Many users of Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones face the situation when, after buying or upgrading the system, an additional panel appears when swiping to the right of the home screen.This left screen, often called Google Discover or simply "Assistant", contains news feed, app recommendations and other information that may not be useful to everyone.
Having an extra desktop not only distracts from the main navigation, but can also slightly, but still affect the speed of the interface, especially on budget models with little RAM. Device owners often wonder how to remove this element to simplify navigation and make using the gadget more comfortable.
Fortunately, MIUI and its modern version of HyperOS provide built-in desktop management tools.You don’t need to install third-party launchers or obtain super-user rights to get rid of the intrusive news feed. In this article, we’ll take a look at all the current ways to turn off the left screen on Xiaomi smartphones.
What is a left screen and why do you need it?
The left-hand screen in Xiaomi shells is an integrated panel that is activated by default immediately after the device is first turned on. Most often, it is a Google Discover widget that aggregates news, weather, currency rates and sports event information based on your interests and search history.
However, the functionality of this area may vary depending on the firmware region and shell version, and in the Chinese versions of MIUI, it often houses app carousel widgets, and in the global versions, standard Google services, and some users find this feature convenient for quick access to information without opening a browser.
However, for many people, having a screen like this is a source of irritation: random swipes left-right lead to the opening of unnecessary widgets, which disrupts the usual rhythm of work, and the constant synchronization of the news feed consumes Internet traffic and CPU resources, which is undesirable for saving battery power.
- 📰 Google Discover – a personalized feed of news and recommendations from the search giant.
- 📱 Carousel widgets – a set of shortcuts of frequently used applications and system functions (in Chinese firmware).
- 🔍 Search bar – Extended search widget that can occupy a significant part of the screen.
⚠️ Warning: Disabling Google system components on some models may cause weather widgets or watches to malfunction if they are tied to these services.
Disconnection through desktop settings
The easiest and safest way to remove the left screen is to use the standard interface settings, which work on the vast majority of modern Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO smartphones running current versions of MIUI and HyperOS.
You need to get into the desktop control menu first, and you can do this in a number of ways, but the most versatile is through the launcher settings itself. Press and hold your finger in the free seat of the home screen until the edit menu appears, or go to Settings → Desktop.
In the list of options that opens, find the option for the additional screens. Depending on the version of the shell, it can be called "Additional Screen", "Widget Ribbon" or "Google Discover", and the switch next to this item should be put into an inactive state.
☑️ Checking the launcher settings
Once you do that, swipe right will take you to the top of your desktop list, not the news feed, and the changes will take effect instantly, you don't need to restart the device, and if you don't find the right switch right away, it may be hidden in the "More" submenu, or it has a non-standard name in your firmware version.
Managing through Google settings
If the standard disconnection through the desktop settings did not work, or you want to fine-tune the behavior of the news feed, you should consult the settings of the Google application itself, which is responsible for generating content on the left screen.
Open the Google app on your smartphone. Click on your account avatar in the top right corner of the screen to open the profile menu. From the options list, select Settings, then go to General or Discover Tape.
Here you will see the Discover Feed switch. Disabling this option completely removes the newsfeed from the left screen, even if it remains active in Xiaomi desktop settings. In fact, you leave a blank page or page with basic widgets, but without news stream.
It is important to note that once you update your Google app or your MIUI system, these settings can reset to factory values, and you will have to repeat the procedure. Also keep in mind that turning off the tape does not remove the Google app, but only hides its visual component on the desktop.
Use of third-party launchers
For advanced users who want to completely change the look of the interface and guaranteed to get rid of any system limitations Xiaomi, the perfect solution is to install a third-party launcher.
Popular options like Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Lawnchair allow you to flexibly adjust the number of desktops, icon grids and swipe behavior. In such default launchers, the left screen is often missing or can be easily turned off in gesture settings.
To install a new launcher, download it from the Google Play Store. Once installed, the system will prompt you to select the default home screen app. Choose the installed launcher and confirm the action. Now you can customize the interface as you like, without intrusive widgets from Xiaomi.
| The name of the launcher | Difficulty setting up | Resource consumption | The presence of a left screen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nova Launcher | Medium | Low. | Customizable |
| Microsoft Launcher | Low. | Average. | Got it (news) |
| Lawnchair | Tall. | Low. | Absent. |
| Smart Launcher | Low. | Average. | Customizable |
Using third-party software gives you maximum freedom, but can lead to some visual inconsistencies in the system menus or settings.In addition, some "heavy" launchers can consume more power than the standard Xiaomi shell.
Compatibility of launchers with Android 13/14
Specifics of different versions of MIUI and HyperOS
The procedure for disabling can vary significantly depending on which version of the operating system is installed on your device. Xiaomi regularly updates the interface, moving menu items and changing their names.
In MIUI versions 12 and 13, settings were often in the “More” section of the desktop editing menu, users had to look for a “One Screen” or “Ribbon Widget” switch. In newer versions like MIUI 14 and HyperOS, the logic was simplified and the switch became more prominent.
On Chinese firmware (CN ROM) devices, the left screen often contains app carousel widgets that can’t be turned off by Google’s standard switch, in which case only installing a global firmware version or using a third-party launcher helps, since the Chinese version’s system components are deeply integrated.
- 🌍 Global version – standard interface with Google Discover, easy to configure.
- 🇨🇳 Chinese version – contains specific widgets, requires additional actions to disable.
- 🔄 HyperOS – New shell with changed menu structure, settings can be moved.
⚠️ Note: When changing region in your phone settings (e.g. from Russia to India or China), the set of available widgets and left-screen behavior may change.
Solution and additional settings
Sometimes users are faced with a situation where the left screen disappears on its own or, conversely, reappears after a reboot.This can be due to the cache of the Google application or errors in the launcher.
If the switch is inactive (gray) and can’t be pressed, try clearing the Google app data. Go to Settings → Apps → All Apps → Google → Memory and click Clear All. After that, the left screen settings should be editable.
Also worth paying attention to is the design theme: Some third-party themes from MIUI Themes store may force you to include or block certain interface elements. If you use a custom theme, try switching to the standard one and checking the settings again.
💡
If you want to just hide widgets but leave quick search access, try turning off Cards in Google’s settings, leaving only search active, making the left screen cleaner but more functional.
In rare cases, when software methods fail, you can use a command via ADB (Android Debug Bridge) to forcefully hide the component, but this method requires a computer connection and basic command-line knowledge, so it is not recommended for beginners.
adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.google.android.googlequicksearchboxThis command disables the Google Quick Search Box app, which is often responsible for the left screen. Be careful: this can affect the voice assistant and the desktop search widget.