How to put a watch on the home screen of Redmi Note 8 Pro: all ways

The Xiaomi Redmi Note 8 Pro’s home screen watch widget is not just a design element, but a useful tool for quickly monitoring time without unlocking your smartphone. Many users have difficulty adding or customizing a watch, especially after the MIUI update. In this article, we’ll look at all the current ways to install a watch on your desktop, including hidden system features and third-party solutions.

The Redmi Note 8 Pro is that the manufacturer often changes the logic of placing widgets depending on the firmware version. Some watches are added through a long press on the screen, and some through a special theme menu. We tested all methods on the latest versions of MIUI 12-14 and selected only working versions. If you want to not just put the watch, but make it stylish and functional, read on.

Why is the Redmi Note 8 Pro not the default clock widget?

Many users wonder why, after buying or resetting the settings on the Redmi Note 8 Pro, there is no clock on the home screen, because MIUI by default hides most widgets so as not to overload the interface. This is part of Xiaomi's philosophy of providing a "clean" desktop that the user customizes for himself.

Another reason is regional firmware differences, such as the global MIUI version, where watch widgets can be accessed immediately, while the Chinese version (CN) can be hidden in the theme menu, and the shell version is also affected: in MIUI, 12 watches were added with long presses, and in MIUI 14, through the widget bar at the bottom of the screen.

• 🔍 Hidden widgets: Xiaomi doesn’t show all available widgets at once, so as not to confuse the user.
• 🌍 Regional firmware: In Chinese versions MIUI Often there are no usual widgets.
• 📱 Version. MIUI: The logic of adding widgets changes with each major update.
• 🎨 Design theme: Some themes block the display of widgets on the home screen.

Method 1: Add by long-pressing (MIUI 12–13)

This is a classic method that works on most firmware versions, suitable for users who have not updated their smartphone to the latest version of MIUI.

1. Click and hold the empty space on the home screen (not on the icon!).
2. At the bottom of the screen will appear menu – select the item Widgets.
3. Scroll down to the Watch section (may be called Clock in English firmware).
4. Choose your favorite watch style (analog, digital, weather, etc.).
5. Drag the widget to a free space on the desktop.

If you don't have a watch in the widget list, your theme is blocking it. Solution: Go to Settings → Themes and select the standard MIUI Default theme. After that, the watch widgets should appear.

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If the watch widget doesn't drag and drop onto the screen, try first removing one of the app icons to free up space.MIUI sometimes blocks adding widgets if there's no free space on the screen.

Method 2: Use of the widget panel (MIUI 14 and later)

In the latest versions of MIUI, the logic of adding widgets has changed, and now they're hidden in a special panel that swipes to the right, and here's how to add a watch through it:

1. Swipe left on the home screen to open the widget bar (aka the “Minus screen”).
2. At the bottom of the screen, click on the Edit button (the icon with a pencil).
3. Find the Watch widget in the list and click on + next to it.
4. The widget will appear on the panel. Now click on it and hold it to drag it to the main screen.

Important: in MIUI 14, widgets from the panel can only be dragged to the main screen, but not vice versa.If you need to remove the clock back to the panel, first remove it from the desktop (hold → "Delete"), and then add again through the panel editing.

Method 3: Installation through theme settings (for Chinese firmware)

If you use the Chinese version of MIUI (CN ROM), the standard methods may not work, in which case the watch is added via the theme menu:

1. Open the Themes app (icon with brush).
2. Go to the section My profile → My widgets.
3. Find the Watch widget and click on it.
4. Choose a style and click Apply.
5. Return to the main screen, the watch should appear automatically.

If the widget doesn't show up, try restarting your smartphone. Sometimes changes only take effect after the reboot, and also check if you have a third-party theme installed, which can block system widgets.

Method 4: Third-Party Widgets from Google Play

If the system clock is not suitable for you (for example, you want animated or weather forecast), you can install third-party widgets.

• ⏰ Chronus – customizable watches with weather, calendar and notifications.
• 🌤️ Weather & Clock Widget – over 3,000 styles, dark theme support.
• ⚙️ KWGT Kustom Widget Maker – for advanced users (creating custom widgets).
• 🎨 UCCW — lightweight widget designer with minimalistic clock.

How to install a third-party widget:

1. Download the app from Google Play.
2. Click and hold the empty space on the home screen → Widgets.
3. Find the widget of the installed application (for example, Chronus 4×2) in the list.
4. Drag it to the screen and set it up according to the instructions in the app.

Make sure there is free space on the screen.

Check the permission to display on top of other windows

Turn off battery optimization for the widget app

Reboot the smartphone after installation

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Warning: Some widgets from Google Play may drain the battery due to constant time and weather synchronization. After installation, check the charge consumption in Settings → Battery → Battery Use.

Method 5: A clock in a state bar (alternative to widgets)

If you don't really want to have a watch in a widget, you can set it up in the status bar (top bar), which saves space on the screen and always shows the time:

1. Open the Settings → Screen → Status Line.
2. Turn on the option to show the clock (if disabled).
3. Click on the Clock Style and select the appropriate format (24/12 hours, with seconds, etc.).
4. Activate the date if necessary.

In some firmware, additional settings are available, for example:

• 🕒 Color of watches (white/black/auto).
• 📏 Font size (small/medium/large).
• 🌙 Night mode (automatic dimming of the clock in the evening).

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The display of the watch in the status bar does not depend on the theme of design and works even on Chinese firmware without additional widgets.

Customization and customization of watch widgets

Adding a watch to a screen is only half the battle, and to make it fit perfectly into the design, you have to adjust it. Here's what you can change in the Redmi Note 8 Pro system widgets:

• 🎨 Color scheme: selection for wallpaper or theme (in the settings of the widget).
• ⏳ Time format: 12/24 hour, display of seconds.
• 🌍 Time zone: Adding a second city (good for travel).
• 📱 Size: stretching the widget on 2×2, 4×1 or 4×2 cell.

To change the parameters:

1. Touch the watch widget with one finger (do not hold it!).
2. The settings menu will appear (if not, your theme will block it).
3. Select the options you need and save the changes.

If the menu does not open, try:

• Remove the widget and add it again.
• Change the theme to standard MIUI Default.
• Update the firmware to the latest version.

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To keep the watch widget from moving when you update MIUI, fix its position: hold the widget → “Accumulate on the screen” (available in MIUI 13+).

Frequent problems and their solutions

Even after successful installation, the watch widget may not work correctly. Let's analyze the typical errors and ways to correct them:

⚠️ Note: If after the update MIUI The watch has disappeared from the screen, so don't try to restore it through the theme backup, which can cause other widgets to fail. Instead, delete the watch and add it again.

If none of these methods helped, check:

• 🔧 Date and time settings: they must be in automatic mode (Settings) → Additionally. → Date and time).
• 🔄 Cache of the Clock app: clean it in Settings → Annexes → Application management → The clock → Clear the cache.
• 📱 System Updates: Sometimes bugs with widgets are fixed in new versions MIUI.

⚠️ Note: Some custom firmware (e.g. Pixel Experience) may not have Xiaomi system widgets working, in which case only use third-party solutions from Google Play.

FAQ: Answers to popular questions