smart devices directly from the home screen without opening the application.

3. Screen time widget

V MIUI 13/14 And we have a widget that shows you smartphone usage statistics, screen time, apps that are most used, unlock times, and this is useful if you're keeping your digital hygiene in check.

Currency Courses Widget

If you travel frequently or work with foreign exchange, you can add a widget with current rates, it is updated in real time and supports major currencies (dollar, euro, yuan, etc.).

5. Health widget

When paired with a Mi Band or Amazfit smartwatch, a widget with steps, pulse and activity levels will appear on the tape, which is convenient for those who follow fitness.

Another little-known possibility is changing the transparency of the tape. MIUI You can make the background semi-transparent so you can see the wallpaper on your desktop:

1. Hold your finger in the free space of the tape.
2. Pick Wallpaper.
3. Activate the Transparency option (if available).

💡

The widget tape in MIUI 14 supports dynamic widgets that change their appearance depending on the context. For example, a weather widget can show animations of rain if there is rainfall outside.

Problems with the widget tape and how to solve them

Sometimes the widget tape does not work correctly: it does not open, widgets do not update or disappear after updating. MIUI. Let’s look at the most common problems and ways to fix them.

1.The tape does not open with a swipe

Possible causes and solutions:

• ⚙️ Disabled gesture – check the settings in the Home screen → Gestures.
• 🔄 Launcher Failure – Reboot your smartphone or reset your launcher settings (Settings) → Annexes → Application management → Launcher → Warehouse → Clear the data).
• 📱 Incompatible theme - some third-party themes can break the tape.

2. widgets are not updated

If the data in the widgets is outdated (for example, the weather shows yesterday’s forecast), try:

• 🔄 Reboot your smartphone.
• 📶 Check your internet connection (some widgets require mobile data).
• 🔧 Clear the cache of the application responsible for the widget (for example, Weather or Calendar).
• 📥 Update the app via Play Market or App Gallery.

3.Widgets disappear after update MIUI

This is a common problem when switching to a new version of the shell, to get widgets back:

1. Open the widget tape.
2. Scroll down and click Edit.
3. Add the widgets you need again – sometimes they are reset to standard ones.

4. The tape is braking or hanging.

If you have a slag when scrolling the tape, try:

• 🧹 Remove unnecessary widgets (especially third-party widgets).
• 🔄 Disable and turn on the tape again in the settings.
• 📵 Check if your smartphone is overloaded (close the background apps).

If none of these things work, you can try resetting the launcher to the standard setting.

Settings → Applications → Application Management → Launcher → Storage → Clear data

Attention! This action will reset all desktop settings, including the location of icons and folders.

Classical widgets vs. classic widgets: which is better?

Many users are asking themselves, why do you need a widget tape when you can put widgets right on your desktop? Let's compare the two approaches.

As you can see from the table, each approach has its pros and cons. A widget tape is suitable for those who appreciate minimalism and quick access to basic information. Classic widgets are more suitable for deep customization when you need to display data from specific applications (for example, a cryptocurrency widget or a delivery tracker).

The best way to do this is to combine both approaches, for example, you can leave the weather and calendar on the widget tape, and you can put widgets for music or fitness tracking on your desktop.

⚠️ Attention! Some widgets (e.g. from banking apps) may not work smoothly on the widget tape due to security restrictions. MIUI. In this case, it is better to use classic widgets on the desktop.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the widget tape on Xiaomi