The appearance of an extraneous interface element, such as a floating circle, often takes owners of Xiaomi and Redmi smartphones by surprise. This object can interfere with watching videos, blocking control buttons in games or simply annoying with its presence on the desktop, many users perceive this as a system error or, worse, virus software, although in most cases it is a regular feature of the MIUI shell or HyperOS.
To understand the origin of this element is necessary in order to properly deactivate it. The circle on the display can be part of the function "Assistant", a tool for people with disabilities or the result of a third-party application. Incorrect identification of the source of the problem will lead to useless attempts to delete through the wrong settings menu.
In this guide, we will discuss in detail all possible causes of this graphic element, how to disable embedded access functions, how to check running applications and what to do if a device is infected with an ad virus. Follow the instructions consistently to return a clean and user-friendly interface.
Assistive Ball: The main source of the problem
The most likely cause of the mug is the activated Assistive Ball, a standard MIUI shell tool designed to make it easier to navigate your smartphone, especially on larger-screen models, and duplicates basic control buttons such as Home, Back and Menu, allowing you to control the device with one hand.
Often users accidentally turn on this option by triple-clicking on the lock button or selecting the appropriate item in the special features menu. To remove this item, you need to go to the deep system settings menu. Go to Settings, then select Additional Features and find Assistive Ball.
Inside this menu, you'll see a switch that activates or deactivates the ball. Turning off the switch in the Assistive Ball menu instantly removes the circle from the screen, returning a clean desktop. If you don't need the feature, just turn it off. However, if you value the convenience of quick access, you can leave the ball, but adjust its transparency or concealment when you do not.
There's also the ability to change the behavior of the balloon, so you can set up a long press or double click to run specific applications, which turns a potentially annoying element into a powerful productivity tool, and for most users looking for a way to remove the circle, simply turning off the tumbler solves the problem completely.
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The Assistive Ball function is enabled in the “Additional Features” menu and is disabled there by a single switch.
Remove Quick Ball and other access tools
The second common reason for floating elements is the Quick Ball feature, which, unlike the Assistive Ball, is a shortcut panel that hides as a small strip or dot at the edge of the screen, and when touched, it unfolds in the quick command menu.
To disable Quick Ball, you need to follow the Settings → Additional Features → Quick Ball. Here you also need to transfer the slider to the Off position. that on some global firmware versions this item may be called “Floating Window” or have another name, but the icon usually remains recognizable.
Another source of circular elements could be tools for people with disabilities. Advanced Settings menus → Special features are often hidden features like Access Switch or Access Menu. If you don't use these features specifically, they should be turned off, as they can create permanent overlays on the screen.
- 🔍 Check the “Special Opportunities” section for active services.
- 🔍 Turn off the “Fast Ball” function in additional settings.
- 🔍 Make sure that the “assistant ball” is turned off.
- 🔍 Check the control settings with one hand.
It is important to distinguish between system functions and third-party applications. If after disabling all system options, the circle remains, the problem lies deeper. Xiaomi system settings take priority, but third-party software can overlap the interface.
Third-party annexes and overlays
If system settings didn’t work, a third-party application could be the source of the problem. Many programs, such as memory cleaners, voice recorders, screen recording apps, or even instant messengers (like Facebook Messenger), use Overlay, which allows them to display floating windows on top of other applications.
To identify the culprit, you need to analyze the list of newly installed programs. Often users install an application that asks for permission to display on top of other windows and forget about it.
To manage permissions, go to Settings → Applications → Application Management. Select a suspicious application, click Other permissions, and find “Master on top of other applications.” If the permission is active, turn it off. This action will prevent the program from drawing circles on the screen.
How to Find a Hidden Virus App
Special attention should be paid to applications that you downloaded not from the official Google Play store, but from a browser or third-party sources. They often contain advertising modules that masquerade as system elements.
Advertising viruses and malware
The worst case scenario is that a circle appears that is part of an ad virus, often masquerading as system processes or not having an icon on the app menu, and may generate pop-up ads or simply hang on the screen to collect click data.
Signs of malware include: a circle that cannot be removed by settings; the appearance of ads on the desktop; fast battery drain; heating the device in downtime. If you encounter these symptoms, standard removal of the application may not be enough, since the virus may have administrator rights.
To combat such threats, you need to check the list of administrator applications. Go to Settings → Password and Security → Privacy → Special Access → Device Administrator Applications. If you see an unknown application with administrator privileges there, immediately revoke these rights and delete the program.
⚠️ Note: If the circle only appears in certain applications (such as a browser or game), it may not be a virus, but an embedded advertisement or widget of the application itself.
In difficult cases, it is recommended to use antivirus scanners, such as Dr.Web or Kaspersky, available in the Play Market.They are able to find hidden threats that the standard MIUI protector misses.
Hardware problems and display defects
If the circle is always visible, even in the bootloader or recovery mode, and its position does not change when you switch pictures, then this is a matrix defect, such defects are called "broken pixels" or screen burnout.
Burn-in is characteristic of AMOLED-If a static element (such as a navigation circle or an app icon) is displayed on the screen for a long time, its outline can be imprinted on the matrix. Unlike software circles, this defect cannot be removed by settings.
For diagnostic purposes, you can take a screenshot of a screenshot, if there's no mug in the picture, but it's visible on the phone, it's a software problem or a virus, and if the circle is visible on the screenshot (when viewed on another device), or only visible on the phone screen, but not on the download menu, it's a display defect.
| Type of problem | Where the circle is visible | Reacts to touch. | Method of decision |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assistive Ball | Everywhere except for full-screen video | Yeah (opens menu) | Settings → Additional functions |
| Virus/Advertising | Chaotic or in specific applications | Often not or leads to advertising | Delete the application, antivirus |
| Screen defect | Always, including downloading | No. | Replacement of display |
| side-overlay | Over the other windows. | Depends on the app. | Permit settings |
If a screen defect is diagnosed, software methods are powerless, and in some cases, the pixel recovery function helps if it is in the engineering menu, but most often you need to replace the display module in the service center.
Prevention and cleaning of the system
To avoid unwanted items in the future, it is recommended that you regularly audit installed applications, remove programs that you do not use, especially those that were downloaded from unverified sources, and reduce the risk of accidental activation of overlay functions or infection with a virus.
Also, be careful when updating your system. After major MIUI updates or switching to HyperOS, some settings may reset or, conversely, new features may be activated by default. Always check the "Additional Features" section after the firmware update.
☑️ Checking system cleanliness
Digital hygiene prolongs the life of the device and saves the user’s nerves. Understanding how Xiaomi interfaces work allows you not only to remove the extra, but also to customize the smartphone to your needs, making it as comfortable as possible to use.
⚠️ Warning: Do not use apps to “accelerate” or “cool” your phone from unknown developers, which are the most common source of advertising circles and viruses on Android.