How to return the clock to the main screen of the Xiaomi phone: the full guide

You turned on a Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO phone, but your home screen watch has disappeared? This problem occurs to users after a MIUI update, reset or accidental change in the launcher settings. 90% of the time, widgets or shell failures are to blame. In this article, 5 proven ways to bring the watch back to the screen, including hidden features and solutions for older versions of the firmware.

We analyzed user reviews on the 4PDA and Mi Community forums, tested methods on Xiaomi 13 Pro, Redmi Note 12 and POCO X5 models, and also took into account the nuances for devices with MIUI 14 and HyperOS. If the standard settings do not help, at the end of the article you will find alternative solutions, including installing third-party widgets.

Why did the Xiaomi watch disappear?

Before you restore the clock, it is important to understand the reason for its disappearance.-5 Reasons Why the Time Widget May Disappear:

• 🔄 Update MIUI: After installing the new firmware version, the launcher settings are reset (especially important for transitions to HyperOS).
• 🎯 Accidental Deletion: The widget can be removed by long pressing and dragging into the basket (a frequent beginner error).
• 🔧 Launcher Reset: When cleaning the cache of the com.miui.home app or resetting its data.
• 📱 Change the subject: Some custom themes from the Mi Theme Store hide the standard watch.
• 🛠️ System failure: Rarely, but it happens that after a reboot or battery discharge, widgets “fly off".

If the watch is missing after upgrading to HyperOS, the problem may be due to a new widget display algorithm, in which case only manual adjustment or rollback to the previous version of MIUI (but this is an extreme case).

Method 1: Recovery through launcher settings

The easiest method is to return the watch through the standard MIUI Launcher shell settings. It works on 99% of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO devices (except models with custom firmware).

Instructions:

1. Click and hold the empty space on the home screen (not on the icon!).
2. At the bottom of the screen will appear the toolbar – tap the icon “Widgets” (or Widgets).
3. Scroll down and find the Watch widget (usually in the Systems or MIUI section).
4. Press the widget and drag it to the main screen. Release your finger when the placement frame appears.
5. If you need to change the size, stretch the frame with your fingers before placing.

If the Watch widget is not listed, it has been removed from the system, and Method 3 (installation via Mi Theme Store) will help.

Long tap on the free space on the screen|Checking section “Widgets"|Searching for widgets from MIUI|Drag the clock onto the screen|Checking the display after unlocking-->

Method 2: Reset the launcher settings (without data loss)

If the watch widget is on the list but doesn't appear on the screen or "flys" after a reboot, resetting the launcher settings will help, and it won't delete your apps or files, but only return the standard settings of the home screen.

How to reset your settings:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the search bar, type Launche (com.miui.home will appear).
3. Slip on it, then select Warehouse → Clear the data.
4. Confirm action. The phone will automatically restart.
5. After turning on, repeat Method 1 to add the clock.

⚠️ Warning: Once the launcher is reset, all your folders and icon locations on the home screen will disappear. Take a picture of the current arrangement in advance to restore it faster.

On some models (e.g. POCO F5), instead of com.miui.home, it can be com.mi.android.launcher. If you don’t find an app, use the keyword “launcher” search.

Method 3: Install the watch through the Mi Theme Store

If the standard watch widget is not listed, it can be restored through the official Mi Theme Store, which works even on custom firmware devices (such as Xiaomi.eu).

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Themes app (icon with brush).
2. Go to the Widgets (or Widgets) section.
3. In the search box, enter the MIUI Clock (or MIUI Clock).
4. Choose any widget you like (we recommend Digital Clock or Analog Clock from Xiaomi).
5. Click Apply, then return to the home screen and add the widget through the widget menu.

If the Mi Theme Store doesn’t have the right watch, try the side launchers (like Nova Launcher or Apex Launcher) that support Google Clock widgets.

Method 4: Manual Addition via ADB (for Advanced)

If none of the above methods worked, you can try to force the clock to activate via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which is suitable for devices with unlocked bootloader and enabled debugging over USB.

You'll need:

• 🖥️ Computer with installed ADB Tools.
• 📱 Cable USB (preferably original).
• ⚙️ Included debugging by USB (Settings → The phone. → Version. MIUI → 7 times to tap according to the version → return to → For developers → Debugging by USB).

Clock recovery teams:

adb shell pm clear com.miui.home


adb shell am broadcast -a android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED




adb shell am broadcast -a com.miui.home.launcher.ACTION_REFRESH_ALL_APP

After completing the commands, restart your phone and check for widgets. If the watch doesn't show up, try installing it through the Mi Theme Store (Method 3).

⚠️ Attention: Misuse of the right ADB If you're not sure what you're doing, skip this or see a specialist.

Method 5: Alternative watch widgets (if nothing helps)

If the standard watch never came out, you can install a side widget from Google Play, which not only solves the problem, but also adds additional features (weather, calendar, quick action).

Top.-3 Watch widgets for Xiaomi:

To add a third-party widget:

1. Install the application from the table above.
2. Click and hold the empty space on the home screen → Widgets.
3. Find the widget of the installed application (for example, Chronus 4x2).
4. Drag it on the screen and adjust the look.

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If the widget doesn't appear in the list after installing the third-party widget, restart the phone. Sometimes the system doesn't update the widget list without restarting.

The solution for older Xiaomi models (MIUI 10-12)

On devices with MIUI 10-12 (e.g. Xiaomi Mi 9, Redmi Note 8 Pro), the algorithm for displaying widgets is different. If the watch is missing on such a model, try:

1. Update your firmware to the latest available version via Settings → About Phone → System Update.
2. Install the patch through Mi Theme Editor (requires root rights):
3. Use the Google Launcher:

On models older than 2019 (such as the Xiaomi Mi 8 or Redmi 6), the standard MIUI watch may not recover due to the limitations of the older version of Android, in which case the only reliable way is to install a third-party launcher.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the watch on Xiaomi

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If none of these methods worked, the problem could be caused by corrupting system files, in which case only flashing the device through the Mi Flash Tool (requires a PC and an unlocked bootloader) will help.