How to set the watch on the main screen Redmi 9: all ways with pictures

Why Redmi 9 doesn’t have a default clock and how to fix it

You just unpacked the new Xiaomi Redmi 9 (or upgraded the firmware to MIUI 14), but there's no room on the home screen where the watch should be? It's not a bug - that's what the branded shell is designed to do. Unlike an iPhone or Samsung, where time is displayed in the status bar, Xiaomi defaults to hiding the clock on the desktop, prompting the user to add the widget on their own.

The problem is that not everyone knows where to look for this feature. There is no separate option in the settings menu called Add Watch, and the standard widget is hidden in the depths of Themes and Wallpaper. Plus, after upgrading to MIUI 13/14, the location of the options has changed, and the path to widget settings has become longer. In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to return the clock to the screen, including solutions for cases when the standard widget does not work.

Important: if you have a Redmi 9A, 9C or 9T, the instructions will also work – only the differences in the MIUI version (the 9A often has an older shell). For models with Android Go (for example, Redmi 9A Sport), some methods may not work – this is notified separately.

Method 1: Standard watch widget in MIUI (the simplest)

This is the basic method that works on all versions of Redmi 9 with MIUI 12 and later.If you've never changed the launcher, follow these steps:

1. Unlock your phone and go to the main screen (not in the app menu!).
2. Make a long tap on any free screen spot (not on the icon!).
3. At the bottom of the screen, you'll see a panel with options. Tap the "Widgets" icon (the icon with three squares and plus).
4. Scroll down to Systems and find the Watch widget (the dial icon).
5. Hold your widget with your finger and drag it to a free space on the screen. Release your finger when the frame appears.
6. Select the display style (analog or digital watch) and click Ready.

If the widget does not appear in the list, check:

• 🔍 Version MIUI: In Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI. On older versions. MIUI 12.5 widget should be.
• 📱 Launcher: If you have installed third-party shells (Nova Launcher, Apex), the standard widget may not appear.
• 🔄 Updates: sometimes after an update, widgets are reset.Reboot phone.

Check out the MIUI version (should be 12.5+)

Make sure you use a standard launcher

Reboot the phone.

Update the firmware to the latest version

Reset the launcher settings (Settings) → Annexes → Application management → Launcher → Warehouse → Clear the data)-->

⚠️ Attention: Redmi 9s MIUI 11 and below the standard watch widget may not be available. In this case, use Method 3 (installation through Themes).

Method 2: Adding a clock through "Themes and Wallpaper"

If a standard widget doesn't like it or doesn't work, you can set the watch through the company's Themes app, which gives you more options for design, including animated dials.

Instructions:

1. Open the Themes app (icon with brush).
2. Go to the Wallpaper tab (bottom of the screen).
3. Slip on the icon "Widgets" in the upper right corner (or scroll down to the section Widgets).
4. Select the "Clock" category.
5. Scroll through the list and select your favorite style. Click Apply.
6. Return to the home screen and add the widget as in Method 1.

Advantages of this method:

• 🎨 More designs (including transparent, minimalist designs, 3D-clockwork).
• ⚡ Weekly updates to Xiaomi collection.
• 🔄 Ability to change style without removing widget.

Disadvantages:

• ⚠️ Some widgets require an internet connection to download.
• 📶 On a slow connection, the watch can be loaded with a delay.

Analog (with arrows)

Digital (time only)

Minimalistic (without seconds)

Animated (with effects)

Another option-->

Method 3: Installation via Google Widgets (for lovers of minimalism)

If you don't like Xiaomi's standard watch, you can use Google's widget, which is simpler, but more stable, and doesn't depend on MIUI updates.

How do I add:

1. Make sure your phone has a Google app installed (usually preinstalled). If not, download from the Play Market.
2. Return to the main screen, make a long press and select Widgets.
3. Scroll through the list to the Google section and find the Watch widget (an icon with the Google logo).
4. Select a size (4×1, 4×2, or 5×2) and drag to the screen.
5. Configure the display: you can show the date, weather or only the time.

Features of Google widgets:

⚠️ Note: Some versions of Redmi 9 with lightweight firmware (e.g. Redmi) 9A Google widgets may not be displayed on Android Go, in which case use Method 4 (third-party apps).

Method 4: Third-party watch applications (maximum customization)

If the standard solutions don't work, you can install specialized applications from the Play Market, which offer:

• 🎨 Hundreds of dial styles (from retro to futuristic).
• ⚙️ Flexible customization of colors, fonts, animations.
• 🌍 Support for multiple time zones.
• 🔔 Smart alerts (for example, changing color depending on the time of day).

Top.-3 tested applications:

1. Clock Widget (from Droid27) is a simple and lightweight widget with a bunch of themes.
2. Chrono Widget is for minimalist lovers (supports Always On Display).
3. Digital Clock Widget is a digital watch with font and effects settings.

How to determine:

1. Download the app from the Play Market.
2. Open it and select the style of the watch.
3. Return to the main screen, make a long press → Widgets.
4. Find the widget of the installed application (usually called the same) and add it to the screen.
5. Customize the size and appearance through the app menu.

⚠️ Note: Some applications require permission to overlay over other windows. Without this, the widget may not update:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Permissions → Special Access → Overlay over other windows.
2. Find your watch app and turn on the switch.

💡

If the widget doesn’t update the time after installation, check the battery saving settings. Add the app to exceptions: Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization → All apps → Find yours → Disable optimization

Method 5: Watches in Always On Display (AOD) – an alternative to widgets

If you don’t really want to see the watch on the home screen, you can configure its display on the off display through the Always On Display (AOD) function, which will save space on the desktop and reduce battery consumption (on the Redmi 9 with AMOLED-screen, power consumption is minimal).

How to turn on:

1. Go to Settings → Screen → Always On Display
2. Turn on the switch at the top of the screen.
3. Choose the style of the watch (available 5-7 options depending on the version of MIUI).
4. Set a schedule (you can only set it at night or always).
5. Activate Show at Notifications if you want to see the clock when new messages are posted.

The AOD restrictions on Redmi 9:

• 🔋 In the models with IPS-screen (e.g. Redmi) 9A) Always on Display is not physically available, it only works on the AMOLED-display.
• ⏱️ The clock in AOD Update once per minute (not in real time).
• 📱 Low battery charge (less than 15%) AOD shutdown.

Problem Solving: The clock doesn’t update, disappear, or lag

Even after installation, the watch widget may not work properly. Consider the problems and ways to fix them:

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

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Louncher (or Lawnchair if you use custom).
3. Select Warehouse. → Clear the data.
4. Reboot the phone.

⚠️ Warning: Clearing the launcher data will reset all icons on the home screen! Take screenshots of the current location in advance to quickly restore it.

FAQ: Frequent questions about Redmi watches 9

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If none of these things work, check to see if the com.miui.home system process is disabled, and if it is forced to stop, it can block the widgets.