How to install a clock on the Xiaomi desktop: all ways with pictures

You want to always see the current time on the Xiaomi home screen, but the standard watch widget is missing or not? The problem is familiar to many owners of smartphones on MIUI — unlike other shells, there is no built-in functionality to add the clock to the desktop through the usual widget menu.

In this article, we’ll look at 5 proven ways to set your watch to Xiaomi’s screen, including hidden MIUI settings, alternative launchers and third-party apps. Each method is suitable for different firmware versions (from MIUI 12 to MIUI 15) and models from budget Redmi to flagship Xiaomi 14. You’ll learn how to bypass system limitations, customize the display style of the time, and even add a stopwatch or timer directly to the home screen.

Why doesn’t Xiaomi have a standard watch widget?

Unlike the Samsung One UI or pure Android, the MIUI shell does not initially include the watch widget in the list of available elements for the desktop.

• 📱 Minimalist interface – developers believe that time is displayed in the status bar (top of the screen), and duplicate it on the desktop excessively.
• 🔄 Performance optimization – widgets consume additional resources, and MIUI It is designed to work smoothly even on weak devices (e.g. Redmi). 9A).
• 🎨 Customization through themes – instead of widgets Xiaomi offers to change the themes of the design, where time can be displayed on a locked screen.

However, users often want to see a watch on the home screen for convenience — for example, to avoid looking up or using large print. Fortunately, there are several ways to get around this limitation.

Method 1: Using the hidden MIUI function (without third-party applications)

Few people know, but MIUI has a hidden option to add a clock to your desktop through theme settings, which works on most devices with MIUI 12-15, but requires you to follow the instructions precisely:

1. Open the Themes app (icon with brush).
2. Go to the section My → Widgets.
3. Scroll down and find the item “Clock” (may be called an Analog Clock or Digital Clock).
4. Click Add to the desktop and select a free space.

Important! If the Widgets section is missing, update the Themes app via Google Play or GetApps. On some devices (e.g. POCO F5), this item may be hidden - try changing the region in your phone settings to India or China (temporarily).

Update the "Themes" app to the latest version

Check the free space on the desktop (remove unnecessary shortcuts)

Reboot your phone if the widget doesn’t show up

Replace the region with “India” (if necessary)-->

Once added, the widget can be moved, resized (stretching edges) and customized.

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI Global for the European region) the watch widget may not be available due to localization limitations.

Method 2: Installation of an alternative launcher (Nova, Apex, POCO Launcher)

If standard methods don't work, the most reliable option is to install a side launcher, an app that completely replaces the main screen and app menu, adding flexibility to the setup.

• 🌟 Nova Launcher supports watch widgets, gestures, adaptive icons. The free version is quite functional.
• ⚡ POCO Launcher – the official launcher from Xiaomi for the line POCO, It works on any device, it has a built-in clock widget.
• 🔄 Apex Launcher – a lightweight launcher with wide customization options, including transparent widgets.

Instructions for Nova Launcher:

1. Install Nova Launcher from Google Play.
2. Click the Home button and select Nova as the default launcher.
3. Long press on the free space of the desktop → Widgets.
4. Find the Watch widget (usually in the list there are 2-3 options: analog, digital, weather).
5. Drag the widget onto the screen and adjust its size.

Advantages of this method:

• 🎨 More watch styles (you can download additional packages from the Play Market).
• 🔧 Flexible setting of size, color and font.
• 📱 It works on all versions. MIUI, including obsolete (e.g., obsolete, MIUI 11).

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If the watch widget doesn't appear after installing the launcher, restart the phone. Sometimes you need to clear the launcher cache in the application settings.

Method 3: Widget applications (Clock Widget, Digital Clock Widget)

If you don't want to change the launcher, you can install a specialized app that will add the clock to the desktop.

How to install the widget via Clock Widget:

1. Download and install the app from Google Play.
2. Long press on the desktop → Widgets.
3. Find the Clock Widget widget in the list (usually several sizes: 2×1, 4×1, 4×2).
4. Drag the widget onto the screen and set it up:

Settings widget → Style → Select design


Color → Set up under the theme of the phone




Type size → Large/Small/Small/Small




Additional → Show seconds, date, weather

On devices with MIUI 14 and later, some widgets may not be displayed due to shell limitations, in which case, before installing the widget, temporarily disable the function "MIUI Optimization in the Developer Settings (path: Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times press → For developers → MIUI Optimization → Shut down).

Method 4: Watch on a locked screen (alternative)

If you don't have to see the clock on your desktop, you can set it up on the lock screen, and it won't replace the widget on the home screen, but it'll be useful for a quick time view.

1. Open the Settings → Lock screen.
2. Choose the watch style.
3. Scroll through the available options and choose your favorite (e.g. Digital with a date or Analog Classic).
4. Activate the option to Show the clock when the screen is illuminated (if any).

Some models (such as Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi Note 12 Pro+) have additional settings:

• 🌓 Color of the watch – you can choose white, black or adaptive (under the background of wallpaper).
• 📏 Size: large, medium or small.
• 🌅 Effects – Animation when unlocked (e.g., smooth appearance).

⚠️ Attention: On devices with AMOLED-screen (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T or POCO F4) Keeping the clocks on a locked screen can cause pixels to burn out, so to avoid this, turn on the Shifting Clock option (if available) or use dark themes.

Method 5: Manually create a widget through KWGT (for advanced users)

If you want a unique watch with custom design, use the KWGT Kustom Widget Maker app. This is a tool for creating widgets from scratch that allows you to:

• 🎨 Designer clock with animation, gradients, shadows.
• 📊 Displaying additional information (battery charge, weather, steps).
• 🔄 Automatic change of style depending on the time of day.

Instructions for creating a simple watch:

1. Install KWGT and KWGT Pro Key (to unlock all features).
2. Long-click on desktop → Widgets → select KWGT (size 4×2 or 4×1).
3. In the editor that opens, click + → Add Item → Text.
4. In the text box, enter the formula for displaying time: $df(HH:mm)$ To display the seconds, use: $df(HH:mm:ss)$
5. Set the font, color and size in the right panel.
6. Save the widget and return to the desktop.

Ready-made watch templates can be downloaded from the KWGT community (e.g. Google Play or Reddit).

• 🌌 Minimal & Elegant Clock Widgets – Minimal and Elegant Clock Widgets.
• 🔥 Neon Clock Widgets – Neon Clock Watch with Animation.
• 📱 Material You Clock – Android 12-style watch+.

Problem Solving: The watch doesn’t show up or disappears

If after setting up the watch widget is missing or does not work, check the following points:

If the watch widget stopped working after the MIUI update, try:

1. Remove the widget and add it again.
2. Update the app that added the widget (such as Clock Widget or Nova Launcher).
3. Reset the launcher settings to standard (Settings → Applications → Launcher → Storage → Reset).

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If none of these methods worked, check to see if the phone has restrictions on Developer Mode or corporate policies (e.g., on work devices).

FAQ: Frequent questions about setting up a watch on Xiaomi