How to Enable Widget Ribbon on Xiaomi: The Complete Guide

Modern Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones, which are powered by MIUI and HyperOS shells, offer users a wide range of desktop personalization features. One of the most useful features is the widget tape, which allows instant access to news, weather, pedometer and application shortcuts without having to unlock the device or search for the right icons. However, depending on the regional version of the firmware and the preinstalled launcher, this feature can behave differently or be hidden by default.

In this article, we will discuss in detail all the available ways to activate a smart tape. You will learn how to switch between Google and Yandex services, how to return the standard Mi Home application tape and what to do if the usual swipe to the right stopped working after the system update. Understanding these nuances will help you adjust the interface to your own habits and improve the efficiency of your use of the gadget.

It's worth noting that the availability of a tape often depends on which version of the operating system is installed on your device. Global firmware versions most often rely on the Google ecosystem, whereas Chinese or some European builds may offer alternative solutions. Let's figure out how to manage these settings.

Standard configuration through the system launcher

The default feature in MIUI and HyperOS shells is a system component, often called the System Launcher, which controls the appearance of the widget tape when swiped to the right of the main screen, which is already activated in most cases, but users can accidentally turn it off during the process of cleaning the memory or changing the theme of the design.

To check the status and turn on the tape, you need to go to the desktop settings, to do this, you need to pinch the empty space on the home screen with your finger until the edit menu appears. In the lower right corner or in the center of the screen (depending on the OS version), an icon of a gear or a button "Settings" will appear.

In the list that opens, look for a item that may be called "Tape of Widgets", "-1 screen" or "Additional Screens". Here you will be asked to choose the source of content. Usually available options are: Google Discover (news and recommendations), Yandex (for Russian regions) or the standard Mi Home application feed. If neither option is selected, the swipe to the right will not work.

⚠️ Note: If you use a third-party theme, the widget tape inclusion point may be hidden or not work correctly.Some themes completely replace the system launcher, blocking standard features MIUI.

Once you select your preferred content source, the changes are instantaneous. Now, when you swipe to the right, you'll see the tape you've chosen. If you've chosen Google Discover, it'll display news based on your interests. If you're Mi Home, you'll see pedometer, voice recorder, scanner and quick access to phone features.

📊 What kind of launcher do you prefer on Xiaomi?

Standard MIUI/HyperOS

Nova Launcher

Microsoft Launcher

Other

Activation and Configuring of Google Discover

For users who prefer the Google ecosystem, the most relevant option is Google Discover feed, which is integrated deep into the system and offers personalized news stream, weather notifications and quick links to frequently visited sites. However, to make it work, several conditions must be met regarding the account and regional settings.

First, make sure your device is logged in to your Google account. Without authorization, the feed will not be able to generate personalized results. Next, go to the launcher settings as described in the previous section and select the option "Google." If this item is not on the list, it is possible that Google services are disabled in the settings of the application itself.

To fine-tune your content, open the Google app on your smartphone. Click on the profile avatar in the upper right corner and select Settings. Go to General -> Discover. You can turn on or off maps, news, sports results and other information. You can also access your information, which controls what data about your interests the algorithm uses.

🌐 Content Language: Make sure that the languages you want to receive news are selected in your Google account settings.
🔒 Privacy: You can clear your activity history to reset recommendations and start forming the tape again.
📶 Mobile data: Check if Google is allowed to use mobile internet if you plan to watch the feed over Wi-Fi.

It’s important to understand that Google Discover consumes traffic and can use up battery power in the background while updating your news feed. If you’re critical to autonomy, consider using static widgets instead of dynamic tape.

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To save battery life, limit the background activity of the Google app in the battery settings, leaving the update only when connected to Wi-Fi.

Use of Mi Home and Yandex widgets

Many Xiaomi users are used to the native Mi Home tape (or simply "Widgets"), which appears when swiping to the right, and it differs from Google in that it contains primarily system utilities: a quick start of the camera, voice recorder, scanner. QR-In some regions, especially in Russia and CIS countries, this tape can be replaced or supplemented with services from Yandex.

Yandex’s feed offers integration with search engine, Yandex.Weather, currency rates and Yandex.Zen news. Switching to this source often happens automatically when the device is first activated in a particular region, but it can be selected manually.

