How to return the watch to the main screen Xiaomi after removal – Step-by-step guide

You accidentally removed the watch widget from the home screen on Xiaomi, Redmi or POCO — and now you don't know how to get it back? Don't panic: 95% of the time, the problem is solved in 1-2 minutes without resetting. The watch widget in MIUI is not just a decoration, but part of the system launcher, and its recovery depends on the version of the shell and the model of the device.

In this article, you will find 3 proven ways to return your watch to your desktop, including hidden launcher settings that not all users know. We will also discuss why the widget may disappear after MIUI updates and how to prevent it from disappearing again. If you use a custom launcher (for example, Nova Launcher or HyperOS Launcher), there is a separate guide for you.

Before you start, make sure your device has the latest firmware version installed. In older versions of MIUI 12 and below, the widget recovery algorithm is different. To check the version, go to Settings → About Phone → MIUI version.

If the clock was missing after the system update, the launcher settings may have gone wrong, in which case resetting the Louncher application settings will help, which works even on devices with a locked bootloader.

1. Standard method: Adding a widget through the launcher menu

The easiest method is to return the watch through the built-in widget menu, which is suitable for all devices on MIUI 13/14 and HyperOS, including the Xiaomi 13/14, Redmi Note 12/13 and POCO F5/X5 models.

Instructions:

1. Touch and hold the empty space on the home screen (not the icon!).
2. At the bottom of the screen will appear a panel with options – select “Widgets” (icon with squares).
3. Scroll down to the "System" or "Clock" section.
4. Find the 4×1 Watch widget or 4×2 Watch (size may vary).
5. Drag the widget onto the main screen, holding it with your finger.

If there's no clock in the widget list, it means it's been disabled in the system settings. Go to the next way.

Check the MIUI version in the settings

Reset the device

Update system applications through Play Market

Remove the launcher cache (see method 2)-->

2. resetting the launcher settings (works in 80% of cases)

If the clock was lost after updating or changing the theme, the system launcher could crash, and resetting the system launcher will help, not delete your data, but return the standard location of the icons and widgets.

How to reset the launcher settings:

1. Open Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. In the search box, type "Luncher" (or MIUI Launcher, HyperOS Launcher).
3. Select the app and click "Storage".
4. Slap the buttons "Clear cache" and "Clear data".
5. Confirm the action and restart the phone.

After the reboot, the main screen will return to factory settings, and the watch widget will appear in a standard place (usually at the top of the screen).If this does not happen, check if the widget is disabled in the system settings (see method 3).

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If all the icons from your desktop are gone after the launcher is reset, don’t panic – they’re not deleted, they’re simply hidden. To return them, tap the blank space on the screen → Screen Settings → Restore the Default Layout.

3. Enable the clock through hidden MIUI settings

In some versions of MIUI (especially on Redmi and POCO), the watch widget can be disabled at the system level, and to return it, you need to activate the corresponding option in the hidden menu.

Step-by-step:

1. Open the Settings app.
2. Go to the section Additional → Special features (on some devices the path may be different).
3. Scroll down and look for the "Home Screen Watch Widget" (or Show Clock Widget in English).
4. Activate the switch and confirm the action.
5. Return to the main screen, the watch should appear automatically.

If this item is not in your MIUI version, try an alternative method:

• 🔍 Enter the request "Widget Watch" in the search for settings (without quotes).
• 📱 On some devices, the option is hidden in Settings → Desktop → Widget settings.
• 🔄 If nothing is found, update the firmware to the latest version - in new builds MIUI 14 and HyperOS this bug fixed.

4. Use of a third-party launcher (for experienced users)

If system methods have not worked, you can return the watch using a third-party launcher, such as Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher.This method is suitable for devices where the watch widget is locked at the firmware level (most often on budget Redmi models).

Instructions for Nova Launcher:

1. Install Nova Launcher from Play Market.
2. Assign it to the default launcher (the corresponding request will appear at the first start).
3. Touch and hold the blank space on the screen → select “Widgets”.
4. Find the “Clock” list (system widget or from Google Clock).
5. Drag the widget to the main screen and adjust its size.

Advantages of this method:

• 🎨 More options for the design of the watch (color, font, animations).
• 🔄 Possibility of backup of the location of icons.
• 🚀 It works even on devices with stripped-down firmware (for example, Redmi Go).

Disadvantage: Third-party launchers can slightly increase battery consumption (by 2-5% per day).If critical, after setting the clock, return to the standard MIUI launcher.

Standard MIUI Launcher|Nova Launcher|Microsoft Launcher|Other third-party |I don't know what it-->

5.Outcomes after MIUI update: Why the clock is missing

Many users experience widgets disappearing after a firmware update, which is because MIUI resets some of the launcher settings when it updates, and here are the most common reasons and solutions:

If the watch was missing after upgrading to HyperOS (the new shell from Xiaomi), try the following:

1. Open Settings → About the phone and tap the HyperOS version several times to activate the developer mode.
2. Go back to the main settings menu and select “Developers”.
3. Find the option "Enable system widgets" and activate it.
4. Reset the device.

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After major updates (e.g., from MIUI 13 to MIUI 14), always check the widget settings – they are often reset. It is recommended to back up the icon layout through Settings → Additional → Backup.

6. Alternative ways of displaying time

If the system widget of the watch is not returned, alternative methods can be used:

Method 1: A widget from Google Clock

• 📱 Install Google Clock from the Play Market.
• 🔄 Add it to the main screen (similar to the system).
• ⚙️ Customize the appearance in the widget parameters.

Method 2: The clock in the state bar

If you do not need a widget, you can turn on the display of time in the upper panel:

1. Go to Settings → Screen → Status Line.
2. Activate the "Show the clock" option.
3. Select the display format (24-hour or 12-hour).

Method 3: Always-on Display (AOD)

On devices with AMOLED-screens (for example, Xiaomi 13 Pro, Redmi) K60) You can activate the Always-on Display function, which will show the time even on a locked screen:

1. Open the Settings → Screen → Always-on Display
2. Turn on the switch and select the display style.
3. Set up a schedule or leave the "Always" mode.

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On LCD-screen devices (e.g. Redmi 9, POCO M4), the Always-on Display feature is not available because it increases battery consumption.

Frequent Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

When you restore widgets, users often make mistakes that make it more difficult, and here are the most common ones:

⚠️ Note: Do not remove the system application MIUI Launcher through settings - this can lead to a reboot cycle! If the launcher is not working correctly, just reset it (method 2).

Error 1: Using “Cleaning All Data” instead of “Cache Cleanup”

Many users confuse these options: Clearing the launcher data will reset all desktop settings, but cleaning the cache will not. If you accidentally cleared the data, it will be impossible to restore the previous location of the icons without a backup.

Error 2: Installing incompatible topics

Some MIUI Themes themes may conflict with system widgets, so if the clock disappears after changing the theme, return the standard design:

1. Open the settings → registration.
2. Select the theme "Default" or "Classic".
3. Reset the device.

Error 3: Disabling system applications

In pursuit of memory release, some users are turning off system services through Settings → Applications. If you turn off MIUI System UI or Clock, the watch widget won't work.

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Turn on the "Show all applications" filter.
3. Find Clock and MIUI System UI, then click "Enable".

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Before any manipulation of system applications, back up through Settings → Additional → Backup. This will allow you to recover data if something goes wrong.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions