How to remove the side menu on Xiaomi: a complete guide for smartphones and TVs

The side menu on Xiaomi devices is a useful tool for quick access to apps and functions, but not everyone likes it. Most complaints are that the panel accidentally opens when you touch the edge of the screen, interferes with games or watching videos, or simply takes up extra space on the display. Depending on the model and firmware version (MIUI, HyperOS or Android TV), the ways to turn off the side menu vary — and not always obvious.

In this article, we’ll look at all the current sidebar removal methods, including hidden settings, development teams, and even radical solutions for stubborn devices. Special attention will be paid to Xiaomi Mi TVs, where the side menu often appears when you connect a gamepad or mouse. If you want to return a clean screen without unnecessary elements, read on.

Why the side menu is coming to Xiaomi and can it be removed forever?

The sidebar (also called the Edge Panel or Side Menu) is a Xiaomi-branded feature that should make multitasking easier: on smartphones, it is activated by swiping from the edge of the screen, on TVs, when you connect peripherals, but many users are faced with the fact that the menu:

• 🎮 Interferes with games – random touches of the edge of the screen lead to the curtailment of the application.
• 📺 Overlaps content on TVs when watching movies or streams.
• 🔄 It spontaneously opens due to firmware failures (especially after updates).
• 📱 It takes up space on the screen even in a rolled-up form (on some models).

Can we take it away forever? Yes, but with the caveats:

• ✅ On most smartphones (Redmi, Poco, Xiaomi) MIUI 12+) Side menu is disabled through settings.
• ⚠️ On Mi TVs. TV Android TV You may need to reset or roll back the firmware.
• ❌ On some models with HyperOS (for example, Xiaomi 14), the standard shutdown is not available – you will have to use workarounds.

If you're willing to experiment, below are instructions for everything from the simple to the most radical, but first check if your device is a problem model.

Method 1: Disable side menus via standard settings (MIUI/HyperOS)

The easiest and safest method is to use the built-in system options, which is suitable for most Xiaomi smartphones on MIUI 12-14 and HyperOS.

1. Open Settings → Additional settings (or Special features on new versions).
2. Select the menu button or gestures (depending on the model).
3. Find the Edge Panel and move the slider to the off position.
4. Save the changes and restart the device.

If there is no such item, try an alternative path:

1. Press the edge of the screen (where the menu appears) and pull into the center - the panel settings window should open.
2. Press on. ⚙️ Settings in the top corner.
3. Turn off the option to show the sidebar.

On some firmware (HyperOS 1.0+), the menu may be called Quick Ball or Floating Window. If neither option works, move on to the next method.

Method 2: Using the Developer Mode and ADB-team

If standard settings don’t help, you can try turning off the side menu via the developer and ADB command mode. This method works on all Android 8.0+ devices, but requires a computer connection.

Step 1: Activate the Developer Mode:

1. Go to Settings. → The phone.
2. Press 7 times on the MIUI version (or HyperOS build number).
3. Return to the main settings menu and a new section for developers will appear.

Step 2. Connect the device to the PC and execute the commands:

1. Download and install ADB Tools.
2. Connect the smartphone via USB, allow debugging (a request will pop up on the screen).
3. Open the command line in the ADB folder and type:

adb shell settings put secure sysui_qs_tiles "$(settings get secure sysui_qs_tiles | sed 's/edge_panel//g')"


adb shell pm disable-user --user 0 com.miui.edge

After you've run the commands, restart the device. If the side menu is gone, the task is solved. If not, try the alternative command:

adb shell am force-stop com.miui.edge

⚠️ Warning: Disabling the com.miui.edge system application may cause unstable gestures or other functions MIUI. If you have any errors after executing the commands, return the settings with the command adb shell pm enable com.miui.edge.

Method 3: Removing the side menu on Xiaomi Mi TVs

On Xiaomi Mi TVs (especially Mi TV 4S, Mi TV Q1, Mi TV A2), the side menu often appears when you plug in a gamepad, keyboard or mouse. Unlike smartphones, there is no direct shutdown option – you will have to use workarounds.

