How to install a photo widget on Xiaomi: instructions with nuances

Photo widgets on Xiaomi smartphones are not just a desktop decoration, but a convenient way to quickly view your favorite photos without starting a gallery. However, many users face difficulties when installing them: the widget does not appear in the list, the photos are loaded incorrectly, after updating MIUI everything flies. In this article, we will analyze all the ways to add photo widgets to Redmi, POCO and Xiaomi (including models with MIUI 14/15), and also reveal the secrets of their fine-tuning.

The feature of Xiaomi widgets is that they depend on the firmware version and the gallery installed. For example, MIUI 15 has a new "Photo of the Day" widget that automatically picks up the best shots from your collection. And on older versions (MIUI 12 and below), you may need to manually install through Google Photos. We'll look at all options, from standard solutions to workarounds for "stubborn" devices.

What photo widgets are available on Xiaomi

There are several types of photo widgets available on Xiaomi smartphones, and their set depends on the version of MIUI and the installed applications.

• 📱 Standard Gallery widget – shows thumbnails from device folders (available on all versions) MIUI).
• 🌄 "Photo of the day - automatically selects the best picture from the collection (appeared in the photo). MIUI 14+).
• 🖼️ Google Photos widget is an alternative for users syncing photos with the cloud.
• 🔄 Third-party widgets (e.g. Simple Gallery or QuickPic) – for advanced features.

The easiest way to check the available widgets is to press the desktop for a long time and select the Widgets item. If there is no option, you will have to use workarounds (we will discuss them below). Note that on some models (for example, POCO F5 or Redmi Note 12), the Photo of the Day widget may not be available due to regional firmware restrictions.

Preparation before installation of the widget

Before you add a widget, make sure your device is ready for it. Here are the key points:

1. Update MIUI to the latest version. Old firmware (below MIUI 12) may not have modern widgets. Check the version in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.
2. Clear the Gallery cache. Sometimes widgets don't work because of corrupted data. Go to Settings → Apps → Gallery → Storage → Clear cache.
3. Check permissions. The widget must have access to the storage. Go to Settings → Privacy → Permits → Gallery and enable access to files.
4. Sync photos (if you use Google Photos) without it, the widget will be empty.

On devices with MIUI Global Stable, the Photo of the Day widget may not be present — it's not a bug, it's a feature of the firmware — so use alternative methods in the following sections.

Update MIUI to the latest version

Clear the cache of the Gallery app

Checking the permissions to access the storage

Sync photos (for Google Photos)

Reset the device-->

Method 1: Installation of a standard "Gallery" widget

This is the basic method that works on all Xiaomi devices regardless of the MIUI version.

1. Press and hold your finger on the free space of the desktop.
2. In the menu that appears, select Widgets.
3. Scroll down and find the Gallery section (some firmware may call it Photo or Mi Gallery).
4. Select the size of the widget (e.g., 4×2 or 4×4) and drag it to the screen.
5. Click on the widget to customize the source of the photos (folder or album).

If the widget doesn’t appear in the list, try the following:

• 🔄 Reset the device.
• 📥 Update the Gallery app through Play Market.
• 🗑️ Delete Gallery data in Settings → Annexes → gallery → Warehouse → Delete data (Warning: This will reset the app settings!).

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If the Gallery widget shows a black screen, try resizing it, and sometimes the bug disappears after dragging the widget boundaries.

Method 2: Photo of the Day Widget (MIUI 14 and later)

The Photo of the Day widget is a Xiaomi proprietary feature that automatically selects the best shots from your collection based on machine learning algorithms. It is only available on MIUI 14 and later (including MIUI 15).

1. Long press on the desktop → Widgets.
2. Find the Photo of the Day section (in English firmware - Photo of the Day).
3. Choose a size (recommended 4×4 for better display).
4. Drag the widget onto the screen and confirm the addition.

Features of the widget "Photo of the day":

• 🔄 Automatically updates the photo once a day (time can be adjusted).
• 🌟 Selects high-rated shots (based on quality, composition and shooting date).
• 🔒 Does not show photos from hidden albums.
• 📊 Supports gestures: swipe up opens the gallery, swipe left / right switches photos.

If the widget doesn’t update the photos, check:

• 📶 Internet connection (widget downloads metadata from the cloud).
• ⚙️ Synchronization settings in Mi Cloud (Settings) → Xiaomi account → Mi Cloud → gallery).
• 🕒 Time on the device (if it is shot down, the widget may not update).

Method 3: Google Photos Widget for Xiaomi

If you don't like standard widgets, you can use Google Photos, which is suitable for all versions of MIUI, including older ones (e.g. MIUI 11).

• 🌐 Sync with the cloud (photos available on all devices).
• 🎨 More design options (for example, collages or animated widgets).
• 🔍 Smart search by persons, places and objects.

Installation instructions:

1. Install Google Photos from Play Market (if not already installed).
2. Open the app and log in to your Google account.
3. Enable photo backup (Profile → Photo settings → Backup and sync).
4. Long click on the desktop → Widgets → find the Google Photos section.
5. Select the type of widget (such as Photos, Memories or Collage) and add it to the screen.

If the Google Photos widget is not displayed:

• 📌 Make sure the app is updated to the latest version.
• 🔄 Reset the device.
• 🗑️ Clear the Google Photos cache in the app settings.
• 🔧 Enable permission to display over other windows (Settings) → Annexes → Google Photo → Additionally. → Display on top of other applications).

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The Google Photos widget consumes less battery than the standard Xiaomi Gallery widget, as it is optimized for background work.

Solving problems with photo widgets on Xiaomi

Even after installation, photo widgets may not work properly.

If neither solution worked, try alternative launchers (like Nova Launcher or Hyperion Launcher).They often work better with widgets than the standard Xiaomi launcher.

⚠️ Note: On some firmware (for example, MIUI EU) widgets can be blocked due to modified privacy settings, in which case you will have to manually enable permissions for system applications through the ADB or Hidden Settings utility.

Additional settings and life hacks

To make the photo widget really convenient, use these tips:

• 🔄 Auto-update photos: In the widget "Photo of the day" you can set the interval of change of pictures (from 1 hour to 1 day). → Settings → Frequency of update.
• 📂 Selecting specific albums: The standard Gallery widget lets you specify which folders to display and which to ignore.This is useful if you don't want to see screenshots or memes on your desktop.
• 🎨 Style customization: Google Photos has themes available (e.g., "Minimalism" or "Color"). To enable them, click on the widget → Widget style.
• 🔒 Hiding Personal Photos: If the widget accidentally shows confidential shots, transfer them to a hidden album (Gallery) → Select a photo → More. → Hide).

For advanced users, if you don't have enough standard widgets, you can create your own using the KWGT (Kustom Widget Maker) application.

• 🖌️ Set up animations when changing photos.
• 📊 Add weather, time and other data over pictures.
• 🎭 Use non-standard shapes (e.g., round or triangular widgets).

Example of code for KWGT (a simple photo and time widget):

[time_hh]:[time_mm]


$if(gv(photo_path)!="", si(photo, gv(photo_path)), si(photo,"default.jpg"))$

Where's gv(photo_path) — The path to your photo, and default.jpg is a backup image.

FAQ: Frequent questions about photo widgets on Xiaomi