How to turn off the news feed on Xiaomi MIUI 12: the complete guide

Xiaomi smartphone owners often encounter intrusive content that appears immediately after unlocking the device. A news feed filled with promotional articles, app recommendations and news bulletins can annoy users who appreciate the cleanliness of the interface. In the shell of MIUI 12, this feature is built deep into the system and is activated by default, taking up useful screen space.

Fortunately, the developers have provided several ways to deactivate this functionality, giving the user full control of the desktop. The configuration process does not require root rights or complex manipulation of system files, but it is important to know the exact paths in the menu.

In this article, we will take a look at all the methods available to permanently remove the flow of information, learn to distinguish between the system tape of Google Discover and its own recommendation service Mi Browser or Glance, and understand the difference between these components will help you clean the interface as efficiently as possible.

Analysis of news sources in MIUI 12

Before you start to turn off, you need to understand what exactly is displayed on your screen. In MIUI 12, different services can be responsible for outputting information. Most often, this is the left desktop panel, which is activated by swiping to the right, and this component is often called App Vault or "Wallpaper Carousel" depending on the regional version of the firmware.

Another source could be widgets or a separate aggregator app that is implemented at the system level. Advertising recommendations can also come from the system browser or the Security app. It is important not to confuse disabling the weather widget with completely removing the news feed.

For accurate diagnosis of the source, follow the following steps:

• 🔍 Swipe right on your desktop and look at the top of the screen – it often shows the name of the service.
• ⚙️ Go to the settings and look for sections with the words “Advanced Settings” or “Desktop».
• 📱 Check installed applications for system updates of components MIUI.

⚠️ Note: In some global firmware versions, the news feed can be integrated into Glance, which is also responsible for changing the wallpaper on the lock screen.

Understanding the MIUI 12 architecture avoids situations where the user disables one source, but the ads continue to flow through another channel.

Disabling the tape through the desktop settings

The most common and safe method of removing the news panel is to use built-in launcher settings, which does not require third-party software installation and works consistently on all versions of MIUI 12. The algorithm of actions is standard, but the names of items may vary slightly depending on the interface language.

To start, unlock your smartphone and go to the home screen. You need to call the desktop editing menu, this is done by pressing a blank area of the screen long enough or pinching two fingers (finger mixing). Once the page thumbnails appear, find the settings button, usually located in the lower right corner.

In the menu that opens, select Additional or immediately look for the News Feed option. In the Russian version, it can be called "Widget Tape" or "Google Discover." Switch the slider to "Off." If you use a standard Xiaomi launcher, the path will look like this: Settings → Desktop → News Feed.

After the changes are applied, the swipe to the right will stop opening the dashboard, instead the system can show empty space or immediately move to the first desktop, which is normal behavior of the system after the deaktivatsii function.

Managing Google Discover Service

Often, by newsfeed, users mean Google's built-in search service. In MIUI 12, it's deeply integrated into the launcher. Even if you've disabled Xiaomi's system feed, Google Discover can continue to work if it's activated as the default news provider.

To manage this service, you need to go to the settings of the Google app itself. Find the search icon on your desktop or in the app menu. Click on the profile avatar in the corner of the screen and select Settings. Next, go to Discover Feed.

Subtle content settings are available here:

• 🚫 Complete disabling of news card display.
• 📉 Hiding certain interests that you are not interested in.
• 🔒 Disabling Personalization Based on Search History.

⚠️ Note: Disabling Google Discover through Xiaomi launcher settings may not completely remove functionality if the Google account settings allow news synchronization.

It's also worth noting that updating the Google app through the Play Market may bring back some default settings: Periodically check the status of the feed after major updates to system components.

Disconnecting Glance service and wallpaper carousels

Glance, which is often confused with a regular news feed, is responsible not only for desktop news, but also for dynamic wallpaper on the lock screen, which changes with each turn on the smartphone. In MIUI 12, this component can be pre-installed as a system application.

To turn off, go to Settings → Lock screen. Find the Wallpaper Carus or Glance for Mi. Inside you will see the service activation switch. Turn it off. It is also recommended to click on the "Clear Cache" or "Delete Data" button to erase the uploaded images and free up space in memory.

The table below compares the functions of the standard tape and the Glance service:

Once you turn off Glance, the lock screen will return to the static image you selected in the gallery, which will significantly reduce the load on the processor when the device wakes up.

Cleaning the security folder and system recommendations

Even after the main feeds are turned off, MIUI 12 can continue to show recommendations in system utilities, most often from the Security or Explorer app, which is often disguised as important system messages, but in fact are advertising.

To stop this flow, open the Safety app. Click on the settings gear in the top right corner. Scroll down to Get Recommendations or Recommendations. Turn off this switch. A similar procedure should be repeated in the Topics and Music app if you use them.

There is also a universal way to disable personalized advertising throughout the system: Go to Settings → Passwords & Security → Access to Personal Data → Authorization and Advertising. Here you can revoke consent to use data for targeted advertising, which will not completely remove the ads, but will make them less intrusive and relevant.

Use of third-party launchers

If the built-in methods don’t seem to be effective enough or you want to completely change the interface, consider installing a third-party launcher.Apps like Nova Launcher, Lawnchair or Microsoft Launcher completely replace the standard Xiaomi desktop, ignoring the system settings of MIUI 12 regarding news feeds.

Installing an alternative launcher has several advantages:

• 🚀 Complete lack of built-in advertising and news feeds by default.
• 🎨 Flexible setting of grid, icons and animations.
• ⚡ Often higher performance on older devices.

However, it is worth considering that third-party launchers may not support some Xiaomi brand gestures or work with Always-On Display in full.

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When installing a new launcher, the system may offer to return the standard one several times. Simply select "Use by default" and tick "Do not ask again" to record the choice.

To move to a third-party launcher, download the application from Google Play, launch it and follow the instructions on the screen. The system will prompt you to choose a new application for the home screen.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

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Disabling news noise in MIUI 12 requires a comprehensive approach: setting up a launcher, Google account and system advertising services.