Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones often face situations where the standard appearance of the MIUI or HyperOS operating system seems too mundane. One of the most popular ways to personalize is to add widgets with precise time to the home screen. It is not only aesthetically pleasing, but also functionally: it allows you to see the time, date and weather at a glance without unlocking the device. However, the installation process of the widget can vary depending on the firmware version and the type of watch used.
In this article, we will discuss all the available methods for integrating dials into the interface of your smartphone. We will touch on the issues of setting up regular MIUI widgets, connecting smartwatches through the Zepp Life app and using third-party launchers. Deep desktop customization is available to every user, if you know where to look for the right tools in the settings menu.
Before we make any changes, Xiaomi’s modern shells offer many pre-installed design options, with system widgets that consume minimal power and are more stable than third-party ones, but smart gadgets like the Mi Band or Amazfit offer additional synchronization options for heart rate and step data directly on the lock screen or desktop.
Standard watch widgets in MIUI and HyperOS
The easiest way to add a watch to the screen is to use the built-in shell functionality. In the latest versions of HyperOS and MIUI 14, the algorithm of actions has become more intuitive. You do not need to download additional files, since the basic set of widgets is already built into the system and optimized for working with Snapdragon and MediaTek processors.
To get started, you need to go to desktop editing mode, which is to pinch two fingers in the center of the screen, or pinch an empty area on the home screen, and at the bottom of the display, you'll see a toolbar where you'll select "Widgets," and that's where the library of all the available design elements is hidden.
⚠️ Note: Some global firmware versions may have limited pre-installed widgets compared to the Chinese versions. If you don't find the right watch style, try changing the region in your phone settings.
In the menu that opens, you'll see categories, we're interested in the "Clock" or "Tools" section, and if you scroll through the list, you'll find classic analog dials, digital scoreboards, and combined weather widgets, and interactive widgets that allow you to change color and style directly in preview without installing them on your desktop.
Once you have chosen the right design, just drag it to the free screen space, the system will automatically adjust the grid size, and if the widget doesn't fit, maybe a different cell size is occupied, in which case you'll have to move or remove adjacent app icons.
Integration of Xiaomi smart watches and bracelets
If you own an activity tracker like the Xiaomi Mi Band or Redmi Smart Band, the process of putting time on a smartphone screen takes on new meaning. You can set up a widget that displays data from your wearable device, creating a single ecosystem, which is especially convenient for athletes and health care people.
The main control is through the application Zepp Life (formerly Mi Fit) or Mi Fitness. After pairing the clock with the phone over Bluetooth, a new element may appear in the menu of the Android widgets — “Mi Band” or “Zepp” — this widget often shows not only the time, but also the current pulse or number of steps taken.
To activate advanced features, you need to check permissions. Go to Settings → Applications → Zepp Life → Rights. Make sure the application is allowed to display data on top of other windows and run in the background. Without these settings, the widget may not update or show old data.
☑️ Synchronization setting
Note that widgets from third-party applications can consume more battery power than system ones. Background synchronization requires constant network connection and Bluetooth module operation. If you notice an accelerated discharge, try to reduce the frequency of updating the widget in the settings of the companion application itself.
Use of the "Clock" app and alarm clock
Xiaomi has a regular watch app in its ecosystem that users often ignore, even though it has powerful widget functionality that allows you to display not only the current time, but also timers, stopwatches or a list of nearby alarm clocks, which makes your smartphone a full-fledged workstation.
To add a widget like this, you can do a long tap on the blank space of the screen and select "Widgets." Find the "Clock" app in the list. You'll see several options: a large digital watch, an analog dial with arrows, and a compact alarm clock list. Choose the one that fits better into your design concept.
The widgets from the Clock system application are very accurate and can quickly adjust the alarm without opening the main menu. By clicking on the widget, you immediately get to the desired function. This saves time and makes interaction with the device more ergonomic.
Secrets of accuracy
Some users prefer to use the alarm widget on the home screen to always see the time of the next scheduled event.This eliminates the need to unlock the phone and look for the app icon. Visualizing the time before the call helps to better plan your day.
Third-party widgets and launchers for advanced users
The standard MIUI tools may seem limited to those accustomed to the complete freedom of Android, and third-party launchers and widgets from the Google Play Market come to the rescue. Apps like Nova Launcher, KLWP or dedicated watch widgets from independent developers open up endless possibilities.
One of the most popular solutions is to install Google widgets, which look concise, Material Design style, and go great with any theme. To add them, go to the widget menu, look for the Google or the Watch section and pick the one you like. Often they support automatic theme change depending on the time of day.
Minimalist Phone widgets are great for minimalists, they take up little space but look very stylish, and installing these widgets may require Google Play Services and an up-to-date version of the Android operating system.
| Type of widget | Memory consumption | Battery | Difficulty setting up |
|---|---|---|---|
| System MIUI | Low. | Minimum | Low. |
| Google Watch | Average. | Normal. | Low. |
| KLWP (Live) | High. | Notable. | Tall. |
| Zepp Life | Average. | Average. | Medium |
Using live wallpaper and widgets (KLWP) requires a powerful processor. If you have a low-end Redmi or entry-level Poco model, it is better to limit yourself to static widgets so as not to overload RAM and not cause micro-freeze interface.
Setting up time display on Always On Display
The feature is always on display (AOD). Although it is not a desktop in the classical sense, for many users AOD It replaces widgets because information is available all the time, even when the screen is locked. AMOLED-Xiaomi screens are implemented very qualitatively.
To set up AOD, go to Settings → Lock screen. Here you can choose the display style of the watch: classic, analog, with a drawing or even with a pet image. Some models support smart mode, where the screen only lights up when the phone is raised or when a notification arrives.
⚠️ Attention: Always On Display significantly increases battery consumption. On models with a battery less than 4000 mAh, it is recommended to use an on-time schedule or schedule mode".
Newer versions of HyperOS offer the ability to customize AOD even further by adding pedometer widgets or headphone battery states, creating a single information space effect, and activating advanced features may require a sign-in to your Mi Account account.
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To save charge on Always On Display, set a work schedule: for example, from 8:00 to 23:00, so that the screen does not burn at night while you sleep.
It is important to understand the difference between a desktop widget and AOD. A widget requires unlocking (or swiping) to interact, whereas AOD is a passive display of information. Combining these two methods gives you maximum comfort using a smartphone.
Solving problems with updating widgets
Often, users find that the watch widget stops showing current time or displays yesterday's data, which is due to the aggressive MIUI energy saving system, which kills background processes to save charge. To fix this, you need to add a widget to the exceptions.
Go to Settings → Battery → Application Resolutions. Find an application that doesn’t work (like “Clock” or “Zepp Life”) and select “Start.” It’s also recommended to go to the specific application settings and set the “No Limits” power saving mode.
Another reason could be a crowded cache, which is when you clean temporary files through the built-in Security app. After cleaning the cache and rebooting the device, the widgets usually work correctly. Reboot is a universal tool for many Android software failures.
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Aggressive MIUI energy saving is the main cause of broken widgets. Allow autorun and remove background restrictions for stable operation.
If the widget disappeared after the system update, check if it was removed when the theme changed.Some MIUI themes replace standard widgets with their own, which may not be compatible with the current version of Android.