How to set up widgets on Xiaomi: from installation to fine settings

Widgets on Xiaomi smartphones are mini-programs that display current information directly on the home screen: weather, time, notifications from apps or quick control buttons. Unlike classic icons, they are updated in real time and save time — you don't have to open the app to find out the temperature or check the schedule. MIUI When you run into problems, widgets disappear after an update, don't update or take up too much space, and in this article, we'll look at all the nuances, from the basic installation to the hidden features that aren't available in all firmware.

The main feature of Xiaomi is that the interface MIUI Changes constantly: in versions 14 and 15, the logic of working with widgets differs from older builds (for example, in versions 14 and 15, MIUI We will take these differences into account and show the universal ways that work on most models, from the budget Redmi Note to the flagship Xiaomi 14. How to change the transparency of the widget, fix it on a locked screen or return a remote system widget through ADB.

What widgets are available on Xiaomi by default

In standard firmware. MIUI There are more than 20 built-in widgets, but the set depends on the model of the smartphone and the region. ROM) The “Steps” widget may not be available (due to Google Fit restrictions) or in Chinese (China) ROM) — News widget (replaced with local services) Here's a complete list of the basic widgets that are most common:

• 🌤️ Weather – current temperature, 5-day forecast, humidity (data from AccuWeather or Moji).
• 📅 Calendar – events from Google Calendar or Mi Calendar with reminder support.
• ⏰ Watches – analog/digital watches with a choice of style (including the hidden watch with stopwatch widget, which is only available in the computer). MIUI 14+).
• 📝 Notes – Quick access to records from the Mi Notes app (synchronized with Xiaomi account).
• 🎵 Music - Playback control (works with Mi Music, Spotify, YouTube Music).
• 📊 Activity – pedometer, pulse, burned calories (requires a Mi Band connection or built-in sensor).
• 🔋 Battery – discharge schedule, battery temperature and operating time (hidden in some regions).
• 📱 Smart home – management of Mi Home devices (lamps, sockets, robot vacuum cleaners).

In addition to the standard, you can install widgets from Google Play (for example, Widgetsmith or Google Play). KWGT), But they can conflict with the shell. MIUI. For example, widgets based on Android 12+ (With dynamic colors, Xiaomi often displays without animation, and some widgets (like News) are automatically deleted when you change region in your smartphone settings.

How to add a widget to Xiaomi’s home screen

The process of adding widgets to MIUI It's different from pure Android. It doesn't have a classic widget menu, it uses a home screen context menu instead. MIUI 14/15, It is also suitable for older versions (adjusted for design).

1. Press and hold the empty space on the home screen (not the icon!) and a menu with three tabs will appear: Wallpaper, Widgets, Settings.
2. Select the Widget tab. This will show all available widgets grouped by application (e.g., Weather, Calendar, Google).
3. Scroll down the list and find the widget you want. Press it and hold it, then drag it to a free space on the screen.
4. Release your finger, the widget will lock. Some widgets (like Weather) allow you to choose the size immediately (2×2), major (4×2) full-screen (4×4).

If the widget is not added (for example, disappears when dragging), check:

• 🔄 Free screen space – widgets cannot be superimposed on icons or other widgets.
• 📱 Version MIUI — firmware (MIUI 11 and below) widgets are added through a long click on the app icon.
• 🔒 Launcher restrictions – some shells (e.g, POCO Launcher) blocking widgets.

Backup the main screen (Settings → Main screen → Backup)

Check the free space on the screen (minimum) 2×2 cell)

Update MIUI to the latest version

Shut down. POCO Launcher (if used)-->

On some models (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T or Redmi K60) Widgets can be added directly from the application menu:

1. Open the application menu (swipe up from the dock panel).
2. Find the desired application (for example, “Weather”), click on its icon and hold it.
3. In the menu that appears, select Widgets → choose the size → drag it on the screen.

💡

If the Weather widget is not updated, go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → Weather. → Permits and enable "Exact location".

How to change the size and position of the widget

V MIUI widgets can be scaled, but not everyone supports arbitrary resizing. For example, the Watch widget has fixed options (2×1, 4×2), The Notes widget can be stretched to 4×4. To change the size:

1. Press and hold the widget until it is "stuck" from the screen.
2. The corners will appear white dots – pull them to increase or decrease the widget.
3. Release your finger to fix the new size.

If the dots don't appear, then the widget doesn't support scaling, and you can do this.

• 🔄 Remove the widget and add it again by selecting a different size when installing.
• 📱 Use third-party launchers (e.g. Nova Launcher) that support arbitrary resizing.

To move the widget:

1. Press and hold the widget.
2. Drag it to a new location. If the screen is full, swipe left/right to open the next page.
3. Release your finger when the widget is in the right position.

On models with Always-On Display (for example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Redmi) K50 Pro) widgets can be displayed even on the screen off:

1. Go to Settings → Lock screen → Always-On Display.
2. Select the Widget style and adjust the displayed data (time, date, weather, notifications).
3. Activate the option Show when lifting, so that the widget appears when the smartphone moves.

