How to change or remove the widget tape on Xiaomi: 3 proven ways

The widget tape on Xiaomi smartphones is a convenient tool for quick access to information, but not all users like its location or content.Some want to remove it completely to free the screen, and some want to replace it with more useful widgets or move to another place. In this article, we will discuss all the ways to customize the widget tape to MIUI 14/15, including hidden functions and solutions for different models (Redmi Note 12, POCO X5, Xiaomi 13T, etc.).

Now, let's just say, the process can vary slightly depending on the firmware and shell version. If you have an older version of MIUI (below 12.5), some menu items may be called differently, which we'll mention, too, and we'll also tell you what to do if the widget tape comes back voluntarily after updating or resetting.

So let's start with the simplest one, the standard interface settings, and if you've never changed the widget tape, it's probably to the left of the home screen, and it contains weather, calendar, steps, and other system widgets that you can edit, but not everyone knows how to do it right.

1. How to remove the widget tape on Xiaomi completely

If you don’t need a widget tape at all, you can turn it off in the launcher settings, which works on most modern Xiaomi smartphones, but some models (like the POCO F5) may need an additional step.

Open the main screen and make a long tap from scratch. At the bottom of the screen will appear the settings panel. Here you need to select the settings of the home screen (or Launcher options on older versions).

Then scroll down to the Widget Ribbon section and turn off the switch. After that, the swipe left on the home screen will stop opening the tape. If there is no such item, then your firmware does not support complete shutdown (see the next section).

⚠️ Note: Some devices may also have Google Discover (if installed) after disabling the widget tape.

• 📱 For MIUI 15: Path - Long press → Home screen settings → Widget tape → Turn it off.
• 🔄 For MIUI 12-14: You may need to select screen style first. → Standard.
• ❌ If there is no "Tape widgets" item: Try updating the firmware or using the method with ADB (section).

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Turning off the widget tape does not remove the widgets themselves - they can be added back to the main screen manually.

2. How to change the contents of the widget tape

If you don't want to remove the tape altogether, but you want to replace the widgets with your own, it's done right in the interface. Swipe left on the home screen to open the tape, then scroll down to the end and click Edit (or Customize on some models).

Here you will see two sections:

1. Active widgets are the ones that are displayed now.
2. The available widgets are the ones that can be added.

To remove the widget, click on the cross in the top corner. To add a new one, drag it from the bottom section to the top. Some widgets (like Weather or Calendar) can be resized — hold your finger on the widget and select Change Size.

Note: System widgets (such as Mi Fit or Notes) can be automatically updated. If you do not need notifications from them, disable them in the settings of the respective applications.

If you don't have enough standard widgets, you can install third-party widgets from Google Play, such as KWGT or UCCW, which allow you to create custom widgets with a unique design, but they may need to turn off battery optimization in the application settings.

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To make your widgets update faster, add their apps to the “No Limits” list in your battery settings (Settings → Battery → Battery Optimization).

3.How to return the widget tape if it is missing

Sometimes, after updating or resetting, the widget tape disappears on its own, most often because:

• 🔄 Resetting launcher settings.
• 📱 Third-party launcher installations (e.g. Nova Launcher or Hyperion).
• 🛠️ Manual editing of system files (for example, through ADB).

To return the tape, try the following steps:

1. Go to Settings → Applications → Application Management.
2. Find the MIUI Launcher (or Lawnchair if you use custom).
3. Select Warehouse → Clear data (this will reset the launcher settings, but will not remove widgets from the home screen).
4. Reboot the phone.

If this doesn't work, check if the MiuiSystemUI system process is disabled.

adb shell pm enable com.miui.home

This command should be typed in through ADB on your computer. If you don’t know how to do this, read our guide to setting up ADB for Xiaomi.

⚠️ Attention: Clearing the launcher data will reset all your home screen settings, including folders and icon locations.

4. How to transfer the widget tape to another screen

By default, the widget tape swipes to the left of the home screen. But what if you want it to be on the right or on a separate screen? Unfortunately, there's no such option in standard MIUI settings, but there are workarounds.

Method 1: Use the "Double Touch" gesture

1. Open Settings → Additional settings → Gestures.
2. Choose a double touch (or triple touch).
3. Set the action Open the widget tape.

Now you can open the tape anywhere on the screen with a double tap.

Method 2: Install a third-party launcher

Launchers like Nova Launcher or Action Launcher allow you to configure widgets in a flexible way, such as Nova.

• 📲 Create a separate screen for widgets only.
• 🔄 Assign swipe in either direction to open the tape.
• 🎨 Change the transparency and display style.

The downside of this is that you lose some of the features of MIUI, like the built-in animations or the system widgets, but you get a bunch of new customization options.

Make a backup of the main screen (screenshots)

Remember the location of frequently used widgets

Check the compatibility of the launcher with your version of MIUI

Disable battery optimization for new launcher-->

5. Solving Widget Ribbon Problems

Sometimes the widget tape doesn't work properly, doesn't update, slows down, or shows errors, and here are the most common problems and solutions.

Problem 1: Widgets are not updated

If the weather or calendar shows outdated data:

• 🔄 Reboot the phone.
• 📶 Check your internet connection (widgets require network updates).
• ⚙️ Open the widget settings and click Update manually.
• 🔋 Make sure that the widget application (Weather, Mi Fit) does not turn on the power saving mode.

Problem 2: The tape opens on its own

If the widget tape accidentally opens when you swipe, it's possible that the touch screen is glitchy.

• 🧹 Clean the edge of the screen from dirt (sometimes the swipe is triggered due to dust).
• 🛠️ Calibrate the sensor in Settings → Screen. → Sensor calibration.
• 📱 Check if there is a cover that touches the screen.

Problem 3: Widgets disappear after the update

If after updating MIUI the widget tape reset, but in the launcher settings there is no possibility to return it, try rolling back the version of the system application MiuiHome through ADB:

adb shell pm install -r -d com.miui.home.apk

Where com.miui.home.apk is a backup of an older version of the launcher. Be careful: incompatible versions can lead to the system's collapse.

6. Alternative ways to manage widgets on Xiaomi

If you don’t like the standard widget tape, there are a few alternatives:

1. Widgets on a locked screen

Some widgets (weather, music, pedometer) can be displayed on the lock screen:

1. Go to Settings → Lock screen.
2. Select Widgets on the lock screen.
3. Add the desired widgets and configure their display.

2.Fast panels in the notification curtain

In MIUI 14/15, you can add widgets directly to the notification panel:

• Swipe down to open the curtain.
• Click on the pencil (Edit).
• Drag the desired widgets to the top panel.

3.Voice assistant XiaoAI

If you have a model that supports XiaoAI (such as Xiaomi 13 or Redmi K60), you can control the voice widgets:

Examples of teams: “Show the weather for tomorrow”, “Open the calendar on the 15th” “How many steps did I take today?”

To do this, you need to activate XiaoAI in the settings and give permission to access the data.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the widget tape on Xiaomi