How to return widgets to the desktop of the Xiaomi phone: all ways

Xiaomi desktop widgets are not just a piece of jewelry, but a convenient way to quickly access information: weather, calendar, notes, control of a smart home or music player. But sometimes after updating the MIUI, resetting or random manipulation, they disappear from the home screen. In this article, we will discuss 5 proven ways to return widgets back — from basic actions to hidden shell functions.

The problem is especially relevant for owners of Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13 and other models on MIUI 14/15, where the interface has undergone major changes. We will not limit ourselves to standard tips like “reset the phone” – here you will find unique solutions that are not in the official documentation, including work with launchers and system settings.

Why Xiaomi widgets disappeared: the main reasons

Before you restore widgets, it's important to understand why they're missing, and 80 percent of the time, the problem is due to one of these reasons:

• 🔄 Update MIUI — after installing the new version of the shell, the desktop settings are reset, including the location of the widgets.
• 🧹 Clearing the launcher cache – the com.miui.home app (standard launcher) can delete widget data when cleared through Settings → Annexes.
• 📱 Reset screen settings – a long press on the desktop and the choice of the option “Reset” returns the layout to the factory view.
• 🚫 Disable system applications – if you have disabled Weather, Calendar or Notes through Settings → Annexes → App management, their widgets will disappear too.
• 🔧 Failure in the launcher is rare, but errors occur when widgets “hang” in an invisible layer (especially after using third-party themes).

If the widgets are missing after manually updating through Recovery, the problem may lie in the incompatibility of the firmware version with the current settings, in which case only a complete reset or rollback to the stable version will help.

Method 1: Standard addition by long press

Let's start with the most obvious method, which works 90% of the time, and on most Xiaomi smartphones, widgets are added via the desktop menu:

1. Touch and hold the empty space on the home screen (not on the icon!).
2. At the bottom of the screen will appear a panel with options – select “Widgets” (icon with squares).
3. Scroll through the list of available widgets left/right. Find the right widget (like the Weather or Calendar) and drag it to the screen.
4. If the widget requires customization (such as choosing a city for the weather), follow the on-screen hints.

If the list of widgets is empty or the necessary elements are missing, the problem lies deeper - go to the following methods.

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On some models (like the POCO F5), the widget menu opens upwards on the home screen rather than by long pressing. Try both!

Method 2: Restart the launcher and clean its cache

The launcher com.miui.home is a system application that manages the desktop, including widgets. If it doesn't work properly, the widgets may disappear or not appear in the list.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the search box, type "Luncher" or com.miui.home.
3. Select the app and click "Storage".
4. Click "Clear Cache" (not data!).
5. Return to the home screen and try adding the widget again (see Method 1).

If cleaning the cache didn’t help, try forcibly stopping the launcher:

1. In the same app menu, click "Stop".
2. Wait 10-15 seconds and unlock the screen – the launcher will restart automatically.

Launcher cache cleared | Application forcibly stopped |Verified availability of widgets after restart |Attempting to add widget through long press-->

On some firmware (e.g. MIUI Global for Redmi Note 10 Pro), widgets may temporarily disappear from the list after cleaning the cache, in which case a phone reboot will help.

Method 3: Recovery through theme settings

In MIUI 14/15, widgets are closely related to system themes, and if you've recently changed the subject, it could have crashed.

1. Open the "Themes" app (icon with brush).
2. Go to the "My Topics" section (or "Management" in older versions).
3. Select "Standard Theme" (usually the first one on the list).
4. Confirm the application and wait for the process to be completed.
5. Check if the widgets appear in the add-on menu (see Method 1).

If the standard theme doesn't work, try to apply any other theme, and then return the standard one. This "reset" sometimes restores hidden interface elements.

Method 4: Resetting the desktop settings

If previous methods didn't work, try resetting the launcher to factory settings, which won't delete your data, but will bring back the standard layout of icons and widgets:

1. Touch and hold the empty space on the main screen.
2. Select Screen Settings (or Home Screen Settings in older versions).
3. Scroll down and find the option “Reset” or “Restore default settings”.
4. Confirm the action.

After discharge:

• 🔄 Widgets can appear automatically (e.g., Weather or Google Search).
• 📱 If not, try adding them manually (see Method 1).
• ⚠️ Note: on some models (Xiaomi) 12T, Redmi K50) Reset removes all folders and icon locations – take screenshots of your current desktop in advance.

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Resetting the launcher settings is the most reliable way to return widgets, but it will also reset all your desktop customizations (wallpaper, icons, folders).

Method 5: Using a third-party launcher (if nothing helps)

If the system methods do not work, the temporary solution is to install a third-party launcher, which is important for users who have widgets disappearing due to bugs in MIUI.

• 🌟 Nova Launcher – supports all Xiaomi widgets, including system (weather, calendar).
• 📱 Hyperion Launcher – Optimized for the Xiaomi/Redmi, style MIUI.
• 🎨 Lawnchair – lightweight launcher with support for adaptive icons and widgets.

How to install and configure:

1. Download the launcher from Google Play (like Nova Launcher).
2. After installation, click "Home" and select the new launcher as the main one.
3. Touch and hold the empty space on the screen → “Widgets”.
4. Add the widgets you need (in Nova Launcher, they are grouped by application).

Even if the widgets don't show up in the third-party launcher, the problem may be in the system applications that are disabled.

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find apps whose widgets are missing (e.g. Weather, Calendar, Notes).
3. If they are disabled, turn them on and restart the phone.

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To bring back the standard launcher MIUI After testing a third party, go to Settings → Annexes → By default. → Launcher and select "Luncher" MIUI".

Table: Compatibility of widgets with MIUI versions

Not all widgets work the same on different versions of firmware, and the following are compatibility data for popular models:

If your model is not listed in the table, check the MIUI version in Settings → About Phone → MIUI version. For firmware older than MIUI 12, you may need to manually install APK widgets (for example, Google App for search widgets).

What to do if the widgets do not work after all the manipulations

If none of these methods helped, the problem may be related to:

• 🔧 Damage to system files – requires flashing through Fastboot or Recovery.
• 📦 Absence APK widgets – some firmware (e.g. custom) do not include system widgets.
• 🔒 Restrictions of regional firmware - in MIUI China may not have Google widgets.

For diagnosis:

1. Check firmware integrity through Settings → About Phone → System Update → Three points → Updates Check.
2. If you use custom firmware (e.g. xiaomi.eu), upgrade to the latest version.
3. For models with a locked bootloader, the only option is to contact the Xiaomi service center.

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If widgets disappear after each MIUI update, turn off automatic updates in Settings → About Phone → System Update → Three points → Update settings and wait for stable releases.

⚠️ Attention: Do not install APK widgets from unknown sources (e.g., Weather widgets from third-party developers) can lead to data leakage or unstable system operation. Use only official sources: Google Play or Google Play. MIUI App Store.

FAQ: Frequent questions about widgets on Xiaomi