What is a side curtain on Xiaomi and why turn it off
The left sidebar (aka Side Panel or Quick Ball) is a signature MIUI element that appears when swiping from the left edge of the screen, and it contains shortcuts of frequently used apps, contacts and tools. It's convenient for some users, and annoying for others, which is triggered by chance during games or scrolling through social media feeds.
The main reasons why Xiaomi, Redmi and POCO owners want to remove it are:
- 🎮 Interferes with games – random swipes open the panel instead of game actions
- 📱 Conflicts with gestures – blocks navigation in full-screen applications
- 🔋 Battery discharges – background panel activity consumes up to 3-5% day-load
- 👁️ Distracts visually - translucent overlay spoils immersiveness
In this article, we will discuss all working ways of disabling, from standard MIUI settings to hidden commands for power users. Instructions are relevant for MIUI 14/15 and models from 2020-2026 (Xiaomi 13/14 series, Redmi Note 12/13, POCO F5/X5, etc.).
Method 1: Disconnect via standard MIUI settings
The simplest method, which works on 90% of Xiaomi devices without any additional manipulation, is suitable for users who have the panel activated by default.
Instructions:
- Open Settings (cog icon on the desktop)
- Go to the section Additional settings → Sidebar
- Move the slider Side panel to the off position.
- Confirm the action by pressing OK in the pop-up window
The panel does not appear when swiping on the left.
The panel icon disappeared from the status bar
In the gray-colored slider settings
Apps from the panel do not appear in multitasking-->
⚠️ Attention: On some firmware (MIUI Global for the European region, the item can be called Quick Ball or Side Toolbar. If you do not find a section, use the search by settings (lamp in the upper right corner).
Method 2: Deactivation through "Special Capabilities"
If the standard method didn't work, the panel can be tied to special feature gestures, a common situation after MIUI updates where settings are reset.
How to turn it off:
- Go to Settings. → Special facilities
- Choose Physical Opportunities → Gestures
- Find the Sidebar or Quick Ball item
- Turn off the slider and reboot the device
| Xiaomi model | The path to settings | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Xiaomi 13/14 Pro | Settings → Additional functions → Side panel | May require password confirmation |
| Redmi Note 12 | Settings → Special features → Gestures → Quick Ball | In Chinese firmware, the name in English |
| POCO F5 | Settings → System → Side panel | MIUI version 14.0.6+ |
💡 Useful tip: If after turning off the panel still appears when swiping from the top left corner, check the settings of the System Applications Show in the Applications section. MIUI Resets permissions for system services.
Method 3: Use ADB-Teams (for experienced teams)
If the system settings don't work, you can turn off the panel via Android Debug Bridge, a method that requires you to connect to your PC and enable developer mode.
Step-by-step:
- Activate Developer Mode (7 taps by build number in Settings → About phone)
- Enable USB Debugging in Settings → For Developers
- Connect your phone to your PC and execute the command: adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.quickball
- Reset the device
⚠️ Warning: Once this command is executed, all the settings of the sidebar will be reset and its icon will disappear from the system tray forever:
adb shell pm enable com.miui.quickballWhat if the ADB does not recognize the device?
Method 4: Disconnecting through Activity Editor (without root)
For users who don’t want to use ADB, there’s an alternative, the Activity Launcher app (available on Google Play), which allows you to manage hidden MIUI settings.
Instructions:
- Install Activity Launcher
- Open the application and find in the Settings list.
- Deploy the branch.miui.home or.miui.quickball
- Select an activity called QuickBallSettingsActivity
- In the menu that opens, turn off all sliders and save the changes.
✅ Key takeaway: This method works even on locked bootloaders and does not require a PC connection. MIUI The settings may be reset - they will have to be repeated.
Method 5: Complete removal via TWRP (for advanced)
If you use custom TWRP recovery, you can completely remove the sidebar system application, which is a cardinal solution that is only suitable for users with an unlocked bootloader.
How to delete:
- Boot in TWRP Recovery (clip Power + Volume up)
- Go to Advanced → File Manager
- Find /system/priv-app/QuickBall or /system/app/QuickBall
- Remove the entire folder or rename it to QuickBall_bak
- Reset the device
⚠️ Warning: Removing system applications can lead to unstable work MIUI, including errors when updating the firmware. TWRP → Backup.
💡
Before deleting system files, check their dependence with the command adb shell dumpsys package com.miui.quickball. If there are required-by points in the output, deleting can break the associated functions.
Frequent problems and their solutions
Even after the shutdown, the sidebar can continue to appear, and let's look at typical scenarios and how to fix them.
Problem 1: The bar only appears in some apps (like YouTube or TikTok).
- 🔧 Solution: Disable in the application settings permission to Display on top of other windows for Sidebar.
Problem 2: After the MIUI update, the panel was activated again.
- 🔄 Solution: Repeat the disconnection through ADB Activity Launcher, in newer versions MIUI 15 Added reset protection - use the command: adb shell cmd package disable-user --user 0 com.miui.quickball
Problem 3: On the lock screen, the panel continues to open.
- 🔒 Solution: Disable in Settings → Lock screen → Additional Item Quick labels.