Modern Xiaomi smartphones are famous for their functionality, but the standard MIUI shell or the new HyperOS is often overwhelmed with visual noise. Many users, when they first pick up the device, wonder how to remove the Google search menu or Yandex, which occupies a large part of the screen. It is not just a question of aesthetics, but also a useful space that can be used for widgets or app icons.
In this article, we will take a look at all the ways you can clean your desktop from unnecessary items. You will learn to disable intrusive recommendations, hide search strings, and customize the control panel for yourself. Xiaomi’s customization process allows you to achieve a minimalist design similar to pure Android, without the need for superuser rights.
Note that the names of items may vary slightly depending on the version of the operating system. However, the overall interface logic remains the same for all models, whether it is a budget Redmi or flagship Xiaomi 14.
Removing the search bar on the desktop
The most common element that smartphone owners want to get rid of is the search bar at the top or bottom of the screen, which can belong to Google or Yandex, depending on the region of the device’s sale, and to remove it, you need to go to the desktop settings, not the general settings of the system.
Press and hold your finger on an empty desktop area until the vibration and menu appear at the bottom of the screen. In the bottom menu that appears, select Settings (the gear icon), and you will see a list of parameters that control the launcher's appearance. Find the section associated with the search widget or status bar.
In the list that opens, you need to find a switch called "Show Search Bar" or "Search Widget." Put the slider in an inactive position. Immediately after that, the line will disappear from the screen, freeing up space. If you have a third-party launcher installed, this method may not work, since the settings are inside the launcher application itself.
⚠️ Note: After removing the standard search bar, access to quick search may become less convenient.We recommend adding a Google or Yandex widget to another location on the screen if you use voice input often.
In some firmware versions, especially in global builds, the search bar can be built into the dock bar (bottom panel with the main applications), in which case, to remove it, you will need to change the configuration of the dock bar or disable the display of recommendations in the widget settings.
Setting up the dock bar and lower menu
The bottom bar, or dock bar, is the navigation center of your Xiaomi smartphone, and it's where you find your frequently used apps and folders, and it's often not just the search bar that annoys you, but the extra elements inside that zone, like a separator or fixed icons.
To change the look of the dock, repress the empty space on the screen and go to Settings. Find "Dock Bar" or "Dock Bar Settings." Here you can change the number of cells, hide the dividing line or completely rewire the layout. Reducing the number of visible cells visually "unloads" the bottom of the screen.
Also, this section often hides the "Show recommendations" setting, and if you activate this, the system will start offering apps based on your usage habits, which creates a dynamic menu that changes all the time, which annoys many people, and disabling this feature stabilizes the appearance of the bottom menu.
It is important to understand the difference between a system dock and a control panel (curtain). The settings described above only concern the home screen. If you want to change the number of buttons in the notification curtain, this is done through Settings → Control Panel.
Disabling recommendations and news feed Mi Vision
One of the most intrusive features of the MIUI shell is the news feed that appears when swiped left from the home screen, called Mi Vision or Apps Widget, and contains news, weather and promotional offers, and you can remove this screen by going back to the standard view.
Click on the empty space on your desktop and select Settings. Find the "Additional" section or the "Apps Widget" option (depending on the version of MIUI), you will be asked to choose between the "Classic" view and the view with widgets. Choose the Classic option.
Once switched, the swipe left will simply flip to the next empty desktop, rather than opening the news feed, which greatly speeds up navigation and removes visual noise. In addition, you can turn off specific news sources in the app widget settings if you don't want to completely remove the screen.
What is Mi Vision?
It’s also worth checking the settings of the widget itself if it’s already installed on the screen. Click on the weather or news widget, go to its settings (usually three dots or long presses), and turn off Personalized Recommendations, which will stop data collection for targeted advertising.
Hiding the application menu and using the classic mode
The latest versions of HyperOS and MIUI have All Apps mode enabled by default, with all installed programs in a separate menu called upwards, and many users prefer Classic mode, where all icons are on desktops, like in older versions of Android.
To switch, grab the blank space on the screen, select Settings, and find Mode, and there are two options: All Apps and Classic. Choosing the classic mode removes the need for swipe up to find programs, making navigation more familiar to many.
If you want to leave All Apps mode, but hide certain programs from the general list, use Hidden Apps. To do this, in your desktop settings, find the appropriate item, set a password or fingerprint, and select the applications that you want to hide. They will disappear from the general menu and will only be accessible through a special login.
- 📱 Classic mode: all icons on the tables, no application menu.
- 🗂️ All Apps mode: there is a separate menu with all programs, an analogue of iOS.
- 🔒 Hidden applications: special folders, password-protected, for sensitive data.
Switching between modes is instantaneous and doesn’t require rebooting the device, and you can experiment with both to see which navigation style is more convenient for you in everyday use.
Control Panel and Settings Menu
The control panel is another place to put things in order, and in the newer versions of the shell, it's divided into two parts: notifications on the left and switches on the right (like in iOS), and the old style brings everything together in one list. You can change this in Settings → Control Panel → Style.
You can also adjust the number of buttons in the quick settings menu, which is six, but you can reduce to four, or you can zoom in by changing the grid size, and you can remove the rarely used switches from the first screen of the control panel, making the interface cleaner.
Also available in this section is the Sidebar setting, which is a pop-up menu with frequently used apps that appears when you swipe from the edge of the screen, and if you accidentally hit it when you play or watch a video, you can turn it off completely in the same settings menu.
☑️ Checking interface settings
Remember that deep customization is possible through the theme of the design. Some third-party themes change the structure of the settings menu and control panel more radically than standard system tools. However, using third-party themes can affect the stability of some system applications.
Using third-party launchers for full customization
If standard MIUI tools aren’t enough and you want to radically change the interface, install a third-party launcher. Popular options like Nova Launcher, Lawnchair or Microsoft Launcher allow you to remove any menu, change animations and folder structure.
Once you install a third-party launcher, the system will ask for permission to use it by default. Select Always or Default. After that, Xiaomi's standard interface will be replaced with the one you choose. In the new launcher settings, you can turn off even the status bar, hide the icon signatures, and change the desktop grid to the smallest detail.
However, it is worth considering that third-party launchers can consume more battery resources and do not always integrate perfectly with Xiaomi system gestures. For example, back or menu gestures can work with a delay. ADB-team.
| Function | Standard MIUI launcher | Third-party launcher (Nova) | Hybrid mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deletion of the search string | Through settings | Complete removal | Depends on the version. |
| Animation. | Standard. | Customizable | Standard. |
| Integration of themes | Complete. | Limited. | Partial |
| RAM consumption | Optimized. | High. | Average. |
Using third-party solutions is a step for advanced users. If you are not sure about your actions, it is better to limit yourself to the settings of the built-in launcher, which is guaranteed to be stable.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Can I remove the Security or Conductor app completely?
Why did the search bar appear again after the update?
Does disabling recommendations affect the speed of the smartphone?
How to return all menu settings back?
Is it safe to use third-party themes to change menus?
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If you accidentally delete an important system widget, don't panic. Click on the blank space on the screen, select "Widgets" and find the right item in the system list to return it to its place.
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Completely cleaning the interface from unnecessary menus and recommendations not only improves the visual perception, but also allows you to focus on the content, making the use of the smartphone more productive.
To sum up, Xiaomi’s shell provides enough tools to remove search menus and other distractions, and customization will allow you to create a unique and clean interface that is fully tailored to your preferences.