Owners of the popular Xiaomi Redmi 8 smartphones often face the need to personalize the interface to their needs. The standard shell MIUI offers many visual elements, but not all of them are useful to each user. Widgets can take up precious space on the screen, consume Internet traffic and drain the battery if not used regularly.
The process of deactivating these elements is not difficult, but it requires care, as the settings menu in different versions of the firmware may differ. In this article, we will discuss in detail all the available ways to clean the desktop of unnecessary visual noise. You will learn how to manage system widgets, disable news feeds and block pop-ups in system applications.
Removing standard widgets from the desktop
The easiest way to free up space on the home screen is to manually remove unnecessary items. In the MIUI shell installed on Redmi 8, widgets are often placed by default when the device is first turned on, and to remove them, you need to find the desired object on the screen and perform a long press with your finger.
Once the icon or widget starts to pulse or the context menu appears, you should select the option to delete. If the basket or cross icon is displayed on the screen, drag the item there. In some versions of the firmware, you just select the item "Delete" in the pop-up that appears. This action does not delete the application itself, but only removes its display from the desktop.
It is important to distinguish between app shortcuts and full-fledged widgets that can display weather, currency rates or news in real time. Removing the shortcut does not disable the background operation of the program, whereas deleting the widget often stops updating the data on the screen.
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If the widget is not removed in the standard way, try to go into desktop editing mode by moving two fingers from the center of the screen to the edges.
Some system widgets, such as Google Search or Music, can be built into the launcher structure and not be deleted as usual, requiring a change in the launcher settings or the use of third-party software to manage the interface.
Disable the Google News Feed (Google Discover)
One of the most annoying features for many users is the left-handed news and recommendation bar, known as Google Discover.It swipes to the right of the home screen and often contains unnecessary information. On the Xiaomi Redmi 8, this feature can be easily deactivated through system settings.
You need to go to desktop editing mode first, and you can do this by pinching the screen with two fingers or holding the empty area for a long time, and in the lower corner, you'll see a settings button, usually indicated by a gear, and you'll be taken to the desktop configuration menu by clicking on it.
- 📱 Find a switch called “Google Tape” or «-1 screen».
- 🔓 Transfer the slider to the inactive position to turn off the function.
- ✅ Check the result by trying to swipe the screen to the left.
Once you do this, the swipe left will stop opening the news feed, which will speed up navigation on the menu, and if you accidentally delete the weather widget, which is often located there, you can return it through the widget menu, but on the main screen, where it is more convenient to use.
⚠️ Note: After disabling Google feed, recommendations may stop forming and the system will require the feature to be re-enabled to update them.
Set up weather widgets and clocks
The standard weather and watch widgets on Redmi 8 are part of the system's "Security" and "Weather" app. They can be intrusive if you prefer minimalism or use third-party apps for this purpose. Complete removal of the system widget is sometimes impossible without superuser rights, but it can be hidden or replaced.
If the weather widget displays ads or unnecessary notifications, you should go to the settings of the Weather app itself. In the settings menu (three dots in the corner), you can turn off personalized recommendations and automatic location updates if you do not need them.
Hidden settings of the weather widget
To replace standard elements with more functional counterparts, it is recommended to install a third-party launcher, for example, Nova Launcher or Microsoft Launcher. They allow you to completely ignore Xiaomi system widgets and use any others.
| Type of widget | Method of shutting down | Risks. |
|---|---|---|
| Weather. | Removal from the screen / Application settings | Lack of temperature data on the lock |
| The clock | Screen removal | No. |
| Google Discover | Desktop settings | No. |
| Stepper | Screen removal | Resetting the daily step count in the widget |
Blocking Advertising in System Widgets
Xiaomi Redmi 8 owners often complain about pop-up ads that appear when unlocking their phone or in memory clear widgets, a feature called MSA (MIUI System Ads), which is not a widget in the classic sense, but is often confused with widgets.
To reduce the amount of advertising noise, you need to turn off the personalization of advertising. To do this, go to the phone settings, find the section "Passwords and security" and select "Access to personal data." Here you need to find the msa process and turn it off.
Settings → Passwords and security → Access to personal data → msa → DisableThe system will try to convince you to leave the function on by showing a countdown timer of 10 seconds, you have to wait until the time ends and press "Disable." If the first time failed, the procedure should be repeated several times.
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Disabling the msa service does not remove ads completely, but it significantly reduces the amount of ads in the system interfaces.
Additionally, it is recommended to go to the settings of each system application (Music, Video, Clean) and find the "Receive recommendations" switch there, disabling this option prevents banner ads from appearing inside the program interface.
Using third-party launchers for complete cleaning
If standard MIUI methods fail to achieve the desired minimalism, the best solution is to install an alternative launcher, which completely replaces the desktop, application menu and widget control panel.
Popular launchers like Nova Launcher allow you to create a completely clean interface without any pre-installed widgets. Once you install such an application, the system will prompt you to choose it by default for working with the home screen.
- 🚀 Speed: Third-party launchers often run faster than standard launchers.
- 🎨 Design: The ability to change the appearance of icons and fonts.
- 🛠 Flexibility: Full control of screen grid and gestures.
⚠️ Note: When installing a third-party launcher, some features specific to the Xiaomi shell (such as hidden folders or gestures) MIUI), They may stop working properly.
To install a new launcher, download the app from Google Play Market, launch it and follow the instructions of the customization wizard. After that, the old interface with Xiaomi widgets will remain in memory, but will not be used.
Resetting the launcher settings as a last resort
In situations where widgets are behaving incorrectly, are getting stuck or not being removed due to a system failure, a launcher reset may be required.This action will return the desktop to its original state, as immediately after buying Redmi 8.
To reset, go to the Apps menu, search for the Louncher or System Launcher list. From the menu that opens, select Memory and click Clear or Reset buttons. All icons and widgets will be reset to factory ones.
☑️ Checklist before launcher reset
This method is effective if you're confused about the interface settings and want to start with a clean slate, but it will take time to re-installe all widgets and shortcuts in a convenient order for you.
After the reset, the system may suggest reconfiguring Google feed and other service widgets, at which point you can immediately refuse to install them, following the instructions described in the previous sections of the article.