How to permanently disable Google Tape on Xiaomi: The Complete Guide 2026

Google Ribbon (or Google Discover) is a built-in service on Xiaomi smartphones that displays personalized news, weather and recommendations on the home screen on the left. For many users, this widget becomes a source of irritation: it consumes up to 15% of battery power in the background (according to XDA Developers tests on the Redmi Note 12 Pro+), slows down the system and distracts with unnecessary information. Unfortunately, Xiaomi does not provide the standard option for completely removing tape – it can only be hidden or limited.

In this article, we will discuss 5 working ways to disable Google Tape on Xiaomi, Redmi and Poco devices (including the 2023-2026 models on MIUI 14/13 and Android 13/12). The methods are distributed by difficulty level: from basic settings to advanced tricks with ADB. Importantly, some solutions may require a launcher reset or a device reboot - we will warn you about this in advance.

Why is Google not shutting down the standard tools?

It’s a contract between Xiaomi and Google, where from 2019, all Android smartphones are required to include Google Mobile Services (GMS), including Google Discover (the official name of the tape), a condition for pre-installing Google Play and other apps, and even if you remove updates to the Google App (the app responsible for the tape), the system will automatically restore them through the Play Store.

Technically, the tape is integrated into the MIUI launcher, so simply removing the Google app will lead to errors when swiping left.

• 🔄 Hiding through launcher settings – temporary solution, reset after updates.
• 🛠️ Shutdown through ADB — Radical method, requires connection to the PC.
• 📱 Replacement of the launcher – installing a third-party desktop (for example, Nova Launcher).
• 🔧 Modification of system files - for advanced users (requires unlocking the bootloader).

⚠️ Attention: On devices with MIUI Global (European/Global Firmware) some techniques may not work due to Google's restrictions (MIUI China is luckier – there is no default tape.

Method 1: Disconnect the tape through the settings of the MIUI launcher

The simplest method that works on most Xiaomi devices (including Redmi Note 11/12, Poco X5/F5, Xiaomi 13/14) is not to remove the tape completely, but to hide it from the home screen:

1. Press and hold the empty space on the home screen (not the icon!).
2. In the menu that opens, select Home Screen Settings (or Home Screen Settings).
3. Scroll down and find the Google App (or Google Discover) option.
4. Switch the slider to the position Off (Off).
5. Restart the device (required!) to make the changes effective.

After this, the swipe left on the home screen will stop opening the feed, but when you update MIUI or Google App, the settings may reset. To avoid this, take the additional step:

• 📌 Go to Settings. → Annexes → Application management → Google.
• 🔄 Click Remove Updates (if the button is active).
• 🚫 In the same menu, select Disable (if available).

⚠️ Attention: On some firmware (MIUI 14.0.4+) Google App may not be available in the launcher settings. In this case, proceed to Method 2.

Method 2: Using ADB to shut down completely (without root)

If the previous method didn’t work, try disabling the tape via Android Debug Bridge (ADB).This method doesn’t require superuser rights, but will require a computer with Xiaomi drivers installed and the ADB tool.

Instructions:

1. Turn on the Developer Mode on your smartphone: Go to Settings → About Phone. Press 7 times on the MIUI Version until the notification "You've become a developer" appears.
2. Activate USB debugging: Return to Settings → Additional → Developer. Enable USB debugging and confirm permission.

ADB

adb shell pm hide com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox

This command hides the Google app responsible for the feed.

Reset the device.

To return the tape back, use the command:

adb shell pm unhide com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox

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If the pm hide command is not supported by your version of Android, try the alternative: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox. This method works on Android 10 and later.

Method 3: Installation of a third-party launcher (Nova, Lawnchair)

If you don't like the standard MIUI launcher, you can replace it with an alternative one, like Nova Launcher or Lawnchair, which lets you completely remove Google Ribbon and customize your desktop.

Step-by-step:

1. Download Nova Launcher from Google Play (link).
2. After installation, click the Home button and select Nova as the default launcher.
3. In Nova settings, go to Settings → Home Screen → Swipe down/left and turn off the Google Now option.
4. To completely remove the tape, also disable the Google app in Android settings (see Method 1).

Advantages of this method:

• 🎨 Complete customization of the desktop (badges, gestures, animations).
• 🚀 Improved performance (launchers like Nova use less resources than standard ones) MIUI Launcher).
• 🔒 No forced Google Tapes – it can be replaced with any widget (weather, calendar, notes).

⚠️ Note: Some Xiaomi firmware (for example, MIUI 14 for Redmi Note 11) after the system update, the launcher can reset to the standard. To avoid this, activate the Reset Protection option in the Nova settings (under Backup section).

Method 4: Disable via Google Settings (for MIUI 14+)

The latest versions of MIUI 14 have a hidden option that allows you to deactivate tape without ADB. This method does not work on all devices, but it is worth trying:

1. Open the Google app (the icon with the letter "G" on the home screen).
2. Slip on the profile avatar in the upper right corner.
3. Select Settings → General → Google Tape.
4. Turn off the slider Show on the main screen.
5. Reboot your smartphone.

If this is not the case, try an alternative route:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management → Google → Storage.
2. Click Clear Data and Clear Cache.
3. After rebooting, the feed may disappear (but will return after syncing with your Google account).

This method doesn't remove the tape permanently, but it does temporarily remove it. For permanent effect, combine it with an ADB shutdown.

Method 5: Radical methods (for advanced users)

If none of the above methods worked, there are still advanced solutions that require unlocking the bootloader or root rights, which are risky and can lead to a loss of warranty or unstable system operation, and use them only if you are confident in your actions.

Method A: Removal via Magisk (root required)

If you have Magisk installed, you can remove the tape using the Universal GMS Doze module or DisableFlags:

1. Download the DisableFlags module in Magisk.
2. Activate flags: --disable-component com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox/com.google.android.apps.gsa.staticplugins.opa.OpaActivity --disable-component com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox/com.google.android.apps.gsa.searchwidget.SearchWidgetProvider
3. Reset the device.

Method B: Modification of system files (unlocked bootloader required)

For experienced users, there is a way to remove the tape by editing the build.prop file:

1. Unlock the bootloader through Mi Unlock Tool (the official Xiaomi utility).
2. Install custom recovery (TWRP).
3. Open the file. /system/build.prop and add a line: ro.config.low_ram=This will make the system believe that the device has little RAM, and turn off background services Google.
4. Save the changes and reboot.

⚠️ Warning: Editing build.prop may lead to inability to update MIUI through OTA. Before making changes, make a backup copy of the section /system into TWRP.

Frequent problems and their solutions

When you turn off Google Tapes, Xiaomi users encounter common mistakes. Here's how to fix them:

If none of the methods worked, check:

• 🔍 Version MIUI — On some beta firmware, the tape is blocked differently.
• 📱 Firmware region - on MIUI China tape is not default, but there are no Google services.
• 🔄 Updates – sometimes bugs are fixed in new versions MIUI.

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If you use a Xiaomi smartphone for China (without Google services), the tape is not available, but Google Play doesn’t work on those devices either, you’ll have to manually install apps through APK.

FAQ: Answers to Frequent Questions