Xiaomi widgets: how to install, configure and fix errors

The widget tape on Xiaomi smartphones is not just a decorating desktop, but a powerful tool for quick access to information. It can track the weather, manage a smart home, monitor health, or even monitor currency rates in one place, without having to open separate apps, but many users have difficulty setting up the first setup: Where to find this tape, how to add widgets and why they suddenly disappear after the update MIUI?

In this article, we will analyze all the nuances of working with the widget tape on Xiaomi, from the basic installation to solving typical problems. MIUI 14 and MIUI 15, as well as the specifics of work on models with AMOLED-If you have just upgraded your smartphone or have never used this feature before, this guide will help you avoid common errors and organize your desktop as efficiently as possible.

What is a widget tape and why you need it

The widget tape (or widget bar) is a vertical bar that appears when swiped to the right on the Xiaomi home screen. Unlike the classic widgets that are placed directly on the desktop, the tape offers a more compact and organized way of displaying information.

• 🌡️ Weather widgets with detailed forecast for the week;
• 📊 Activity charts from Mi Fitness or Google Fit;
• 💰 Currency and Cryptocurrency Rates in Real Time;
• 🎵 Music management (e.g. Spotify or Yandex Music);
• 🏠 Smart Home Elements for Quick Mi Home Devices Management.

The main advantage of tape is that it saves space on your desktop, so instead of loading a screen with a dozen widgets, you get all the data in one place without sacrificing design, MIUI It allows you to adjust the transparency of the tape, its width and even automatically hide it in some applications (for example, in games).

However, not all widgets support work in the tape. KWGT It may require manual compatibility adjustments, but it is also worth considering that on budget Xiaomi models (for example, Redmi). 12C POCO M6) The functionality of the tape may be limited due to hardware features.

How to turn on the widget tape on Xiaomi: step-by-step instructions

By default, the widget tape can be disabled or hidden, especially after resetting or updating the firmware.

1. Open the settings (cog icon on the desktop).
2. Go to the Desktop section (or Home on some models).
3. Select the widget tape (in) MIUI 15 It may be called the Sidebar).
4. Activate the switch Show the widget tape.
5. Return to the main screen and swipe to the right – an empty tape should appear.

If the widgets are not in the settings, it can mean one of three:

• ❌ Your Xiaomi model doesn’t support this feature (relevant for Android Go devices, like Redmi). A2).
• ⚙️ The tape is disabled through Developer Mode (check in Settings) → The phone. → Version. MIUI, press 7 times).
• 🔄 Last update MIUI Reset settings (resets the device).

In the models with MIUI 15 (e.g. Xiaomi 14 or Redmi Note 13 Pro)+) The widget tape is integrated with the Mi Sans system, which allows you to use dynamic widgets that change depending on the time of day. → Display. → Select the style of the font and choose Mi Sans Dynamic.

⚠️ Note: Some firmware (e.g. Global) ROM For the European market, the widget tape may be called App Vault, in which case its settings are hidden in Settings. → Annexes → App Vault.

Adding and configuring widgets in the tape

Once you activate the tape, you need to fill it with useful content.

1. Swipe right on the main screen to open the tape.
2. Click on the Edit button (the pencil icon at the bottom of the screen).
3. In the menu that opens, select Add a widget.
4. Scroll through the list of available widgets and select the one you want (like Weather or Calendar).
5. Adjust the size and location of the widgets by dragging them with your finger.

Some widgets require additional customization, such as Google widgets (weather, search) that require:

1. Install Google App from Play Market (if removed)
2. In the feed settings, select Google Widgets.
3. Log in to your Google account and allow access to your location.

Third-party app widgets (such as Spotify or Telegram) may require:

• 📥 Update the application to the latest version;
• 🔄 Restart the widget tape (swipe down and select Update);
• 🔧 Manually allow the display of widgets in the application settings.

On models with Always-On Display (for example, Xiaomi 13 Ultra or Redmi) K60 Pro) tape widgets can be duplicated on a locked screen if the Widgets function is enabled on the AOD This allows you to see key information (time, weather, notifications) even when the phone is lying on the table.

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If the widget doesn’t update automatically, try removing it from the tape and adding it again. Also check the background activity limits for the corresponding app in Settings. → Battery → Background restriction.