If you want to bring back the classic Mi Home tape instead of Yandex or Google, the algorithm of actions is similar. Click the empty space on the desktop, go to the settings and select "Vidgets" or "Mi Home." This will return you access to the fast tools of the system. that in new versions of HyperOS, the interface of this tape has been significantly redesigned and has become more minimalistic.

The comparison of the main types of tapes is presented in the table below to make it easier for you to choose the right option:

Characteristics	Google Discover	Mi Home (Widgets)	Yandex
Main content	News, interests, weather	System utilities, steps	News, Zen, Yandex services
Account dependency	A Google account is required	Not required (locally)	Recommended Yandex account
Traffic consumption	High.	Low.	Medium/High
Integration with the system	Surface.	Deep (camera, scanner)	Medium

What if Yandex tape does not switch to Mi Home?

In some global firmware, the switching option to Mi Home may be hidden. Try changing the device region in the settings (Settings -> Additional settings -> Region) to "India" or "China", turn on the widgets and then return your region. /> Problems with the disappearance of widgets after updates A common problem faced by owners of Xiaomi smartphones is the sudden disappearance of the widget tape after an operating system update. This may be due to the fact that the new version of HyperOS or MIUI changed the structure of the system files of the launcher, or the settings were reset to factory values in the "Cluge" sometimes the application, the first thing was to check the "in case". Go to Settings. → Annexes → All applications, search the list "System Launcher" or "System Launcher" and click "Stop" or "Reset settings." After that, the phone can restart, and the desktop settings will return to the original, where the tape is often on by default. Another reason could be a conflict with third-party launchers installed, and if you’ve previously installed Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher, or other alternatives, they may have hijacked desktop control. In this case, the standard Xiaomi widget tape will not work, as it is part of the native interface.You will either have to abandon the third-party launcher, or look for analogues of widgets in the app stores (for example, Google Play). ⚠️ Warning: Resetting launcher settings will delete all folders you created on your desktop and change the location of the icons. It is recommended to take screenshots of the current location of applications in advance, and if simple methods do not help, it is worth checking for updates for system components. Go to the Security app (green zipper icon), scroll down to the Component Update section and install all available updates. Often, missing bugs are fixed through such spot updates. ☑️ Diagnostics of missing tape Check launcher settingsReset launcher settings Check third-party launchers Update system components Completed: 0 / 4 For advanced users who do not want to put up with the limitations of the standard interface, there is the possibility of installing third-party launchers that can emulate or replace the tape widgets. The most popular solution is Nova Launcher combined with Google Now plugin or similar add-ons. This allows you to save the usual swipe to the right, but fill it with content of your choice. To implement this, you will need to install the launcher itself from Google Play. Once installed, the system will suggest you choose an application for the home screen - specify a new launcher. Next, in the Nova Launcher settings (or other one you choose), you need to find the "Gests" or "Swipes" section. There you can assign the Swip to the right action to launch Google Assistant, Google Discover or any other widget application. However, it is worth remembering that third-party launchers can consume more battery resources and sometimes conflict with system control gestures, especially full-screen navigation gestures. An alternative might be widgets built into the lock screen or Always On Display, although they are not a full-fledged tape. Some users prefer to use the "Overview" widget from Google, placing it directly on the first desktop screen, which is visually almost indistinguishable from a separate tape. Frequently asked questions (FAQ) Why did the widget tape disappear after upgrading to HyperOS? In new versions, developers sometimes change the layout of the app, check the bug on the screen, if you check the layout on the menu. Can you remove the widget tape completely so it doesn't take up memory? You can't remove the launcher system component because it's going to make the interface unstable. But you can just not use the tape by selecting the "No" option in the launcher settings or by turning off the swipe if it's available in your version of the software. This will stop the loading of content and save traffic. How do you make the widgets on the widget tape display weather and currency rates? This depends on the source you choose. In Google Discover, add weather cards and finances in the smartphone, you can automatically view the feeds on the feeds on the feeds. Yes, active tape, especially Google Discover or Yandex, constantly updates data in the background, which can slightly increase RAM and battery consumption. On very old or budget Redmi models, this can significantly affect the smoothness of animations when swiping. Can you install widgets from iOS on Xiaomi? Direct installation of widgets from iOS is impossible. However, by setting the the theme in the style of iOS from the MIUI theme store, you can visually bring the interface closer to Apple. For functional widgets (desket widgets) in MIUI 12.5 and above, and you can also add a built-in version of the Android screen.