Personalizing the interface is the first thing that Xiaomi smartphone owner does, allowing you to turn a standard screen into a functional control panel. Installing widgets on devices running MIUI or the new HyperOS gives you access to instant information about the weather, currency rates, steps and news without having to run apps. However, users often face menu differences or do not know where to find hidden desktop editing tools.
In this article, we will discuss in detail the algorithm of actions for adding widgets to any Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO smartphone. You will learn not only to move standard elements, but also to install third-party plugins, change their size and configure system parameters for maximum ease of use of the gadget.
The process of adding elements to the screen may seem trivial, but the shells from the Chinese manufacturer have their own nuances that distinguish them from pure Android. Understanding the logic of the desktop will help you avoid the chaos in the icons and create a truly aesthetic and useful interface.
Preparation of the working space and basic settings
Before you start decorating the screen, you need to make sure that the system is ready for changes. Modern firmware versions allow you to flexibly manage the grid of icons, which directly affects the size of the available widgets. Go to the settings and find the item responsible for the appearance of the interface.
It is important to understand that screen resolution and the theme you choose may hide some standard elements. If you use a third-party theme, some system widgets may not display correctly or be replaced by the theme author’s counterparts. To get started, you’d better switch to a standard “Classic” or “Pro” style.
⚠️ Warning: Installing a large number of live widgets that constantly update data over the Internet can significantly increase battery consumption and traffic consumption.
To optimize the space, it is recommended to remove unnecessary application shortcuts in advance, freed grid cells will allow you to accommodate larger and more informatic modules, and it is also worth checking for system updates, since new versions of MIUI often change the mechanisms of Launcher.
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Before mass installation of widgets, take a screenshot of the current location of the icons, which will help quickly return everything to place if the new design is uncomfortable.
The standard way to add widgets through the menu
The most common method, which works on the brand’s devices, involves using an embedded editing menu, which requires a long tap and hold on any free area of the desktop to access, and the alternative is to use a pinch with two fingers while squeezing the screen.
And then the interface goes into editing mode, and at the bottom of the screen, you'll see a toolbar, and you're interested in a button or tab called "Widgets," and you'll click on it and you'll open a library of all the system elements that you can find, from the clock to the step counter.
In the list that opens, you can sort items by alphabet or frequency of use. Choose the desired object, such as "Weather" or "Notes." The system will offer you several options for display: compact, medium or large. Tap the desired option to add it to the screen.
☑️ Algorithm for adding a widget
Once added, you can move the widget around the screen with your finger in your hand. If you try to place the item on top of a busy icon, the system will automatically move it or prompt you to create a new page. To remove it, simply drag the widget to the top of the screen in the Remove or Recycle Bin area.
Working with widgets in MIUI and HyperOS
The MIUI 12, 13, 14 and new HyperOS shells offer advanced functionality called Modules or Widgets 2.0. They differ from standard android widgets with the ability to deep customize and animation, and often require you to go to a special theme gallery or use a separate Components app to access them.
Unlike classic plugins, MIUI modules can have a transparent background and adapt to wallpaper. their installation sometimes requires downloading through the GetApps app or theme store. The installation process can take longer due to the need to download additional resources.
| Type of widget | Functional | Impact on the battery | Where to find out. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Android | Basic data display | Low. | Desktop menu |
| MIUI/HyperOS module | Animation, transparency, interactive | Average. | Theme Gallery/Components |
| Third-party (Widgetsmith) | Complete customization of design | High. | Google Play / RuStore |
It’s worth noting that in the HyperOS version, the manufacturer has been betting on integrating widgets with the lock screen. Now many controls are available swipe down, which reduces the need to clutter the main desktop. However, the ability to bring important data to the main screen has not gone away and is implemented through the Settings menu. → Wallpaper and personalization.
The secret of transparency
Installation of third-party widgets from Google Play
If standard functionality isn’t enough, the Google Play app store offers thousands of solutions. Popular applications like Widgetsmith, Overdrop or Google widgets (Hours, Photos, News) are installed as regular applications, but their main functionality is revealed on the desktop.
Once installed, the add-on algorithm remains the same: long-click on the screen → Widgets → Search for the name of the installed application. Often, these widgets require additional adjustments when you first run. You may need to provide permission to access the geolocation, contacts or gallery.
Special attention should be paid to launcher widgets: Installing a third-party launcher, such as a Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher, completely changes the approach to widgets, making them more flexible. However, on Xiaomi smartphones, this can lead to gesture conflict and the disappearance of the bottom control panel.
When using third-party widgets, it’s important to keep track of their compatibility with the Android version. Some older widgets may not properly scale on high-pixel density screens, creating a ladder on fonts or blurring images.
Size and appearance adjustment
Most modern widgets support resizing. To activate this feature, click on the widget and hold your finger until the vibration appears, then release it and immediately press again (or pull out of the frame if it appears).
By moving the boundaries of the frame, you can stretch the widget vertically and horizontally. Not all widgets support arbitrary change of proportions: some are fixed widths, but allow you to change height to display more lines of text or list elements.
To change the style (color, font, shape) often requires clicking on the widget itself or using the edit button, which appears in the context menu. In the window that opens, you can select the sets you have drawn or create your own design by matching the color scheme under the wallpaper.
⚠️ WARNING: When stretching the widget to the full width of the screen, make sure it doesn’t override important system elements such as the status bar or bottom navigation bar.
If the widget has stopped updating or displaying relevant information, try resizing it and then returning it back, an action that often forcibly restarts the widget rendering process and updates the data.
Solving Typical Problems and Errors
Xiaomi users often face a situation where widgets disappear after a device reboot or stop updating, the main reason lies in the aggressive power saving system MIUI, which “kills” background processes to save charge.
To fix this, you need to go to the settings of the application that owns the widget (for example, “Weather” or “Calendar”). Find the “Start” option and turn it on. Also, in the “Battery and Performance” section, for this application, you need to select the “No Limits” mode.
Another common problem is time or weather desynchronization, and make sure that the system settings (Settings → Additional → Date and Time) activate the automatic time-driven option over the network, and manual settings can cause time-zone-dependent widgets to fail.
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For stable operation of widgets it is critically important to configure auto-start and remove background activity restrictions in the Battery section.
If the widget is displayed in black square, try changing the theme to the standard one. Third-party themes often don’t contain resources to render all system elements, leading to visual bugs.