Xiaomi smartphones running MIUI or HyperOS shells offer users many ways to personalize the interface. One of the most popular elements on the desktop is a widget with an exact time and date. Many device owners are faced with a situation where a standard widget has been accidentally removed or replaced, and returning it to its place becomes an obvious task. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the available methods to return the dial to the home screen.
In addition, modern gadgets are equipped with the feature Always On Display, which displays the time even when the screen is locked, without requiring the display to be activated. Understanding the difference between the widget on the desktop and the system clock on the lock screen will help you to customize the device as convenient as possible. We will consider not only standard system tools, but also third-party solutions for advanced users.
Customizing the look of a watch can have a major impact on how you perceive information and how you ergonomise your smartphone. The right font, size and layout of the elements allow you to read data instantly. Let's move on to practical steps that will help you organize the screen space in a way that suits you.
Standard method for adding a time widget
The easiest and most common way to get your watch back to your desktop is to use the built-in menu of Android widgets, which works on the vast majority of models, from the budget Redmi series to the flagship Mi and Xiaomi. You need to start by switching to desktop editing mode, clamping an empty area with your finger or pinching two fingers from the center to the edges of the screen.
Once you activate the edit mode, the interface changes, and the toolbar will appear at the bottom, and you'll need to find an icon that's signed as "Widgets" or "Widgets." This section stores all system and installed applications that can display dynamic information. Find an item called "Hours" or "Hours and widgets" in the list.
The system will offer several display options: digital, analog, with or without a date. Choose the appropriate style and drag it to the vacant space. If the space is occupied, the widget will shift other icons. Once placed, you can resize the area by pulling over the edges of the frame so that the watch takes up more or less space.
☑️ Verification of widget installation
It is important to note that some watch styles require an active network connection to synchronize the exact time, although most use the device's system time. If the widget displays incorrect data, check the date and time settings in the main phone settings menu.
Always on Display for a locked screen
The Always On Display (AOD) feature, which allows time, date and notifications to be displayed on a screen that is off, is available on AMOLED-matrix models because it requires piece-by-piece pixel lighting to save energy, and on IPS-type screens, this feature is usually not implemented due to the backlighting features.
To activate this feature, you need to go to the settings menu. The path may vary slightly depending on the firmware version, but it usually looks like this: Settings → Lock screen → Always On Display and Lock screen. Here you will find a switch that activates the constant display mode.
- 🕒 Select the display format: digital or analog dial.
- 🖼️ Download your own image for the clock background from the gallery.
- ⏱️ Set up a work schedule so that the function is activated only at certain times of the day.
⚠️ Attention: Always on Display increases battery consumption. AMOLED energy efficient, it is recommended to use the “Schedule” mode or activation “When lifting” to maintain the autonomy of the device.
The AOD style setting menu also allows you to choose whether the time will only be displayed after unlocking the device or whether it will be visible forever. Some users prefer to hide the clock while the phone is lying on the table so that the screen does not light up from random vibrations.
Use of the Topics application for customization
If standard designs seem boring to you, Themes offers thousands of unique designs, one of the most powerful tools in the Xiaomi ecosystem, allowing you to completely change the visual style of the interface, including the system clock and desktop widgets.
To find the right design, open the Themes app and search. Type in "Clock widget" or "Widget Watches." You'll see a huge selection of free and paid options, many of which are created by independent designers and have complex animations, transparent backgrounds and custom fonts.
Once you load a theme, you don't have to use it completely, you can go into the theme settings, select the "Widgets" or "System Watch" section, and apply only that element, and you can combine different design elements to create a unique combination.
Compatibility of widgets from themes
Third-party applications for advanced users
When the standard system is not enough, Google Play Market apps come to the rescue. There are many specialized widgets that provide functionality that is not available out of the box, which can be mapping time in different time zones simultaneously, phases of the moon or complex typography.
One popular solution is Google Watch or custom widgets like HD Clock Widget, which allow you to flexibly adjust color, font, and even add your own background images, and install the widget in a similar way to the standard one: through the menu of desktop widgets.
| Annex | Type of widget | Features | Resource requirements |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Watch | Systemic | World time, timers. | Low. |
| HD Clock Widget | Graphic | High resolution, animation. | Average. |
| Digital Clock Widget | Minimalist | Transparency, simple fonts | Low. |
| Floater | Floating. | Time over other windows | Average. |
Using third-party widgets may require additional permissions. The system may request location access to automatically change the time zone or permission to display over other windows. Let's look at how this affects the operation of the device.
Solving the Widget Disappearance Problems
Sometimes users are faced with an unpleasant situation: the time widget spontaneously disappears from the desktop or stops updating. This can be due to aggressive battery optimization, which is characteristic of the shells of MIUI. The system “kills” the widget process, considering it an unnecessary user of energy.
To prevent this, add a widget or watch app to the exception list. Go to Settings → Battery and Performance (or simply “Battery”), search the “Clock” or “System Services” app list, and select “No Limits” mode, which will prevent the system from stopping the component.
⚠️ Warning: If the widget disappeared immediately after the reboot, check if you have a third-party launcher installed.Some shells may conflict with standard Xiaomi widgets.
It's also worth checking if the widget is hidden in the folder. If you drag and drop it randomly, one widget can run over another widget, forming a stack. Swipe your finger around the area where the watch should be, maybe it's just under another interface element.
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If the time widget shows a black field instead of numbers, try changing the theme to a standard one. Third-party themes often break the layout of system widgets after updating the firmware.
Setting up the time and date format
After the widget is successfully placed, it is often necessary to change the format of the display. 24-Time-based format, while in some regions 12-clock-signature AM/PM. This can be changed in the general settings of the system.
Go to Settings → Additional settings → Date and time. Here you can switch the 24-hour slider. You can also set up automatic time synchronization over the network in this menu, which guarantees high accuracy of the clock.
- 📅 Date format: you can choose the order of the day, month and year (DD.MM.GYG or MM/DD/GYG).
- 🌍 Time zone: important when traveling, allows you to see local time without manual adjustment.
- 🔤 Language: Time widgets can display the name of the month in different languages depending on the system settings.
Some widgets have their own format settings, independent of the system. To check this, click and hold your finger on the widget, then select "Configure" (if available), and you can often turn on the display of seconds or days of the week.
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Network time synchronization (NTP) is the only way to guarantee the accuracy of clocks, especially when switching to summer/winter time or changing time zones.