Xiaomi’s current smartphones, which are powered by MIUI shells and the new HyperOS, offer users a variety of personalization features. However, many device owners notice that swiping to the right of the home screen opens Google Discover News Feed, a feature designed to inform users often becomes a source of irritation, consuming RAM and distracting from basic tasks.
Removing this interface element is easy, but the solutions may vary depending on the operating system version and regional firmware. In this article, we will take a look at all the available methods for deactivating the news feed, from standard settings to deeper system changes, and learn how to free up CPU resources and restore the cleanliness of the desktop.
Before you start, it’s important to understand that turning off the feed will not affect the search engine or other Google services.You’ll simply hide the visual widget that aggregates the news. Below are proven ways to help you customize your device to your needs without losing warranty or stability.
Standard method of disconnection through desktop settings
The easiest and safest way to get rid of intrusive tape is to use the built-in launcher settings, which are suitable for most Redmi, POCO and Xiaomi models. You don't need superuser rights or a computer connection. All actions are performed directly on the smartphone screen in a few seconds.
To start, unlock the device and go to the main screen. Make a long tap in any free place where there are no application icons. This action will open the desktop editing menu. At the bottom of the screen you will see several buttons, among which we are interested in Settings or the gear icon. In some versions of the firmware, this item may be called Additional.
In the menu that opens, find a switch called Google, News Feed, or Google Discover, and its location can vary: sometimes it's at the top of the list, sometimes it's hidden inside the Other subsection. Put the switch to the inactive state. Now, if you try to swipe left, instead of the newsfeed, it opens up an empty space or a search widget, depending on your topic.
It's worth noting that on global firmware versions, this item may be called differently than in Chinese. If you're using a Chinese firmware (CN ROM), look for a item associated with Glance or Feed. Once you turn off, the changes take effect instantly, you don't need to restart the device.
Removing Google widget from minus the first screen
In the latest updates to the HyperOS shell and some versions of MIUI 14, the company has changed the logic of the left screen, instead of automatic tape, it can display a static search widget or a set of widgets. If the standard switching did not help, you may have activated the Extended Screen mode or added a widget manually.
Try swiping right to open the problem area. If it shows a Google search bar or news tiles, try pinching that block with your finger. There should be a vibration and widget management menu. In the context menu that appears, select the Remove or Remove option. This action will remove the specific widget, but it will not necessarily turn off the content download function itself.
⚠️ Note: If the system offers to replace it with another widget when removing it or automatically restores the tape, then the function is activated in the deep launcher settings, and you need to use the method described in the previous section.
There's also the possibility that you have One Screen mode on, and swiping to the right just moves you to another desktop page. → Desktop. Make sure that the switch is off, if you want to be able to swipe. If it's on, swipe to the right will just cycle you between pages, and the newsfeed will not physically appear.
For users who prefer minimalism, it is also recommended to check the settings of the widgets. Sometimes the news feed is disguised as a weather widget or "Quick Access" Deleting all unnecessary elements from the left edge of the screen ensures that nothing will pop up unexpectedly.
☑️ Checking screen settings
Configure via Google App and Services
Sometimes the problem isn't with the launcher, but with the settings of the Google app itself. The news feed is part of the search engine ecosystem, and its behavior can be adjusted within the account, which is useful if you want to leave the technical ability to use the feed, but clear it of specific content or temporarily suspend work.
Open the Google app on your Xiaomi smartphone. Click on your profile avatar in the top right corner of the screen. In the drop-down menu, select Settings, then go to General or News Feed. Here you can find the Show Cards switch. Disabling this option will make the tape empty even if the widget is formally active.
