How to add a widget on Xiaomi: all the ways for smartphones and smart devices

Widgets on Xiaomi devices are a quick way to access important information directly from the home screen. Whether you want to see real-time weather forecasts, manage a smart home with a single touch or track health statistics, widgets save time and make interaction with the gadget more convenient. However, not everyone knows how to add them correctly, especially on new versions of MIUI or in the Mi Home ecosystem.

In this article, we will look at all the current ways to install widgets on Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones, as well as on smart devices – from lamps to robot vacuum cleaners. You will learn where to look for hidden settings, how to customize the appearance and what to do if the widget does not appear.

Before you go to the instructions, make sure your device is running the current MIUI version (at least MIUI 12). On older firmware, some widgets may be missing or not working properly. Also check that you have the latest updates for the Mi Home app (for smart devices) installed, which ensures compatibility with new features.

1.How to add a widget to the main screen of a Xiaomi smartphone

The most common scenario is to install widgets on the MIUI desktop, a process that is intuitive but has a few nuances depending on the shell version. Consider a universal algorithm that will suit most models, from the Redmi Note 10 to the flagship Xiaomi 14.

First, unlock the screen and make a long tap on any free place on the main screen. At the bottom, you will see a panel with options — select Widgets (on some firmware this item may be called Additions). Here you will see a list of all available widgets grouped by application.

For addition:

1. Scroll through the list and find the widget you want (like Weather or Google Search).
2. Click its icon and drag it to a free space on the screen.
3. Release your finger, the widget will lock, and if necessary, resize it by pulling corners.

If the widget doesn’t appear in the list, check:

• 🔄 Is the appropriate application installed (for example, for the Yandex.Weather widget you need to download the application itself).
• 📱 Does your model support this type of widget (on budget devices there may be restrictions).
• 🔧 Are the widgets disabled in settings: Settings → Main screen screen → Widgets.

Make sure it's relevant MIUI|Check for an app for the widget|Free up space on the main screen|Reboot the smartphone when failures-->

2.Where to find hidden widgets in MIUI

Not all widgets are visible in the main list. Some are hidden in the system settings or require activation through additional menus. For example, the System Monitor widget (showing CPU and RAM boot) is disabled by default, but it can be turned on manually.

To access hidden widgets:

1. Open Settings → About the phone and click on the MIUI version several times until a notification appears to turn on the developer mode.
2. Return to Settings → More → For developers and find the option to Show Hidden Widgets (or similar).
3. Restart the device – after that, new options will appear in the list of widgets.

Some widgets are also only available after installing the themes from the Mi Theme Store, such as the Dark Mode Pro theme, which adds a widget with a quick dark switch.

MIUI 14.0.5+ has a feature called Dynamic Widgets, which update content in real time (such as weather forecast or currency rate). To activate them, go to Settings → Home Screen → Dynamic Widgets and turn on the option.

3. widgets for smart devices Xiaomi (Mi Home)

If you use the Mi Home ecosystem (smart lamps, sockets, robot vacuum cleaners), widgets can help you control them directly from your smartphone screen, for example, you can create a widget to turn on the lights on a schedule or start cleaning Mi Robot Vacuum.

Instructions for addition:

1. Install the Mi Home app and log in to your Xiaomi account.
2. Add a smart device to the app (if you haven’t already done so).
3. On the main screen of the smartphone, perform a long press → Widgets → find the Mi Home section.
4. Select the widget you want (like Smart Home or Quick Commands) and drag it to the screen.

Mi Home widgets support customization:

• 🎨 Change of size (from) 2×1 before 4×2).
• 🔄 Switching between devices (e.g., selecting a particular lamp).
• ⚙️ Adjusting the displayed parameters (temperature, humidity, connection status).

💡

If the Mi Home widget doesn’t update data, check the app’s permissions in Settings → Apps → Mi Home → Permissions. Often the problem is solved by enabling location access and notifications.

4.Widget problems and solutions

Sometimes widgets may disappear, not update, or not display correctly.

Critical error: If after the MIUI update, the widgets stopped working at all, try resetting the launcher settings.

adb shell pm clear com.miui.home

This command will reset the home screen settings, but it won't delete apps or data. Use it only if other methods haven't worked!

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Before resetting the launcher, take screenshots of the location of widgets and shortcuts - after resetting them you will have to adjust again.

5. Customization of widgets: size, transparency, style

MIUI has built-in tools to change the appearance of widgets, but their capabilities are limited. Deep customization will require third-party applications such as KWGT or UCCW.

What can be changed without root rights:

• 📏 Size: Pull around the corners of the widget after adding (fixed sizes from 1×1 before 4×4).
• 🎨 Transparency: Some widgets (e.g. Weather) can be adjusted to the level of background transparency.
• 🔤 Text: Change the font or color in the settings of the widget itself (click on it with a long tap).

For advanced customization:

1. Install KWGT Kustom Widget Maker from Google Play.
2. Download your favorite template (e.g. Minimal Clock or Weather KWGT).
3. Add the KWGT widget to the screen and select the downloaded template.
4. Configure the settings through the application editor.

Note that some templates require a paid version of KWGT Pro to unlock all features, and note that complex widgets can increase battery consumption, especially if they update data in the background.

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To prevent the widget from eating up charge, limit the frequency of its update. For example, for a weather widget, it is enough to update every 30 minutes instead of the standard 15.

Widgets on the lock screen (MIUI 13+)

Starting with MIUI 13, users can add widgets to the lock screen, a feature that is useful for quick access to information without unlocking the phone, such as the time, weather or notifications from messengers.

How to set up:

1. Go to Settings → Lock screen.
2. Select the lock screen widgets.
3. Activate the switch and select widgets to display (up to 5 pieces available).
4. Set up their order by dragging and dropping.

Limitations:

• ⚠️ The lock screen only displays system widgets (weather, calendar, steps.
• ⚠️ Widgets on lock do not interact with the device – they only display information.
• ⚠️ For security reasons, some data (such as the content of notifications) may be hidden before being unlocked.

⚠️ Note: If you use third-party launchers (like Nova Launcher), the widgets on the lock screen may not work. MIUI or check the compatibility settings.

7. widgets for fitness bracelets Xiaomi (Mi Band)

The Xiaomi Mi Band 7/8 and Smart Band Pro smart bracelets also have widgets, but their setup is different from smartphones. Here, widgets are mini-programs that display sensor data (pulse, steps, weather) or provide quick access to functions (timer, phone search).

How to add widgets to Mi Band:

1. Install the Mi Fitness app (formerly Mi Fit) and plug in the bracelet.
2. Go to the Device Profile section → Bracelet screen.
3. Select Widgets and set their order (up to 10 pieces are available).
4. Sync the bracelet with the phone - the changes will apply automatically.

Popular widgets for Mi Band:

• 🏃 Stepmer - activity statistics for the day / week.
• ❤️ Pulse - Current heart rate.
• 🌡️ Weather forecast for 3 days (requires access to location).
• ⏱️ Timer/Secondomere – Quick Start without Phone.
• 🔋 Charge level – display of the remaining battery bracelet.

⚠️ Note: On the Mi Band 8, some widgets require an update to the bracelet firmware. If the widget doesn't appear after synchronization, check for updates in Mi Fitness → Device profile → Firmware update.

FAQ: Frequent questions about widgets on Xiaomi