Xiaomi widgets: where they hide and how to find them on your smartphone and smart devices

Widgets on Xiaomi devices are mini-programs that display useful information directly on the home screen or in the notification panel. They save time by showing the weather, calendar, notes or smart home management without having to open apps. However, many users are faced with the problem of where to look for these widgets, especially after the update. MIUI or?

In this article, we will analyze all possible places where widgets on Xiaomi, Redmi and other smartphones can be located. POCO, And we'll also use other smart devices in the ecosystem, like smartwatches and TVs, to learn how to add, customize, and even restore them if they're gone, and we'll also reveal some secrets that aren't written in the official manuals.

1.Where to look for widgets on the home screen of Xiaomi smartphone

The most obvious place is the main screen of your smartphone, but you don't always see the widgets right away. MIUI (for example, MIUI 12, MIUI 13 or HyperOS may be different:

• 📱 Long press on the free screen space → Select "Widgets" from the bottom menu, and you'll see all the mini-programs you can drag and drop to the screen.
• ⚙️ Screen settings: Go to Settings → Main screen and enable the option “Show widgets».
• 🔍 Search by system: swipe down the main screen (search gesture) and enter “Widgets” – the system will show all installed.

If the widgets don't show up, check if they're disabled in the launcher settings. POCO Launcher or MIUI The Launcher can be a separate switch for displaying widgets. Also, some widgets appear only after installing the corresponding applications (for example, the Mi Fit widget requires installing this application).

2. widgets in the notification panel and quick settings

Not everyone knows, but some Xiaomi widgets are hidden in the notification bar (curtain).

• 🌡️ Weather widget with a forecast for several days.
• 🎵 Music management (if the track is played).
• 🏠 Quick switches for smart home (Mi Home).
• 📊 Data or battery usage statistics.

To add or remove widgets from the curtain:

1. Pull the curtain down twice (to reveal all quick settings).
2. Click on the icon. ⚙️ or "Edit" (depending on the version) MIUI).
3. Drag the desired widgets to the active area or remove unnecessary ones.

Note that in HyperOS (new firmware from Xiaomi), the widgets in the curtain may look different — with smoother animations and responsive design. If you don’t have a weather widget, check if it’s on in the Weather app settings (Settings) → Display → Widget in the curtain).

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If the weather widget shows incorrect data, try manually updating the location in the Weather app settings or restarting it.

3. Hidden widgets in MIUI: where to find them

Some Xiaomi widgets don’t appear in the standard list, but you can get them through additional settings.

• 🔒 System widgets: go to Settings → Annexes → Application management → Widgets. You can turn on the hidden mini-programs here.
• 📦 Third-party app widgets: Some apps (like Google or Spotify) only add their widgets after first running.
• 🔄 Resetting launcher settings: if widgets are missing after the update, try resetting the launcher settings in Settings → Main screen screen → Reset the settings.

Especially useful is the hidden Tools widget that appears after you install the Mi Tools app, which allows you to quickly turn on the flashlight, timer, calculator and other tools directly from the home screen to activate it:

1. Install the Mi Tools app from the Mi App Store.
2. Long press on the main screen → «Widgets» → Find the Tools.
3. Drag him on the screen.

V MIUI 14 and HyperOS widget "Tools" may be called "Fast Action" and is in the section of system widgets.

4. Widgets on smart watches and fitness bracelets Xiaomi

Xiaomi smartwatches and bracelets (such as Mi Band 7, Mi Watch or Redmi Watch 3) also support widgets, but they work differently than on smartphones. Here the widgets are called “Screens” or “Cards” and are displayed when swiping up/down on the watch’s home screen.

To set up widgets on smart watches:

1. Open the Mi Fitness or Zepp Life app (depending on the model).
2. Select your device → Display. → Screen settings.
3. Activate the desired widgets (for example, weather, pulse, steps, notifications).
4. Drag them in the right order - this will determine in what sequence they will appear when swiping.

Some models (e.g. Xiaomi Watch) S3) Widgets can be configured right from the clock: a long press on the main screen → «Edit» → select the right cards.

If the weather widget does not appear on the watch, check:

• 🌍 Is location enabled in the clock settings.
• 🔄 Is the Mi app updated? Fitness/Zepp Life to the latest version.
• 📶 Is the watch connected to the Internet (via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi).

