How to Set Up and Set Up a Watch on Xiaomi’s Home Screen: 5 Ways + Error Solving

Have you just bought a new Xiaomi smartphone and want to personalize the main screen by adding a stylish watch? Or suddenly the standard time widget disappeared after upgrading to HyperOS? In this article, we will discuss all the current ways to install a watch on the Xiaomi screen — from basic to hidden MIUI features that are not written in the official instructions. You will learn how to return a watch if it is missing, how to change its size and style, and what applications will help create a unique design.

It’s important to understand that the process varies depending on the firmware version: MIUI 12/13/14 and the new HyperOS have different customization paths. We’ll look at both options, taking into account the features of popular models – from the Redmi Note 12 to the flagship Xiaomi 14 Ultra. You’ll also find a widget compatibility table with different versions of MIUI and instructions for fixing typical problems, for example, when the watch is not updated or displayed incorrectly.

If you've tried adding a watch and it didn't work, don't rush to reset, and 90 percent of the time, it's a single setting in the system settings that solves the problem. And for fans of experiments, we have prepared an overview of the best third-party widgets with animated dials and support for Always-On Display (AOD) on AMOLED-screen.

1. Standard method: Adding watch widgets through MIUI menu

This is the simplest method that works on all Xiaomi smartphones with MIUI 12 and later. The interface may vary slightly depending on the firmware version, but the general logic is maintained.

First, unlock the screen and go to the main desktop. Make a long tap on any free screen space, the edit menu will appear. At the bottom of the screen, you will see a panel that says Widgets. Slap it on to open the library of available items.

In the list of widgets, find the Watch section (usually at the top or in the System category).

• 🕒 Analog watches – classic dial with hands (different styles are available: from minimalist to retro)
• 🕐 Digital clocks – displaying time in format HH:MM, often-date
• 🌓 Clock with phases of the moon – a popular widget in firmware for Xiaomi and POCO
• ⏱️ Timer/Secondomeric – Combined widget (less commonly found)

Choose your favorite style and hold the icon to drag to the main screen. Release your finger in the right place - the widget will lock. If the watch does not appear immediately, try rebooting your smartphone (this helps with MIUI glitch).

Make sure there is a free space on the screen (at least 2×2 cells)

Update MIUI to the latest version (check in Settings → About phone)

Turn off the energy saving mode (it can block widgets)

Restart your smartphone if the watch does not show up after installation-->

2.Setting up a clock in HyperOS: what has changed compared to MIUI

With the release of HyperOS (December 2023), the logic of widgets has changed. Now the interface has become more unified, but some users complain about the disappearance of the usual options. If you have a Xiaomi 14, Redmi K70 or another model with HyperOS, follow this instruction:

The main difference is that there's no separate "Widgets" section when you press long.

1. Swipe left on the home screen to open the Minus screen (analogue to Google Discover).
2. At the bottom of the screen, click on the icon. ⚙️ Management.
3. Select the Widgets tab and find the Watch section.
4. Slip on your favorite option and hold it to drag it to the main screen or on the minus screen.

HyperOS also has the ability to resize widgets more flexibly. After adding a watch to the screen, tap the widget and hold it, and there will be markers along the edges that allow you to stretch the element horizontally or vertically, which is especially convenient for the larger Xiaomi Mix Fold 3 or Redmi Note 13 Pro+ screens.

MIUI 12/13

MIUI 14

HyperOS

I don't know what version.

Other firmware (castom)-->

Note that in HyperOS, some watch styles have become adaptive – they automatically adjust to the theme (light or dark).If you don’t like automatic change, go to Settings → Display → Themes and turn off the option of Adaptive icons.

3.Why the watch is not displayed on the screen and how to fix it

One of the most common problems is that the watch widget suddenly disappears or doesn't add at all, and there may be several reasons, and we'll sort each one out with a specific solution.

If none of these things worked, try resetting the launcher settings.

Settings → Applications → Application Management → Launcher → Storage → Clear data and cache

After that, the watch widgets should appear on the menu. In extreme cases, reset to factory settings (don't forget to back up the data!).

4. Hidden watch settings: how to change format, color and style

Few people know, but MIUI and HyperOS have hidden customization options that you can't see at first glance, such as changing the time display format (12/24 hours), adding seconds, hiding the date, or changing the font.

To access these settings:

1. Add the watch widget to the screen (any style).
2. Slip on the widget - the quick action menu will open.
3. Select Settings (or Edit in HyperOS).
4. Here you will see additional options: 🔢 Time format: 12-clockwork (AM/PM) or 24-clockwork 🎨 Color scheme: automatic, light, dark or custom 📅 Date Display: Full, Shortened or Hidden ⚙️ Additional information: weather, battery charge, steps (on some models)

On the other hand, always-on display (AOD) (For example, Xiaomi 13 Pro or Redmi K60 Ultra) these settings also affect the display of time on the screen that is off. AOD:

Settings → Display → Always-On Display → Watch Style

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If you're short on standard styles, try installing the Mi Theme theme with an alternate watch. To do so, download the theme from the official Themes store.

For advanced users, if you want to completely replace your system clock with custom, you can use applications like KWGT or UCCW. They allow you to create unique widgets with animations, but require manual adjustment, which we will discuss in the next section.

5.The best third-party watch widgets for Xiaomi (with MIUI/HyperOS support)

If you’re tired of standard watches, look for third-party solutions, and we’ve tested dozens of apps and selected the ones that work best on Xiaomi without conflicting with MIUI.

Here's the top.-5 widgets with unique functions:

• 🏆 Chronus is the most functional widget with weather, calendar and notifications.
• 🎨 KWGT (Kustom Widget Maker is a customizable widget designer that takes time to set up, but it's worth it.
• ⏳ Digital Clock Widget is a minimalist digital watch with font and color customization. Lightweight and free.
• 🌌 Another Widget – Material You-style widgets with adaptive color scheme (ideal for HyperOS).
• 🔄 Transparent Clock & Weather – transparent watch with animation and support for themes MIUI.

To install a third-party widget:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Add the widget to the screen via the widget menu (as in the first section).
3. Follow the instructions of the application for setting up.

Important: Some widgets (e.g. KWGT) require overlay permission.

Settings → Applications → Special Accesses → Overlay → Find the widget app and enable permission

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Side widgets can increase battery consumption, especially if they update the weather or use animation. Track consumption in Settings → Battery → Battery use and disable unnecessary features.

6.Clock on the Lock screen: how to set up and why it might not work

The time display on the lock screen is set separately from the widgets on the home screen. MIUI and HyperOS have several options:

• 🔓 Standard watches – always shown, style depends on the chosen theme.
• 🌙 Always-On Display (AOD) — readily AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T or POCO F5).
• 📱 Dynamic lock screen – the watch is integrated into the wallpaper (Super Wallpapers function).

To change the style of the clock on the lock screen:

1. Open the Settings → Lock screen.
2. Select Watch Style (or Lock Screen Setting in HyperOS).
3. Scroll through the list of available styles and choose your favorite.
4. On some models, you can additionally adjust the color, font and position of the clock.

If the clock on the lock screen is not displayed:

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi models (e.g. Redmi) 9A or POCO M3) The clock display feature on the locked screen is disabled by default due to battery optimization. To enable it, go to Settings → Battery → Sleep mode and turn off the option to Hide the contents of notifications.

For Always-On Display (if your smartphone supports this feature):

Settings → Display → Always-On Display → Enable and select style

On Xiaomi 13 Ultra and other flagships, you can even upload your own image for AOD or choose an animated style.

7. Watch on Always-On Display (AOD): How to turn on and configure

Always-On Display (AOD) is a feature where the screen shows the time, date and notifications even when turned off. It is only available on smartphones with AMOLED-matrix (for example, Xiaomi 12 Pro, Redmi K50 Ultra, POCO F4 GT).

To activate the AOD:

1. Go to Settings → Display → Always-On Display.
2. Activate the switch at the top of the screen.
3. Choose the display style: 🕘 Classic - time and date 📊 Minimalistic - only the clock 🎨 Colored - with accent flowers 🖼️ Castomy – loading your background (on supported models)

Set up a schedule (for example, turn off AOD at night to save battery).

HyperOS has a new feature called adaptive AOD, which changes brightness depending on the lighting, to enable it:

Settings → Display → Always-On Display → Adaptive Brightness

⚠️ Attention: AOD consume 1-3% If you notice a high consumption, turn off the function or reduce the activity time in the settings. on Xiaomi with Snapdragon processors 8 Gen 2/3 (for example, Xiaomi 14) power consumption AOD Optimized better than on budget models.

If the AOD is not activated:

• Make sure that the feature is supported by your model (the list is available on the official Xiaomi website).
• Check if the Wake Up is enabled in the Settings → Display.
• Update the firmware to the latest version (in older versions MIUI AOD could work unstable).

8. Frequent Questions and Solutions to Watch Problems on Xiaomi