How to Enable and Configure Widgets on Xiaomi: The Complete Guide

Widgets on Xiaomi smartphones are mini-apps that display current information directly on the home screen: weather, calendar, notes, smart home management, or even health statistics. Despite their apparent simplicity, many users face difficulties in adding them — especially after updating MIUI or resetting. In this article, we will discuss all the ways to enable widgets, from standard to hidden functions, and also explain how to return missing items after a crash.

It’s important to understand that the interface for adding widgets may vary depending on the shell version (MIUI 14, MIUI 15 or HyperOS) and the device model. For example, on the Xiaomi 13 Pro and Redmi Note 12, the algorithm is almost identical, but on older devices like the POCO F3 there may be nuances. We’ll look at universal methods that work on 90% of the brand’s devices, and also focus on solutions for specific cases where widgets don’t appear in the list or disappear after a reboot.

What are widgets and why do they need on Xiaomi

A widget (or miniature device) is an interactive interface element that provides quick access to the functions of an application without having to open it. On Xiaomi, widgets fall into three main categories:

• 📊 Information: weather (Mi Weather), calendar, exchange rates, steps (Mi Fitness) Update data in the background.
• ⚙️ Controls: switches Wi-Fi/Bluetooth, The brightness regulator, the smart home panel (Mi Home) allows you to change the settings with one tap.
• 🎮 Interactive: music player, notes, timer, support actions directly from the home screen.

The main advantages of widgets on MIUI:

• 🔄 Time savings: Checking the weather or turning on the lights in a smart home takes 1 second instead of 10-15 (launching the app) + menu-navigation).
• 📱 Personalization: You can only put on the screen those elements that you really need (for example, the Google Keep widget for quick notes).
• 🔋 Battery optimization: Many widgets (such as Mi Fit) only update data when in active use, not in the background.

There are limitations, however, as Xiaomi does not allow you to resize most widgets (unlike Samsung or iOS), and some apps (like Telegram or VK) do not support this feature at all, and widgets can disappear after updating MIUI to a new version if the app developer has not adapted them to a fresh shell.

Method 1: Standard addition of widgets through the menu

This is the simplest and most versatile method that works on all Xiaomi devices running MIUI 12-15 and HyperOS. Instructions are suitable for models of Redmi Note 11/12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 12/13 and other modern smartphones of the brand.

Steps to add the widget:

1. Unlock your phone and go to the main screen (where the app icons are located).
2. Make a long tap on any free screen space (not on the icon!) and a personalization menu will appear.
3. At the bottom of the screen, select the Widget tab (some versions of MIUI call it Elements).
4. Scroll down the list and find the widget you want (like Weather or Google) and tap it and hold it, then drag it to a free space on the screen.
5. Release your finger, the widget will be added, and you can move it around if you need it, holding the icon.

Make sure the app is installed and updated

Check the free space on the main screen

Turn off the power saving mode (can block widgets)

Restart your phone if the widgets don't show-->

If the desired widget is not on the list, the reasons may be as follows:

• 🚫 The app does not support widgets (such as TikTok or Instagram).
• 🔄 The widget is disabled in the application settings (you need to go to the application itself and turn it on manually).
• 📱 An outdated version MIUI (Update the firmware through Settings → The phone. → Updating the system).

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If the weather widget isn’t updated, check the permissions for the Mi Weather app in Settings → Apps → Permissions → Geodata. Often the problem is solved by enabling precise location.

Method 2: Add widgets through MIUI settings (hidden method)

Not everyone knows, but MIUI has an alternative way to add widgets through the system menu, which is useful if the standard method doesn’t work (for example, after resetting settings or using custom launchers like Nova Launcher).

Instructions:

1. Open the phone settings.
2. Go to the Appendix section → Application management.
3. Find the app you want to add a widget to (like Google or Mi Fit) and tap it.
4. Select Widgets (or interface elements on older versions).
5. Activate the switch next to the desired widget, and then it will appear in the standard add-on menu.