Solving Widget Ribbon Problems

Even after you set it up properly, the widget tape may not work properly, and let's look at some of the most common problems and ways to solve them:

1.The tape does not open when swipe

If the swipe to the right does not open the tape, check:

• 📱 Navigation gestures: in Settings → Display. → Full screen mode must be selected Swipe mode (not buttons!).
• 🔧 Launcher settings: Some alternative launchers (like Nova Launcher) block system tape. MIUI.
• 🔄 System cache: clear the cache for Launcher app in Settings → Annexes → Application management → Launcher → Warehouse.

2. widgets are not updated

If the data in the widgets is outdated (for example, the weather shows yesterday’s forecast), do:

1. Check your internet connection (widgets don’t update without a network).
2. Open the app that the widget belongs to (like Google Weather) and update the data manually.
3. In battery settings (Settings) → Battery → Background Limitation – Remove restrictions for the application.
4. Reboot the smartphone – it will reset the background processes.

3.Widgets disappear after update MIUI

This is a typical problem when you upgrade to a new version of the shell, to restore the widgets:

• 🔄 Reset the tape settings: go to Settings → Desktop → Widget tape → Drop it.
• 📥 Reinstall applications that have lost widgets (for example, Widgetsmith).
• 🔧 Manually add widgets again – sometimes the update resets their binding.

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI For example, the Redmi Note 12 Pro 5G) After the update, you may need to re-authorize in Google services to restore the weather widgets and calendar.

Optimizing Widget Ribbon for Battery Saving

Widgets, especially dynamic ones, can have a significant impact on battery consumption, because they keep updating data in the background to minimize energy consumption.

• 🔋 Limit background activity: in Settings → Battery → Background restriction: Add apps whose widgets are not critical (e.g. Twitter or Instagram).
• ⏳ Increase the refresh interval: For weather widgets (e.g. AccuWeather), install the update once every 1-2 hours instead of 30 minutes.
• 🌙 Use dark themes: AMOLED-screens (e.g. Xiaomi) 13T) Dark widgets consume less energy.
• 🚫 Remove unnecessary widgets: every extra widget is an additional battery consumption.

In the models with MIUI 15 has a feature called Smart Optimization of Widgets, which automatically pauses the update of widgets when the phone is not in use:

1. Go to Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization.
2. Choose Smart Optimization of Widgets.
3. Activate the switch and set the schedule (e.g., turn off widgets at night).

For advanced users, if you use Tasker or MacroDroid, you can create a rule that will turn off widgets at low charge levels (for example, below 20%), which will help to extend the phone’s life at critical moments.

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Weather and fitness widgets are the main battery eaters, and if you don't want real-time data, you'd better update it manually.

Hidden features of the widget tape on Xiaomi

Many users are unaware that Xiaomi’s widget tape supports several hidden features that can be activated through Developer Mode or special commands:

• 🔍 Search by widgets: swipe down in the tape opens the search bar where you can quickly find the desired widget by name.
• 📏 Setting the width of the tape: in Settings → Desktop → Widget tape → Size can be selected narrow, medium or wide mode.
• 🎨 Background transparency: in the same settings, a transparency slider is available (useful for AMOLED-screen).
• 🔄 Auto-update on schedule: in MIUI 15 You can set hours when widgets will be updated more often (for example, in the morning before work).

For models with HyperOS (new shell from Xiaomi, which comes to replace the new model). MIUI The 2026 flagships feature AI-based Widgets, which analyzes your habits and automatically selects the most relevant widgets, for example, if you often check currency rates in the morning, the corresponding widget will appear in the tape at this time of day. To enable this function:

1. Go to Settings. → System system → HyperOS Features.
2. Choose Adaptive Widgets.
3. Allow access to the usage data.

Another little-known trick is that if you keep your finger blank in the widget feed, you will see a context menu with the option to Add a Bookmark, which allows you to quickly save links to web pages directly to the feed (useful for frequent sites, such as parcel trackers or news resources).

The tape widgets on different models Xiaomi: features

The functionality of the widget tape may differ depending on the smartphone model and version. MIUI. Let’s look at the key differences:

On devices with MIUI for Russia (e.g. Xiaomi) 12T Pro or Redmi Note 11 Pro+ 5G) The default widget tape may contain Yandex widgets (weather, search, news) that can be removed or replaced with alternative ones, but this will require:

1. Disable Yandex applications in Settings → Annexes.
2. Clear the cache for com.miui.home.
3. Reset the device.

On flagship models (Xiaomi 13 Ultra, Mix Fold 3), the widget tape supports a separate mode - you can place widgets on two halves of the screen at the same time (relevant to multitasking).

1. Open the widget tape.
2. Make a swipe down with two fingers.
3. Select Divide Screen.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the widget tape on Xiaomi