Xiaomi’s widgets are not just a piece of jewelry, they’re a powerful tool for quick access to information. Home screen weather, smart home buttons, calendars, or even mini-social media apps all save time and make smartphone use more convenient. However, many users face a problem: newer versions of MIUI (especially 14 and 15) don’t always make it intuitive, and some Redmi or POCO models hide this feature behind several menu layers.
In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways to install widgets on the Xiaomi screen, including bypassing the limitations of the shell, working with third-party launchers and even manual methods for power users. We’ll focus on the nuances for different versions of MIUI and models, from the budget Redmi Note to the flagship Xiaomi 14. If you’ve ever wondered why your phone does not have a “Widget” button or how to return old functionality, here you will find the answers.
1. Standard method: via the widget menu in MIUI
The most obvious method is to use the built-in widget menu, which works on most Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices with a MIUI 12-15 shell, but there are nuances depending on the version.
1. Unlock your phone and go to the home screen (not in the app menu!).
2. Make a long press on the empty screen space - the context menu will appear.
3. At the bottom of the screen, select the Widgets item (on some models it may be called Screen Elements or Additional).
4. Scroll through the list of available widgets left/right and select the one you want (e.g. Weather, Calendar or Smart Home).
5. Hold the widget with your finger and drag it to a free space on the screen.
⚠️ Note: On some devices (e.g. Redmi 12 or POCO X5) The widgets may not be in the context menu, which is due to Xiaomi's policy of simplifying the interface.
Make sure there is free space on the screen (remove unnecessary shortcuts)
Update MIUI to the latest version (in Settings → About Phone → System Update)
Restart your phone if the widgets don’t appear in the menu
Check if widgets are hidden in the launcher settings (see Section 3)-->
2. Alternative method: through launcher settings
If the standard method didn't work, you can turn on widgets through the hidden settings of the system launcher, which is suitable for devices with MIUI 14/15, where the widget function is disabled by default.
1. Open the Settings app and go to the Apps section.
2.Look for the MIUI Launcher (or Lawnchair if you use an alternative launcher) and tap it.
3. Select Permissions, then Additional Permissions, and enable the option to Display on top of other applications.
4. Return to the home screen, make a gesture down with two fingers (or hold your finger on the screen for 2-3 seconds) – a hidden menu with widgets should appear.
💡 Useful tip: If the gesture doesn’t work, try installing a third-party launcher (like Nova Launcher or Apex Launcher) where widget support is implemented more flexibly.
Standard MIUI Launcher
Nova Launcher
Lawnchair
Apex Launcher
Other-->
3. widgets for specific applications: weather, calendar, smart home
Some widgets (such as for weather or smart home) require pre-configuration in the applications themselves.
- 🌤️ Weather widget: Install the official Mi Weather app from Google Play, open it and allow access to geolocation.
- 📅 Calendar widget: Use Google Calendar or Mi Calendar. In the app settings, enable the option to Display on the home screen.
- 🏠 Smart home: The widget will appear only after binding at least one device (for example, a Yeelight light bulb or a robot vacuum cleaner).
- 🎵 Music widgets: Spotify or Yandex Music requires a separate widget installation via the app menu.
⚠️ Note: Third-party widgets (e.g., Telegram or Telegram) VK) You may not be able to see the Xiaomi menu if you are not optimised for it. MIUI. Use alternative launchers (Section 4).
Why is the Spotify widget not displayed?
4. Third-party launchers: Nova Launcher, Lawnchair and others
If embedded facilities MIUI If you don't like it, the best way to do that is to install an alternative launcher, which not only brings back full support for widgets, but also adds flexibility to the interface.-3 variant:
| Launcher | Advantages | Deficiencies | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nova Launcher | Maximum customization, support for all widgets, gestures, backup settings | Premium version for some functions | Google Play |
| Lawnchair | Free, lightweight, Pixel Launcher style, MIUI support | Fewer customization options than Nova | Google Play |
| Apex Launcher | Optimized for performance, support for design themes | The interface may seem outdated. | Google Play |
🔧 How to install a widget with Nova Launcher:
- Install Nova Launcher from Google Play and make it the default launcher.
- Click for a long time on the free space on the screen → Widgets.
- Select the widget you want (like 4×2 Weather) and drag it to the screen.
- Set the size by clicking on the widget and selecting Change Size.
💡
Third-party launchers not only return widgets, but also solve the problem of “gray” application icons, which often occurs after MIUI updates.
5. Manual addition of widgets via ADB (for power users)
If none of the above methods worked, there is a radical solution: manual activation through the use of the device. ADB. This method is suitable for devices where widgets are locked at the firmware level (for example, on some devices). POCO globalized MIUI). Attention: Wrong commands ADB They may disrupt the system!
🛠️ Step-by-step instruction:
- Turn on Developer Mode: Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version (shap 7 times)
- Activate USB Debugging in Settings → Additional → For developers.
- Connect your phone to your PC, install it. ADB Tools and execute command: adb shell settings put global widgets_enabled 1
- Reboot the device. After that, the widgets should appear on the menu.
⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi firmware (especially Chinese ones) may not work because of deep limitations, leaving only a flashing to a global or European version. MIUI.
💡
Before working with ADB, back up your data through Settings → Additional → Backup and Reset. This will prevent you from losing information if you crash.
Frequent problems and their solutions
Even after successfully adding widgets, Xiaomi users are faced with typical errors.
- ❌ Widget not updated: Check the permissions of the application (for example, for a weather widget you need access to Geolocation and the Internet). Restart the application or reinstall the widget.
- ❌ Widget disappears after reboot: This is a bug of some versions MIUI 14.Solution - install Nova Launcher or roll back to MIUI 13 (if available).
- ❌ You can't change the size of the widget: In Xiaomi's standard launcher, this feature is often blocked.Use third-party launchers.
- ❌ Widgets do not work in power saving mode: Disable battery optimization for the widget application in Settings → Battery → Optimizing the battery.
🔍 A specific problem for the Redmi Note 11/12: On these models, widgets can be "reset" after updating. MIUI. To avoid this, before updating:
- Save your launcher settings (if you use Nova).
7. Widgets on the lock screen: how to add and configure
In addition to the home screen, MIUI allows you to add widgets to the lock screen, which is convenient for quick access to the calendar, weather or control buttons of the smart home.
1. Go to Settings → Lock screen.
2. Select Lock screen Widgets (on some models, the item is called Additional Information).
3. Activate the slider next to the desired widget (for example, Weather or Steps).
4. Customize the displayed information by tapping the gear icon next to the widget.
⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI 15 widgets on the lock screen can be disabled after resetting or updating. To return them, you have to re-activate in the settings.