How to return the watch to the home screen Xiaomi Redmi: all ways + problem solving

Have you updated your MIUI or accidentally removed the watch widget from the Xiaomi Redmi home screen — and now you don’t know how to get it back? — a problem that occurs to thousands of users after switching to new firmware versions (especially MIUI 14/15), where the desktop interface has undergone changes. In some cases, the clock disappears after resetting, installing a third-party launcher, or even a banal long-press on the widget.

In this article, we’ll break down 5 proven ways to bring your watch back to the screen – from standard methods to hidden features. MIUI, You will also learn why the widget may not appear even after the right actions, and how to fix common errors (such as the gray icon of the watch in the widget menu). MIUI 12–15, including the Redmi Note 12 Pro+, Redmi 13R budget series like Redmi A2.

1. Standard method: Add widgets through the menu

The most obvious method is to use the built-in MIUI widget menu, which works 80 percent of the time unless the problem is due to system failures.

1. Click on the empty area of the home screen (not the icon!) and the desktop settings menu will appear.
2. Select Widgets (or Widgets in English firmware).
3. Scroll through the list to the Clock section, and there may be options: Analog, Digital, or Weather + Watch.
4. Press the widget you want and drag it to a free space on the screen. If the widget doesn't drag and drop, see the problem-solving section.

⚠️ Note: On some models (Redmi) 9A, Redmi 10C) into MIUI 13 watch widget hidden behind extra swipe to the right in the widget menu!

Make sure you have the latest version of the Watch app installed | Check if the widgets are disabled in the launcher settings (Settings → Desktop → Widgets) |Reboot your phone – sometimes helps with temporary crashes | Try adding a widget in a different screen mode (for example, on the Lock Screen)

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2. Alternative method: through the theme settings

If the watch widget disappeared after changing the theme, it can be returned via the theme menu, which is especially relevant for users who install custom themes from the Mi Theme Store.

Instructions:

1. Open the Settings. → Theme (Themes).
2. Select the current active theme (click on its preview).
3. Scroll down to the Widgets section and find the Watch.
4. Click Apply – the widget should appear on the main screen.

Important: Some custom themes remove standard MIUI widgets completely, in which case you will have to reset the theme to standard or install another.

Analog clock|Digital watches|Weather watch|Minimalist watches|I don't care.-->

3.Resetting launcher settings (without data loss)

If the watch widget is missing after updating MIUI or experimenting with launchers (for example, Nova Launcher), it will help to reset the settings of the standard MIUI Launcher.

How to reset:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the MIUI Launcher (or MIUI Launcher) and open its settings.
3. Select Warehouse. → Clear the data.
4. Confirm action. Once the watch is restarted, the widget should appear in the widget menu.

⚠️ Warning: After the launcher is reset, all your icon folders and application order on the screen will be reset to factory settings. Take screenshots of the icons' location in advance if it is critical.

4. Manual addition via ADB (for advanced)

If standard methods don’t work, you can try adding a watch widget via ADB (Android Debug Bridge), which is suitable for users who aren’t afraid of the command line.

Step-by-step:

1. Enable USB Debugging in the Developer Settings → About Phone → MIUI Version – Press 7 times, then go back to Additional Settings → For Developers.
2. Connect your phone to your PC and open the command line (or Terminal on Mac/Linux).
3. Enter the command to check the connection: Adb devices should appear the name of your device.
4. Follow the command to add the watch widget (replace com.miui.home with the current launcher package if necessary): adb shell am start -n com.miui.home/.launcher.AddItemActivity -a android.intent.action.CREATE_SHORTCUT -e itemType widget -e component com.android.deskclock/.AnalogAppWidgetProvider

If the command is successful, a window will appear on the screen suggesting that you add a widget. Drag it to the desktop.

⚠️ Attention: Use ADB It can cause the system to be unstable if you type the wrong command. ADB, unless they are sure of their appointment.

5. Installation of a third-party watch widget

If none of these methods worked, there is a third-party widget option, and Google Play has dozens of free alternatives with advanced features (weather, calendar, customization).

Top.-3 substitute:

• 🕒 Chronus — a widget with weather, pedometer and notifications. Supports themes MIUI.
• ⏰ Digital Clock Widget – Minimalistic digital watch with font setting.
• 🌤️ Transparent Clock & Weather – analogue watch with transparent background and animation.

How to determine:

1. Download your favorite widget from Google Play.
2. Long press on the main screen → Widgets.
3. Find the widget installed in the list (usually at the end) and add it to the screen.

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If it does not update the time after installing the third-party widget, check the energy saving settings: add the application to exceptions (Settings → Battery → Application Selection).

6 Problem Solving: Why the Watches Don't Appear

If the widget never appeared, the reason may lie in one of these problems:

If the problem is with a remote system application (for example, after a manual debloat), the only way to return the watch is to reflash the phone through the Mi Flash Tool or restore deleted files via ADB.

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Before flashing backup, back up your data via Settings → Additional → Backup. This will save your contacts, messages, and application settings.

FAQ: Frequent questions