Method 1. Resetting the remote settings:

1. Disable all peripheral devices (gamepad, mouse, keyboard).
2. Go to Settings → Input devices.
3. Select the connected remote and press Forget the device.
4. Reconnect the remote – the side menu should disappear.

Method 2. Firmware rollback (if the menu appeared after the update):

• 🔄 Download the old firmware version from the official Xiaomi website (support section for your model).
• 📁 Save the file to the flash drive in format FAT32.
• 🔌 Connect the flash drive to the TV, go to Settings → Update of the PO → Local Update.
• 🔄 Select the downloaded file and confirm the rollback.

Method 3: Use of the service menu (for advanced users):

1. On the remote, press sequentially: Menu → Settings → All Settings → General.
2. Enter the code 12345 (or 0000 for new models).
3. Go to Advanced and find the Side Menu Enable option.
4. Set the Off value and save the settings.

⚠️ Attention: Incorrect actions in the service menu can lead to a failure of the TV. If you are not sure about your actions, contact the Xiaomi service center.

Method 4: Using third-party applications (without root)

If the system methods didn't work, you can try to disable the side menu using third-party utilities.

• 🛠️ Edge Gestures allows you to override gestures at the edges of the screen. Set up the insensitivity zone so that the swipe doesn't open the menu.
• 🚫 App Ops blocks permissions for system applications. Find com.miui.edge and disable overlays.
• 🔍 MacroDroid – creates a macro that automatically closes the sidebar when it appears.

Instructions for App Ops:

1. Download App Ops from Google Play.
2. Open the app and find it in the list of com.miui.edge.
3. Turn off permissions. SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW and BIND_ACCESSIBILITY_SERVICE.
4. Reset the device.

The downside of this method is that after updating the firmware, the settings can reset, and the side menu will return, and some applications (such as App Ops) require ADB to work properly.

💡

If you have lost your return or multitasking gestures after you turn off the side menu, check the settings in System → Gestures → Navigation buttons. You may have to reconfigure the control.

Method 5: Radical methods (root, custom firmware, modifications)

If none of the above has worked, there are extreme measures that are only suitable for power users, as they require unlocking the bootloader and obtaining root rights.

Method 1: Removal of the system APK:

1. Get root access (for example, through Magisk).
2. Install a file manager with root support (such as Root Explorer).
3. Go to /system/priv-app/ and find the MiuiEdge.apk file (or com.miui.edge.apk).
4. Rename the file to MiuiEdge.apk.bak or delete it.
5. Reset the device.

Method 2: Installation of custom firmware:

• 📱 LineageOS or Pixel Experience-based firmware doesn’t have Xiaomi’s side menu.
• 🔧 To install, you will need to unlock the bootloader through fastboot.
• ⚠️ Risk of "bricking" the device - do a backup NANDroid.

Method 3. Editing build.prop:

1. Open /system/build.prop file with root rights.
2. Add a line: ro.miui.has_edge_panel=false.
3. Save the changes and reboot.

⚠️ Warning: Any manipulation of system files may result in loss of warranty, device failures or inability to update firmware.Be sure to have a full backup before experimenting.

💡

If you're not sure about your root and custom firmware skills, you should go to a service center. Wrong actions can turn the device into a brick.

What to do if the side menu returns after the update

One of the most common problems is that the sidebar reappears after the MIUI or HyperOS update, and that's because the firmware restores the standard settings of the system applications.

• 🔄 Reverse to the previous version of the firmware (if you know that it did not have a menu on it).
• 📵 Freeze the com.miui.edge app via Titanium Backup or Luck Patcher (root required).
• 🔧 Set up automatic execution ADB-commands after each update (e.g. via Tasker).
• 📢 Write in support of Xiaomi – sometimes the official patch helps (especially for TVs).

If the problem occurs on the TV, try turning off automatic updates:

1. Go to Settings. → Update of the PO.
2. Turn off the option of Automatic Download Updates.
3. Manually check the updates every 2-3 months (by this time patches may come out).

On some Mi TV models (such as the Mi TV 5 Pro), the side menu appears due to a bug in Android TV 11 firmware. The only solution is to wait for the update or roll back on Android TV 10.

FAQ: Frequent questions about the side menu on Xiaomi