How to change the Xiaomi widget tape: setting up the left screen

Xiaomi smartphone owners often face a situation where swiping to the right does not open what you want, instead of a news feed or useful widgets, there may be empty space or, conversely, intrusive advertising. Understanding how to change the tape of Xiaomi widgets allows you to personalize the device to your needs, making interaction with the interface more comfortable.

The MIUI shell and the new HyperOS provide flexible workspace management tools, but hidden settings often confuse users. In this article, we will explore not only how to replace content sources, but also how to completely disable unnecessary elements that interfere with fast work.

It should be noted that the options available depend on the firmware version and the region of the account. Global versions of firmware differ from Chinese, as well as from builds for Russia and Europe.

Differences between Google Discover and Mi Home

The first thing to decide on is what content you want on the left screen, and by default, most smartphones have Google Discover tape activated, which aggregates news, weather, currency rates and sports results based on the user's interests tied to a Google account.

The alternative is Mi Home (or Cards in older versions), which is designed to be smart home and fast-acting, displaying light control widgets, cameras, pedometers and notes, depending on what you use more often.

You can only change the source of content through the launcher system settings, not through the settings of the Google app itself. If you're used to news from a search engine, but the system offers Mi Home cards, you need to force the widget provider to switch to the phone menu.

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For maximum performance, it is recommended to turn off the widget tape on devices with less than 4 GB of RAM, since the background download of news consumes resources.

Some widgets require a constant connection to the network. If you have a tariffed traffic, automatic news downloading in the background can consume megabytes unnoticed to you, in such cases it is wiser to use static widgets or turn off the tape completely.

Setting up the left screen through the system menu

The main way to control the left screen is through the system settings. The interface may be slightly different, but the logic remains the same. You'll need to find the partition that handles the desktop and navigation.

Go to Settings → Desktop. In some versions of MIUI, this item may be called "Home" or "Home Screen." This is where the switches that control the swipe behavior to the right are hidden.

If you don't see the right switch right away, search by settings, type "widget" or "screen" into the search box, and the system will suggest you go to the right menu, which is especially true for newer versions of HyperOS, where the menu structure has been redesigned.

In the menu that opens, you'll see "Widget Tape" or "Advanced Screen." You can click on it and select the source. You can choose "Google" or "Mi Home" options. Once you select, the changes take effect instantly, without having to restart the device.

Managing widgets through a long press

There is a faster way to access left-screen settings without having to dive deep into the menu, which works on most current firmware versions and allows you to quickly evaluate the visual result.

Swipe right to open the left screen. If there's content, hold your finger in any vacant spot or on the widget itself. You'll see an edit menu. If the screen is empty, try pinching the icon of any app on the home screen and drag it to the left.

In the interface that opens, you can often find a "Tune" button or a gear in the corner, and clicking on it will take you to the appropriate launcher settings menu, where you can not only change the vendor, but also remove specific widgets, if this feature is supported by the current version of the shell.

⚠️ Note: On some models with highly customized firmware (for example, telecom operators), the ability to edit the left screen may be blocked by the manufacturer.

And then you can also, after a long tap on the empty seat of the main screen, call the "Widgets" menu. At the bottom of this menu, sometimes you have a "Widget Settings" button that leads to tape management, which is an alternative way for those who can't find the right item in the basic settings.

Completely shutting down the widget tape

Many users prefer minimalism and want to remove the left screen completely so that a random swipe does not open unnecessary applications. Fortunately, the system allows this. Disabling the tape can also slightly speed up the interface on older devices.

To do this, perform the following actions:

• 🔘 Go to Settings. → Desktop.
• 🔘 Find the option "Widget Tape" or "Additional screen".
• 🔘 Select the option "No" or "Disabled".
• 🔘 Confirm the action if the system requests confirmation.

After that, when you swipe to the right, nothing happens, the screen just stays in place, or you move to the first desktop, and that eliminates visual noise and distractions.

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Disabling the widget tape is the most effective way to speed up the interface response on budget smartphones Redmi and POCO.

If you accidentally delete the tape and want to return it, just repeat the procedure by selecting the right source. The system remembers the last selection, but if the launcher resets, the factory version with Google Discover can return.

Editing and removing widgets in the tape

Even if you choose the right source, you may find that the feed displays extra information, such as unnecessary sports performance or news from unverified sources, and the interface allows you to flexibly customize the content.

In Google Discover, click on the profile avatar in the corner or the customization button (three dots/cogs). Here you can customize your interest topics. Remove the ticks from categories that you don't care about, such as Celebrities or Technology, if they're not relevant.

In Mi Home, widgets are controlled differently, and you can usually pinch the widget and choose "Delete" or "Hide" and sorting is also available: important cards (such as doorbell control) are better raised upstairs and secondary ones are removed down.

It’s important to understand that system widgets, such as Google’s search bar, are often non-removable launcher elements, and can only be moved or resized, but not removed without the use of third-party tools like ADB.

Resetting the launcher settings when errors

Sometimes, the widget tape stops opening, freezes, or displays incorrect data, and in this case, the solution is to reset the desktop system application settings, which will not delete your apps, but will return the icons to the factory view.

To perform the reset, go to Settings → Applications → All apps. Find the "Desktop" (or "System Launcher") list. Click "Clear" and select "All data." After that, the phone can "blink" for a second, and the icons will stand in the standard order.

This procedure also helps if you have updated your firmware and the left screen is unstable.Resetting cache and launcher data eliminates conflicts between the old configuration and new system files.

⚠️ Warning: Before resetting your launcher settings, make sure you remember where the important folders were, as the desktop structure will be reset.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)