This method is particularly relevant for system application widgets, such as:

• 📅 Calendar (shows upcoming events).
• 📝 Notes (fast access to the latest records).
• 🔊 Recorder (voice recording in one tap).
• 🏠 Mi Home (Management of Smart Devices).

Method 3: Recovering missing widgets after update

One of the most common problems is that widgets disappear after a MIUI update or a setting reset, and that's because the new version of the shell resets the launcher's cache or blocks the old widgets for security reasons.

Method 1: Launcher reset

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the Launcher app (or MIUI Launcher) and open its settings.
3. Select Warehouse. → Clear the cache.
4. Reboot the phone. The widgets should come back.

Method 2: Manual recovery via ADB (for advanced users)

If the cache reset did not help, you can use the ADB command to force the widgets to turn on:

adb shell pm grant com.miui.home android.permission.BIND_APPWIDGET


adb shell am broadcast -a android.intent.action.BOOT_COMPLETED

These commands unlock the system limitations on widgets, and they require developer rights and a PC connection.

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If the widgets disappeared after upgrading to MIUI 15/HyperOS, try a standard launcher reset first. Only if it doesn't help - resort to ADB. Incorrect use of commands can lead to shell malfunctions!

Table: Compatibility of widgets with Xiaomi models

Not all widgets work on all devices, and the following is a compatibility table for popular MIUI models and versions:

If your model is not listed in the table, check compatibility experimentally: try adding a widget through the standard menu. If it does not appear, then your device does not support this feature on the current version of MIUI.

Problem Solving: Widgets are not working or updated

Even if the widget is successfully added, it may not update the data or not respond at all to clicks.

⚠️ Warning: If the Mi Home widget doesn't manage smart devices, check if they're connected to the same Mi Account as the phone. Often the problem lies in the disconnection of communication between devices after the Wi-Fi change.

Problem 1: The widget does not update data (weather, currency rates)

• 🔄 Check your internet connection (widgets don’t work offline).
• 📍 Enable geolocation for the application (for example, Mi Weather requires accurate geodata).
• 🔋 Turn off the power saving mode for the application in Settings → Battery → Optimizing the battery.
• 🗑️ Clear the app's cache in Settings → Annexes → [Title of the annex] → Warehouse.

Problem 2: The widget does not respond to pressing

• 🛠️ Remove the widget and add it again.
• 📱 Reboot your phone – sometimes launcher MIUI"hanging".
• 🔄 Update the app to which the widget relates via Google Play or App Store.

Problem 3: The widget disappears after the reboot

• 🔧 Check if a third-party launcher (like Nova or Apex) is installed. MIUI Launcher.
• 📦 Install Security Update through Settings → The phone. → Updating the system.
• 🔒 If the problem persists, reset the launcher settings (see Method 3).

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For Google widgets (search, calendar), additionally check if sync is enabled in your Google account: Settings → Accounts → Google → Data Sync.

Hidden widgets and secret MIUI features

MIUI has a few hidden widgets that don’t appear in the standard menu, but can be useful:

• 🔋 Battery widget: shows detailed charge flow statistics. To enable it, add the Settings widget (if it is on the list) and select the option with the battery icon.
• 📡 Network widget: displays real-time internet speed. Available via Security widget).
• 🎵 Music widget: If you use the standard Mi Music player, its widget can be added via the Widgets menu → Music.
• 🏃 Health widget: shows steps, pulse and other data from the Mi Band.

Activating hidden widgets sometimes requires:

1. Install the latest version of MIUI (some widgets only appear after the update).
2. Enable Developer Mode (7 taps by Assembly Number in Settings → About Phone).
3. Use it. ADB-commands to unlock (see Method 3).

For example, the Game Turbo widget is hidden by default.

1. Open Settings and find the Features and Additional Settings section → Game Turbo.
2. Activate the function and restart the phone.
3. The widget will now appear in the add-on menu.

FAQ: Frequent questions about widgets on Xiaomi