How to Set Up and Set Up a Watch on Xiaomi Redmi 8 Screen: All Ways 2026

Xiaomi Redmi 8 remains a popular budget smartphone even years after the release - thanks to balanced characteristics and flexible firmware MIUI. One of the frequent tasks of users is to adjust the display of time on the home screen: someone wants to return the lost watch after updating, someone does not like the standard look, and some do not know how to add them. In this article, we will analyze all the current ways to install and customize watch widgets on Redmi 8, including hidden chips MIUI 12/14 and bypass typical errors.

It's important to understand that Redmi 8 (codenamed olive) has several types of time display: a classic desktop clock widget, a clock in the notification bar, and integrated display in some launcher shells. We'll focus on the first option, as it's the most versatile and works regardless of the firmware version. If you've recently updated your smartphone or reset, chances are that the widget is simply hidden - it doesn't need to be downloaded separately!

Before you start, make sure your device has an up-to-date MIUI version (at least MIUI 11 or later). Check this in the Settings menu → About Phone → MIUI version. Older versions (such as MIUI 10) may have limited customization options. Also, pay attention to the launcher you use: a standard MIUI Launcher or a third-party (such as Nova Launcher).

Method 1: Adding a standard clock widget to your desktop

The easiest method is to use the built-in MIUI widget, which requires no additional apps to be installed and works on all firmware versions for Redmi 8.

1. Unlock the screen and go to the main desktop (where the app icons are located).
2. Make a long tap on any free screen spot until the settings menu appears.
3. At the bottom of the screen, select the Widgets (the icon with squares).
4. Scroll down to the Tools section and find the Watch widget (usually called Analog Watch or Digital Watch).
5. Press the widget with your finger and drag it to the free space of the desktop.

Once added, the widget automatically syncs with system time. To change its size, make a long press on the widget, then release your finger - the corners will show markers for stretching. Note: Redmi 8 only has 2 widget sizes (small and medium), unlike Xiaomi's flagship models, where you can choose from 4+ options.

⚠️ Note: If the watch widget is not listed, check if the system process com.android.deskclock is disabled. → Annexes → Application management → Show all applications → Watch and make sure the app is not blocked.

Make sure there is a free space on the desktop

Check the MIUI version (not lower than 11)

Disable the third-party launcher (if used)

Reboot the smartphone in case of suspected glitches-->

Method 2: Configure the style and format of displaying time

The standard MIUI widget on Redmi 8 supports basic customization, to change its appearance:

1. Touch the watch widget with one finger (not a long press!).
2. In the menu that appears, select the widget settings (or Change, depending on the firmware version).
3. You will be given options: 🕒 Time format: 12-hourly 24-clockwork. 🎨 Dial style: analog or digital (on Redmi) 8 readily available 3-4 variant). 🌓 Color scheme: light/dark (depending on the system theme). 📍 Date Display: You can turn on or off.

Redmi 8 with MIUI 12+ has a Transparent Background option that makes the widget less intrusive. However, it works unstable: sometimes after a reboot the background becomes opaque again. To fix this, you just need to reopen the widget settings and apply the parameters again.

If you don’t have enough options, you can use third-party widgets from Google Play. For example, Droid27’s Clock Widget app offers more than 100 styles, including minimalist, retro and futuristic designs. However, note that third-party widgets can drain the battery faster, as some of them update the time every second, rather than once per minute, like a system widget.

Analog (with arrows)

Digital (electronic)

Minimalistic (time only)

The Dark (with black background)

Another option-->

Method 3: Recovering the lost hours after the update

Many Redmi 8 users are faced with a problem: after the MIUI update, the clock disappears from the desktop, and there are no widgets in the list, this is due to the fact that MIUI 12+ by default hides some system widgets, considering them “outdated.”

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Click on the three dots in the top right corner and select Show All Apps.
3. Find the DeskClock in the list and open it.
4. Press Warehouse. → Clear the cache.
5. Return to the desktop, make a long press and select Desktop Settings.
6. Scroll down and click Reset Launcher Settings (this won’t delete your data, only return the standard view).

