A modern smartphone becomes a useless piece of plastic if it does not provide the user with up-to-date information about the state of the environment in real time. For owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices, the issue of displaying weather data is especially acute, since standard widgets often require fine-tuning after the first activation or resetting. The correct configuration allows not only to see the current temperature, but also to track the dynamics of changes, which is critical for planning the day.
MIUI and its successor HyperOS offer flexible desktop personalization tools, but many users have difficulty changing a region, display format, or data source. It’s common for a widget to show information about a city you haven’t been to in a long time, or to refuse to update for no apparent reason at all.
In this detailed guide, we will look at all aspects of the standard Weather app and the widget of the same name, how to force a geolocation change, why automatic location may not work, and what hidden settings are available in the system menu, and we will also look at typical synchronization errors and how to fix them without going to the service center.
Basic activation and addition of widget to the desktop
The first step for anyone who wants to see the actual data on the lock screen or desktop is to add the appropriate widget. In the MIUI shell, this process is standardized, but has its own characteristics depending on the version of Android. The standard widget provides much more information than third-party counterparts, since it has deep system rights.
You have to go to desktop editing mode first, and this is done by pressing your finger long enough on the free area of the screen where there are no app icons. At the bottom of the display, you'll see a toolbar where you'll select the Widgets, and among the many options, you'll find a standard item called "Weather" or "Weather," which usually has a sun or cloud logo.
Once you drag and drop the widget onto the screen, the system can request permission to access the geo-position, which is critical because without that permission, the widget won't be able to automatically update data as you move, and if you accidentally refuse access, the widget will show old information or data from the last known location.
☑️ Checking the weather widget
Depending on the size of the widget, it can display a variety of details, from simple temperature to hourly forecast and air pollution index, depending on the scale (2x2, 4x2 or 4x4), and it is recommended to choose a size that fits harmoniously into your icon composition without covering important controls.
Geolocation setting and automatic update
Correct display of data depends on the accuracy of your location, and in modern smartphones Xiaomi is responsible for this complex navigation system using GPS, GLONASS, as well as data from cell towers and Wi-Fi networks, but sometimes the automation fails, and the device “stuck” in the previous city.
To check and configure geolocation, open the Weather app and go to the city management menu. Usually this is a list icon or three dots in the corner of the screen. Here you will see a list of cities for which the data display is configured. The main city on the list (usually the first) is the priority for the desktop widget.
- 🌍 Click on the geolocation icon to force the coordinates to be updated via satellite.
- 📍 Make sure that the privacy settings for the Weather app have a “Always” or “When using” permission».
- 🔄 If the city is wrong, remove it from the list and add it again through the search by name.
Importantly, to save battery life, the system can limit the background work of geolocation services. If the widget stops updating after several hours of downtime, check the power saving settings. You need to add the application to the exclusion list or allow it to auto-start so that the data is updated regularly even in sleep mode.
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If the automatic definition of a city consistently fails (e.g., shows a neighbouring area), manually specify the desired city as the primary and disable the autodetermination for that particular profile, leaving it for navigation only.
Change of region, temperature format and units of measurement
One of the most common problems for CIS users is region mismatch in the app: Xiaomi services can default to a Chinese or American data source, leading to incorrect rainfall forecasts or no storm warnings.
To change your region, open the Weather app, click three dots in the corner, and select Settings. At Region, select your country or the country closest to you (e.g. Ukraine, Kazakhstan, Belarus), and then the app will reload the data using local weather services, which often improves the accuracy of forecasts.
Many users are also used to Celsius, but sometimes the settings are confused with Fahrenheit, which causes confusion. In the same settings menu, find the Unit or Temperature Format. Here you can switch the scale to degrees Celsius (°C) or Fahrenheit (°F), and choose the 12-hour or 24-hour time format.
| Parameter | Description | Impact on the system |
|---|---|---|
| Region | Selection of data source country | Changes the forecast provider and warning language |
| Units | Celsius or Fahrenheit | Visual display of numerical values |
| Time. | 12h or 24h | Format of sunrise, sunset and forecast time |
| Style. | Classic or new | Appearance of the application interface |
Remember that changing regions can affect the availability of certain features, such as UV index or air quality, as not all services provide this data to all countries in equal volume.
Solving Data Update and Synchronization Problems
The situation when the widget shows yesterday’s weather or freezes during the boot phase is familiar to many owners of Redmi and Poco. Most often the reason lies in the aggressive MIUI energy saving policy, which “sleeps” background processes to save energy, which leads to the fact that the widget can not get fresh data from the server.
The first thing you need to do is check your Internet connection. The weather widget requires an active connection for each update. If the network is okay, go to your phone's Settings, find the App section and select Weather. Make sure that mobile data and Wi-Fi are allowed in the access rights menu.
⚠️ Warning: If the widget shows a network error, try switching flight mode for 10 seconds to restart the network module, then updating the widget manually with a swipe down.
Another common cause is an overcrowded app cache. Over time, temporary files can conflict with new data. Cache clearing is done through the app's storage menu: Settings → Apps → Weather → Warehouse → Clear cache. It's important not to confuse this with a complete data cleanup, as in the latter case, all your saved cities will be reset.
Why isn't auto-update working?
Personalization of the appearance and style of the widget
The visuals of HyperOS and newer versions of MIUI allow you to deeply customize the look of widgets, so you can change not only the size, but also the style of the display to fit the theme of your desktop, and this is especially true for those who use dark themes or specific wallpapers.
Some versions of the shell, if you press the widget long enough, will have a "Style" or "Edit" button, and if you click on it, you can choose between a minimalistic display of only temperature, a classic view with a cloud / sun icon, or an extended version with a forecast for the week.
- 🎨 Dark theme: the widget automatically adapts to the system theme, turning black or dark gray.
- 🖼️ Transparency: Some themes allow you to make the background of the widget semi-transparent.
- 📐 Grid: The widget can be stretched by occupying 2, 3 or 4 cells of the desktop grid.
If you don’t like the standard options, you can always use third-party widget apps from Google Play that offer thousands of skins, but it’s worth remembering that third-party widgets can consume more battery life, as they’re not as optimized for MIUI as the system solution.
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The system weather widget in MIUI/HyperOS has the least impact on the autonomy of the smartphone compared to counterparts from third-party app stores.
Additional features: air quality and UV index
Modern weather widgets on Xiaomi smartphones are not just a thermometer; they aggregate a lot of useful data that can be vital for people with allergies or those who are watching their health. The widget is often extended to display air quality index (AQI) and ultraviolet radiation levels.
The air quality index shows the concentration of harmful particles PM2.5 and PM10. If the value is high, the application may recommend wearing a mask or limiting your stay outside. This feature is especially relevant for residents of large industrial cities. The data is updated simultaneously with temperature, but requires the inclusion of geolocation for accuracy.
The UV index helps plan your sun exposure. High values indicate the risk of sunburn. The app can send notifications when the index reaches peak values during the day. To activate these features, make sure that the appropriate switches are enabled in the app settings in the "Advanced" section.
⚠️ Warning: Air quality and UV radiation data may not be available in remote rural areas where there are no nearby monitoring stations, in which case the widget may show dashing or general data for the region.
For health-watchers, humidity and atmospheric pressure data are also useful, and the sharp pressure surges that are displayed as a graph in an app can alert you to weather dependency, all of which can be displayed on a widget if you choose a maximum size (usually 4x4).