You can also customize your interests in this menu, and if you click on Interests, you'll see a list of topics that the algorithm thinks are important to you, and if you turn off all the topics, you'll actually turn the tape into useless, which will indirectly solve the noise problem, but the visual space to the left of the main screen will still be reserved for this functionality.
| Setup parameter | Location on the menu | Shutdown effect |
|---|---|---|
| Google Discover Tape | Desktop settings | The complete disappearance of the screen on the left |
| Interest cards | Google Appendix → Settings | There's a tape, but it's empty of news. |
| Search widget | Long tap on the widget | Removing the search bar from the screen |
It's important to understand the difference between these methods: Disconnecting through the desktop settings (System Launcher) removes the interface itself, disabling through the Google app removes only content, and for maximum effect, it is recommended to use both methods in conjunction.
Use of third-party launchers for full control
If standard MIUI or HyperOS tools don’t work, or if you want to change the look of your smartphone, the best solution is to install a third-party launcher, which completely replaces the standard desktop, providing flexible customization options that are not available in stock firmware.
Popular options are Nova Launcher, Microsoft Launcher or Lawnchair. Once you install such an application and assign it to the default, the standard Google feed will stop appearing, since it is tied to the Xiaomi system launcher. You will get a clean interface where every swipe and action is controlled by you.
How to install a third-party launcher on Xiaomi?
However, this method has its nuances: Third-party launchers can consume more battery resources than the optimized system launcher Xiaomi.In addition, some specific shell features, such as control gestures or Mi widgets, may not work correctly or require additional configuration. Owners of devices with high refresh rate screens (120 Hz) should check for support for this technology in the selected launcher.
For advanced users, installing a custom launcher is a great way to extend the life of an old device by removing heavy system add-ons. Lightweight launchers like the Niagara Launcher can significantly speed up the interface response on older Redmi models.
Problems with Chinese firmware versions (CN ROM)
Owners of smartphones ordered from China or purchased in local markets with Chinese firmware preinstalled often face aggressive adoption of Baidu or Google services, which are difficult to remove by standard methods, in which case the left screen may be occupied by a Hot App widget or a news aggregator that does not have a switch button in the standard menu.
A deeper approach may be needed. Changing the region in your phone settings often helps. Go to Settings → Additional settings → Region and select a country other than China, such as India or Indonesia, which can reboot system services and change the set of available widgets, making the switch button visible.
⚠️ Warning: Changes in region may affect some local services, holiday calendars, and theme stores available.Be prepared for some system applications to update or change the interface language.
If changing the region didn't help, you can try to clear the system launcher data. Go to Settings → Applications → All applications, find System Launcher (or System Launcher) in the list. Click Clear → Clear all data. This action will reset the location of all icons on desktops to factory state, so pre-take screenshots of the app placement. After reset, the first setup often gives you the opportunity to immediately abandon the news feed.
In extreme cases, when software methods are powerless, users of Chinese versions resort to installing Global ROM, a complex procedure that requires unlocking the bootloader, and it is not recommended for beginners, as it carries the risk of turning the phone into a “brick” if the technology is broken.
Optimizing performance after turning off tape
Once you have managed to remove the news feed, it is recommended to perform a series of actions to consolidate the result and improve the overall performance of the system.The release of the left screen is not only a matter of aesthetics, but also a way to reduce the load on RAM, since the background processes of the tape will no longer be active.
First, reboot the device, so that the system services responsible for synchronizing the news feed are fully finished and offloaded from memory. After turning on the phone, check if the tape appears again when you swipe. If everything is clear, you can move on to further optimization.
Also worth checking is the app autoload list. Often, along with the news feed, Google services are listed in the autoload that can be limited. Go to Settings → Apps → Autorun and make sure there are no unnecessary processes associated with news or content aggregators that you do not use.
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For maximum interface speed on Xiaomi, it is also recommended to turn off animations in developer mode, which will make transitions between screens instantaneous, which is especially noticeable after removing heavy widgets.
Remember to periodically clean the launcher cache, and over time, it accumulates icon thumbnails and temporary files. → Annexes → Application management → System launcher → Memory. → Clean the cache. Regular maintenance will help keep the device at a high level.