If the watch never came, try reinstalling the update for the Watch app:

1. Go to Google Play → My profile → Application Management.
2. Search for Google Watch LLC (not to be confused with MIUI Clock!).
3. Click on three dots and select Remove Updates.
4. Reboot your smartphone.

To install an alternative launcher:

1. Download the selected application from Google Play.
2. After installation, click the Home button and select the new launcher as the main one.
3. Add the watch widget in the same way as in the standard launcher (long press → Widgets).

One of the most flexible options is the widget. KWGT (Kustom Widget Maker: It allows you to create a fully customizable watch with unique design, animation and even weather, but it requires a basic knowledge of how to work with an editor. KLWP/KWGT. On the Redmi. 8 This widget works stably, but can slightly increase battery consumption (on the other hand, it is not possible to use it). 3-5% day-to-day).

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If you use Nova Launcher, enable Adaptive icons in your settings, which will help your watch fit seamlessly into your desktop design, even if you’re using a custom theme.

Method 5: Display time in the notification panel and on the lock screen

If you don’t need a desktop clock, but you want time to be always on hand, you can customize its display elsewhere:

• 📱 Notification panel: the time is displayed there by default. To change its position, go to Settings → Notification panel → Status bar and turn on the option Show the clock on the left.
• 🔒 Lock screen: you can choose the style of the watch here. → Lock screen → The style of the watch. 8 readily available 5-7 options including minimalist, classical and digital.
• 🌙 Always-on Display (AOD): Redmi 8 does not support the full range of AOD (because AMOLED-screen), you can enable the Rise to wake up in Settings → Lock screen → In addition, the watch will be shown when the smartphone moves lightly.

MIUI 13/14 has a Dynamic Clock feature that changes color and style depending on the wallpaper.

1. Go to Settings → Lock screen → Watch style.
2. Choose Dynamic.
3. Click Set up and select a palette (e.g. Sync with wallpaper).

⚠️ Attention: Redmi 8s MIUI 12 or below dynamic watches may not work correctly, such as displaying the wrong colors or resetting after rebooting.

Problem Solving: The clock doesn’t update, shows the wrong time, or disappears

If the watch is unstable after setting up, use these tips:

If none of these methods helped, try resetting the settings of the Clock app:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Clock → Storage.
2. Click Clear Data and Clear Cache.
3. Reboot your smartphone.

In extreme cases, you can perform a soft reset settings (without data loss):

1. Go to Settings → About the phone → Reset settings.
2. Select Reset Launcher Settings.

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If the watch stopped working after the MIUI update, try to clear the Cache of the Watch and Launcher app first, and 90% of the time, this solves the problem without drastic measures.

Additional chips: seconds, weather and customization

Redmi 8 not only provides time, but also provides additional information.

• ⏱️ Seconds on the clock: The default widget updates once per minute, but you can make it show seconds. To do this, install the Clock Plus widget or Digital Clock Widget from Google Play.
• 🌤️ Weather watch: Devexpert.Net's Weather & Clock Widget combines time and weather forecast in one block.Redmi 8 runs lag-free.
• 🎨 Your own fonts for the watch: if you use KWGT, You can download custom fonts (for example, SF Digital or DS-Digital) and apply them to the widget.
• 🔋 Watch with charge indicator: Battery Widget Reborn widget shows time along with battery percentage and processor temperature.

For the most advanced users, there is a way to add animated watches using the Tasker app:

1. Install Tasker and AutoNotification plugin.
2. Create a task with a trigger every minute.
3. Add AutoNotification → Notification and set up the time display in the status bar.

This technique requires Tasker skills, but allows you to create a unique watch with any animation, for example, you can make time appear on top of the wallpaper in the form of a transparent floating panel.

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If you like minimalism, try the Minimal Clock widget, which shows the time in fine print in the corner of the screen, not taking up much space, but staying in plain sight.

FAQ: Frequent questions about setting up a watch on Xiaomi Redmi 8