Desktop personalization is the first step to making a smartphone comfortable after you buy it. Owners of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices often find the standard screen looking too empty or overloaded with extra elements. One of the most sought-after features is to output up-to-date information about time and weather conditions without having to unlock the device or open individual applications.
Modern MIUI shells and the new HyperOS offer a wide range of tools to customize the interface. You can choose a classic widget with a digital scoreboard or install a complex graphic element that displays rain animations and the current temperature. Properly customizing the widgets not only graces the screen, but also improves the efficiency of the gadget in everyday life.
In this guide, we will take a look at all the available ways to set the clock and weather. We will look at the standard system tools, the capabilities of the Widgets application and how to solve common problems when the widget stops updating or displays incorrect data. For weather widgets to work correctly, it is critical that you have an active Internet connection and permissions to access geolocation.
Standard Watch and Weather widgets in MIUI and HyperOS
Starting with the basic functionality that is available out of the box on any smartphone, the system provides several preset options for displaying time and date. To access them, you need to swipe right across the desktop to go to the menu “Minus-first screen” (Google Discover or Xiaomi Feed), or pinch the empty area on any desktop and select the menu item “Widgets”.
In the menu that opens, you'll see a list of all the items available. Standard watches are usually at the top of the list. They can be analog, digital or combined. Digital widgets often have a larger font, which is convenient for people with visual impairments. Analog options better fit into minimalist wallpaper design.
To install the element, drag it to the desktop. Once placed, the widget can often be edited by touching it and selecting the appropriate button. In the settings of standard watches, you can change the time zone, the time format (12 or 24 hours) and sometimes the color of the dial. However, the functionality of standard widgets is limited by basic settings.
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If standard widgets seem boring to you, try changing the theme in the Themes app – many themes replace system widgets with unique design solutions.
Using the Widgets app for advanced customization
For those who lack the standard interface, Xiaomi has developed a standalone app called “Widgets,” a powerful tool that allows you to create complex compositions. Unlike system elements, there are hundreds of design options available, including popular iOS styles, transparent widgets and live animation elements.
To use this tool, look for the Widgets app on the menu or search. Inside you'll find the Watch and Weather categories, and the peculiarity of these widgets is that they often require an additional plugin or permission to display on top of other windows. Interactive widgets can show moon phases, wind speed and rainfall probability in graphs.
The installation process is slightly different from the standard one. Once you select your favorite design in the Widgets app, you click the Add to Desktop button. The system can request confirmation of the installation of the component, and then the selected item will appear on the screen, which often looks much more modern than standard solutions.
- 📱 A huge selection of designs: from retro stylistics to futuristic interfaces.
- 🎨 Flexible color setting: the ability to adjust the shade of the dial under the wallpaper.
- 🌤 Detailed weather: hourly forecast and humidity data right on your desktop.
- 🔄 Automatic update: data synced in the background without user involvement.
Why can’t the widget appear after installation?
Step-by-step: Adding and configuring elements
Consider a detailed action algorithm that will help you install the necessary components on the home screen without errors, a process that is universal for most Xiaomi Mi, Redmi Note and POCO F/X series models.
First, make sure there is free space on the desktop.Widgets take up a certain number of grid cells (usually 2x2, 4x2 or 4x4). If there is no space, delete the extra app icons or move them to other pages. Then go to desktop editing mode.
☑️ Algorithm of installation of the widget
Once you drag and drop the widget onto the screen, you often get a pop-up configuration menu, you can choose a city to display the weather, the default system uses GPS data, if you're roaming or GPS is disabled, the widget can show the wrong city, in which case manually enter the name of the desired settlement in the search box.
Time widgets have an alarm clock setting available. On some models, double tap on the watch widget opens the Watch app with alarm clocks set. It's a handy quick access feature that saves time in the morning. Make sure the system settings don't include power saving mode, which can block widgets from working.
Compatibility table and widget types
Not all widgets work the same on different versions of the operating system, and here is a table that will help you navigate the types of available elements and their compatibility with the MIUI 12/13/14 and HyperOS shells.
| Type of widget | Source | MIUI 12-14 | HyperOS | Demands the Internet. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| System clock | Built-in | Yes. | Yes. | No. |
| Mi weather | Built-in | Yes. | Yes. | Yes. |
| Widgets (App) | Annex | Yes. | Partially. | Yes. |
| Third-party (Google) | Play Market | Yes. | Yes. | Depends. |
As you can see from the table, embedded solutions are the most stable. However, the Widgets app may not work stable on the new HyperOS due to changes in the system code, in such cases, it is recommended to use widgets from Google or third-party developers from the GetApps store.
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On new devices with HyperOS, priority should be given to native system widgets or official Google widgets, since third-party applications from the Xiaomi store may not work correctly.
Problem Solving: The widget is not updated or has disappeared
One of the most common problems users have is when the weather widget “stops” and shows yesterday’s temperature, or time lags behind, most often due to the aggressive energy saving policy of the MIUI system.
To fix this, you go to the settings of the app that controls the widget, usually the Weather or Widgets app, and find it in the installed program list, go to Energy Saving, and select No Limits mode, which will allow the widget to update in the background without restrictions.
⚠️ Warning: Forced stopping the Weather app or clearing its memory through the multitasking menu will cause the widget to stop updating until the next manual launch of the app.
Another reason could be a geolocation service failure: If the widget can't determine your location, it won't download the actual data. Check if GPS is enabled and if the Weather app has permission to access the location ("Always" or "Only when used"). Also try to switch Wi-Fi or mobile internet, as sometimes weather servers may be temporarily unavailable through the provider.
- 🔋 Power saving settings: remove background activity restrictions.
- 📍 Verification GPS: Make sure that the geolocation is active and accurate.
- 🌐 Change the network: try to update data via mobile Internet instead of Wi-Fi.
- 🗑 Cache Clearing: In the Weather app settings, click Clear Data (without deleting user data).
Alternative solutions and third-party applications
If Xiaomi’s standard functionality doesn’t satisfy you, Google Play offers thousands of alternatives, like Today Weather, Overcast, or HD Widgets, which provide incredible detail and customization that stock solutions don’t.
Installing third-party widgets is similar: after downloading an application, you need to pinch the desktop, select “Widgets”, find the name of the downloaded application in the list and add it to the screen, the advantage of such solutions is the ability to synchronize with a variety of weather services (AccuWeather, Weatherbit, OpenWeatherMap).
⚠️ Warning: Third-party widgets consume significantly more battery resources than system widgets. Using complex animated widgets can reduce battery life of a smartphone on the Internet 10-15% day-to-day.
Also worth mentioning are Google widgets, which are pre-installed on many Xiaomi smartphones, and Google Weather widgets are minimalist and highly accurate, perfect for those who prefer a clean Android experience without too much embellishment, and you need to find Google's widget section to install it in the widget menu.