5. Widgets on TVs and other Xiaomi smart devices

Xiaomi Mi TVs TV redmi TV They also support widgets, but they're called Quick Accesses** or Panels, and they're displayed on the PatchWall home screen. TV) and allow you to quickly run applications, manage a smart home or view recommendations.

To set up widgets on Xiaomi TV:

1. Press the Home button on the remote.
2. Go to Settings. → Main screen screen → Set up the panels.
3. Turn on or off the desired widgets (for example, Prime Video, YouTube, Weather).
4. Use the Up/Down buttons on the remote to change the display order.

On other smart devices (such as Xiaomi Smart Display or Mi Box), widgets are configured in a similar way:

• 📺 On Mi Box: Settings → Screen. → Widgets.
• 🔊 On Xiaomi Smart Speaker: via the Mi Home app in the device section.

Important: On Xiaomi TVs, widgets can automatically update depending on your preferences (for example, if you watch Netflix often, its widget will go higher in the list). → Account. → Personalize and deactivate the option “Adaptive Home Screen».

Long press on the Home button|Go to Settings → Main screen screen|Select "Configure panels"|Drag widgets in the right order|Save the changes-->

6 Why widgets disappear and how to get them back

Sometimes widgets on Xiaomi disappear after updating, resetting or installing a new launcher.

If the widgets are missing after installing a custom launcher (like Nova Launcher or Lawnchair), try:

1. Back to the standard launcher MIUI (In Settings → Annexes → By default).
2. Update the launcher to the latest version.
3. Clear the launcher cache in Settings → Annexes → Application management → [The name of the launcher] → Clear the cache.

Advice for advanced users: if widgets do not work due to a system application failure, you can reset its settings through ADB:

adb shell pm clear com.miui.home

Careful.

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If the widgets disappeared after upgrading to HyperOS, try restarting the device in Safe Mode (click the power button). → «Safe Mode Restart. If widgets appear, problem with third-party app.

7.How to create your widget on Xiaomi (for power users)

If standard widgets are not enough, you can create your own using applications like KWGT (Kustom Widget Maker or UCCW. These tools allow you to design unique widgets from scratch or download ready-made templates from the community.

Instructions for creating a widget in KWGT:

1. Install. KWGT Google Play or Mi App Store.
2. Open the app and select “Create a new widget”.
3. Set the size (for example, 4×2 or 2×1).
4. Add items such as time, weather, battery, etc. (drop them from the menu on the left).
5. Save the widget and add it to the main screen (long press). → «Widgets» → find KWGT).

For Xiaomi with HyperOS or MIUI 14, there's a caveat: some custom widgets may not be updated in the background:

• 🔄 Add an appendix KWGT to the list "Autostart" (Settings) → Annexes → Permits → Auto-start).
• 📵 Turn off the battery optimization for KWGT (Settings → Battery → Optimizing the battery → All applications → KWGT → No restrictions).

Example of code for displaying time and date in KWGT:

$df(HH:mm) • df(dd MMMM)$

This code will show the time in the format 14:30 • May 15.

8. Frequent mistakes and how to avoid them

When working with widgets on Xiaomi, users often encounter typical errors, and here are the most common ways to solve them:

• ❌ Widget not updated: Check if background update is enabled for the app (for example, for a weather widget you need to allow the weather to run in the background).
• ❌ Widget takes up too much space: Some widgets (like Google Search) are fixed size. Try to choose a compact version (like Google Search, 4×1 instead 4×2).
• ❌ The widget doesn't respond to pressing: It could be because of the overlay of the protective glass or the film. Try recalibrating the sensor to Settings. → Screen. → Sensor calibration.
• ❌ Widgets are reset after rebooting: Maybe "Reboot Memory Cleanup" is enabled. Turn it off in Settings → Battery → Cleaning up memory.

Attention: ⚠️ If you use Xiaomi with an unlocked bootloader and custom firmware (like LineageOS), some system widgets may not work.In this case, install an alternative launcher (like Nova Launcher) and use widgets from third-party developers.

Another common problem is that widgets don't appear on the list, and this can happen if:

• The application to which the widget belongs is removed or disabled.
• The mode for children or Guest mode is enabled (widgets are hidden by default).
• The device is in Energy Saving mode, which limits background processes.

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If the widget stopped working after updating the app, try removing it from the screen and adding it again, often solving the problem without rebooting it.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions