How to open and configure widgets on Xiaomi: all ways for MIUI

Widgets on Xiaomi smartphones are mini-programs that display useful information directly on the home screen: weather, calendar, quick settings or data from applications. Despite the obvious benefits, many users face difficulties in activating them. In this article, we will discuss all possible ways to open widgets on devices with a shell MIUI (versions 12-15), including hidden functions and solutions to typical problems.

Xiaomi’s widget interface may vary depending on the model and firmware version. For example, on the Redmi Note 12 and Xiaomi 13 Pro, the algorithm for adding widgets will be identical, but on older devices (before MIUI 12) additional manipulation may be required.

1. Standard way to add widgets to Xiaomi

The easiest method is to use the built-in MIUI functionality. It works on all devices with the shell version 12 and above, including POCO, Redmi and Xiaomi’s flagship series.

Algorithm of action:

1. Unlock your smartphone and go to the main screen (where the app icons are located).
2. Make a long tap on an empty section of the screen (not on the icon!).
3. At the bottom of the screen, you'll see a tabbed panel, and you'll want to select Widgets (the icon with squares or a gear).
4. Scroll through the list of available widgets left/right. Find the right one (like the Weather or Calendar) and drag it to the free space on the screen.

If the widget doesn’t appear in the list, check:

• 🔄 Is the firmware updated (some widgets appear only after the update) MIUI).
• 📱 Smartphone model: on budget Redmi (for example, Redmi) 10A) Maybe a stripped-down set of widgets.
• 🔧 Launcher settings: Some users accidentally turn off widget display in Settings → Main screen screen → Additionally.

2. Hidden widgets: how to find and activate

Not all Xiaomi widgets are visible by default. Some are hidden in system settings or require additional steps to activate. Let's look at how to detect them.

Method 1: Through launcher settings

1. Open the Settings. → Main screen screen.
2. Select Additional Settings (or Advanced, depending on version).
3. Find the Widgets item and turn on the slider Show everything.

Method 2: System widgets (weather, steps, battery)

Some widgets (such as Mi-Fitness or Battery Charge) only appear after:

• 📲 Installation of branded applications (Mi Fit, Mi Home).
• 🔋 Activate related functions (e.g., Track steps in Settings) → Google → Fit).
• 🔄 Reboot the smartphone after changing the settings.

Method 3: Widgets via Google Discover

If your Xiaomi has Google Feed installed (the news feed when swiping to the left), you can add widgets right from there:

1. Swipe to the left of the home screen to open Google Discover.
2. At the bottom of the screen, click on the Settings icon (cog).
3. Select Set up the stream and enable the widget display (like Weather or Calendar).

💡

If the Weather widget isn't updated, check the permissions for the Weather app in Settings → Apps → Permissions → Geodata. Often the problem is with the location access disabled.

3. Problem Solving: Widgets fail to open or disappear

Sometimes widgets on Xiaomi stop working after updating the firmware or resetting settings. Let's analyze the typical errors and how to fix them.

Critical error: If after upgrading to MIUI 14/15, the widgets completely disappeared, try resetting the launcher settings through Settings → Applications → Launcher → Storage → Resetting. This will return the standard view of the home screen without losing data.

⚠️ Note: On some models (POCO F4, Redmi K50) When the launcher is reset, the icon folders may disappear. Take pre-screenshots of the app layout to quickly restore the structure.

4. Customization of widgets for yourself: size, transparency, data

Xiaomi widgets can be customized — resize, display style, and source data. Let's look at the basic options.

Resize:

• 📐 Press and hold the widget until the frame appears.
• 🔳 Pull the corner markers to stretch or narrow the widget.
• ⚠️ Not all widgets support resizing (e.g., Fast Fixed Format Settings).

Configuring the displayed data:

• 🌡️ For the Weather widget: tap it on → Settings → Choose city, units of measurement, display style.
• 📅 For Calendar: click on the widget → Edit → Select calendars to display (Google, Mi Account, etc.).
• 🎵 For Music: You can choose the source (built-in player, Spotify, YouTube Music).

Transparency and style:

MIUI 14/15 has the ability to change the transparency of widgets:

1. Long press on the widget → Style.
2. Choose Transparency and move the slider.
3. Additional themes are available for the Watch widget (analog, digital, minimalistic).

Update MIUI to the latest version

Check permissions for widget applications

Clear the launcher cache (if widgets are buggy)

Make a backup copy of the main screen (screenshot)

Install missing branded applications (Mi Fit, Mi Home, etc.)

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5. Third-party widgets: how to install and use

If Xiaomi's built-in widgets aren't enough, you can install third-party widgets from Google Play.

• 🌤️ Widgetsmith (weather, time, battery),
• 📊 KWGT Kustom Widget Maker (Creating Widgets from the Ground),
• 🎶 Musixmatch (song lyrics widget),
• 📈 DataEye (traffic and battery monitoring).

How to add a third-party widget:

1. Install the app from Google Play.
2. Long press on the main screen → Widgets.
3. Scroll down the list and there will be widgets of the installed application (for example, KWGT).
4. Drag the widget onto the screen and set it up through the app.

⚠️ Note: Some third-party widgets (especially from the KWGT) They can drain the battery because of the constant updating of the data. → Battery → Battery utilization.

Problems with third-party widgets:

6. Widgets on the locked screen: how to turn on

On Xiaomi, you can display widgets directly to the lock screen, which is convenient for quick access to the weather, calendar or player.

1. Open the Settings → Lock screen.
2. Select Widgets on the lock screen (or Additional settings → Widgets).
3. Turn on the slider and select widgets to display (Weather, Calendar, Music available).
4. Set up transparency and location (in some versions of MIUI you can drag and drop widgets right on the lock screen).

Limitations:

• 🔒 On the lock screen only system widgets are displayed (third-party can not be added).
• 🔐 For security reasons, some data (such as calendar events) is hidden before unlocking.
• 📵 Widgets on the lock screen can increase battery consumption (especially Weather with frequent updates).

💡

Widgets on the lock screen only work when notifications are displayed on, and if you have app-specific notifications disabled, the associated widget will not update either.

7. POCO Launcher widgets and alternative shells

POCO devices (e.g., POCO X5 or POCO F5) use the proprietary POCO Launcher, where the algorithm for adding widgets is slightly different, and many users install third-party launchers (Nova, Apex), where widgets are more flexible to configure.

POCO Launcher:

• 📱 Long tap on the main screen → Widgets.
• 🔍 In the search, enter the name of the widget (for example, Weather).
• 🎨 Widgets in POCO Launcher supports themes (dark/light) that sync with the system theme.

Nova Launcher:

1. Install Nova Launcher from Google Play.
2. Long press on the main screen → Widgets.
3. In Nova, you can change the size of the widgets to pixel accuracy, superimpose them on each other and assign gestures.

Apex Launcher:

• 🔄 Supports backup of widget location.
• 🖼️ You can hide widgets from displaying in the list (useful if they interfere with the list).

⚠️ Note: When using third-party launchers, some Xiaomi system widgets (such as Mi Fit or Smart Home) may not work properly. In this case, go back to the standard launcher or check compatibility in the launcher description.

FAQ: Frequent questions about widgets on Xiaomi