Customization of widgets: hidden functions and subtle parameters

Many widgets in MIUI They have hidden settings that are not obvious at first glance, like in the Weather widget, you can change the source of the data (from AccuWeather to Moji), and in the Calendar widget, you can filter events by colors.

1. Weather widget

To customize the displayed information:

1. Tap the Weather widget and the full version of the app will open.
2. Press on. ⚙️ (gear) → Widget settings.
3. Choose what to display: temperature, humidity, pressure, index UV, moon-phase.
4. Turn on Auto Update and set the interval (15 minutes to 6 hours).

If the weather is not updated:

• 📍 Check location permissions (Settings) → Confidentiality → Permits → Weather).
• 🔄 Clear the app cache (Settings) → Annexes → Weather. → Clear the cache).
• 🌍 Change the data source: Select another provider in your weather settings (not available in all regions).

2. Calendar widget

By default, the widget shows events from Mi Calendar, but you can connect Google Calendar:

1. Open the Calendar app.
2. Press on. ⚙️ → Calendar management → Add a Google account.
3. Enter your account details.
4. Go back to the widget and tap it – it will now sync with Google.

To change the color of the event:

1. In the Calendar app, click on the event → Edit.
2. Choose the color and save the changes.

The Clock Widget

V MIUI 14+ And then there was a hidden watch with stopwatch widget that didn't show up in the standard list:

1. Add any "Clock" widget to the screen.
2. Touch him. → Choose a Digital Style.
3. Hold the widget and select Change the size → stretch out 4×2.
4. Tap the widget again, and the Stopwatch option will appear.

You can also set up:

• 🕒 Time format (12/24 hourly settings → Additionally. → Date and time.
• 🌙 Night mode for widget (automatic dimming after sunset).

💡

Weather and Calendar widgets may conflict with energy-saving modes. If the data is not updated, turn off battery optimization for these applications in Settings → Battery → Optimizing the battery.

How to remove or hide the widget

If you don't need the widget anymore, you can delete it or temporarily hide it, and deleting it is different from hiding it: when you remove it, it disappears completely from the screen, and when you hide it, it stays in the system and can be quickly returned.

Removal of the widget

1. Press and hold the widget you want to remove.
2. At the top of the screen will appear basket (🗑️) — Drag the widget there.
3. Confirm the removal (in some versions) MIUI This step is missing).

Hiding the widget

If the widget is system (e.g., "Weather" or "Calendar"), it cannot be removed completely, but you can hide:

1. Go to Settings. → Main screen screen.
2. Select the Widgets → Find the right widget in the list.
3. Turn off the switch next to it.

To bring back the hidden widget:

1. Open the Settings again. → Main screen screen → Widgets.
2. Turn on the switch next to the desired widget.
3. Add it to the screen in the standard way (through a long press on the home screen).

💡

After the update MIUI missing all widgets, try resetting the launcher settings: → Annexes → Application management → Launcher → Warehouse → Clear the data. ⚠️ This will reset the location of the icons on the main screen!

Solving Widget Problems on Xiaomi

Widgets in MIUI They often run unstablely, they don't update, they disappear after a reboot, or they don't display correctly. Here's a table of the most common problems and their solutions:

If the widget stopped working after resetting the settings or firmware, try to return it through ADB (Only for experienced users):

adb shell cmd appwidget reset

This command will reset all widgets to the default state. Once it is executed, restart the smartphone.

Third-party widgets: how to install and configure

If standard widgets are not enough, you can install third-party widgets from Google Play.

• 📱 KWGT — Customizable widgets with support for animation and themes.
• 🎨 Widgetsmith is a simple widget designer for weather, time, calendar.
• 📊 UCCW — Widgets with deep customization (suitable for experienced users).
• 🎵 Musicolet – a musical widget with gesture support.

To install a third-party widget:

1. Download the app from Google Play (like KWGT).
2. Open it and select the template you like.
3. Click Save - the widget will appear in the list of available.
4. Add it to the main screen in the standard way (after long pressing).

On Xiaomi, third-party widgets may not work stable due to optimization MIUI. To correct:

• 🔋 Turn off battery optimization for the widget app.
• 🔄 Enable Auto Start (Settings) → Permits → Auto-start).
• 📱 Use the Nova Launcher or Lawnchair launcher for better compatibility.

Example of KWGT configuration:

1. Install KWGT and KWGT Pro Key (to unlock all features).
2. Open up. KWGT Select a template (for example, Minimal Clock).
3. Customize colors, fonts and data (weather, time, battery).
4. Save the widget and add it to the screen.
5. To resize, use Nova Launcher (in standard launcher) MIUI Scaling may not work).

💡

Third-party widgets may conflict with energy-saving modes MIUI. If the widget isn’t updated, add it to the battery optimization exceptions.

FAQ: Frequent questions about widgets on Xiaomi